WHY I AM A HINDU http://www.francoisgautier.

com/why-i-am-a-hindu/

I was a born and brought-up as a catholic and knew absolutely nothing about India, Hinduism
and Hindus. When I was a young Frenchman of 19, I had the privilege to hear about the Mother
and Sri Aurobindo, through a friend, whose father was the last Governor of Pondichery. My
friend told me that a caravan of 5 cars was about to drive from Paris to Pondichery. On a hunch, I
joined this caravan. Upon arriving in Delhi after driving trough nine countries, I felt I had
come home and that this country was a very special place.

I lived in the Pondichery Sri Aurobindo ashram for seven years. These were wonderful times: the
Mother was still alive and everything looked new, everything seemed possible. One read Sri
Aurobindo, of course, as he was the Master and the inspiration of the place, but one either did
not understand or felt disconnected to his political writings.

Then, having done some journalism and photography in France, I started freelancing in South
India and I discovered the Hindus. What I chanced upon was that their religion was not in their
heads, as it is for us Christians - I must pray, I must be good, I must not sin but that it was
rather something they lived: they seemed, for instance, to accept me, a Westerner, a non Hindu,
as they seemed to accept all other religions. This discovery would never leave me, even when I
became a political journalist in Delhi for major French newspapers.

Thus slowly, I became acquainted with the eternal principles of Hinduism:

A Hindu is one who searches for the Ultimate Truth.

Unlike other religions, Hinduism refuses to sanction the monopoly of one God, or one Scripture
as the only way to salvation.

Hinduism is the eternal faith, Sanataana Dharma, or the universal law by which all humans are
governed.

Hindus believe that the soul takes birth in a physical body, dies, gets reborn, until it has attained
Perfect Divinity.

Hindus believe that one can cleanse oneself from karmas through yoga practices, such as
pranayama, meditation or asanas.

One can be a Christian, a Muslim, a Jew, or from any other religion and still practice Hinduism.
His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has shown the way: breath has no religion and pranayama can
be practiced by anybody, whatever their creed.

In that sense, I consider myself a Hindu

Franois Gautier
What is special about being a Hindu? -
Francois Gautier (@fgautier26) writes 27 points.

1) Believe in God ! - Aastik - Accepted

2) Don't believe in God ! - You're accepted as Nastik

3) You want to worship idols - please go ahead. You are a murti pujak.

4) You dont want to worship idols - no problem. You can focus on Nirguna Brahman.

5) You want to criticise something in our religion. Come forward. We are logical. Nyaya, Tarka etc. are
core Hindu schools.

6) You want to accept beliefs as it is. Most welcome. Please go ahead with it.

7) You want to start your journey by reading Bhagvad Gita - Sure !

8) You want to start your journey by reading Upanishads - Go ahead

9) You want to start your journey by reading Purana - Be my guest.

10) You just don't like reading Puranas or other books. No problem my dear. Go by Bhakti tradition . (
bhakti- devotion)
11) You don't like idea of Bhakti ! No problem. Do your Karma. Be a karmayogi.

12) You want to enjoy life. Very good. No problem at all. This is Charvaka Philosophy.

13) You want to abstain from all the enjoyment of life & find God - jai ho ! Be a Sadhu, an ascetic !

14) You don't like the concept of God. You believe in Nature only - Welcome. (Trees are our friends and
Prakriti or nature is worthy of worship).

15) You believe in one God or Supreme Energy. Superb! Follow Advaita philosophy

16) You want a Guru. Go ahead. Receive gyaan.

17) You don't want a Guru.. Help yourself ! Meditate, Study !

18) You believe in Female energy ! Shakti is worshipped.

19) You believe that every human being is equal. Yeah! You're awesome, come on let's celebrate
Hinduism! "Vasudhaiva kutumbakam" (the world is a family)

20) You don't have time to celebrate the festival.

Don't worry. One more festival is coming! There are multiple festivals every single day of the year.

21) You are a working person. Don't have time for religion. Its okay. You will still be a Hindu.
22) You like to go to temples. Devotion is loved.

23) You don't like to go to temples - no problem. You are still a Hindu!

24) You know that Hinduism is a way of life, with considerable freedom.

25) You believe that everything has God in it. So you worship your mother, father, guru, tree, River,
Prani-matra, Earth, Universe!

26) And If you don't believe that everything has GOD in it - No problems. Respect your viewpoint.

27) "Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu " (May you all live happily)

You represent this! You're free to choose, my dear Hindu!

This is exactly the essence of Hinduism, all inclusive .. That is why it has withstood the test of time
inspite of repeated onslaught both from within and outside, and assimilated every good aspects from
everything . That is why it is eternal !!!

There is a saying in Rigveda , the first book ever known to mankind which depicts the Hinduism
philosophy in a Nutshell -" Ano bhadrah Krathavo Yanthu Vishwathah"- Let the knowledge come to us
from every direction".

To which I add :-

which only means that if you are not a bigot / intolerant of other
peoples faith or belief or outlook , then you can call yourself a HINDU.