The Search for Peace in Times of Chaos—Volume The basic discipline of a Hindu is following ǡ which is work or service without attachment to the benefits Truth as a cardinal virtue in Hinduism is far more than mere truthfulness; it means eternal reality Hinduism says that the pursuit of Truth, wherever it may lead or whatever sacrifices it may involve, is indispensable to the progress of man Hence no Hindu scripture has ever opposed scientific progress or metaphysical and ethical speculations Truth and non-violence are always associated with each other in the Hindu scriptures, and are considered to be the highest virtues Mahãtma Gãndhi describes Hinduism as a quest for Truth through non-violence Notice that, in order to pursue non-violence, one must refrain from inflicting or tolerating violence on oneself Therefore, non-violence is not passive resistance as many think: it is not the helplessness of the weak, but the calm strength of the mighty.11 The common beliefs underlying a ll schools of thought in Hindu religion are beliefs concerning: 1) The evolution of the physical world; 2) The law of Karma and rebirth; 3) The four-fold goal of human life The four-fold goal of human life is the — (Righteousness), (Worldly Prosperity), (Enjoyment) and (Liberation) These are the f our types of human aspirations that will be the driving force of life and its purpose…Dharma, the righteous way of living according to Divine law codes without causing hurt to others is the most important.12 The real meaning of the religion becomes revealed to one who practices the spiritual discipline It cannot be achieved by only the letter of law without meditation and prayer One must have the faith in those writings and understand the teachings and then he must analyze and subject it to rigorous reasoning After this, having been convinced of the soundness of the doctrine of the scriptures, one should meditate and experience the teachings in the depths of contemplation This is the true spirituality, and this is the practice of Yoga, which means the union of the individual self with the Supreme Self In the Vedic teachings, there are four different types of Yoga—each with special practices, and each designed to accomplish different things ~ 27 ~