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To: An_Indian
Which one is non-violent?

You did know the Hindus pretty much beat Alexander the Great to a draw. Their primary literature ~ Ramayana, Mahabarata, Upanishads, etc., et al ~ have at their focus a class system which is ruled by a military caste.

Warrior virtues are taught from childhood.

Are you sure you understand the nature of Hinduism?

6 posted on 04/07/2006 3:30:03 PM PDT by muawiyah (-)
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To: muawiyah

"Warrior virtues are taught from childhood.

Are you sure you understand the nature of Hinduism?"

What I know is that anyone claiming to understand the 'true nature' of Hinduism is probably making too grand a claim and is generally upto no good. There're as many true natures of Hinduism as there are adherents, IMHO.


7 posted on 04/07/2006 3:40:49 PM PDT by voletti (Awareness and Equanimity.)
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To: muawiyah
Which one is non-violent? You did know the Hindus pretty much beat Alexander the Great to a draw. Their primary literature ~ Ramayana, Mahabarata, Upanishads, etc., et al ~ have at their focus a class system which is ruled by a military caste. Warrior virtues are taught from childhood. Are you sure you understand the nature of Hinduism?

yes, ramayanam, mahabharatam all talk about war. the entire story is about war. but is it the war between hindus and people of other religions? no! in ramayanam, the loser was ravana, who was a hindu and infact a great worshipper of lord shiva. so ramayana is a war between the good guy (rama) and evil! so is mahabharatam. the kauravas (the bad guys), who are defeated by the pandavas (good guys). so these 2 epics talk about the triumph of good over evil. they are voilent but they dont ask me, a hindu, to kill a muslim or christian. thats the essential difference. if u think that since hinduism's 2 most important epics about a war, it is voilent, then its based on ur understanding.

and i cant understand what u meant when 'hindus stopped alexander's war conquest'? did u mean that since i said hinduism is one of the pacifist religions, the u got me wrong. i was meaning it in the contemporary world. and yes, my definition of pacifism doesnt mean you should bend over and open up even when the enemy has declared a war on you. even mahatma gandhi adovocated the use of weapons when possible and in right circumstances.

9 posted on 04/07/2006 3:58:59 PM PDT by An_Indian
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