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Hinduism
Philosophical and metaphysical origins
Major philosophical systems
Religious foundations and
theistic paths
The Hindu way of life
Hinduism in the modern world
Introduction
• Some scholars claim there is no central
tradition that can be identified as Hinduism
• The term Hinduism did not become common
until the 19th century
• A range of practices
that vary according to
region, caste, gender,
and education
• The philosophic Brahmanic tradition often
referred to as Hinduism is but one aspect of a
larger tradition
Philosophical and Metaphysical
Origins
• Brahmanic tradition traces
back to the Vedic age,
thousands of years ago
• The Indus Valley Civilization
– The history and precise
dating of this period is
controversial
• The Vedas
– Foundation of upper-caste Brahmanic Hinduism
– Revered collection of ancient sacred hymns
– The Rig Veda is the first & oldest of 4 collections
Major Philosophical Systems
Share
• Roots in the vedas
• Direct personal experience
of truth thru meditation
• Ethics as necessary to
orderly social life (related to karma)
• Suffering is due to ignorance of the
eternal self
Major Philosophical Systems
(continued)
• Samkhya: Two states of reality
– Purusha, the Self
– Prakriti, the cause of the material universe
• Advaita Vedanta
– Monistic
– Based on the
Upanishads
• Yoga: raja, jnana,
karma, bhakti
– Union with the true Self
Religious Foundations and
Theistic Paths
Three major groupings of deities worshipped by
Hindus
•Shaktas: worship a Mother Goddess
•Shaivites: worship the god Shiva
•Vaishnavites: worship the god Vishnu
Yogi meditating in the Himalaya
Mountains near the home of
Shiva at the source of the
Ganges River.
The Epics and Puranas
• Illustrate trend
toward personal
love for a deity
• Two major epics
– Ramayana
– Mahabharata (includes the Bhagavad-Gita
• The Puranas
– Poetic Sanskrit texts that narrate the myths
of ancient times
The Hindu Way of Life
• Ritual: central to Hinduism
• Castes, duties, and
life goals
– 4 occupational groups:
Brahmins, Kshatriayas,
Vaishyas, Shudras
– Untouchables lay outside the system
– 4 major goals for a good life: dharma,
artha, kama, moksha
The Hindu Way of Life (continued)
• Life stages: student, householder,
meditation/study, renunciation
• The guru: spiritual leader
• Women’s duties: dharma,
marital wealth,
sensual pleasure
• Fasts, prayers, and auspicious designs:
determined by a complex lunar or solar
calendar
The 2001 Kumbha Mela was the largest ever gathering of people.
Hinduism in the Modern World
• Hinduism has been influenced by
contact with Buddhism, Jainism, and
later Islam, and Christianity
• Modern movements: currently being
challenged by social reform movements
• Global Hinduism: Has spread through
immigration and conversion
Hinduism in the Modern World
(continued)
• Hindu identity
– Some link Hinduism with nationalism
– India’s constitution enshrines secularism
– According to the Indian Supreme Court, to
be Hindu means
[next slide]
Hindu Identity (continued)
• Acceptance and reverence for the Vedas as the foundation of
Hindu philosophy;
• A spirit of tolerance, and willingness to understand and
appreciate others’ points of view, recognizing that truth has
many sides;
• Acceptance of the belief that vast cosmic periods of creation,
maintenance, and dissolution continuously recur;
• Acceptance of belief in reincarnation;
• Recognition that paths to salvation and truth are many;
• Recognition that there may be numerous gods and
goddesses to worship, without necessarily believing
in worship through idols;
• Unlike other religions, absence of belief in a specific set of
philosophic concepts.