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HINDUISM
I.
HISTORY
A. India…since ~2000BC
Perhaps the world’s oldest living religion
Name probably comes from the Sanskrit word for the Indus
River, Sindhu
1. Earliest stage: before 1000 BC
Vedic period: the Four Vedas or “Books of Knowledge”
These writings describe the early life of Aryan (“noble, lordly”)
people as nomadic and tribal (rajah is the “chief” of the tribe)
They reflect primitive nature worship with hymns to the gods
(Rig), knowledge of rites (Yajur), songs from the rituals (Sama),
and practical nature prayers (Atharva).
The multiplicity of gods developed in this period.
2. Priestly/Brahmanic period: 1000 - 800 BC
A sort of monotheism developed in this period, the concept of
Brahma as one god.
The caste system also took shape during this time:
Priests (Brahmins)—they control the gods
Warriors and rulers (Kshatriyas)
Scribes and artisans (Vaishyas)
Peasants, unskilled (Shudras)
Outcasts/untouchables (Dalit)
3. Philosophical Hinduism: 800 – 600 BC
Rise of the scholars and writing of Upanishads
This period saw the development of the concept of Brahma-Atman,
the idea of the “divine spark” within humans.
Emerson and Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science,
were influenced by this teaching.
Two reform movements arose during this period:
Buddhism, an effort to return practical Hinduism to the problem
of suffering; self-annihilation (“enlightenment”) occurs when the
self is rid of desires and distractions through meditation
Jainism: extreme asceticism
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4. Religio-Legalistic period: ~250 BC
Writing of the Book of Manu:
This writing focuses on the law, obedience to caste and dharma
(duties of the caste)
It also expands on the concept of reincarnation and required
codes of behavior
5. Period of personalized gods: ~1 AD to modern times
Principle writing: Bhagavad Gita (“The Song of God”)
Individual gods are more highly developed:
Brahma: creator god (not same Brahman of Upanishads)
Shiva: destroyer, death, and dance; destroys in order to give
life
Consort: Kali
Vishnu: the hero god, embodiment of love (seen in the Avatar
Krishna)
Animistic practices, shrines and temples, cleansing ceremonies are
a continuing part of Hinduism
Sikhism arose from Hinduism in the 1400s
II.
OVERVIEW OF BASIC BELIEFS
A. Supreme Being/Gods
Impersonal Ultimate Reality
God is in and through everything that lives. Thus, there are potentially
as many gods as there are people. Everyone is free to follow whatever
path he decides is most effective.
The triad of major gods (see above) are ubiquitous
B. Key Figures in History
Avatars (10 of Vishnu; best known, Rama and Krishna; Jesus, Buddha,
and Mohammad are avatars)
Gurus (spiritual teachers: see below for gurus in America)
C. View of Jesus
For some Hindus, Jesus was an avatar or incarnation of Vishnu.
He is seen by some as a great guru, spiritual teacher
D. Sources of Authority
Vedas
Upanishads
Puranas
Bhagavad Gita
Epics, many other sacred writings
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E. Doctrine of Man
Real man” is a divine eternal soul, part of Brahman-Atman
Physical body has little worth; the soul can exist without a body
Physical existence is all illusion (maya)
(people are unaware of their oneness with Ultimate Reality)
F. Basic Human Problem
The human condition is samsara; i.e., a flow of reality in which
individual souls are continually dying and being reborn.
The illusion of physical reality and its desires demands, and suffering
enslaves one to Karma, the law of cause and effect. People keep on
doing things to respond to their illusory existence and the effect is
more death and reincarnation.
G. Solution to the Basic Human Problem
The goal of life is to gain release from the cycle of reincarnation to
become one with the divine.
This is accomplished by following the proper yoga (“yoke”; path or
discipline in order to gain liberation from maya (illusion and
ignorance).
Salvation is up to the individual. One may choose, among many paths,
devotion to God (bhakti), intellectual pursuit (jnana), works (karma),
or mystical experience and meditation (raja).
H. Value System
Deeds are right if they produce good conditions.
They are wrong if they produce harm to one’s self or to the world in
general.
Good works (dharma) result in good returns. This is the law of karma.
I. Life After Death
Cycles of reincarnation continue until union with or reabsorption into
Ultimate Reality. This final state of existence is moksha (“final
release”).
A. Contrast to Christianity
1. God
H: Many gods: many manifestations of various gods
C: Monotheism: One personal, creator, holy, righteous God who is
purposeful. The Trinity is not the same as the triad of Hindu gods.
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2. Jesus
H: Avatars show the way or rescue through valiant deeds
C: Jesus: paid the price for our failure to measure up to God
3. Creation
H: The material world is only illusion; only spiritual is real.
Thus human bodily existence is of little value.
C: The material world is created by God for His glory and the
sustaining of mankind.
Human bodily existence is of eternal value.
4. Salvation
H: Cyclical view of history: rising and dying of the earth; countless
cycles of reincarnation. Salvation is essentially escape from or
liberation from this cycle.
C: Linear view of history: One earth, one life per person. Salvation
is rescue from certain judgment based on what Christ did in a
point in time in history.
5. After life
H: Absorption into Brahma; “one drop in the Great Ocean of Soul”
C: Individuals are eternally in the company of the personal, loving
God or eternally separated from Him.
J. CONVERSATIONS WITH FOLLOWERS OF HINDUISM
1. Build genuine friendships
Invite conversation.
Learn before trying to “teach” or “correct”
2. Avoid debates on the minutiae of the belief systems
Hinduism is complex not only because of its plethora of gods and
rituals but also because of its ancient history and large collection
of writings which are esoteric and philosophical in nature.
Stick to the basics.
3. Understand how Hinduism (and eastern mysticism) has
influenced American culture.
Englishman Sir William Jones was the first Westerner to introduce
Hinduism to the West in writing. His writings first appeared in
1875. His writings influenced Emerson, Thoreau and other leaders
of the 19th century Transcendentalists.
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Theosophy, founded in 1875, is likely the most influential Hindurelated group in America.
The first specifically Hindu movement in the United States, the
Vedanta Society, began in 1895.
The Transcendental Meditation movement arrived in California in
1959 with Maharishi Mehesh Yogi. Thousands of Americans
purchased a mantra and began meditation rituals.
The New Age Movement of the late 20th century was shaped
significantly by Eastern thought, specifically Hinduism.
Bhaktivedanta came to the US in 1965 to promote a devotional
form of Hinduism. His International Society for Krishna
Consciousness is the most visible Hindu movement in America.
Hare Krishna temples may be found today in most major American
cities.
20th century Beatles and Beach boys
4. Understand basic thought behind Hinduism
Man naturally follows the paths of desire for pleasure and worldly
success. These do not lead to full satisfaction. When the center of
value is in the self, earth bound and temporal, the life path is one
of ignorance which leads to suffering and death, part of an endless
cycle of returning to try again.
Is there more to this existence?
Is there a larger, more significant whole of which one might
become a part, thus relieving life’s trivialities?
For Hindus, this is the beginning of religion: the quest for meaning
beyond privacy, renouncing ego’s claim to finality.
Man really wants to be, to know, and to experience joy, and all of
these infinitely.
At his center, man already possesses the divine spark (BrahmanAtman). But he is finite and cannot see the whole picture.
The path to release and final oneness with Brahman is achieved
through a path of discipline that dispels this ignorance.
The path of reincarnation is the disciplined moving from this
“child” stage of self-seeking to the “adult” stage of deferred
gratification, seeking life’s higher calling rather than momentary
indulgence.
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Summed up, man wants mukti, liberation, release from countless
limitations, distractions, the sufferings of the present life.
5. Strengths and weaknesses of Hinduism:
Strengths:
Addresses the fear of death, old age and attempts to deal with
these issues.
It recognizes the transiency of material things.
It values meditation, the discipline of focus on something other
than self.
Weaknesses:
Personal nihilism: it denigrates the worth of the individual.
It does not have an answer for man’s purpose for being and why
the world is the way it is.
Man’s only real sin is ignorance. Hinduism claims that knowledge
of oneness with (absorption into) Brahman is the answer.
6. Share Your Personal Faith in a God of love who comes to us
He comes to us: Love vs. appeasement, placation
He provided the payment for our sins vs. works
(Grace vs. works)
Escape from condemnation vs. continuous reincarnation
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