An Introduction to Hinduism: part 1

From the editors of Hinduism Today magazine (www.hinduismtoday.com),
a team of Hindu swamis and yogis living in a monastery in Hawaii who have
been publishing the story of Hindus in modern times since 1979.

Photos Courtesy of Hinduism Today. www.hinduismtoday.com

A Google search on the title of this book yields some 15,000 answers. Many are from outsiders offering their best take; many
are from antagonists taking their best shot. Too few are knowledgeable; fewer still are authentic. Rare is the answer that goes
beyond parochial sectarian understandings; scarcely any encompasses the huge gamut implied in the question. For these
reasons alone, this article was inevitable. Written by devout Hindus and drawn from the deepest wells of spiritual experience
and cultural insight, it is a simple definition coming from deep inside the inner sanctum and depicting in words and amazing
images the living, breathing entity that is Hinduism.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami (1927–2001), from whom this summary originates, well understood the challenges that all
religions face in today’s world, whether from outside or within. He wrote that every religion consists of the spiritual precepts,
practices and customs of a people or society, transmitted from generation to generation, that maintain the connection with
higher realms of consciousness, thus connecting man to God and keeping alive the highest ideals of culture and tradition.
Gurudeva, as he was affectionately known, observed that if this transmission misses even one generation, a religion can be
lost for all time, left to decay in the dusty libraries of history, anthropology and archeology. He strove to protect the religion he
loved so dearly. He would ask rhetorically, “Where are the once prominent religions of the Babylonians, Egyptians, Aztecs,
Mayans, American Indians or Hawaiians?” Little remains of them and many other original human paths. Not long ago it was
feared by some and hoped by many that Hinduism—the religion of a billion people, one sixth of the human race living mostly
in India—would meet the same fate. That it survived a history of religious conquest and extermination that wiped out virtually
every other ancient religion is exceptional.

Ironically, this noble faith, having withstood the ravages of invasion, plunder and brutal domination by foreign invaders for
over a thousand years, stumbled into the 20th century to meet the subtler forces of secularism and the temptations of
materialism. Christian propaganda, fabricated by 16th-century Jesuit missionaries, empowered by the 19th-century British Raj
and carried forth today by the Western and Indian media, had dealt heavy blows over the centuries to the subjugated,
prideless Hindu identity. A typical Christian tactic was to demean the indigenous faith, impeaching it as rife with superstition,
idolatry, antiquated values, archaic customs and umpteen false Gods. India’s Communist/secular media stressed caste abuse
and wretched social ills, branding as radical, communal and fundamentalist all efforts to stand strong for anything Hindu.

Most recently, safeguarding the anti-Hindu mind-set, Western professors of Asian studies brandished the tarnished term
Hindutva to suppress pleadings by Indian parents to improve the pitiful portrayal of their faith in the textbooks their children
must study in American schools—a portrayal that makes them ashamed of their heritage.

More than a few Hindus, succumbing to the avalanche of ridicule, gave up their faith, changed their names to Western ones
and stopped calling themselves Hindu, giving more credence to the notion that this is a faith of the past, not the future. Even
those who were Hindus in their hearts would demur, “No, I’m not really a Hindu. I’m nonsectarian, universal, a friend and
follower of all religions. Please don’t classify me in any particular way.” In a further dilution, many swamis and other leaders
promulgated the false claim that Hinduism is not a religion at all, but a universalistic amalgam of Vedic, yogic wisdom and
lifestyle that anyone of any religion can adopt and practice without conflict. Tens of thousands who love and follow Hindu
Dharma avoid the H word at all costs. Rare it is to find a spiritual leader or an institution who stands courageously before the
world as a Hindu, unabashed and unequivocal.

Despite these erosive influences, an unexpected resurgence has burst forth across the globe in the last twenty years, driven
in part by the Hindu diaspora and in part by India’s newfound pride and influence. Hinduism entered the 21st century with
fervent force as recent generations discovered its treasures and its relevance to their times. Temples are coming up across
the Earth by the thousands. Communities are celebrating Hindu festivals, parading their Deities in the streets of Paris, Berlin,
Toronto and Sydney in grand style without worrying that people might think them odd or “pagan.” Eloquent spokesmen are
now representing Hinduism’s billion followers at international peace conferences, interfaith gatherings and discussions about
Hindu rights. Hindu students in high schools and universities are going back to their traditions, turning to the Gods in the
temples, not because their parents say they should, but to satisfy their own inner need, to improve their daily life, to fulfill their
souls’ call.

Hinduism is going digital, working on its faults and bolstering its strengths. Leaders are stepping forth, parents are striving for
ways to convey to their children the best of their faith to help them do better in school and live a fruitful life. Swamis and lay
missionaries are campaigning to counteract Christian conversion tactics. Hindus of all denominations are banding together to
protect, preserve and promote their diverse spiritual heritage.

Articulating Our Faith

A major reason why Hinduism seems difficult to understand is its diversity. Hinduism is not a monolithic tradition. There isn’t a
one Hindu opinion on things. And there is no single spiritual authority to define matters for the faith. There are several
different denominations, the four largest being Vaishnavism, Saivism, Shaktism and Smartism. Further, there are numberless
schools of thought, or sampradayas, expressed in tens of thousands of guru lineages, or paramparas. Each is typically
independent and self-contained in its authority. In a very real sense, this grand tradition can be defined and understood as
ten thousand faiths gathered in harmony under a single umbrella called Hinduism, or Sanatana Dharma. The tendency to
overlook this diversity is the common first step to a faulty perception of the religion. Most spiritual traditions are simpler, more
unified and unambiguous.

All too often, despite its antiquity, its profound systems of thought, the beauty of its art and architecture and the grace of its
people, Hinduism remains a mystery. Twisted stereotypes abound that would relegate this richly complex, sophisticated and
spiritually rewarding tradition to little more than crude caricatures of snake-charmers, cow-worshipers and yogis lying on beds
of nails.

While Hindus do not share these coarse stereotypes, they are often aware of just one small corner of the religion—their
village or family lineage—and oblivious to the vastness that lies outside it. Many Hindus are only aware of the Northern
traditions, such as that of Adi Shankara, and remain unaware of the equally vigorous and ancient Southern traditions, such as
Saiva Siddhanta.

Unfamiliarity with the greater body of Sanatana Dharma may have been unavoidable in earlier centuries, but no longer. Those
who are sufficiently determined can track down excellent resources on every facet of the faith. It has, after all, possibly the
largest body of scriptural literature of any living religion on Earth. Mountains of scriptures exist in dozens of languages; but
they are not all packaged conveniently in a single book or cohesive collection. To ferret out the full breadth of Sanatana
Dharma, a seeker would need to read and analyze myriad scriptures and ancillary writings of the diverse philosophies of this
pluralistic path. These days, few have the time or determination to face such a daunting task.

Fortunately, there is an easier, more natural way to approach the vastness of Hinduism. From the countless living gurus,
teachers and pandits who offer clear guidance, most seekers choose a preceptor, study his teachings, embrace the
sampradaya he propounds and adopt the precepts and disciplines of his tradition. That is how the faith is followed in actual
practice. Holy men and women, counted in the hundreds of thousands, are the ministers, the defenders of the faith and the
inspirers of the faithful.

Back to Basics

For Hindus and non-Hindus alike, one way to gain a simple (though admittedly simplistic) overview is to understand the four
essential beliefs shared by the vast majority of Hindus: karma, reincarnation, all-pervasive Divinity and dharma. Gurudeva
stated that living by these four concepts is what makes a person a Hindu.

Karma: Karma literally means “deed” or “act” and more broadly names the universal principle of cause and effect, action and
reaction which governs all life. Karma is a natural law of the mind, just as gravity is a law of matter. Karma is not fate, for man
acts with free will, creating his own destiny. The Vedas tell us, if we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we
will reap evil. Karma refers to the totality of our actions and their concomitant reactions in this and previous lives, all of which
determines our future. It is the interplay between our experience and how we respond to it that makes karma devastating or
helpfully invigorating. The conquest of karma lies in intelligent action and dispassionate reaction. Not all karmas rebound
immediately. Some accumulate and return unexpectedly in this or other births. The Vedas explain, “According as one acts, so
does he become. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action, bad by bad action” (Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad
4.4.5).

Reincarnation: Reincarnation, punarjanma, is the natural process of birth, death and rebirth. At death we drop off the physical
body and continue evolving in the inner worlds in our subtle bodies, until we again enter into birth. Through the ages,
reincarnation has been the great consoling element within Hinduism, eliminating the fear of death. We are not the body in
which we live but the immortal soul which inhabits many bodies in its evolutionary journey through samsara. After death, we
continue to exist in unseen worlds, enjoying or suffering the harvest of earthly deeds until it comes time for yet another
physical birth. The actions set in motion in previous lives form the tendencies and conditions of the next. Reincarnation
ceases when karma is resolved, God is realized and moksha, liberation, is attained. The Vedas state, “After death, the soul
goes to the next world, bearing in mind the subtle impressions of its deeds, and after reaping their harvest returns again to
this world of action. Thus, he who has desires continues subject to rebirth” (Yajur Veda, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 4.4.6).

All-Pervasive Divinity: As a family of faiths, Hinduism upholds a wide array of perspectives on the Divine, yet all worship the
one, all-pervasive Supreme Being hailed in the Upanishads. As Absolute Reality, God is unmanifest, unchanging and
transcendent, the Self God, timeless, formless and spaceless. As Pure Consciousness, God is the manifest primal substance,
pure love and light flowing through all form, existing everywhere in time and space as infinite intelligence and power. As Primal
Soul, God is our personal Lord, source of all three worlds, our Father-Mother God who protects, nurtures and guides us. We
beseech God’s grace in our lives while also knowing that He/She is the essence of our soul, the life of our life. Each
denomination also venerates its own pantheon of Divinities, Mahadevas, or “great angels,” known as Gods, who were created
by the Supreme Lord and who serve and adore Him. The Vedas proclaim, “He is the God of forms infinite in whose glory all
things are—smaller than the smallest atom, and yet the Creator of all, ever living in the mystery of His creation. In the vision of
this God of love there is everlasting peace. He is the Lord of all who, hidden in the heart of things, watches over the world of
time” (Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara Upanishad 4.14-15).

Dharma: When God created the universe, He endowed it with order, with the laws to govern creation. Dharma is God’s divine
law prevailing on every level of existence, from the sustaining cosmic order to religious and moral laws which bind us in
harmony with that order. In relation to the soul, dharma is the mode of conduct most conducive to spiritual advancement, the
right and righteous path. It is piety and ethical practice, duty and obligation. When we follow dharma, we are in conformity
with the Truth that inheres and instructs the universe, and we naturally abide in closeness to God. Adharma is opposition to
divine law. Dharma is to the individual what its normal development is to a seed—the orderly fulfillment of an inherent nature
and destiny. The Tirukural (verses 31–32) reminds us, “Dharma yields Heaven’s honor and Earth’s wealth. What is there then
that is more fruitful for a man? There is nothing more rewarding than dharma, nor anything more ruinous than its neglect.”

Hinduism’s Uniqueness in the World Today

There are good reasons for today’s readers, Hindu and non-Hindu alike, to study and understand the nature of Hinduism.
The vast geographical and cultural expanses that separate continents, peoples and religions are becoming increasingly
bridged as our world grows closer together. Revolutions in communications, the Internet, business, travel and global migration
are making formerly distant peoples neighbors, sometimes reluctantly.

It is crucial, if we are to get along in an increasingly pluralistic world, that Earth’s peoples learn about and appreciate the
religions, cultures, viewpoints and concerns of their planetary neighbors. The Sanatana Dharma, with its sublime tolerance
and belief in the all-pervasiveness of Divinity, has much to contribute in this regard. Nowhere on Earth have religions lived
and thrived in such close and harmonious proximity as in India. For thousands of years India has been a home to followers of
virtually every major world religion, the exemplar of tolerance toward all paths. It has offered a refuge to Jews, Zoroastrians,
Sufis, Buddhists, Christians and nonbelievers. Today over one hundred million Indians are Muslim, magnanimously accepted
by their majority Hindu neighbors. Such religious amity has occurred out of an abiding respect for all genuine religious
pursuits. The oft-quoted axiom that conveys this attitude is Ekam sat anekah panthah, “Truth is one, paths are many.” What
can be learned from the Hindu land that has given birth to Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism and has been a generous protector
of all other religions? India’s original faith offers a rare look at a peaceful, rational and practical path for making sense of our
world, for gaining personal spiritual insight, and as a potential blueprint for grounding our society in a more spiritually
rewarding worldview.

Hinduism boasts teachings and practices reaching back 8,000 years and more, its history dwarfing most other religions. In
fact, there is no specific time in history when it began. It is said to have started with time itself. To emphasize the relative ages
of the major religions, and the antiquity of Hinduism, Raimon Panikkar, author of The Vedic Experience, cleverly reduced them
to proportionate human years, with each 100 years of history representing one year of human life. Viewed this way, Sikhism,
the youngest faith, is five years old. Islam, the only teenager, is fourteen. Christianity just turned twenty. Buddhism, Taoism,
Jainism and Confucianism are twenty-five. Zoroastrianism is twenty-six. Shintoism is in its late twenties. Judaism is a mature
thirty-seven. Hinduism, whose birthday remains unknown, is at least eighty years old—the white-bearded grandfather of living
spirituality on this planet.

The followers of this extraordinary tradition often refer to it as Sanatana Dharma, the “Eternal Faith” or “Eternal Way of
Conduct.” Rejoicing in adding on to itself the contributions of every one of its millions of adherents down through the ages, it
brings to the world an extraordinarily rich cultural heritage that embraces religion, society, economy, literature, art and
architecture. Unsurprisingly, it is seen by its followers as not merely another religious tradition, but as a way of life and the
quintessential foundation of human culture and spirituality. It is, to Hindus, the most accurate possible description of the way
things are—eternal truths, natural principles, inherent in the universe that form the basis of culture and prosperity.
Understanding this venerable religion allows all people to fathom the source and essence of human religiosity—to marvel at
the oldest example of the Eternal Path that is reflected in all faiths.

While 860 million Hindus live in India, forming 85 percent of the population, tens of millions reside across the globe and
include followers from nearly every nationality, race and ethnic group in the world. The US alone is home to three million
Hindus, roughly two-thirds of South Asian descent and one-third of other backgrounds.

The Sacred Hindu Scriptures

All major religions are based upon a specific set of teachings encoded in sacred scripture. Christianity has the Bible, for
example, and Islam has the Koran. Hinduism proudly embraces an incredibly rich collection of scripture; in fact, the largest
body of sacred texts known to man. The holiest and most revered are the Vedas and Agamas, two massive compendia of
shruti (that which is “heard”), revealed by God to illumined sages centuries and millennia ago. It is said the Vedas are general
and the Agamas specific, as the Agamas speak directly to the details of worship, the yogas, mantra, tantra, temple building
and such. The most widely known part of the Vedas are the Upanishads, which form the more general philosophical
foundations of the faith.

The array of secondary scripture, known as smriti (that which is “remembered”), is equally vast, the most prominent and
widely celebrated of which are the Itihasas (epic dramas and history—specifically the Ramayana and Mahabharata) and the
Puranas (sacred history and mythology). The ever-popular Bhagavad Gita is a small portion of the Mahabharata. The Vedic
arts and sciences, including ayurveda, astrology, music, dance, architecture, statecraft, domestic duty and law, are reflected
in an assembly of texts known as Vedangas and Upavedas. Moreover, through the ages God-Realized souls, sharing their
experience, have poured forth volume upon volume that reveal the wonders of yoga and offer passionate hymns of devotion
and illumination. The creation of Hindu scripture continues to this day, as contemporary masters reiterate the timeless truths
to guide souls on the path to Divinity.

A clear sign that a person is a Hindu is that he embraces Hindu scripture as his guide and solace through life. While the
Vedas are accepted by all denominations, each lineage defines which other scriptures are regarded as central and
authoritative for its followers. Further, each devotee freely chooses and follows one or more favorite scriptures within his
tradition, be it a selection of Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Tirumantiram or the writings of his own guru. This free-
flowing, diversified approach to scripture is unique to the Hindu faith. Scripture here, however, does not have the same place
as it does in many other faiths. For genuine spiritual progress to take place, its wisdom must not be merely studied and
preached, but lived and experienced as one’s own.

The Nature of God

What is the nature of God in Hinduism is a question that defies a facile answer, for in the Hindu family of faiths each has its
own perspective on the Supreme Being, and its own Deity or Deities. For this reason, Hinduism may, to an outsider, appear
polytheistic—a term avidly employed as a criticism of choice, as if the idea of many Gods were primitive and false. For the
Hindu the many Gods in no way impair the principle of the oneness of Reality. Further complexity and confusion have been
introduced with the diaspora, that phenomenon of recent history that has, for the first time, spread Hindus throughout the
globe. Outside their native soil, groups of mixed Hindu backgrounds have tended to bring the Deities of all traditions together
under one roof in order to create a place of worship acceptable, and affordable, to all. This is something that does not
happen in India. This all-Gods-under-one-roof phenomenon is confusing, even to many Hindus, and it tends to lend credence
to the polytheistic indictment. Nevertheless, ask any Hindu, and he will tell you that he worships the One Supreme Being, just
as do Christians, Jews, Muslims and those of nearly all major faiths. The Hindu will also tell you that, indeed, there is only one
Supreme God. If he is a Saivite, he calls that God Siva. If a Shakta Hindu, he will adore Devi, the Goddess, as the ultimate
Divinity. If a Vaishnava Hindu, he will revere Vishnu. If he is a Smarta Hindu, he will worship as supreme one chosen from a
specific pantheon of Gods. Thus, contrary to prevailing misconceptions, Hindus all worship a one Supreme Being, though by
different names. This is because the diverse peoples of India, with different languages and cultures, have, through the
longest existing religious history, understood the one God in their own distinct ways. Analogously, India is the only nation with
fourteen official languages on its paper currency. All those names don’t change the value of the note!

A crucial point that is often overlooked is that having one Supreme God does not repudiate the existence of lesser Divinities.
Just as Christianity acknowledges great spiritual beings who dwell near God, such as the cherubim and seraphim, who have
both human and animal features, so Hindus revere Mahadevas, or “great angels,” who were created by the Supreme Lord
and who serve and adore Him. Each denomination worships the Supreme God and its own pantheon of divine beings. The
elephant-faced Lord Ganesha is among the most popular, and is perhaps the only Deity worshiped by Hindus of all
denominations. Other Deities include Gods and Goddesses of strength, yoga, learning, art, music, wealth and culture. There
are also minor divinities, village Gods and Goddesses, who are invoked for protection, health and such mundane matters as a
fruitful harvest.

Each denomination identifies its primary Deity as synonymous with Brahman, the One Supreme Reality exalted in the lofty
Upanishads. There, in the cream of Hinduism’s revealed scripture, the matter is crystal clear. God is unimaginably
transcendent yet ubiquitously immanent in all things. He is creator and He is the creation. He is not a remote God who rules
from above, as in Abrahamic faiths, but an intimate Lord who abides within all as the essence of everything. There is no
corner of creation in which God is not present. He is farther away than the farthest star and closer than our breath. Hinduism
calls God “the Life of life.” If His presence were to be removed from any one thing, that thing would cease to exist.

If terms be required, we could characterize this family of faiths as both monotheistic and henotheistic. Hindus were never
polytheistic in the sense of believing in many equal Gods. Henotheism (literally, “one God”) better defines the Hindu view. It
means the worship of one Supreme God without denying the existence of other Gods. Another set of philosophical terms
describes God’s relationship to the universe: panentheism, pantheism and theism. Hindus believe that God is an all-pervasive
reality that animates the universe. We can see Him in the life shining out of the eyes of humans and all creatures. This view of
God as existing in and giving life to all things is called panentheism. It differs from the similar sounding view, pantheism, in
which God is the natural universe and nothing more, immanent but not transcendent. It also differs from traditional theism in
which God is above the world, apart and transcendent but not immanent. Panentheism is an all-encompassing concept. It
says that God is both in the world and beyond it, both immanent and transcendent. That is the highest Hindu view.

Unlike purely monotheistic religions, however, Hinduism tends to be tolerant and welcoming of religious diversity, embracing a
multiplicity of paths, not asking for conformity to just one. So, it’s impossible to say all Hindus believe this or that. Some Hindus
give credence only to the formless Absolute Reality as God; others accept God as personal Lord and Creator. Some
venerate God as male, others as female, while still others hold that God is not limited by gender, which is an aspect of
physical bodies. This freedom, we could say, makes for the richest understanding and perception of God in all of Earth’s
existing faiths. Hindus accept all genuine spiritual paths—from pure monism, which concludes that “God alone exists,” to
theistic dualism, which asks, “When shall I know His Grace?” Each soul is free to find his own way, whether by devotion,
austerity, meditation, yoga or selfless service.

The Nature of Self

The driving imperative to know oneself—to answer the questions “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?” and “Where am I
going?”—has been the core of all great religions and schools of philosophy throughout human history. Hindu teachings on
the nature of self are as philosophically profound as they are pragmatic. We are more than our physical body, our mind,
emotions and intellect, with which we so intimately identify every moment of our life, but which are temporary, imperfect and
limiting. Our true self is our immortal soul, or atma, the eternal, perfect and unlimited inner essence, unseen by the human
eye—undetectable by any of the human senses, which are its tools for living in this physical world.

The Vedas teach that the Divine resides in all beings. Our true, spiritual essence is, like God, eternal, blissful, good, wise and
beautiful by nature. The joining of Brahman, or God, and the atman, or soul, is known as yoga, a Sanskrit word that shares
the same root as the English word yoke. We spend so much of our time pursuing beauty, knowledge and bliss in the world,
not knowing that these objects of our desire are already within us as attributes of our own soul. If we turn our focus within
through worship and meditation, identifying with our true spiritual self, we can discover an infinite inner treasure that easily
rivals the greatest wealth of this world.

Personal spiritual development is enhanced through understanding the closely related processes of karma and reincarnation.
The individual soul undergoes repeated cycles of birth, death and rebirth. This is known as the wheel of samsara. During
each earthly manifestation, an individual’s karma (literally “work” or “actions”) determines his future psycho-physical state.
Every ethically good act results, sooner or later, in happiness and spiritual development; whereas ethically wrong actions end
in loss and sorrow. Thus, the principle of karma is an idea that celebrates freedom, since at every moment we are free to
create our future states of existence through our present actions and states of consciousness. This philosophical worldview
encourages followers of Hinduism to live happily, morally, consciously and humbly, following the Eternal Way.

Hinduism is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of
consciousness where the realization is attained that man and God are one. As divine souls, we are evolving into union with
God through the process of reincarnation. We are immortal souls living and growing in the great school of earthly experience
in which we have lived many lives. Knowing this gives followers a great security, eliminating the fear and dread of death. The
Hindu does not take death to be the end of existence, as does the atheist. Nor does he, like Western religionists, look upon
life as a singular opportunity, to be followed by eternal heavenly existence for those souls who do well, and by unending hell
for those who do not. Death for the Hindu is merely a moment of transition from this world to the next, simultaneously an end
and a new beginning. The actions and reactions we set in motion in our last life form our tendencies in the next.

Despite the heartening glory of our true nature spoken of in scripture, most souls are unaware of their spiritual self. This
ignorance or “veiling grace” is seen in Hinduism as God’s purposeful limiting of awareness, which allows us to evolve. It is this
narrowing of our awareness, coupled with a sense of individualized ego, that allows us to look upon the world and our part in it
from a practical, human point of view. Without the world, known as maya, the soul could not evolve through experience. The
ultimate goal of life, in the Hindu view, is called moksha, liberation from rebirth. This comes when earthly karma has been
resolved, dharma has been well performed and God is fully realized. All souls are destined to achieve the highest states of
enlightenment, perfect spiritual maturity and liberation, but not necessarily in this life. Hindus understand this and do not
delude themselves that this life is the last. While seeking and attaining profound realizations, they know there is much to be
done in fulfilling life’s other three goals: dharma, righteousness; artha, wealth; and kama, pleasure.

In some Hindu traditions, the destiny of the soul after liberation is perceived as eternal and blissful enjoyment of God’s
presence in the heavenly realms, a form of salvation given by God through grace, similar to most Abrahamic faiths. In others,
the soul’s destiny is perfect union in God, a state of undifferentiated oneness likened to a river returning to its source, the
sea, and becoming one with it—either immediately upon death, or following further evolution of the soul in the inner worlds.
For still others, the ultimate state has no relationship with a Godhead, but is understood as undifferentiated oneness without
form or being, a return or merger in the infinite All, somewhat akin to the Buddhist’s nirvana.

To be continued on May 18th...