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From: nexus@caen.engin.umich.edu (milind pandit )
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: The Goal of Hinduism
Message-ID: <14556@phoenix.Princeton.EDU>
Date: 15 Mar 90 14:43:20 GMT
Sender: mukund@phoenix.Princeton.EDU
Lines: 15
Approved: mukund@phoenix.Princeton.EDU

in soc.religion.eastern, epperly@osnome.che.wisc.edu (Tom Epperly) writes:

>Can someone explain the goal of Hinduism?  What is nirvana and why is
>it desirable?

Hinduism teaches that physical reality as we know it is an illusion,
in which our deluded souls participate by entering bodies, living lives,
and then entering new bodies after death.  Hinduism teaches that our
spiritual goal is moksha, or freedom from this cycle of life and death.
Through spiritual development accomplished during many lifetimes, our
souls realize that they are really facets of a single supreme Soul known
as Brahman, which is the only true reality.  This state of realization
is often called nirvana and is supposed to be characterized by eternal 
bliss.
                                    --  Milind S. Pandit