Download Philosophy 1

Philosophy 1
Hinduism
Topic: ‘Belief’; ‘Miracles’
Belief about a Deity
Nature of God(s):
Deity: is a god or a goddess. They have divine status and are a supreme being.
Polytheism: is the belief in many Gods.
Words that describes the nature of Gods in Hinduism:
Destroyer
Creator
Supreme Spirit
Sustainer
Personal
Infinite
Omnipresent
Omniscient
Transcendent
Omnipotent
Trimurti: a trinity within Hinduism consisting of Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva
the Destroyer.
Brahman: the ultimate reality underlying all phenomena in the Hindu scriptures.
Hindus believe that Brahman is the universal spirit and the source of all living things in the universe.
The Brahman is revealed by the Trimurti. Brahman has no shape or form. Belief in Brahman provides
purpose and meaning in the life of Hindus. There is evidence in the sacred texts of Brahman and also
historical evidence in the life and work of incarnations of the Trimurti through avatars.
Gods and goddesses:
Brahma – the God who created the world.
Vishnu – the God who protects people from evil and wrongdoing.
Shiva – the God who destroys and then rebuilds.
Krishna: is one of the most famous Hindu Gods.
Hindus believe that Krishna is the incarnation of Vishnu or the eighth avatar. Krishna is one of the
most worshipped figures in Hinduism. Hindus believe that Krishna is the source of many legends and
he was a scholar who encouraged a more personal approach to religion.
Atman: is another word for the individual self or the soul.
Beliefs about the nature of God(s):
Hindus have different beliefs about the nature of God as personal or not. Beliefs about the nature of
God(s) may come from characteristics of Trimurti, Krishna and Ganesh. Beliefs can also come from
characteristics of any Hindu deities.
Belief in Gods:
Founding story:
Hinduism was founded about 4,000 years ago in the Indus Valley in India. Hinduism has no founder.
Hinduism is seen as a way of living. The creed sums up what the religion believes. Hindus believe
that their supreme spirit or soul has no shape or form. This is the Brahman; everything in the
universe flows from this. There are many gods and goddesses that represent the power of Brahman.
Hindus are free to worship whatever God they would like.
Reasons for belief in a God(s):
Hindus believe have a strong belief in many Gods which comes from the existence of the sacred
texts which include The Vedas, Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana. The teachings of the Hindu community
are believed to be Divine Revelations which help to show Hindus about the existence of Gods. Some
Hindus have a strong belief in the Gods as they may have a spiritual experience during worship
through avatars of Vishnu and others. This is because God interacts with humanity through avatars.
There are three different approaches to God; that God is viewed as a personality with attributes and
form, God is viewed as a personality with no form and God is viewed as a principle that underlines
everything.
Miracles:
Miracle: an extraordinary or remarkable event that brings about a wonderful consequence. It
normally happens beyond the laws of nature.
Satya yuga: golden, spiritual age when miracles happened frequently.
Kali yuga: time of darkness where many are more interested in material things.
Accounts of miracles in the Hindu scriptures:
Examples:
-In order to let the armies of Lord Rama cross the ocean a floating bridge was allowed to be built.
-An ardent devotee of the Lord, not being able to be killed by many means (trampling by elephants
and fire).
-Physical healing by the saints, on entering the sanctum of a temple the disappearance of the
physical body (Saint Mirabai, Andal).
-Incarnations of the Trimurti.
-Everyday miracles such as birth and love.
-Any event beyond natural explanation.
-The Hindu Milk Miracle (September 21st 1995).
-Manifestation of supernatural powers (siddhi) through meditation.
-The creation of the world.
Hindus beliefs about miracles:
There are many different views on the importance of miracles amongst Hindus. Lives of saints and
other Hindu narratives showcase different miracles. Miracles are rarer nowadays because people are
more obsessed with material goods. Some Hindus believe in Avatars. These are manifestations of a
deity or released soul in bodily form on earth. Hindus believe that avatars teach people how to live
and conquer evil. Some Hindus believe that avatars reflect God’s nature. The importance of Krishna
and Rama show the power of God and the ability to perform miracles which convinces Hindus that
miracles do exist.