What is the Hinduism teaching on environment?

Answer 1

Hinduism is a religion that believes that All forms of life, weather human, animal, or plant, are sacred. It does not believe that humans are on this earth as rulers, and that all the resources are his to exploit.

In fact Hinduism is a firm proponent of Vegetarianism, because it respects animals as having the same life force as humans.

trees are revered in Hinduism. the term "tree hugger" actually
originated in India when villagers hugged their trees to prevent them from being cut down for wood by commercial interests.This shows how much Hindus respect trees and how much they are against the idea.
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If a tree was to be cut, then other trees are supposed to be planted on tis place before it can be cut. A very good example of this is is the "jaggannath"(from which the English word "juggernaut" derives from) festival in Puri, India.

the festival requires a tree be cut, to make a wooden image of vishnu(a hindu god-aspect of the universal force). Before cutting a tree the area around the tree is germinated. and watered. the woodcutters+hindu priests come to that place a week from that day and see if any of the tree-seeds they had sown have put forth shoots(are growing). Only and Only then are they able to cut the main tree. after saying many a prayers and symbolically asking the tree spirit, and the other animals/birds/insects that might live in that tree to forgive them and move to another tree.

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When Indian medicinal plants are collected for herbal medicine, or when flowers are collected for the prayers; those who do those things do that while saying certain prayers, apologizing for their actions and asking for understanding.

after all, its the hindus who coined the word "tree huggers"!

Hinduism revers rivers and mountains, forests and even animals alike. because hindus believe that the soul in every living being is identical. As Hindus believe in evolution; they treat every animal with respect. thats why you see that many of the Hindu gods either have an animal as a vehicle, or are part animal or fully in animal form themselves.

As rivers are considered sacred, and so are mountains, many of the Hindu temples are on mountaintops/near mountains or on riverbanks.

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Forests hold a sacred sport on the Hindu physche because its known as the place where most of the renouncers of worldly desires(Hindu sages) go to meditate and achieve enlightenment.

Hindus knew, long before the western science was able to prove the theory; that plants and animals are influenced by music. Many times trees that dont flower well/not producing fruit are sung songs to by people. and they soon start flowering.people used to think its just superstition, but now science has proven that trees and plants are influenced by music.

so all in all, Hinduism is very protective of the environment and all the living beings on it.

Answer 2

Actually, the Buddha lived in a time while the previous types of 'Hinduism' have been gift in India. However, the situation lies extra within the definition of Hinduism. permit me take a look at to give an explanation for Hinduism is a time period coined through westerners to explain the faith they noticed being practiced in India, however actually, inside Hinduism, there are very many special traditions and practices. Some of the so-known as Hindus even bear in mind Buddhism a side of Hinduism. In any case, the Buddha authorised many points of conventional Indian pondering, like meditation, karma and rebirth for instance. However, his fundamental goal used to be to discover a method to finish pain, and it led him to a direction that ends up in a liberation of rebirth in (easily stated) a completely glad state. Buddhism isn't founded at the conventional Indian scriptures just like the Vedas, however is founded at the direction that the Buddha himself adopted, and with which he completed complete enlightenment. He rejected the caste approach of the Hindus, and likewise the Atman ('soul') as taught within the Vedas. He built the view of 'no-self' or 'vacancy' - a idea that's very tough to give an explanation for, but if we will straight realizes it, types the best way out of the pain that every one dwelling beings revel in.

Answer 3

Hinduism has great respect for Environment!

Our ancient sages knew well that human can not survive without good environments, they deviced certain principles and fixed them into religious dogmas so that common people could follow them

For example, making many animals as sacred they ensured their non-extinction

Hinduism teaches to respect rivers as very sacred to avoid pollution

Hinduism teaches that trees have soul so they should not cut unnecessarily

Hinduism tells us to respect animals, trees, forests, rivers...even Himalaya
(One sect of hinduism- Vishnois in Rajasthan do not allow killing of any animal or cutting of any tree around their villages...famous Bollywood actor Salman khan was caught by them when he hunted a deer there)

Answer 4

hinduism treats the environment as a rpresentation of divinity.
it preaches environmnt in form or another,lke trees rivers mountains.
environmnt plays a major role in hinduism

Answer 5

I don't think Hinduism in general has anything to say about the environment. In fact, defining 'Hinduism' is very difficult.

One could stretch things a bit by saying that the many nature-deities symbolize nature, and therefore Hinduism says to respect nature.

One could also say that Indian sages have always retreated to the wilderness, so the wilderness needs to be preserved, to make that possible.

Answer 6

Hinduism views the entire creation as the very manifestation of the Divinity of God. We see the entire Universe as the very Temple of God and that as Hindus we are constantly engaged in the worship of live and energy in all as pects of the created. As such we recognise the presence of God in and through all beings and as such we do not worship Plants or Animal s but we worship the Divinity in all things that are as a result of the Supreme .We are asked to recognise this and pay respect to all creation by understanding the need to CO -Exost with all in Harmony .In this way we hurt none but love all.To love alland serve all is the way of a Hindu Life --Animate of inanimate.

Answer 7

Neem Tree is the abode of Shakthi.
Every temple has its identity by a Sthala Vriksh ( a tree of the temple)
Whenever a tree is cut, another sapling is planted, and not doing so is considered to be a sin. Almost in every forest area there is shrine of a deity situalted and devotees visit these temples atleast once in a year to seek His blessings.

Naimisaranyam , a large forest area , is considered to the abode of Lord Vishnu and people worship only that forest as god. Saptha giri (seven hills) are considered the abode of Lord Balaji. Amarnath as that of Lord Shiva. Sabari hills an abode of Lord Hari hara Putra (ayyappa)
Almost in 40% of India's hillocks you can find temples of Hindu Gods and it is considered as a devine offering to go walking around the hillocks 3,6 or 12 times and a prayer to appeace the Deities. A number of herbs with medicinal values grow there.

All rivers are sacred . Taking a holi dip in Ganga, Jamuna, Mahanadi, Godavari,Krishna, Narmada, Kaveri is supposed to relieve you all the sins of present birth. All rivers are places of performing religious rites. A place to meditate on Gayatri Mantra.
It is considered to be a sin to urinate into a river.
The fishermen consider the oceon as their gods and perform a number of rituals on sea shores To take 36 dips in the sea of Rameshwaram is considered to relieve men from rebirth and offers salvation. Similarly Kanyakumari also.

Shankaranthi is a festival of 3 days falling in Makara Masa. Normally 14,15,16 th of January every year People clean their houses and discard all old, unusable things., white wash their houses, clean the surrounding areas. Clean the cattle shed. They devote the 1st day for domestic animals, 2nd day for their family deities, the 3rd day to keep their temples and other common places clean

Vijaya Dasami is a fistival of 9 nights where every avtar of Mata Parvathi is celebrated, ladies of the house observe vrathas and irrespective of the age devotees involve themselves in Bhajans and holy dances.

All the above listed above are only a small portion of religions functions interwoven with the lifestyle and fabric of Hindu Society. Nautre,- the five elements, earth, water, air, fire and prana are worshiped by various mantras. Hinduism is mingled with nature and advocates a life style of pure pancha bhootas.
But,yes. Certatin shrines are kept pick and span by the intervention of voluntary organisations. Some others are not. Efforts of the Endowment Boards of state government should intensify their activities and they are not short of finance. If they think so, they can do that by public charity and with the help of volunteers. If there is a will there is a way.