Hinduism

Been given the opportunity to attend Religion in Aotearoa was somewhat challenging but also enriching as I sat in and listened as the lecturer began. When I think about religion, all sorts come into mind; there is the belief system which is bound to create a stir in some. But I was intrigued by Dr Nasili Vakauta’s approach “it is not about changing your beliefs but journeying together.”  I think at times it is easier for Christians to put ‘God in a box’ and think that whatever is going on in other religions do not matter, that we have the right to judge because we know better.  From my perspective that is the wrong mentality to have, if I know inside myself who my saviour is, then there is no need to feel animosity towards other religions.           I found that Hinduism is a monotheistic religion the belief in an omniscient creator God. Hinduism has a broad range of philosophies; it is connected by shared concepts, recognizable rituals, that interconnectedness with the cosmology, shared textual resources, pilgrimage to sacred sites and the Hindu texts are   classified into Shurti (heard) and Smiriti (remembered). These texts discuss theology, philosophy, mythology; prominent themes beliefs also include the four Puruṣārthas, the proper goals or aims of human life.    Upon our visitation to the Swaminarayan Hindu Temple in Papatoetoe, I was quite taken by the outlook of this unique place of worship. The beauty of such an intricate and ancient design, which spoke of oral traditions from its origins, of this exquisite Swaminarayan Hindu Temple; I was absolutely amazed, when told that one hundred and fifty skilled workers whose resume fitted the job description. They had a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of arts and design in building such exquisite monuments all over the world. This great task force consisted of workers, carvers, stone masons etc...were handpicked most of the ideals were influences from India, China, Hong Kong, just to name a few….it goes to show, how significant this Swaminarayan Hindu Temple is and what it meant for the people of the Indian community. Dr Nasili Vakauta indicates "studying religion as a phenomenon in a different way," my perspective on this is, I must be willing to humble myself in order to learn new things. Having a worldview of Hinduism is the key to unlocking a pathway to different streams of spirituality.