Download 3. HINDUISM Chapter Overview According to the time line at the

3. HINDUISM
Chapter Overview
According to the time line at the back of this book, Hinduism is the oldest global religion. Precursors of this Vedic faith may include some aspects of the Dravidians, advanced cultures of the
Indus Valley, and the Harappans. A hotly contested scholarly reconstruction concludes that
those called Aryans who were nomadic invaders from outside India eventually overran these
highly organized cultures. Others though maintain that this religion is not foreign-born.
Indian religion and philosophy have influenced many other religions and cultures. The
country could be considered the birthplace of Eastern thought and practice. By pointing out to
students that Hinduism provides ample opportunity to begin comparing and contrasting Eastern
and Western forms of religious ways, they may better appreciate why it is the first global religion
presented in the book.
Indian religion combines the material and the spiritual in creative ways. There is something
for everyone -- from the advocate of a strictly trained body to the quite philosophical thinker. India
has room for all. The tolerance found in this culture of competing gods is refreshing, especially in
today s world of tension and conflict when lives are lost over religious differences.
This chapter seeks to achieve the following goals:
1. To outline the standard Western historical view of Hinduism s development and the
Indian tradition of their history
2. To acquaint the reader with the major defining characteristics of this religion
3. To acquaint the reader with the spiritual practices of Hinduism, especially yoga and its
different styles and purposes
Draw the following on the board for a simple clarification of Hinduism:
The Supreme God (Brahma)
(Paramatma=The Supreme Soul)
(Three primary roles)
Brahama
(Creator)
Vishnu/Krishna
(Protector)
Shiva/Mahesh
(Destroyer)
Key concepts to explain:
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Hinduism teaches the cycle of life: Birth---Life---Death---Rebirth.
All life is created by the Supreme God (Brahama)
Every living thing has soul, called by Hindus, ATMA.
Your deeds (Karma) in this life will determine your life form in the next life.
You can go through the cycle of birth and rebirth up to 84 million times as the belief is
that there are 84 millions species on earth.
PAP, means penalty for bad behavior, and PUNYA means credit for good deeds.
KARMA
PAP
(Bad deeds)
PUNYA
(Good deeds)
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The ultimate goal of existence is to achieve moksha , the release of your atma to become
part of the paramatma, or great soul of the universe.
This is understood if we think of an eye-dropper of water squeezed out into the Atlantic
thus ceasing to be a separate entity, but being absorbed into the ocean.
Students should be alerted in advance that in coming to understand this religion they need to
become familiar with a very unfamiliar array of terms. Though numerous, these terms are
extremely important for grasping major concepts and practices in this fascinating faith. Students
could be encouraged to make vocabulary flash cards to enhance their comprehension.
Defining Hinduism
Defining Hinduism is a complex endeavor. Some scholars claim there is no central tradition,
which can be identified as Hinduism. Moreover, the term Hinduism itself did not appear until the
nineteenth century. It was a British census-taking category, which covered all people not
belonging to a known named religion such as Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, or Jainism.
Currently, in a general sense, all religious paths honoring the Vedas (the ancient scriptures)
are commonly gathered under the term Hinduism. As the text points out, the indigenous term for
the local tradition was Sanatana Dharma or eternal religion. Legend has it that the religion of the
people along the Indus River has existed since the beginning of time.
The Indian Supreme Court, however, has formally defined Hindu beliefs. According to the
court to be Hindu means:
Acceptance and reverence for the Vedas. This is foundation of Hindu philosophy.
A spirit of tolerance, the willingness to understand and appreciate the point of view of others,
recognizing that truth has many sides.
Acceptance of the belief that vast cosmic periods of creation, maintenance, and dissolution
continuously recur.
Belief in reincarnation.
Recognition that paths to salvation and truth are manifold.
Recognition that there is a plurality of gods and goddesses to worship.
Absence of belief in a specific set of philosophic concepts.
It is clear that Hinduism is a Vedic-based religion. Consequently, the Vedas and Vedic
religious practices are the special focus of what follows.
Vedas
Although the origins of the Vedas are unknown, the texts themselves can be studied. They
consist of four parts. The earliest hymns of praise in the worship of deities is called Samhitas.
Next are directions about the performance of ritual sacrifice to the deities called Brahmanas.
The third part, the Aranyakas consists of the writings of those who went to the forests to mediate.
The fourth part is called the Upanishads. These are the teachings from highly accomplished
spiritual masters. This collection of hymns, directions, and teachings are revered and considered
the foundation of Hindu philosophy.
The Vedas may have been committed to writing around the middle of the first millennium
B.C.E. However, some scholars and Indian people believe that they are much older. Originally,
the Vedas were transmitted orally from teacher to students and may have been written over a
period of eight to nine hundred years. Orthodox Hindus believe their scriptures transcend time
and history and therefore are just as relevant today as they were thousands of years ago. These
writings are eternal.
Vedic Practices and Beliefs
Fire sacrifice was a central ritual of worship in the Vedic religion. Agni was the name for the
god of fire, and he was revered through food offerings. The significance of this fire ceremony can
be illustrated by reading aloud the quotation on page 85 by seer Sri Aurobindo. Offerings to Agni
took many forms, including melted butter, grains, soma, and animals. Sacrifices play an
important role in Vedic worship, signifying the re-enactment of the creation of the universe.
Followers of the Vedas believed that the universe had been created when the primal Being was
pulled apart by the gods. Consequently, his mind became the moon, his eyes the sun, and his
breath constituted the wind. Also, the Vedic principle of generous sacrifice teaches that such
offerings to a deity will be rewarded by some special outcome. The Vedas emphasized the
importance of repeating sacrifice in order to keep the cosmos in proper working order. A sacrifice
re-enacted the original creation and reminded the gods of the way things should go.
The division of the social order, along with the physical order, was outline in the Vedas. The
castes, in descending order, were composed of the Brahmins or priests, the kshatriyas who were
the warriors and nobles, the vaishyas or merchants, and the shudras or laborers or artisans.
Later, some among the shudras became considered untouchable because of their work. These
were the people who performed the most undesirable chores of Indian society, for example
dealing with human waste and the removal of dead bodies.
India s heritage of a love of the philosophical and mystical insights of their sages goes back
to a later section of the Vedas called the Upanishads. The word itself suggests sitting down with
a teacher to receive important insights. The Upanishads emphasized the importance of a
disciple s inner experience, in contrast to the earlier Vedic tradition s use of ritual as the means to
salvation.
Upanishads teach about the individual s real self, the Atman (also called Atma), and its
relation to Brahman, the ultimate, unknowable ground of being. Students will need a clarification
of the difference between these two terms (more than likely): Brahmin for priest AND Brahman,
the Absolute Supreme Reality.
Another important theme of the Upanishads is that of reincarnation. According to this
teaching, after death, the soul does not die but rather takes a new form in a new life not unlike
taking off old clothes and putting on new ones--depending on the person s karma. Karma is the
collection of consequences of one s actions. A life filled with a host of bad actions results in the
accumulation of bad karma. According to the Upanishads, existence s ultimate goal is many lives
of good deeds that result in good karma and ultimately liberation or moksha.