Is Hindu religion Secular?

The dictionary meaning of "secular" is to be free from any religious

or spiritual influence. So by definition no religion can be secular.

So this applies to Hinduism also?

Well unlike other religions that originated outside of India, "Hindu

religion" actually consists of many sub religions. The primary Hindu

scripture of Vedas recommend worship of many gods or devatas though

it also talks of one supreme God of all gods, Para-Brahman.

The sub religions differ in their view as to who among the many gods,

is that Supreme Para-Brahman.

But all the many sub-religions accept the validity of Vedic

scripture that teaches that the supreme God or Para-Brahman

is everywhere and exists as the inner Self of the entire universe,

supporting the entire universe as His body. This universal view of

Hindus includes and transcends all particular views. Additionally all

the sub-religions under the Hindu umbrella accept the principle of

dharma consisting of four legs - tapas, shoucha, daya and satya

(sense control, cleanliness, mercy and truth). This morality based on

dharma is so universal that no sane human with or without a religion

can deny. This is because dharma in its simplest form means to

engage in unconditional selfless service for the good of the

universe.  

So as God is equally present in all, there is spiritual equality

behind all the material inequality and differences. So it can be said

that Hinduism alone is a perfectly spiritual and secular religion.

This is not essentially true with regard to other non-Hindu

religions as they are exclusive and divisive as opposed to Hindu

view which looks upon the entire universe as God on whom all beings

absolutely depend. So sevrvice to the universe translates to service

to God. Nar seva is Narayana seva.

Q: But Hindu religion discriminates against women, shudras and

minorities or others. It also has caste hierarchies which is against

liberty, equality and fraternity.

A: This is a misunderstanding and mis-representation of the Hindu

religion. The world is full of differences and variety. Nothing is

equal. There is difference among humans also according to their

gender and the three modes of nature - sattva, rajas and tamas.

Hindu religion recognizes these differences and prescribes

specific duties accordingly that is natural and easy to perform.

In the Hindu view the society and the universe as a whole are looked

upon as the body of God where every individual part has a different

and specific duty or role to play in co-operation with other parts.

All the many castes are actually extended families or groups of people

of same nature. Caste is therefore an identity based on one's nature,

culture, profession and so on...and so it is natural. Caste is also

an institution that sustains these different groups of people of same

nature. Thus it helps to sustain diversity in the society naturally.

Obviously diversity gives strenghth to any organization or society.

Problem arises when there is high low feeling among the many castes

and this needs to be eliminated. As other non-Hindu cultures have no

such caste system, they tend to break the unity by creating this

artificial high low feeling among the diverse Hindu society.

As differences based on the three modes of nature is universal

even in all the many non-Hindu 'casteless' cultures, groupism

and clashes based on class, color, race and so on exists.

It is only in Hindu religion these are given a valid

identity based on varna and related role so that they can

coexist in a harmonious way with the principle of spiritual unity

in diversity.

Ultimately all these different duties from different castes, culminate

in the service of God who is indwelling and manifesting as this very

universe. So the end result is service to God which brings total

happiness even though there is difference in duties according to

gender and nature. This performance of duty is called dharma which

only forms one part called pravrutti. The other part of dharma is

nivrutti which involves control of senses and mind and engage in

meditation on God indwelling in all which is common for all.

This two fold aspect of dharma brings overall development - material

and spiritual for all people.

Those who oppose this dharma are considered as 'others' and all

attempts are always made to educate them without any hatred.

The ideal of Hindu dharma is to bring good for the whole world

including the so called 'others'. The continuous birth and death

cycle gives continuous opportunity for beings to correct themselves

and tread the path of dharma.

On the other hand all non-Hindu religions totally hate their "others'

even if they have lead a morally good life and there is eternal hell

waiting for all non-believers. There is discrimination of women also

in them and unlike Hindu religion, there are no female gods at all.

So to be secular, there is a need to have equal vision based on the

spiritual unity and also recognition of diversity that is naturally

present everywhere. This is possible only when one SEES the same

divinity in all the different entities in the world which is the

basis for Hindu dharma.

Hindu religion alone therefore can be considered as truly secular.

Namaste,
Suresh