Essential Teachings of Hinduism

The topic of this page is the ancient India religion – Hinduism and its relevance to the modern age.

I’ll start off by quoting Bertrand Russell, the famous agnostic, mathematician and philosopher. He believed all religions (including Hinduism) to be both false and harmful. Regarding the challenges facing mankind today, due to rapid scientific and technological progress he said (in the Scientific Outlook): “Man has been disciplined hitherto by his subjection to nature. Having emancipated himself from this subjection he is now showing something of the defects of slave turned master. A new moral outlook is called for in which submission to the powers of nature is replaced by respect for what is best in man. It is where this respect is lacking that scientific technique is dangerous. So long as it is present science, having delivered man from bondage to nature, can proceed to deliver him from bondage to the slavish part of himself.”

Modern science has progressed over the last hundred years to the extent that man can now destroy all life on this planet simply by pressing the nuclear button. But we can also eradicate poverty, disease and all forms of avoidable human misery while preserving life in all its forms. The choice is ours.

In addition to technological marvels the growth of modern science has resulted in a scientific and rational attitude to life, which has destroyed many a fable, myth and superstition. Modern man is questioning everything – including established religious faiths – and this has led to a loss of inner direction within himself. He lacks the foundation for “respect for what is best in Man” as Bertrand Russell put it.

It is here that the ancient India religion – Hinduism – can help. As explained in the page the Philosophy of Hinduism all religious Hindu texts and holy books are categorized as either sruti – the essential spiritual truths – or smrti – the rules, regulations, dos and don’ts specific to a particular social milieu. The modern scientific, questioning outlook has exposed the fables, myths and superstitions as false and not relevant to our day and age. But there is no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. The sruti – the essential spiritual truths – remain and as enunciated in the Upanishads they provide the guidance the inner direction needed by modern man today. These are the essential teachings of the ancient India religion – Hinduism.

There is nothing in the spirit of the Upanishads, which would go against the modern rational skeptical bent of mind. One of the most striking features of the Upanishad is the fearless quest for truth and the rational bent of mind exemplified by the sage of ancient India. The only difference between those sages and modern day scientists is that the scientist looks outward – at the external world – in his search for truth and the sages of ancient India religion of Hinduism looked inward.

The values preached by the Upanishad – along with a passion for truth – are human happiness and welfare, detachment from worldly pleasures and a lack of clinging. Service to mankind was stressed. And of course the Upanishads show the way to the inner experience of our oneness with the ultimate or God.

The unabated materialism and pursuit of money may drive the world economy but it also leads to conflict and competition between individuals, nations and rapid destruction of our environment. In addition most people are plagued by the internal demons of their subconscious minds and give vent to their negative feelings and passions in a destructive way. The message and methods revealed by the Upanishads and in fact all eastern philosophy is that man can rediscover his lost sense of oneness, of unity with the rest of existence. Any person who has had this experience will be a light to the world and will help rescue humanity from its headlong rush towards chaos and destruction.