1. Three Approaches to Religious Pluralism

1. 1. Three Approaches to Religious Pluralism • Exclusivism • Intolerant of other faiths • JWs, Born-Agains, Fundamentalists • Inclusivism • Tolerant of other faiths, but there is only one true religion • Roman Catholic and other Mainline Christian Churches • Pluralism • All religions are equal and true: Hinduism

2. Intro to Hinduism • World’s oldest literate religion • c. 3,000 BCE • Predominately in India…85% of the population • In US & Western cultures, the Krishna Consciousness of the 70s and the Yoga influx of the 90s have popularized Hinduism creating a watered-down version

3. Because Hinduism has many paths itself, it tends to present itself as a pluralistic religion • It is, in reality, a collection of similar religious traditions

4. Ancient Hinduism • The Vedic Age: 3000 BCE-600 BCE • No clear beginning/no founder • Sacred scriptures: the Vedas, the Upanishads • Main god: Indra: storm god: like ancient gods, took on characteristics of nature • Brahamism: very formal, ritualistic • Many people cut off from ritual practice • Rise of the caste system

5. Protest Religions and Hindu Renaissance • Rise of Buddhism and Jainism led to a refashioning and reform by Hindu scholars • Hinduism adopted some (but not all) of Buddhist and Jainist concepts • Accepted Buddhist concepts of karma and reincarnation • Rejected Buddhist concepts of no-self (anatman) and enlightenment in single lifetime

6. Hinduism Refashioned • Sacred Scriptures: Mahabaratas (epic poems) • BhagavadGita (Song of the Lord) • Arjuna and Krishna dialogue on the nature of existence • Idea of self (atman) dharma (duty to one’s caste) and karma reaffirmed

7. Advaita • Hindu philosopher Shankara (4th century BCE) developed key Hindu (and eastern religions/philosophies) idea of advaita • Not two/not one (nondualism) • Meant to highlight our relationship between self (atman) and Brahman (the Divine One, the Ground of Being)

8. Advaita continued • Advaita challenges our assumptions on the nature of the relationship between self/God; I/you; Mind/body; life/death; reason/emotion; male/female • Similar in nature to Christian doctrines of Incarnation and Trinity a they too challenge our assumptions on the nature of God/Christ/self

9. 2. Life Goals • Kama (sensual pleasure)…desire • Artha (wealth, fame, power)….desire • Dharma (Call to Service)…renunciation • Moksha (Liberation)….renunciation • Are these not typical life-stages?

10. A. Kama • Pursuit of pleasure within the constraints of appropriate morality • Kama Sutra…tantrism • The end result proves dissatisfying b/c the individual seeks only to fill the self • Youth, Childhood

11. B. Artha • Worldly success…fame, wealth, power • Like pleasure, worldly success proves to be unfulfilling b/c the self is insatiable • Young Adulthood

12. C. Dharma • Call to Service…the individual has left the stage of the will-to-get (meaninglessness) and entered the will-to-give (meaning) • Adulthood: Middle Age • Kama and artha focus on the self, while dharma focuses on the community • The goals of each path progressively move away from the self (ego) towards others.

13. D. Moksha • Beyond the previous goals, eventually people (not all) come to realize that they want Absolute… • Being: Problem? • our physical bodies cease to exist • Knowledge: Problem? • our minds are finite • Joy: Problem? • we become bored, disappointed, and experience pain

14. Joy • Pain…can be overcome through intense focus • Disappointment…can be overcome if expectations are lowered and perceptions are expanded to others and not limited to the self • Boredom…can be overcome if we take interest in others • Knowledge • There is so much more to our minds than we give credit. Directed meditation can free the mind and allow it to reach its potential • Being • Our (B)being (not bodies) are infinite • Similar to Aquinas’ view that all are interconnected b/c they participate in God’s Being

15. 3. Four Paths to Liberation • Path = Yoga • Yoga…”method of training designed to lead to integration or union of the human spirit with God.” • God = Brahman: characteristics? • Monistic…universal essence, Source and Ground of Being • Theistic…characterized by one of the many Hindu deities

16. A. Jnana Yoga …the way to God through knowledge B. Bhakti Yoga …the way to God through love (devotion) (Christianity often seen as a Bhakti path to God C. Karma Yoga …the way to God through selfless works (Does Christianity fit here?) D. Raja Yoga …the way to God through meditation, contemplation and physical exercises

17. Hinduism: Basic Tenets • Respect for life: very incarnational • Ganges: giver of life, cleanser of karma • Samsara…wheel of rebirth. Also means worldly and individual suffering • Karma…moral law of cause and effect. Our thoughts, emotions, and actions in this life determine our form in the next • Dharma…duty, or teaching leading to Selflessness • Nirvana…This ultimately leads to nirvana..the release and extinguishing of the self

18. Devotees flock to the banks of the Ganges in the hopes of cleansing bad karma.

19. A. Jnana Yoga • Knowledge • Shedding of the ego to realize the Eternal Self (Atman) and be one with Brahman • Intense study of the sacred scriptures: • Vedas • Upanishads • Mahabharata • Bhagavad-Gita

20. B. Bhakti Yoga • Devotion to the gods and goddesses • Each deity is an expression of Brahman • A family can worship a deity in their home with a puja (act of worship or shrine) • Ritual offerings • The community worships a deity in a mandir (temple) • Prayers • Ritual offerings

21. A puja

22. A Mandir

23. Deities • Brahma…creator • Vishnu…preserver Trimurti • Shiva…destroyer • Kali…goddess of death and alleviator of fears • Ganesha…god of prosperity and remover of obstacles • Durga…goddess of balance • Krishna…avatar (incarnated divine being)

24. C. Karma Yoga • All work within one’s life is done for selfless purposes • The Blessed Lord said: “As the ignorant men act from attachment to action, O Arjuna, so should the wise act without attachment, wishing the welfare of the world. -Bhagavad Gita, ch.3, Verse 25. • Mother Theresa…Ghandi’s struggle to free India and the harijan

25. Karma…dictated into which caste one was born The Caste Dharma…live according to caste Brahmin…priests Kshatriya…Upper-class Vaishya…working-class Sudra…servants Outcastes/Untouchables…harijan

28. D. Raja Yoga • Stretching, bending, balancing and sitting exercises. Breathing exercises that aim to control the mind. • Withdrawing the attention from the body and the senses by focusing on the body. • Concentration of the mind. • Meditation. • Uninterrupted contemplation of Reality.

29. Chakras (Seven Levels of Energy) • Chakra comes from the Sanskrit, “circle” • The body is seen as an energy field w/ seven levels, each representing a specific power center • When chakra energy is blocked, spiritual development is hindered and emotional/physical difficulties germinate • A person can channel through the chakras

30. 1. Muladhara …coccyx…material security…physical base 2. Svadhisthana…sex organs…identity and sexuality 3. Manipura…solar plexus…power-center 4. Anihata…heart…love…compassion 5. Vishudda…throat and vocal chords…finding our true voice 6. Ajna…center of forehead…”Third Eye”…vision…wisdom…no more duality 7. Soma…Thousand-Petaled Lotus Flower…Crown Region…Spiritual Connection

31. Colors • Red • Orange • Yellow • Green • Blue • Purple • White