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Hinduism World Religions Chapter 3 Many Rivers to One Ocean • Holy man Shri Ramakrishna • Emphasizes harmony and tolerance • Tolerance of other faiths 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 Hinduism • 20th Century famous Hindu Mahatma Gandhi • Revered Christianity • Sermon on the Mount one of his favorite religious texts Worldly Realms and Divine Beyond • Hinduism has a much different perspective of reality • Universe, human beings, and the divine 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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 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? 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 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 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 Hindu Society • Dharma is connected to social order • Determines gender, caste, stage of life • Women- obedience towards men Caste System • Division of society • • • • Brahmin Kshatriya Vaishya Shudra 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 Four Stages of Life • Four stages of life, each with specific duties • • • • Student Householder Forrest Dweller Sannyasin 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 Three Paths to Liberation • Three great paths to moksha • For the Active: Karma Marga • For the Philosophical: Jnana Marga • Vedanta • Sankhya • Yoga • For the Emotional: Bhakti Marga Yoga Types of Yoga 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 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 Bhagavad-Gita • Acknowledges the path of works and path of knowledge • Tends to favor the path to devotion • 700 verse scripture Daily Devotion • • • • Households Village Holy places Cow veneration Modern Hinduism • Contemporary Issues • Caste System • Women • Hindus and Muslims • Modern Hindu in India