"The Difference between Christianity and Hinduism" (Ask Me About Truth #70, with Swami Kriyananda)
Swami Kriyananda explains that Hindu is the name given by foreigners to the people living along the Indus River. The real name of Hinduism from the indigenous people is Sanataan Dharma - the eternal religion: “anything that teaches that everything came from God, everything is a dream of God, and the destiny of all life is to merge back into God. Ganesha, Saraswati, Shiva – all the different forms. Somebody explained that Hindus don’t have idol worship, they have ideal worship. Idols are money, sex, fame or other worldly things in place of God.”
About Swami Kriyananda and Paramhansa Yogananda
In 1948 at the age of 22, Swami Kriyananda (J. Donald Walters) became a disciple of the Indian yoga master, Paramhansa Yogananda.
Yogananda is best known for his spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi. In his book he recalls his experiences growing up in India and his life in America. He writes of meeting the great spiritual master Babaji, and how Babaji reintroduced the life changing meditation technique of Kriya Yoga. He tells of his life with his guru, Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, of his guru Lahiri Lahiri Mahasaya, and his meeting with Anandamoyi Ma. He tells about his experience in cosmic consciousness (samadhi) and his trips to see many of the saints in India and his trip to the Kali temple.
Yogananda moved to America and developed the Energization Exercises and taught the meditation techniques of Hatha Yoga and especially Kriya Yoga. He founded Self Realization Fellowship and spoke often of the need for world brotherhood colonies.
At Yogananda’s request, Swami Kriyananda devoted his life to lecturing and writing, helping others to experience the living presence of God within. He taught on four continents in seven languages over the course of 65 years. His talks, his music, and his many books have touched the lives of millions.
An advocate of simple living and high thinking, his 150 books emphasize the need to live wisely by one’s own experience of life, and not by abstract theories or dogmas. A composer since 1964, Walters has written over 400 musical works. His music is inspiring, soothing, and uplifting. He taught meditation to thousands and has initiated many into the life changing technique of Kriya Yoga. His books and teachings on spiritualizing nearly every field of human endeavor include business life, leadership, education, the arts, community, and science. He wrote extensive commentaries on the Bible and the Bhagavad Gita, both based on the teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda.
He is known as the “father of the intentional communities movement,” which began in the United States in the late 1960s, fulfilling Yogananda's dream. He founded the first of what are now 10 Ananda communities worldwide in 1967 near Nevada City, California.
Other Ananda communities have developed over the years to include Ananda Palo Alto, Ananda Sacramento, Ananda Portland, Ananda Seattle, Ananda Los Angeles, Ananda Assisi in Italy, and Ananda India near Delhi and Pune. Each community has a spiritual focus (a teaching center and temple) and a community (homes where members live). More than 1,000 people live in these intentional spiritual communities.
Swami Kriyananda’s example of inspired leadership was the reason for Ananda’s success. He uplifted and encouraged people through personal example, spiritual counseling, writing, lecturing, music, and prayer. He trained the current Ananda leaders in much the same way: free from egoic motivation, always placing the spiritual needs of others foremost in all decisions. He was a patient and sensitive teacher, allowing people to learn by experience, and never placing institutional needs ahead of the needs of an individual.
“People are more important than things” is one of the foremost guiding principles of Ananda. And “Where there is adherence to dharma [right action], there is victory,” is another.
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