Hinduism

1. Hinduism World Religions Chapter 3

2. Many Rivers to One Ocean • Holy man Shri Ramakrishna • Emphasizes harmony and tolerance • Tolerance of other faiths

3. Hinduism • Beginnings date back to 2000 BCE • No specific origin, rather consider the origin of tradition • Origins linked to India • Over 10,000,000 followers worldwide • Most Sacred Text: Rig Veda

4. Hinduism • 20th Century famous Hindu Mahatma Gandhi • Revered Christianity • Sermon on the Mount one of his favorite religious texts

5. Worldly Realms and Divine Beyond • Hinduism has a much different perspective of reality • Universe, human beings, and the divine

6. Liberation: Returning to the Sacred Source • Salvation through liberation is the ultimate goal • Might not occur in one lifetime • Hindu belief in reincarnation • Hindu term for liberation- moksha • Release from ordinary, finite limited realm • Moshka means “release” in Sanskirt

7. The Divine: One Ultimate Reality, Many Masks • Hinduism perceives nature of the divine differently than Christianity • Believe that all reality is essentially one thing- monism • God • Universe • Human beings

8. Monism: All is Brahman • Monism is a doctrine • Westerners: • God is held to be both creator of world, but above and independent of it • Analogy of Monism: • Rivers, lakes, droplets of rain share same essence • Monists- all forms of reality share a common essence • Brahman

9. Brahman • Brahman is ground of existence and the source of the universe • Only discoverable through profound contemplation • True nature not revealed on the surface of things • Impersonal • Described in ancient texts (Upanishads) as neti, neti • Not this, not that • Brahman is beyond the reach of human perception and thought • Pure spirit

10. Upanishads • Teach that ultimate reality can be understood through inward contemplation of the self • Ultimate reality within Atman • The eternal Self • Fundamental discovery of the Upanishads • Brahman and Atman are one in the same • Brahman is Atman; all reality is one

11. Polytheism • The divine is thought ultimately to be one essence • Yet believe in many gods and goddesses • 330 million traditionally • Regards gods and goddesses as extensions of one ultimate reality • Humans need accessible points of contact for the divine • Each has personal characteristics

12. Hindu Cosmology • Cosmology: an explanation regarding the nature of the universe • Hindu: • Before considering what the universe is, must look at why the universe is

13. Cycles of Creation • Time and creation and ongoing axles • Universe goes through long periods of creation and destruction- repeats endlessly • Evolves over and over again

14. Reincarnation • Each individual is created and recreated until reaching moksha • Doctrine (samsara) “wheel of rebirth” • Individual recreated from one life form to another • Most aspects of a personality not through to be transmitted • Individuals cannot remember past lives

15. Reincarnation • Occurs on all levels of existence and other worlds • Human, animal and some plants as well • gods, goddesses, titans and ghosts • Wheels will continue until moksha is achieved • Death a defeat?

16. Law and Order: Divine Principles in the World • Karma and dharma connect the divine world • Principles form the crucial link between realm of samsara and divine source • By providing a basis for a moral life in this world, karma and dharma penetrate the earthly spiritual significance

17. Karma • Functions hand in hand with samsara • Determines the nature of reincarnation • Literal interpretation means “action” or “deeds” • Best understood as moral law- cause and effect • Every action produces an outcome that is justified by the action’s moral worthiness • Permeates realm of samsara • Karma secures a high degree of justice

18. Dharma • Ethical duty based on the divine order of reality • Hinduism’s closest equivalent to our term of religion • Complete rule of life • Hindus look to four sources when seeking guidance about dharma: • Divine revelation • Sacred tradition • Practices and examples of those wisest in society • Conscience • Strive to fulfill desires, limited by dharma • Much in common with Christian unconditional love

19. Hindu Society • Dharma is connected to social order • Determines gender, caste, stage of life • Women- obedience towards men

20. Caste System • Division of society • Brahmin • Kshatriya • Vaishya • Shudra

21. Caste System • Caste system origins came from differences in skin color • Aryan Invasion 2000 BC • Control on gender: • Men- occupation • Women- who they can marry • Outcasts • Includes “untouchables” • Based on heredity • Karma justifies the caste system

22. Four Stages of Life • Four stages of life, each with specific duties • Student • Householder • Forrest Dweller • Sannyasin

23. Four Goals of Life • Liberation from samsara is spiritual perfection • Moksha is the ultimate goal of life • Kama • Artha • Harmony with Dharma • Bliss of Moksha

24. Three Paths to Liberation • Three great paths to moksha • For the Active: Karma Marga • For the Philosophical: JnanaMarga • Vedanta • Sankhya • Yoga • For the Emotional: Bhakti Marga

25. Yoga Types of Yoga

26. Gods and Goddesses • Deities form the heart of Hindu’s mythical dimension • 330 million gods and goddesses • Important triad: • Brahma the creator • Vishnu the preserver • Shiva the destroyer

27. Avatars • Incarnation or living embodiment of a deity, generally Vishnu, who is sent to earth to fulfill a divine purpose • Relationship between the avatar and the deity is illuminated in the Bhagavad-Gita

28. Bhagavad-Gita • Acknowledges the path of works and path of knowledge • Tends to favor the path to devotion • 700 verse scripture

29. Daily Devotion • Households • Village • Holy places • Cow veneration

30. Modern Hinduism • Contemporary Issues • Caste System • Women • Hindus and Muslims • Modern Hindu in India