Why Hindus Don’t Have One Book: Pluralism in Hindu Thought

The Spiritual Architecture of Sanatana Dharma Beyond Scriptural Centrality

Abstract: Unlike Abrahamic traditions, Sanatana Dharma (commonly referred to as Hinduism) does not have a single canonical book or prophet. Instead, it preserves an expansive corpus of scriptures - sruti and smrti, Puranas, Tantras, Agamas, Sastras, and thousands of local and sectarian texts. This is not a deficiency but a deliberate philosophical orientation reflecting pluralism, contextuality, and experiential freedom. This article explores why Hindus do not have “one book,” how this textual multiplicity serves the unity of dharma, and how the internal epistemology of Hindu thought safeguards both diversity and transcendence without dogma. In doing so, it also contrasts the sabda-pramana approach with scriptural exclusivism and investigates the cultural implications of aneka-anta-vada (many-sided truths) in shaping Hindu pluralism.

Introduction: When the Book Is Not the Authority, But the Experience

The question, “Why don’t Hindus have one book?” is often posed from the standpoint of religious exclusivism, assuming that spiritual truth must be codified and centralized. Hinduism, however, evolved along orthopraxy, experiential inquiry, and cosmic context, not through a fixed creed or scripture.

In Hindu tradition:

·        Truth is realized, not merely revealed.

·        Authority lies in experience (anubhava), not just in textual fidelity.

·        Scripture is guidance, not dogma.

This distinguishes Sanatana Dharma from scriptural fundamentalism and opens the door to philosophical pluralism of the highest order.

Scriptural Landscape: A Civilizational Canon, Not a Closed Book

Sanatana Dharma’s scriptural universe is multi-tiered and open-ended, designed for different temperaments (adhikaris), life stages (asramas), and spiritual orientations (margas).

Sruti (That which is heard) - Eternal revelation:

·        Vedas (Rg, Yajur, Sama, Atharva)

·        Upanishads (Vedanta: philosophical culmination)

·        Authored by Rsis, not “written,” but received in tapas (austerity)

यत्र वेदाः अप्रामाण्यं यान्ति, तत्र आत्मदर्शनम् प्रामाण्यम्।

“Where the Vedas lose authority, direct Self-realization becomes the authority.”
- Sankara’s Upadesa SahaSri

Smrti (That which is remembered) - Codified traditions:

·        Itihasa: Ramayana, Mahabharata

·        Dharmasastra: Manu, Yajnavalkya, etc.

·        Puranas: Vast cosmologies, theologies, and narratives

·        Open to adaptation across yugas and regions.

Agamas & Tantras:

·        Direct instruction in temple worship, yoga, mantra, ritual sciences.

·        Foundational to Saiva, Vaisnava, Sakta practices.

Local & Regional Scriptures:

·        Tevaram, Tiruvacakam (Tamil bhakti)

·        Kabir’s Dohas, Nath Siddha Padas, BanI of Sant Tulsidas.

Thus, the “Hindu Book” is a living forest of wisdom, not a desert of dogma.

Theological and Philosophical Pluralism in Sanatana Dharma

Hindu thought permits multiple metaphysical models coexisting without conflict:

School	Ontology	Deity/Absoluteness	Liberation Path
Advaita	Non-dual Brahman	Nirguna (formless)	Jnana
Dvaita	Dualism	Saguna Isvara	Bhakti
Visisṭadvaita	Qualified Non-dual	Narayana as Brahman	Bhakti + Jnana
Tantra	Unity through Shakti	Siva–Sakti	Ritual + Yoga
Yoga	Purusha-Prakrti duality	Isvara (optional)	Samadhi
Nyaya-Vaisesika	Pluralistic realism	Isvara + atoms	Knowledge
Mimamsa	Vedic ritualism	Impersonal law	Karma-perfection

This pluralism is doctrinally supported by:

·        R̥gveda:

“एकं सद्विप्रा बहुधा वदन्ति” — R̥gveda 1.164.46

“Truth is One, the wise speak of it in many ways.”

·        Mahabharata (Santi Parva):

“नास्ति मतं अप्रतिषिद्धं लोके”

“No single view exists that is not refuted by another.”

Thus, Hindu dharma allows multiplicity without fragmentation, guided by a meta-principle of unity.

Epistemological Foundations: Why Truth Is Not Bound to One Book

Hinduism recognizes six pramanas (valid means of knowledge):

1.     Pratyaksa - Direct perception

2.     Anumana - Inference

3.     Upamana - Analogy

4.     Arthapatti - Postulation

5.     Anupalabdhi - Non-cognition

6.     Sabda - Testimony (scriptural authority)

Unlike scriptural exclusivism, Hinduism treats sabda-pramana as one of many valid ways to attain truth.

तर्काप्रतिष्ठानात् श्रुतयो विभिन्नाः, नैसर्गिको धर्मः

- Mahabharata, Vana Parva 313.117

“Since logic is inconclusive and scriptures differ, innate dharma is the guide.”

Thus, inner insight (atma-darsana) is ultimately the sanctioning authority.

Decentralization of Authority: From Text to Teacher

In Hindu tradition, the living teacher (guru), not the book, has been the transmitter of realization. The sruti was always heard, not read.

श्रुतिः स्मृतिः गुरोर्वाक्यम् धर्मस्य तु त्रयम् मतम्।

- Manusmrti 2.10

“Sruti, smrti, and the word of the guru are the triple source of dharma.”

Hence, the emphasis lies not on codified belief but on illumined insight.

Liberation Is Not Script-Dependent

The GIta (2.46):

यावानर्थ उदपाने सर्वतः सम्प्लुतोदके।

तावान्सर्वेषु वेदेषु ब्राह्मणस्य विजानतः॥

“As much use a well has when there is a flood of water, so is all the Veda to a knower of Brahman.”

Mandukya Upanisad (6):

नान्तःप्रज्ञं न बहिःप्रज्ञं...अप्रपञ्चम् शान्तम् शिवम् अद्वैतम्

“Not inwardly knowing, not outwardly knowing. That is peace, that is the Self, that is non-dual.”

Liberation (moksa) is a state of Being, not of believing. It is independent of scriptural memorization, but often guided by scriptural reflection.

Cultural Implications: Pluralism as Practice

The absence of one book led to:

·        No central institution or papacy

·        No singular heresy or excommunication system

·        Temple-centric diversity and local adaptation

·        Freedom to worship any form of the Divine (Isṭa-devata)

Even when reforms occurred (e.g. Bhakti movement, Vedantic revival), new saints composed new texts, not by rejecting the old but by adding to the living canon.

“A Hindu doesn’t ask, ‘What does the Book say?’

He asks, ‘What do the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and my guru say—and what resonates in my heart?’”

Why This Matters Today: The Threat of Book Fundamentalism

In the age of ideological dogmatism, the Hindu pluralistic model is not a weakness—it is a civilizational strength.

·        Ecological: Harmony with multiplicity in nature.

·        Psychological: Recognizes unique temperament of each seeker.

·        Philosophical: Embraces paradox and layered reality.

·        Spiritual: Allows direct access to the Divine beyond intermediaries.

The absence of one Book reveals a tradition where Truth is too vast to be contained, where wisdom evolves, and where Self-realization is the final scripture.

Conclusion: The Infinite Cannot Be Contained

Sanatana Dharma’s refusal to confine itself to one book reflects its core metaphysical humility: Truth cannot be manufactured or monopolized. It must be experienced, invoked, and embodied.

ब्रह्मविद् ब्रह्मैव भवति। - Mundaka Upanisad 3.2.9

“The knower of Brahman becomes Brahman.”

This vision remains a beacon for a pluralistic, inclusive, and self-illuminated humanity.

References:

1.     Brhadaranyaka, Chandogya, and Mundaka Upanishads – Swami Gambhirananda

2.     Adi Sankara – Upadesa SahaSri, Viveka Cudamani

3.     Radhakrishnan, S. – The Principal Upanishads, Hindu View of Life

4.     P. T. Raju – The Philosophical Traditions of India

5.     Arvind Sharma – Hinduism and Its Sense of History

6.     A. L. Basham – The Wonder That Was India

7.     Sri Aurobindo – Essays on the GIta

8.     V. V. Raman – Indic Visions: Hindu Science and the Spiritual Ethos