Hinduism: Rta & Cyclic Time

1. Hinduism: Rta & Cyclic Time Rta and Connection to Veda

2. Rta • Rta • ‘Hindu’ articulation of the Cosmic Ecosystem • The oldest primordial idea, found in Hindu literary history (i.e. found in the earliest Vedic literature) • Idea appears to underlie every major concept of early Hinduism

3. Rta: Hindu articulation of Cosmological Ecosystem • As article mentions, Rta within Vedic verses communicates the following • Everything born, dies • Everything that dies, is re-created in another form • Everything in the universe is directly or indirectly related to everything else • Every word, action, thought has an effect, to be played out in this lifetime, or the next • External world is constantly changing • Based on observation of cycles of nature, over a very long period of time • Individual destiny: what happens in your life, is co-dependent on all of the above

4. Rta: Cyclical time • Rta expressed in cosmogonictheories/stories about creation • Expresses time, and creation, as akriti: uncreated, or timeless. • Beyond: • Time, • Space • Causation • So, cyclical Take for example, Comogonic story from Rg Veda, 10:80

5. 1. Non existent was it, nor existent was it at that time: what was not atmosphere nor the heavens which are beyond? What existed? Where? In whose care? Water was it? An abyss unfathomable? • 2. Neither mortal was there nor immortal then; not of night, of day was there distinction: That alone breathed windless through inherent power. Other than That indeed there was naught else. • 3.Darkness it was, by darkness hidden in the beginning: an undistinguished sea was all this. The germ of all things which was enveloped in void. That alone through the power of brooding, thought was born. • 4. Upon That in the beginning arose desire, which was the first offshoot of that thought. This desire sages found out to be the line between the existent, after searching with the wisdom of their heart • 5. Straight across was extended their line of vision: was that below, was That above? Seed-placers there were, powers there were: potential energy below, impulse above • 6. Who, after all, knows? Who here will declare– arose whence this world? Subsequent are the gods to the creation of this world. Who, then, knows whence it came into being? • 7. This world– whence it came into being, whether it was made or whether not– He who it is overseer in the highest heavens surely knows– or perhaps He knows not.

6. Rta: Macrocosmic order • Macro=larger, meta, super-structure • Rta expresses that there is order at this level... • Movement of sun, moon planets. All, ordered. • Astrology (jyotish), became a key part of early Hinduism. • To study the order of the planets, as their power also affects individual destinty • Also concerned with forces of nature. • Individual destiny affected by rain, wind, fire, earth….etc • Rta, at this level, describes: coordinated change

7. Rta: Microcosmic Order • Rta, also describes order, at a more local level • Order in human action, relations • Order as truth, justice • Order, balance, in human health, food, activity • Destiny affected by this balance too • Expressed as: right ritual action, right thought, right behaviour (dharma) • Idea not unique to Hinduism • Similar to North American Aboriginal concepts

8. Rta, Rishis, Veda • Rta: This indigenous, basic awareness, underscored religious thought in Ancient India • Became the focus for development amongst groups of literate, philosophical mystics, over thousands of years • Rishi (from root, drś=to see) • So, Rishi’s were ‘see-ers’ who sought insight into the truth about the Macro and Micro-cosmic cycles, underlying rta • They wanted to understand how all of creation was connected • They wanted to understand, how this insight would help people live their lives: success, wealth, power, love, good health etc • Within meditative states, flashes of insight discovered (shruti) • Compiled as poetic phrases, called Veda • These Vedic hymns, or mantras had human, ritual equivalents (kalpa) • Rituals were created, to create a link between human action (micro-cosm) and the Cosmos (Macro). • Why? Rta. To create a creative link between the Macro-forces, and human destiny

9. Rta, Rishis, Veda • Ancient India basically divided into 2 groups, religiously • Group 1: local traditionsof animism, totemism, shamanism, based on family custom. Illiterate. Notprimitive. Ritual and experience the main focus • Group 2: Rishis, who sought insight about the secrets of the universe; how everything was connected • So, Ancient India was religiously plural. Lots of local traditions. And then, these group of Rishis. • .

10. Rta, Rishis, Veda • Main ritual? yagna (sacrifice) • Sacrifice to the universe, with the force of Fire (Agni) as the chief witness

11. Vedic Yagna

13. Religious Bleeding: Hindu Pluralism • Over time, increased interaction between the literate Rishis (later, Brahmins) and the local religions. • At first, the rishis attracted rich and powerful people. Why? The claim to have understood the secrets of the universe, and the power of their kalpas and mantras to influence human destiny. • Brahmins/rishis imposed their rituals and ideas, onto local customary practices (bleeding of Vedic ideas into local custom) • At other times, they including local customs into their Vedic mantras and rituals (bleeding of local customs into the Vedic ideas) • At its core the Vedas are: • Mystical texts, about the infinite ways the universe is connected • Ritual and prayer manuals used by Rishis to assist people to link with the universe, and achieve a favorable destiny Rishis and Vedic Concepts and Rituals Local religions Bleeding of two=explain for variety in Hinduism

14. The Vedas • 4 schools developed orally, over thousands of years • Redacted, into 4 collections • Rg (solemn, philosophical) • Sama (science of musical notation for recitation of Mantra, for the right rtic effect) • Yajur (sacrificial manual) • Atharva (practical, more micro-cosmic. Here we see intermingling of local religious practices with the Vedic Rishis) RishisBrahmins Those who received Shruti, and created the Vedas— vs Those who memorize, pass down, and transmit the Vedas

15. Transition to Phase 2 of Hinduism…. • In later Vedic contemplation, the term Brahman develops • Rta= Cosmic Order • Brahman= the force underlying Cosmic Order • Brahman from: brh = to spring forth; the energy embedded within fire • We begin to witness much more speculation about Brahman, and its relationship to individuals….