Hindu texts.5 Despite the growing interest in non-Christian religions, scholarly focus remained upon texts and exegesis.6 The growing interest and respect for Hinduism and Judaism, however, seemed to challenge the primacy of Christianity. Thus, although God is as close (immanent) as our own thoughts, God is also distinct enough from our own selves and the material universe so as to allow for us to have a relationship with Him/Her/It (as one can not really have a relationship with oneself). The essence of Hinduism is the concept of Brahman, the one infinite reality which forms the ground of all existence. Perhaps this is why the religion doesn't go for missionary zeal and lets follows drift in and out. In this sense, and in others, the practice and beliefs of many Hindus can be described as pantheistic. In fact, it is the conception of God given by the Christian New Testament. Each seemingly separate god is, therefore, a different manifestation or quality of the One God.While this concept may seem alien to many westerners, it is not without a western analogy. You can choose the philosophy you think suits your personality and world view the best and call yourself hindu. Hinduism is a decidedly theistic religion; the difficulty lies in determining whether it is a polytheistic, pantheistic, or perhaps even monotheistic religion. I have often heard Hinduism described as a polytheistic religion. Jews and Muslims would surely say that Hinduism is polytheistic—for them, worship of anything that is … Whereas a traveler of spiritual path, follower of teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads considers Hinduism to be monotheistic. To see if what the others , if any have written in this Hubland, I searched and the article I chose was yours and I was astounded by the so crisp and precise way you have put it all, that cannot be contained in one vessel. He is called Brahman…” (taken from Upanisads: A new translation by Patrick Olivelle)The conception of God and gods in the Upanishads is that the many different “gods” are in fact just the One God. Some are monotheistic, some are polytheistic, some are agnostic, and some are atheist. The Christian concept of the “trinity” conceptualizes the One God in a similar way, dividing Him into three different manifestations which each act within different capacities, but nonetheless share the same divine nature. Hinduism is a religion that defies definite classification, and in practice, it has both monotheistic and polytheistic components. Hinduismhas the characteristics of both; meaning that it can no longer be classified as just a polytheisticreligion because there are many monotheistictraits as well. Exactly, monotheism simply means the acknowledgment of one god. Brahma is the creator aspect of the supreme being, Shiva is the destroyer and Vishnu is the preserver. The gods they worship bring them to the One Source, or the Ultimate Reality to finish their reincarnations. It would be better described as monotheistic, but I don't like to use that term because that term is usually used for the western religions, which view god and the creation as separate entities. Learning Targets • I will be able to: • explain and give two examples of polytheism describe briefly the emergence of monotheism. Is Hinduism Pantheistic, Panentheistic, Polytheistic, monotheistic or henotheistic? A bit further on in the conversation, the student asks, “Who is the one God?” The sage replies, “Breath. Is Hinduism monotheistic or polytheistic? So they are technically a monotheistic religion. Hence, Hinduism is monotheistic, At the most henotheistic but not polytheistic as there is only one God and the others are Brahman's manifestations. It is a great essay and attempt to understand Hinduism; yet, i would add or view some points otherwise. 1. Hinduism names hundreds of gods, … Correct Answer: bhak ti Question 4 0 out of 5 points The main hero of the classical Hindu epics is_____, a prince who is an avatar of _____. Justin Aptaker graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee, earning a B.A. Hinduism as a collective culture of many philosophies is henotheist-panentheistic-polytheistic from viewpoint of relative reality. . The Hindu concept of God is complex and may be different for each individual, but it revolves around one God or higher spirit. It depends on how the practitioner of the religion understands it. You have done a good job of presenting an objective view of this subject. Hinduism is all into one. Answer Save. Hinduism is both monotheistic and polytheistic! Both were correct in their perception. Monotheistic isn't somehow superior to Polytheistic. So it got me thinking. Google Search terms used: hinduism polytheism monotheism hinduism polytheistic hinduism monotheistic I hope this answer has you what you need. 5. Who founded the religion? It should be noted at the outset, however, that this is chiefly a western difficulty: the Indian mind is much more inclined to regard divergent views as complementary rather than competing. Also, Christianity does not seem to fit within Panentheism as much as Hinduism does, since Christianity does not have a conception of impersonal truth, but that of a personal relationship between us and Thee, in which God is a person that "sits" everywhere. Sid Kemp from Boca Raton, Florida (near Miami and Palm Beach) on April 14, 2012: Thank you, JapTaker. The Demigods (devas) are here in the the material creation along with us. But do we, really? From there, however, it gets more complicated, as many Hindus see the various aspects of Brahma manifest in hundreds (potentially thousands) of other deities. Each of the many Hindu gods carries one of the facets of an omnipresent God. This paradox can be traced to the history of Hinduism. H.P. So both 'monotheistic' and 'polytheistic' are inappropriate to describe Hinduism. I have been trying to put across an article based on a 'Baul' folk song, and on the Krishna theme- translating it as best as I could, and as an introduction grappling with the words that would give some shadowy idea of one minor path in Hindu theology, that of the Bhakti Marg. The term “Hinduism” embraces a wide array of philosophies and practices, and while certain Hindus may think and worship in an essentially monotheistic way, the practices of others may be more readily labeled polytheistic or pantheistic. Sikhism is a relatively young religion. One who finds self incapable of indulging in spirituality unable to follow teachings […] The result has been a multitude of religious sects, each with its own rituals and customs, which share a unity of spirit. In this system, Absolute Brahman is perfectly whole, inseparable (advaita) and “unqualified” (nirguna), that is, without any distinct parts or even distinct qualities. Devotion to these deities is based primarily on one 's region and needs, even when devotion is given to only one or more, the existence of the others is known. So they worship the personal forms of Brahman in different ways. Panentheism posits that, while God is within all things, He/She/It simultaneously transcends all these various forms. Owen, "Pantheists are ‘monists’...they believe that there is only one Being, and that all other forms of reality are either modes (or appearances) of it or identical with it." Hindus as i have already said can be pluralistic. Whereas a traveler of spiritual path, follower of teachings contained in Bhagavad Gita and Upanishads considers Hinduism to be monotheistic. Although, in theory, all the Hindu gods are actually the same God, in practice, perhaps most Hindus are polytheists. Extremely polytheistic and nature worshipping pagan religion. An example of a polytheistic faith is Hinduism, which has multiple different gods with different roles. The Vedas speak of the one Ultimate Reality, Braham; the Paramatma or the Supreme Soul who is nameless and without any form. One enfolds the other. Both are compatible with Hindu texts, and the right way of practicing Hinduism is subject to continued debate, with many Hindu schools regarding it as a henotheistic religion. For them, their respective Gods are most important, just like in any other Temple. 330 million of them! Both were correct in their perception. This one God is also known as the Absolute or Brahman. A God that says they're the only God and telling you to kill other people who believe another God is very incompatible with the view Hinduism brings. Some of us worship Shiva, others Vishnu, some Krishna and others Durga or Kali etc, etc. Owen's idea of pantheism, I believe, does not apply to Hinduism, since the "one Being" of the Hindus is not ONLY or identical with the many forms/appearances of manifestation, but ALSO beyond or more than the forms of manifestation. 7:30. For them, their respective Gods are most important, just like in any other Temple. Hindu texts and practices suggest the simultaneous existence of polytheism and what seems to be monotheism, but some Hindus find it insulting to be called polytheists. The word “panentheism” comes from the Greek roots “pan-” (all) “en-” (in) and “theos” (god), so it means exactly what 1 Corinthians says: “God in all”. And yes, fosters one personal seeking of enlightenment through a variety of paths. If you need anything else, or have a problem with the answer, do please post a Request for Clarification before rating and I shall respond as soon as I can. And there is one Hindu school that is more explicitly monistic than others: Advaita Vedanta or just Advaita. So if one thing is clear from this brief introduction to the Hindu conception of the divine, it should be that there is no simple formula or label to affix to said conception. Justin Aptaker (author) from United States on April 16, 2012: Wow! There is no simple answer to the question of whether Hinduism is monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, or something else entirely. Monotheistic or Polytheistic. Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. The latter is a special case of poly­theism, the belief in many Gods (e.g., Hinduism). God is within everything and everyone, closer than our own heartbeats or the air we breathe. Different Hinduism traditions have different monotheistic views, and these views are described by scholars as polytheism, monotheism, henwthism, pantheism, pantheism, monism, agnostic, humanism, atheism or non-godliness. Major proponents of the monotheistic nature of Hinduism point to the fundamental trinity of Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu as three aspects of a single entity, similar to the Christian trinity of God, Jesus and the Holy Ghost. Brahm in Question 3 0 out of 5 points The real focus of the Bhagavad Gita is _____, or devotion to one's god. How is hinduism monotheistic or polytheistic Hinduism has a variety of views on Hindu single god, which hold diverse views on the concept of God. Hinduism Monotheistic or Polytheistic? Sushmita from Kolkata, India on April 14, 2012: Japtaker, I am so amazed by this Hub I cannot express myself. Thus, there are different things/beings/qualities, but they are all different aspects of the one Brahman.What does monism have to do with pantheism? Any conception we have of Brahman, such as “God”, or any quality that we apply to it, such as “being” or “consciousness” can not be a conception of Absolute Brahman, as this is inconceivable. How do I argue that Hinduism is monotheistic? Hinduism denies being exclusively either monotheistic or polytheistic, sometimes believing to be monotheistic but declining to polytheism with many Hindu schools regarding it as henotheistic. There is no simple answer to the question of whether Hinduism is monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, or something else entirely. You don't. I have to share it. Polytheistic = The worship of or belief in more than one god. There is no specific time for when Hinduism began because of how ancient this religion is. I'm very happy to hear that you enjoyed my writing so much. 30 million deities which are nothing but forms of ONE God. The merging of polytheistic and monotheistic concepts in this way is unique to Hinduism. A religion of many gods, demi-gods and goddesses. I mean Islam and Christianity are monotheistic. It is impossible to unambiguously answer the question about the nature of religion: the direction shows signs of both polytheistic and monotheistic religion that honors the Hinduism Brahman. Nature, including natural landforms, continues to figure prominently in traditional and polytheistic faiths and residually in monotheistic faiths. Who was the first of the 10 Gurus of Sikhism. Thus, all things, including the individual Self (Atman) are Brahman, and the only reason we perceive there to be many things is because of ignorance (Maya), which ultimately, is also Brahman. Übersetzung im Kontext von „polytheistic“ in Englisch-Deutsch von Reverso Context: Depending on the stream of Hinduism to which one ascribes, one may be pantheistic, polytheistic, monistic ("all is one"), monotheistic, or a number of other options. Relevance. God Almighty is addressed as Brahman, Sanatana Purusha, Parmatman, Karta, Ishwar, Bhagwan and Prabhu in Hinduism! Monotheistic is the belief in a single, worshippable creator God. But really, how many gods are there?”Sage: “Thirty-three.”Student: “But really, how many gods are there?”Sage: “Six.”Student: “Yes, of course. monotheistic configuration." The actual numbers are almost unknowable, as there are those, like Ganesh, whose following is more widespread, to local deities whose names may only be known to a small few who live in that particular area. Monotheism means that a religion worships a single god or deity. Supporting a view of Hinduism as a polytheistic religion is the great pantheon of Hindu gods. they believe many Gods. The merging of polytheistic and monotheistic concepts in this way is unique to Hinduism. Songs are sung and festivals are celebrated just like any Temple. (Learned that in hindu school when i was younger). I recently did a talk to the local school here in UK on this subject and mentioned that it is a collection of faiths, a way of life, a broad church with many philosophies and practices. This view also implies the superiority of monotheism over different formulations of the sacred that may have their own value. You're inspiring me to write on how Zen is panentheist. To put the matter plainly, trinitar­ian­ism is trithe­ism that claims to be monotheistic. One may also ask, is Hinduism monotheistic or polytheistic essay? 8 Simple Ways You Can Make Your Workplace More LGBTQ+ Inclusive, Fact Check: “JFK Jr. Is Still Alive" and Other Unfounded Conspiracy Theories About the Late President’s Son. Hinduism's theology is all about a singular Godhead that is transcendental the the the material creation. Polytheistic pursuits are by-products of hindu lay-people (iow, common folks) with petty pursuits for material gain by way of asking for benedictions. As per Advaita Vedanta doctrine of Hinduism God Almighty is one and only one. One of the most well known and widespread polytheistic religions is Hinduism. Why do Hindus worship many gods? Well written and discussed, japtaker. A polytheistic religion is when the followers of a religion believe in more than one god. When did Hinduism begin? It is a religion that long long ago, before any other religion had appeared in this world, had discovered that there is only ONE GOD. Hinduism is a decidedly theistic religion; the difficulty lies in determining whether it is a polytheistic, pantheistic, or perhaps even monotheistic religion. What are the deities? But Hinduism is unique, at least in the scope of my own knowledge about religion, in the way it presents its "monotheistic" and "polytheistic" facets. Is Hinduism Monotheistic or Polytheistic. Hinduism is monotheistic, Vishnu (preserver), Shiva (destroyer), and Brahma (creator) are actually manifestations of the same god. ssrvj. 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