Originally Posted by
Óttar
This is the nature of pre- and most non-Abrahamic religion.
There are several schools of Hindu philosophy which we could call atheistic. The most clearly atheistic (these particular ones are considered highly unorthodox which is why they didn't survive) were the Charvakas and the Lokayatas. The latter term means 'Those for whom *this world* is all there is.' from Sanskrit Loka "world." The Lokayatas did not believe in gods, God, the efficacy of rituals, karma, the afterlife, or reincarnation.
I have made peace with the fact that there may be no afterlife. I tend to view the world as objectively and rationally as possible. That said, there are times when I will recite texts, or perform devotional rituals. If you believe that there is divinity within everything, then you tend to see all life as possessing a divine nature. I derive some comfort from the fact that every person who has ever lived, or who ever will live in the future has experienced, or will experience death. In this way, I share in the same essence as Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, my ancestors, the Buddha, etc. Anything which survives after me, I may, in some sense, be identical with That.
Hinduism since the Upanishads, says that the Self (atman) which one could identify with the soul, is ultimately identical with Brahman. Like I said, there are several different schools which have differing beliefs on the relationship between the soul and 'God', so I'm just trying to keep this very simple. Buddhism on the other hand, says that the ultimate nature of everything is Anatman or "not-Self." The only thing which is constant is change itself. My friend in high school once asked me, 'What would you say is the main difference between Hinduism and Buddhism?' I said, 'Hinduism says that all is essentially One.' 'The Buddhists on the other hand, say that all is essentially None.' He laughed at this.
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