Hinduism, a collection of traditions, is one of few ancient religions to survive into modern times. It developed at least over 5000 years ago in the Indus Valley of India, the largest civilization in the ancient world. Hindus consider the Hindu tradition as having no identifiable beginning or end, and refer to it as Sanatana Dharma or the Eternal Way.

Some people argue Hinduism is not a religion, rather a collection of beliefs sitting under the one umbrella.

Hindus see the variety of religions and philosophies as different paths to God. The core philosophy of Hinduism is the search for truth, not the specific path taken. A quote from the Vedas that summarizes the Hindu perspective on God is

“Truth is one. The wise call It by various names.”

This philosophy is very similar to our philosophy within Luciferianism. We believe that there are many paths on your own journey towards the truth, and that each individual must follow his own journey in order to reach enlightenment.

Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism are often referred to as the “Dharma traditions” or “Indic traditions.” The Dharma traditions share many concepts such as dharma, karma, samsara, and moksha, though each religion understands and interprets them differently.

Over many centuries, Hinduism’s pluralistic ethos was reflected through India’s embrace of other religious groups such as Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians when they were persecuted elsewhere! The Hindus and the people of India held on tight to their faith, especially during the centuries where Christian missionaries were moving through the countries and converting the peoples of that land to Christianity via force. We have lost hundreds if not thousands of unique cultures and beliefs systems by the destruction of cultures by Abrahamic religions!

The Christian Mercenary’s had no respect at all for any other tradition, philosophy, culture, or religion, and determined that their faith was the only faith which would survive. It is wonderful to know that the Hindu faith is thriving in today’s world.

What are basic Hindu teachings?

The meaning of life, is to get back to Brahman, and then you will be free from the reincarnation cycle

The deepest spiritual truth gleaned through the Vedas is that Brahman, or the Absolute (used interchangeably with “the Divine”, “the Absolute,” and “God”) pervades the entire universe. This divine reality or its essential nature is present in all living beings, eternal, and full of bliss. Moreover, Brahman is understood as the cause of creation — its creation, its preservation, and its dissolution.

In Hindu lore, these three functions, of creation, sustenance, and dissolution, are often depicted to be the work of what is the commonly referred to as the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, respectively.

Within Hinduism, there is a broad spectrum of understandings about the nature of Brahman. Some Hindus understand Brahman to be infinite and formless and can be worshiped as such or in different forms. Other Hindus understand the Divine to be infinite and has a transcendental form. For example, some Vaishnavas worship the one supreme form as Krishna, while Shaivites understand this form as Shiva.

Because Hindus accept that Brahman can appear in form, they accept that there are a variety of ways in which all human beings connect with the Divine.

In Hinduism, God is worshipped in both male and female forms. The female form is known as devi, which is a manifestation of shakti and means energy. Other forms resemble animals or birds. Each of these forms of God has symbolic meaning. Hindus enjoy telling stories about the various forms to inspire love of God and instill ethical values.

This parallels to our own BWC beliefs on our ancient Gods, currently being called Demons. It is my belief that the system of Hindu divine, closely parallels the pantheon of gods and goddesses within our daemonic system. However I will go one step further and say within every culture in history, the same ancient Gods or Goddesses show themselves in different faces, with different names, however they are all the same beings, and they originate from the same creator God – The universal source of all energy, who is sexless, all powerful, all knowing.

By understanding and listening to the Hindu stories of how their gods and goddesses have multiple faces, purposes, images, and various names depending on their incarnation, we can better understand and feel more comfortable how our “demons” can be perceived with different attributes, different faces, and have various purposes depending on the situation.

The Concept of the Eternal Soul

Most Hindus understand the soul, atman, to be eternal. When this physical body dies, the soul is reborn in another body (samsara, or continuous cycle of life, death, and reincarnation).

Rebirth is governed by the Law of Karma: that every action has a result, like cause and effect. According to the Law of Karma, what an individual experiences in this life is the result of their past actions, either from this birth or previous births; and in the converse, how an individual acts today will impact the future, the effects of which will be experienced either in this and future births. How an individual deals with the problems he or she faces in this life determines whether they create good or bad karma for his or her present and future lives.

For example….

Hindus pray to different forms of Brahman as individual manifestations who represent particular divine qualities or powers. For example:

  • Ganesh is the God of Wisdom is honored by Hindus and followers of other Indian religions as the remover of obstacles. He is revered for his great wisdom and is invoked before any undertaking.
  • Saraswati, who Hindus invoke as a manifestation of learning and wisdom.
  • Lakshmi is worshipped as the Goddess of Prosperity.
  • God is understood to have taken the human form of Rama to show people how to live the path of Dharma.
  • Krishna is said to have come to eradicate evil and protect good.
  • Shiva is worshipped as the lord of time and change.

Human life is understood to have four goals:

1. Dharma – A mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement

2. Artha – The material prosperity one pursues

3. Kama – Enjoyment of the material world

4. Moksha – Liberation from suffering caused by dependence on the material world and from the cycle of birth and rebirth

These four goals, are exactly what Lucifer encourages us to follow on the path to enlightenment. Your conduct should be to avoid situations where you can be temporarily out of control. Therefore, it is ideal to have control over your emotions and your emotional state. One should always take ownership of their financial situation, and work hard to achieve the material rewards you desire. It is encouraged that you enjoy the material world that you live within, as you have worked hard to create happiness for yourself and your loved ones. And finally, on the left-hand path you should become independent from what others tell you you need, and become focused on your own path so that you may be living in a state of gratitude and appreciation.

Recommended Books:

Hinduism For Dummies

The Holy Vedas ; Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda