Hindu Teachings & Sacred Texts (Part 1)

1. Hindu Teachings &Sacred Texts (Part 1) 20 Sep 2013 Religion, Spirituality & Health

2. Indigenous People in Ancient India (3000?) 2500 to 1500 BCE • Ancient indigenous urban civilization in the Indus Valley • Not a religious designation • A geographical designation for indigenous peoples living in the Indus River Valley Major city of Harappa excavated in late 1800s and early 1900s rels 120 - appleby

3. What is “indigenous”? People belonging to the land “An Indigenous person is, by definition, a person belonging to the land or soil and being native to, or belonging naturally to a particular region. Indigenous identity and cultural expression is closely linked to their relationship with land areas.” http://www.cultureandrecreation.gov.au/articles/indigenous/peoples/ rels 120 - appleby

4. Prehistorical • Prior to 8,000 to 10,000 BCE – many as long as 50,000 to 60,000 years ago • Tribal cultures – throughout world • Seasonally nomadic; hunter/gatherers • Oral cultures; sacred myths about ancestors, spirits, animals, totems, heroes, etc. • Time is circular & cyclical, not linear • Life cycles; seasonal cycles rels 120 - appleby

5. Indus River rels 120 - appleby

6. Indus River Valley rels 120 - appleby

7. Overview of Hinduism Religious traditions are based on central myths and sacred narratives, whether they are written or oral Both Hindu and Buddhist traditions regard “liberation” as a central goal for the human person If Hindu traditions are primarily concerned with liberation • From what are people instructed to seek liberation? rels 120 - appleby

8. Liberation from Samsara • Earthly life is transient; it always ends in suffering, old age, sickness, and death • At the time of death, a person’s soul leaves its former body and is reborn into a new incarnation – animal or human body • Samsarais the endless repetitive cycle (or wheel) of life, death, and rebirth • Spiritual goal = liberation from Samsaraand union of one’s soul with ultimate reality rels 120 - appleby

9. Spiritual goals Hindus seek liberation . . . from samsara – the cycle of life – death – rebirth Hindus seek union with the divine as a spiritual goal rels 120 - appleby

10. The VEDIC period • 2500 BCE to 1500 BCE • Ancient indigenous urban civilization in the Indus Valley • 1800 BCE to 1700 BCE • civilization decline & migration of Aryan peoples from the north (now Pakistan) • 1500 BCE to 900 BCE • The Vedic period – composition of 4 Vedic books of hymns, prayers, mantras, rituals and devotional practices rels 120 - appleby

11. The VEDIC period • The VEDAS = authoritative foundational sacred texts • Transmitted orally from ancient sages (holy men filled with wisdom) to other priests and sages • Thought to contain all sacred knowledge • Oral transmission preserved for over a thousand years prior to the texts being preserved in written form rels 120 - appleby

12. Premodern Hinduism 1500 BCE to 500 BCE – the Vedic period • Composition of the Vedas(veda = knowledge) • 4 books of hymns, prayers, mantras, rituals and devotional practices • Rig Veda(1500 B.C. and 1200 BCE) • Sama Veda(1000 to 500 BCE) • Yajur Veda(1000 to 500 BCE) • Atharva Veda(1000 to 500 BCE) Transmitted orally for 2000 years; in Sanskrit rels 120 - appleby

13. Sacred text excerpts: “One should perform karma for the benefit of humanity with an unbiased approach because bias gives birth to evil, which creates thousands of obstacles in our path.” “The person who is always involved in good deeds experiences incessant divine happiness. ” “One ruins the mind if he or she indulges in bad deeds and ends up in misery. ” The Rig Veda rels 120 - appleby

14. The Sama Veda "O Agni, bring us radiant light to be our mighty aid, for Thou art our visible deity!" "Hail, Water, ye bring health and bliss: ye help us to energy.That we may look on great delight!” "Through all this world strode Vishnu:thrice his foot he planted,and the whole world was gathered in his footsteps.Vishnu, the guardian,he whom none deceiveth,made three steps and established his laws.“ rels 120 - appleby

15. “Truth can not be suppressed and • always is the ultimate victor." The Yajur Veda rels 120 - appleby

16. The Atharva Veda “On this Earth do I stand,Unvanquished, unslain, unhurt.Set me, O Earth, amidst the nourishing strengthThat emanates from thy body.The Earth is my mother,her child am I!” "Strive to move away from untruth towards truth.” “O Indra, destroy all those lustful people behaving like birds....angry ones behaving like wolves....greedy ones behaving like vultures....enticed ones behaving like owls..... arrogant ones behaving like eagles…. and the jealous ones behaving like dogs.” rels 120 - appleby

17. Vedic perspectives • There is a natural moral order for the world and humans – rita • This order is prescribed and enforced by the gods • The Vedasreveal divine truths to humanity • The gods need to be appeased for transgressions of the natural order • The sacrificial fire ritual offered by Hindu priests serves this purpose rels 120 - appleby

18. Major deities of the Vedic period • Agni: The fire god • Indra:The warrior god • Soma: The god who resides within a psychoactive substance (called Soma) which leads to mystical experiences • Varuna:The god of moral order who offers punishments and rewards rels 120 - appleby

19. Earliest rituals • While chanting Vedic hymns, the priests would offer grains, animal meat and clarified butter on the fire • The fragrance nourished and pleased the gods • In turn, the gods would sustain creation and bestow prosperity • Fire sacrifices performed by hereditary priests called Brahmins rels 120 - appleby

20. Shift away fromritual sacrifice • 900 to 300 BCE: Upanishadsare composed – based on dialogues between teachers (gurus)and their disciples (those who sat at their feet to learn) rels 120 - appleby

21. Upanishads • Collection of texts in the Sanskrit language • Also transmitted in oral form • Composed in 900 BCE to 300 CE • Philosophical discussions about the human quest for ultimate reality and truth rels 120 - appleby

22. Post-Vedic shift in dominant perspectives • Rita(natural order) becomes less prominent; declining emphasis on ritual sacrifice • Increasing reflection on the meaning and purpose of life; seek spiritual knowledge through self-discipline, asceticism, renunciation and yoga • Time period referred to as VEDANTA = “the end of the VEDAS” • The time or requirement for ritual Vedic sacrifice has been fulfilled • It is now time to explicitly reveal the spiritual truths of unity with the Ultimate and liberation from samsara rels 120 - appleby

23. Post-Vedic Themes Three themes become more prominent: • Reincarnation • Karma • Dharma • Coincides with the emergence of Buddhism and Jainism rels 120 - appleby

24. Perspective of the Upanishads • Earthly life is only an illusion (Maya) • All earthly phenomena, all earthly experiences, are only secondary appearances • They are not ultimately real • The underlying reality of all secondary appearances is the unchanging ultimately real spirit of Brahman • The individual soul (atman)remains trapped within the cycle of life, death and rebirth (samsara) until it realizes that only Brahmanis ultimately real → at this point, the atmanis released/liberated from the cycle = MOKSHA rels 120 - appleby

25. Brahmanisthe ultimate or absolute reality of the universe.  Brahman is the sustaining power or reality behind the universe.  All things come from Brahmanand are supported by Brahman. rels 120 - appleby

26. Atman = the Soul, the real Self (from the Heart of Hinduism) The real self (atman)is distinct from the temporary body. • Material designations do not apply to this eternal soul. • The atman is spirit (brahman)– unchanging, eternal and conscious. • Consciousness is a “symptom” of the eternal soul, not the body. http://hinduism.iskcon.org/concepts/101.htm rels 120 - appleby

27. A Useful Analogy: The Driver in the Vehicle “The body is compared to a vehicle and the soul to the driver. • “A car cannot run without a driver. Similarly, the body will not work without the presence of the soul. • “The driver develops a deep attachment to the car, so in an accident he commonly cries out "You hit me!“ If the soul identifies with the body in the same way, then – preoccupied with the body's condition – he becomes caught in a web of distress and happiness. • “The same driver can get out of one vehicle and drive another. Similarly, the soul leaves one body and enters another.” http://hinduism.iskcon.org/concepts/101.htm rels 120 - appleby

28. 1. REINCARNATIONand Liberation from Samsara • Earthly life is transient; it always ends in suffering, old age, sickness and death • At the time of death, a person’s soul leaves its former body and is reborn into a new incarnation – animal or human body • Samsarais the endless repetitive cycle (or wheel) of life, death and rebirth • Spiritual goal = liberation from Samsara and union of one’s soul with ultimate reality • End the cycle of reincarnation rels 120 - appleby

29. Another depiction of the cycle of death and rebirth From: http://www.dhirashanta.com/hindu_resources.htm rels 120 - appleby

30. 2. KARMAThe Natural moral law • Good thoughts and deeds bear good consequences and rewards • Bad thoughts and deeds result in bad consequences and punishment • These results and consequences are experienced in one’s present life and future incarnations • Through good deeds and meditation, some ascetics become living saints • They transcend earthly illusions and experience ultimate reality within their life →Samadhi • Demonstrate capacities to control their brain waves, heart beat, breathing and even levitation rels 120 - appleby

31. Cause & Effect “Any word, any action, any thought that produces an effect is called karma. Thus, the law of karmameans the law of causation, of inevitable cause and effect.” “According to one’s deeds, according to one’s behavior, so one becomes. The one who does good becomes good, the one who does evil becomes evil. One becomes virtuous by virtuous action and evil by evil action.” “We create our own destiny, moment by moment.” http://www.hinduismtoday.com/pdf_downloads/what_is_hinduism/Sec4/WIH_Sec4_Chapter30.pdf rels 120 - appleby

32. Human destiny 2 paths await each human person • Path of the afterlife: reward for moral behaviour; achieved by means of the performance of memorial rituals by one’s family – especially one’s eldest son → become an ancestor and reach a heavenly afterlife • Path of death: punishment for immoral behaviour; or, failure of family to perform memorial rituals → loss of identity and return to earth rels 120 - appleby

33. 3. DHARMA = Duty Prescribed roles in society (based on one’s Karma)with specific duties assigned from the beginning of creation • 4 main social groups / classes / Castes • Brahmins = priests • Kshatriyas = rulers and warriors • Vaishyas= shop keepers, trades and crafts persons • Shudras= servants and labourers Within each class, hundreds of castesubgroups “Every soul will move upward through samsarato be reborn as a brahminmale and reach salvation” rels 120 - appleby

34. Hinduism Today (click here)Listen to this video clip teaching (11:29) http://www.hinduismtoday.com/modules/xoopstube/singlevideo.php?cid=25&lid=38 rels 120 - appleby

35. Key Terms • Samsara • The Vedas • The Vedic period • Vedanta • Rita • Upanishads • Reincarnation • Karma • Dharma • Moksha • Maya • Atman • Brahman • Samadhi rels 120 - appleby