Hinduism

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

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”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Brahman-Atman

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.