Download Introduction to Hinduism by Dr. James L Rowell Founders, Texts

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Introduction to Hinduism
by Dr. James L Rowell
1. Founders, Texts & History
2. Moral Beliefs
3. Sacred Beliefs
4. Practice & Ritual
5. Sects & Politics
6. Famous Faces
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Founders, Texts & History
1) Hinduism has no historical founder. It is an ancient religion whose roots are debated by scholars.
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A) Harappan Civilization (2500-1700 BCE); NW India/Pakistan.
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B) Indo-Aryan Invasions- c. 1700 BCE.
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C) Vedic Roots – ancient text & traditions.
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Founders, Texts & History
2) Endless Cycles of Time called yugas.
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A) Pensive & Philosophical: “There was neither non-existence nor existence then; there was
neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose
protection? Was there water, bottomlessly deep? There was neither death nor immortality
then. There was no distinguishing sign of night nor of day.” further on it adds “Who really
knows? . . . Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came afterwards,
with the creation of this universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen?… perhaps it formed
itself, or perhaps it did not – the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven [God], only he
knows – or perhaps he does not know.” (Wendy Doniger, Rig Veda, p. 25-26 or 10.129)
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B) Mythic & Personal: Caste coming from Purusa.
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Brahmins (priests) from Head & Mouth.
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Ksatriyas (warriors) from Arms.
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Vaisyas (commoners) from Thighs.
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Sudras (servants) from Feet.
C) The best “cycle of time” is satyayuga, and the worse kaliyuga.
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Founders, Texts & History
3) Hindu Texts- there is no central “Bible” of Hinduism. There is a collection of texts.
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A) The Vedas and the Upanishads the “sruti” or most authoritative.
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B) The Bhagavad-Gita – a part of the Mahabharata. Gandhi’s favorite text.
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C) The Laws of Manu or “Manusmriti” (smriti text)
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D) The Epics:
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The Mahabharata – Visnu as Krishna. Charioteer of Arjuna.
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The Ramayana- Visnu as Rama. Rama weds Sita & fights Ravanna.
Beliefs - Moral
4) Pursuit of worldly and spiritual good
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A) Hinduism affirms “4 Goals”
1. Worldly success, pleasure. (artha)
2. Pleasure, desire (kama)
3. Virtue, morality, duty (dharma)
4. Spiritual Liberation (moksha)
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B) Moksha is best!
1. The Upanishads say: “In the finite there is no happiness. The infinite alone is
happiness.” (Chandogya Upanishad; Chimnoy, ibid., 66)
2. The Golden Rule: “When a man sees all beings within his very self, and his self within all
beings, It [Truth] will not seek to hide from him.” (Olivelle, Isa Upanishad, 249)
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Beliefs - Moral
5) Oddly the “golden rule” may conflict also with a traditional conception of caste hierarchy.
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A) The Four Castes
1. Brahmin (also spelled Brahman) – the Hindu Priest.
2. Ksatriya – Warrior, King.
3. Vaisya – Middle caste professionals artisans or “commoners.”
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4. Sudras – servants.
Outcastes – Untouchables.
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B) Sub-caste – “occupation” known as “Jati.”
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Beliefs - Moral
6) Equality, love, the “golden rule” are themes which emerge from the Bhagavad-Gita, a sacred text in
Hinduism:
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A) On Love, Krishna says: “This supreme Lord who pervades all existence, the true Self of all
creatures, may be realized through undivided love. There are two paths, Arjuna, which the soul
may follow at the time of death. One leads to rebirth and the other to liberation.” (Gita 8:22-23,
Easwaran, p. 168)
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B) On Equality Krishna says: liberation“All those who take refuge in me, whatever their birth,
race, sex or caste, will attain the supreme goal; this realization can be attained even by those
whom society scorns.” (Gita 9:32, Easwaran, p. 177)
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C) Gandhi’s favorite Gita verse: “They live in wisdom who see themselves in all and all in them,
who have renounced every selfish desire and sense craving tormenting the heart. Neither
agitated by grief nor hankering after pleasure, they live free from lust and fear and anger … such
are the seers.” (Easwaran, Gita 2:55-57, or p. 95-96)
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Beliefs - Sacred
7) Hindus accept reincarnation as a central idea.
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A) The soul or Atman is within, and is part of, or reflects Brahman (eternal essence of God).
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B) Ignorance or Avidya estranges us from Brahman. Jnana or knowledge unites.
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C) Hindus may accept Advaita Vedanta identity between Atman or Brahman, or Dvaita dualism
that Atman and Brahman are not identical.
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Beliefs - Sacred
8) Terms and concepts of reincarnation.
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A) Samsara – the realm of attachment, reincarnation.
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B) Karma – “action”, “consequence”, or “spiritual momentum.”
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C) Moksha (liberation, enlightenment) - attain bliss, escape from reincarnation. Reunited with
God.
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Beliefs - Sacred
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9) Hinduism is Polytheist, but many see gods as facets of one God – or monotheist to others.
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A) Brahma – Creator (Prajapati)
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B) Visnu – Preserver, Avatars. Lakshmi his wife.
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C) Siva – Destroyer, ascetic. Parvati his wife.
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D) Brahman above – often supplanted by Saktas – goddess Durga, Kali.
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Practice & Ritual
10) Hinduism is Polytheistic, idol-making.
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A) Idols represent divine; charged with divine power; divine has limitless expression.
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B) Puja – sacrifice and bhakti devotion important in home; temple worship also practiced.
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C) Hindus will often practice arranged marriage within caste or approved choice. Some
romantic marriage allowed.
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D) Ram Mohun Roy – banned Sati or “widow burning.” Promoted free press, education &
reform. Wrote Precepts of Jesus.
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Practice & Ritual
11) Hindu life – 4 stages.
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A) Student-apprentice stage.
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B) Householder Stage.
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C) Retirement stage.
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D) Sannyasin – “renunciate” stage.
Moksha – liberation, enlightenment, long-term goal!
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Practice & Ritual
12) Untouchables – “harijan” (Gandhi) or “dalits” (Ambedkar.
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A) Below Sudra – outside caste system.
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B) Poor, live in horrible conditions. Do dirtiest work.
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C) How did they get that way?
1. Born into it.
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2. Ritual Purity (Brahmins)
3. Religious Hierarchy (caste/Hinduism)
4. Class made it worse?
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D) Discrimination against the Untouchable is unconstitutional.
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Sects & Politics
13) Sects of Hinduism
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A) Siva – followers Saivites.
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B) Visnu – followers Viasnavites.
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C) Saktas – followers of goddess, such as Durga and Kali.
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D) Pilgrimage and temple-going also important.
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E) Hare Krishna and Transcendental Meditation derivative of Hindu roots.
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Sects & Politics
14) Partition of India
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A) Gandhi leader of Independence Movement; INC or Indian National Congress.
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B) Muhammad Ali Jinnah did not see eye-to-eye with Gandhi or Jawaharlal Nehru.
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C) India was partitioned and independent, August 15, 1947.
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West & East Pakistan (later became Bangladesh)- Muslim State & Sanctuary.
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India (secular state)
Sects & Politics
15) Gandhism vs. Hindutva
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A) Mohandas Gandhi fought for universal acceptance of religions. Had said: “I am a Christian,
and a Hindu, a Moslem, and a Jew.” (Fischer, Mahatma, 335)
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B) Opposing Hindu Nationalist based on Hindutva concept of nationalism.
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C) Gandhi was assassinated by Hindu Nationalist Nathuram Vinayak Godse, on Jan. 30, 1948.
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Faces
16) Mohandas K. Gandhi – or “Mahatma” Gandhi (1869-1948)
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A) Nonviolence or Ahimsa. He pioneered satyagraha (truth-force), which influenced Martin
Luther King Jr.
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B) Universalism: Affirmed equality of people & religions; untouchables & women included.
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C) Began satyagraha in South Africa. Led independence movement in India.
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See Richard Attenborough’s film Gandhi with Ben Kingsley (1982).
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Faces
17) B.R. Ambedkar – convert to Buddhism (1891-1956)
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A) Untouchable (dalit) of Maharashtra, India.
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B) Highly educated in West – US & England, PhD. Economics & politics.
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C) Major achievements:
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Constitutional Ban on Untouchability.
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Converted to Buddhism along with 500,000 or over a million others.
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Wrote The Buddha and His Dhamma.
Faces
18) Jawaharlal Nehru – 1st Prime Minister of India (1889-1964)
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A) Leader in Independence movement of India.
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B) Prime Minister from 1947 to 1964.
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Secular-Socialist orientation.
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Wars with Pakistan & China
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Conflict over Kashmir.
C) Nehru’s Political Legacy:
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Daughter, Indira Gandhi (1917-1984); Prime Minister 1966-1977, 1980-84.
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Her son Rajiv Gandhi (1944-1991), Prime Minister 1984-1989.
Conclusion, Summary
19) Review of HInduism
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A) Hinduism - called also Sanatana Dharma or “eternal religion.”
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Many different Gods & Goddesses: Braham, Siva, Visnu, Durga & Kali.
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Polytheist, pantheist, monotheist!
B) Believes in Atman, Soul & Divine Brahman - reincarnation.
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Samsara – cycle of reincarnation.
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Karma – action, consequence, or spiritual momentum.
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Moksha – Liberation.
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C) Vedas & Upanishads oldest most revered text; Bhagavad-Gita one of most popular.
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Works Cited / Sources
Books / Recommended Reading:
Basham = A.L. Basham, The Origins and Development of Classical Hinduism, edited by Kenneth G. Zysk,
Oxford University Press, New York, 1989.
Buck = Buck, William, Mahabharata, Berkeley, University of California Press, 1981.
Chimnoy = Sri Chimnoy, Commentaries on the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad-Gita, Aum
Publications, New York, 1996
Clothey = Clothey, Fred Religion in India: A Historical Introduction, New York, Routledge, 2006.
Easwaran = Easwaran, Eknath, The Bhagavad Gita, Canada, Nilgiri Press / Blue Mountain Meditation
Center, 2007.
Keay = Keay, John, India: A History, New York, Grove Press, 2000.
Narayan = Narayan, R.K., The Ramayana – A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic, New
York, Penguins Books, 2006.
Olivelle = Olivelle, Patrick, Upanisads, New York, Oxford University Press, 1998.
Partridge = Partridge, Christopher, Introduction to World Religions, (Minneapolis, Fortress Press, 2005)
Rig Veda = O’Flaherty, Wendy Doniger, The Rig Veda, New York Penguin Books, 1981.
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