1. Hinduism

2. Origins  The word `Hindu' originally meant `those who lived on the other side of the river Indus (in Sanskrit, Sindhu)

3. The World View  Problem-Desire Humans have enormous appetites for things, such as food, products, velocity, status, attention—implies ego attachment Tanha— rt. Sanskrit, “thirsting”

4. World View Cause= Karma-root Sanskrit- “create” reaping and sowing, this for that, physical and moral causation reaping and sowing, this for that, physical and moral causation

5. World View The Cycle of Rebirth  Cyclic sense of time  You are condemned to be reborn unless you break the law of Karma

6. World View  Moksha= “release” from samsara-  The overcoming of Maya

7. World View  Dharma= “duty”—or the order of the cosmos.

8. Introduction  Oral Tradition  Shankara-acharya  Gurus  Brahmins

9. Shruti: Revelation Shruti: The Divine in the World  The Vedas and Upanishads  The Vedas are not the utterances of persons. They do not owe their authority to anybody, they are themselves the authority, being eternal (Vid=“to see”  Authority  Ceremonial  Philosophical

10. Smriti: Tradition Popular Religious Texts  Epics  Mahabharata  Bhagavad Gita  Ramayana  Sutras: Laws of Manu  Puranas: Mythologies

11. Other Texts  Tantras  8th-9th Centuries  often non-brahmanical  Bhakti Poetry  Period of Islam  Local and lay movements

12. The Brahmin  Responsible for Vedic Hymns  Oral tradition  Ritual Specialists  Maintain Dharma  Rituals of the lifecycle  Birth-  Sacred Thread-brahmacarin  Marriage-grihasta  Forest-dweller-vanaprastha  Sannya-renunciant  Death

13. 3-5 The Caste System  Priest (Brahmin)  Warrior-Noble (Kshatriya)  Merchant-Craftsman (Vaishya)  Peasant (Shudra)  Untouchable (Mlechcha)

14. Caste System Varna  Four estates from ancient India  Twice Born  Brahmin  Kshatriya  Vaishya  Shudra  Outcaste  dalits  Harijan  Untouchables

15. Caste System (2) Jati: Birth  Hereditary  Occupational  Purity and pollution  Multiple and Various  Contemporary Situation  Outlawed by Constitution  Modern cities and education

16. 3-1 The Vedic Period  Sacrifices to Nature Gods  Hereditary Priesthood  Outdoor Fire Alters  Memorized Vedic Chants  Offerings of Food, Drink, Animals

17. 3-2 Major Literature of Hinduism  Vedas  Upanishads  Bhagavad Gita  Ramayana

18. 3-3 Important Concepts of the Upanishads  Brahman  Atman  Maya  Karma  Moksha

19. 3-4 Major Yogas  Jnana—Knowledge  Karma—Selfless Action  Bhakti—Devotion  Raja—Meditation  Hatha—Exercises

20. Four Stages of Life  For Twice Born Males  Student  Householder  Retiree  Renouncer

21. Vedanta  The essence of the knowledge of the Vedas was called by the name of Vedanta, which comprises the Upanisads.

22. Guru  Personal Characteristics  Near to God  Personal Religious Experience  Ascetic  Practices the message  Wisdom  Ability to teach others  Charisma not Caste

23. Hindu Conceptions of God  Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. are not three independent and separate deities, but three different aspects of the same Supreme God, while engaged in the processes of creation, sustenance and destruction of the universe, in that order.  All of them, without exception, are different modes and aspects of Paramatman, the Supreme Self or God.

24. Latter Day Hinduism  The Eternal Soul (atman) is Trapped  Ignorance results in attachment  Pierce through Maya  Liberation

25. Yoga=rt yg=“yoke, union”  Karma Yoga- do your duty  Bhakti Yoga- devotionalism  Jnana Yoga- knowledge, intellect  Hatha Yoga-health, exercise

26. Brahman-Atman

27. Philosophical Conceptions of God  The concept of God in Upanishads is the ‘Brahman’ or the Universal Soul (synonymous with The Absolute, Supreme Being or World Spirit – param-atman). Every human being has an atman (individual soul - jiva-atman) that resembles the Universal Soul that is temporarily separated from It.