Download Introduction to Hinduism

Indian Film Industry
• Produces more films than Hollywood
(1100 vs 500 /yr.)
• Cheapest tickets in the world
• 4 billion attendance / year
• 30 different languages:
– Hindi: Bollywood (Bombay-Mumbai)
– Bengali: Tollywood and Dhaliwood
(Calcutta)
– Tamil: Kollywood (Madurai)
– Telugi: (Hyderabad)-#2 to Bollywood
– Marathi: (Mumbai)
– Malayalam (Southwest tip)
– Kannada (Southwest)
– Punjab (Amristar)
Indian Films
• A democratic, but conservative society
• Film censorship board
• Most commercial films include songand-dance routines that are integral to
the story line
• Two to three hours long
• Sentimental, formulaic, melodramatic
• Songs, legends, values of local culture
• Independent films (art cinema)
– Nair
– Mehta (“maverick,” funded by West)
Bollywood (Hindi)
• Largest segment of industry
• Big musical productions (3 hrs)
with traditional dances
• Highly melodramatic stories
• Traditionally, no kissing or
forbidden topics (censors)
• Key influence on pop culture
throughout Asian subcontinent
• Becoming more “Western”
• Some controversial topics
• Criticized by other regions that
favor films based upon local
regional traditions and values
Introduction
to
Hinduism
Misperceptions
• Hinduism is an organized
religion
• It is polytheistic
• All Hindus are vegetarians
• All Hindus do yoga
• All Indians are Hindu
History
• World’s oldest existing religious tradition
• Indo-Aryan origins (Iran)
• Dravidian people (Indus Valley)
• 1500-1300 BCE
– 3102 BCE (birth of Krishna—stars)
– 5000-6000 BCE (legend of Rama)
• Revealed in the Vedas
– Poetic hymns used in the sacrificial rites
of the Aryan priests.
• Origin of Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism
• 3rd largest in world (Christianity, Islam)
History
• Vedic civilization (2000 BCE)
• Religion evolved from
hymn-singing and sacrifice
to belief in Samsara / Karma
• The Vedas
• Ascetic hermits and forest
wanderers
• Self-enlightenment
• One God or (Divine Reality)
Basic Beliefs
• An “approach to the universe”
• A way of life
• “Eternal law” (Sanātana Dharma)
• A religious tradition
• Religion and philosophy
• Wide range of beliefs and practices
• No central figure
• Does not purport to be the “only truth”
• Emphasis on practice vs. beliefs
Basic Beliefs
• Every soul (atman) is trapped
in a cycle of birth, existence
and death (Samsara)
• Ultimate goal is to escape the
cycle (Moksha)
• Time is circular
• The aim of life is to live in a
way that will cause one’s next
life to be better
Basic Beliefs
“ There are as many spiritual
paths as there are spiritual
aspirants. There are as many
gods as there are devotees to
suit the moods, spirits and
social backgrounds of the
devotees.”
• No hierarchical orthodoxy
Sanatana Dharma (eternal law)
• Everything in existence is an
expression of God
• The proper aim of life is to
become one with God
• Worldly delights & temptations
divert one from this goal
• Dharma guides everyday ethics
and duties (“the way”)
Maya
•
The veil of illusion
•
The prison of worldly senses
•
Obsession with worldly
things, distraction from
spiritual purpose,
forgetfulness
•
Something to be feared, but
no way out
•
Four paths to penetrate the
veil
The Four Paths
•
Bhakti: Devotion
•
Karma: Good works
(action/reaction)
•
Jnana: Knowledge
•
Yoga:
Discipline of mind and
body (practice)
Not mutually exclusive
May pursue one or all
Many paths to realization
Deities
“A diverse system of thought
that embraces elements of
monotheism, monotheism,
polytheism, panentheism,
pantheism, monism and
atheism.”
Deities
• One Reality (Brahman)
• “Brahman is the unchanging,
infinite, immanent, and
transcendent reality which is the
Divine Ground of all matter,
energy, time, space, being, and
everything beyond in this
universe. “
• Different interpretations by
different schools of Hinduism
• Not the “personalized” JudeoChristian God.
Deities
• One Reality (Brahman)
• Many manifestations
Brahma: Creation
Vishnu:
Protector of Existence
Shiva:
Destruction
Deities
• One Reality (Brahman)
• Many manifestations
Brahma: Creation
Saraswathi—Goddess of wisdom
Vishnu:
Protector of Existence
Kakshmi—Goddess of wealth
Shiva:
Destruction
Kali—(a form of Shakti)
Deities
• Different traditions position
deities differently in legends
and mythology
• Shaktism:
Shakti is the Supreme Being
Divine force of universe, primal
energy, Brahman’s female aspect
Unfolds as desire, action, wisdom
(Shiva’s or Kali’s trident)
• Other traditions (e.g.,Shaivism):
– Active energy of male deities Vishu
and Shiva
Ganesha (son of Shiva)
This God of knowledge and the remover of
obstacles is also the older son of Lord
Shiva. Lord Ganesha is also called Vinayak
(knowledgeable ) or Vighneshwer (god to
remove obstacles). He is worshipped, or at
least remembered, in the beginning of any
auspicious performance for blessings and
auspiciousness.
A unique combination of his elephant-like
head and a quick moving tiny mouse
vehicle represents tremendous wisdom,
intelligence, and presence of mind.
Ganesha
Large head and ears: wisdom that one
must have to attain perfection in life
Right tusk: wisdom (also right leg over left)
Left tusk: emotion (must break it)
Four arms: omnipresent and omnipotent
Ax: to cut emotions
Lotus: peace and wisdom
Laddos: sweet spiritual reward
Yellow: purity, peace, truthfulness
Big belly: capacity to deal with pleasant
and unpleasant experiences in the world
Mouse: Ego that can nibble at the good
and noble (must control)
Vedic Pantheon (33 dieties)
8 Vasus (earthly)
11 Rudras (heavenly)
12 Adityas (intermediate)
Indra
Vedic (Aryan) Dieties (2000-1200 BCE)
Indra
Indra (the God of creation & war)
Varuna (ruler of the worlds and world order)
Dyaush-pita (the sky father)
Prithivi mata ( the earth mother)
Vayu (the wind God)
Parjanya (the rain God)
Surya (the sun God)
Agni (the fire God, destroyer of darkness)
Soma (the God of speech and inspiration)
Ushas (the Goddess of dawn)
Yama (the God of death)
Adityas (12 dieities, 12 months of year)
Brahmana,
Aswini (twin Deities)
Rudras (eight in number)
Vasus (eight in number),
Visvedevas ( ten in number)
Vishnu
•
The preserver and protector of
creation
•
Embodiment of mercy and goodness
•
Keeps good and evil in balance
•
When evil rises, other gods ask
Vishnu to reincarnate in different
human forms to conquer demons
•
Epics highly symbolic cosmic
morality plays
Forms of Lord Vishnu (avatars)
•
Matsyavataram (Form of a fish)
•
Kurmavataram (Form of a tortoise)
•
Varahavataram (Form of a boar)
•
Narasimhavataram (Form of a lion
headed man)
•
Vamanavataram (Form of a dwarf )
•
Parasuramavataram
•
Ramavataram (Ram)
•
Balaramavataram
•
Krishnavataram -- Hare Krishna
•
BUDDHA Kalkiavataram (yet to come)
Ramavataram (Ram)
• 7th incarnation of Vishnu
• “The very soul of India”
• Legend is a “complete guide to
God-realization and the path to
righteousness”
• Married Sita, consort of Vishnu
• Over came ordeals, remained loyal
to father, resisted temptations,
joined with the Monkey King to
defeat King Ravana
The "Hare Krishna" movement
• Based upon 9th incarnation of
Vishnu
• International Society for Krishna
Consciousness
• Founded by A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada
• Bhagavad-Gita
• The words "Hare Krishna" are
part of a mantra comprising
three Sanskrit names of God
(Vishnu), Hari, Krishna and Rama
Eras
4th-6th C: Gupta dynasty
– Dedicated temples to different deities
– Science, medicine, art & literature
– Strict caste system
8th C: Shankara (reformer)
– Upset with ritualism and caste system
– Meditation over ritualism
– Concept of maya
– Brahma transcendent
– Spiritual ignorance is the result of
seeing the self
Eras
1893: Swami Vivekananda
– World Parliament of Religions
(Chicago)
– Brought meditation and yoga to the
West
Expansion to SE Asia
• Trade routes
• Malay empire
• Khmer empire
• Cham empire (Vietnam)
Hindu Scriptural Canon
SHRUTI
Divine recordings of
cosmic truth; God-given;
for priests & educated
Vedas
1500-500 BCE; poetic liturgy
Rig Veda Hymns of praise
Sama Veda Chants
Yajur Veda Priest handbook
Atharva Veda Magic
Brahmanas 900 BCE
Vedic commentaries
Aranyakas Philosophical & mystical
Upanishads Religious instructions
Hindu Scriptural Canon
SMRITI
Created by man;
for common person
Itihasas
Mahābhārata
Bhagavad Gītā
Ramayana
Puranas
Tantras
Sutras
Stotras
Ashtavakra Gita
Gherand Samhita
Gita Govinda
Hatha Yoga Pradipik
“Historical” legends
2.5 million word history of India
Climatic cosmic battle
Legend of Ram
300 BCE: Cosmology
Buddhist and Hindu “wisdom”
Aphorisms
Chanting prayers
Mystical and esoteric
17th C: Yoga manual
12Th C: Bhakti; devotion & equality
15th C: The “bible” of Yoga
Scriptures (Vedas=wisdom)
Rig Veda
• Poems used in sacrifices & rites
• Praise the god being addressed
• Ask the god for favors or benefits
• Includes petitions for forgiveness
which indicate a developed sense
of morality
–o
it is evidence of a religion
centered on free choices between good and
evil.
Puranas (300 BCE)
• Interpretations of the Vedas
• For the common man
• Myths, parables and allegories
• 18: 3 groups of 6
• Creation of universe
• Dharma
• Karma
• Reincarnation
Uphanishads (300 BCE)
• Interpretation of Vedas
• Spiritual instruction
• Meditation
• Teacher-student dialogues
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
Mystic or spiritual interpretations on the Vedas
1. Narada (Lord of Events) inquired of the Lord of Love:
"What is the state of the illumined man?"
The Lord replied: "Hard to reach is the state
Of the illumined man. Only a few
Attain to it. But even one is enough.
For he is the pure Self of the Scriptures;
He is truly great because he serves me.
And I reveal myself through him always."
He has renounced all selfish attachments
And observes no rites or ceremonies.
He has only minimum possessions,
And lives his life for the welfare of all.
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
2. He has no staff nor tuft nor sacred thread.
He faces heat and cold, pleasure and pain,
Honor and dishonor with equal calm.
He is not affected by calumny,
Pride, jealousy, status, joy, or sorrow,
Greed, anger, or infatuation,
Excitement, egoism, or other goads;
For he knows he is neither body nor mind.
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
Free from the sway of doubt and false knowledge
He lives united with the Lord of Love.
Who is ever serene, immutable,
Indivisible, the source of all joy
And wisdom. The Lord is his true home,
His pilgrim's tuft of hair, his sacred thread;
For he has entered the unitive state.
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
3. Having renounced every selfish desire,
He has found his rest in the Lord of Love.
Wisdom is the staff that supports him now.
Those who take a mendicant's staff while they
Are still at the mercy of their senses
Cannot escape enormous suffering.
The illumined man knows this truth of life.
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
4. For him the universe is his garment
And the Lord not separate from himself.
He offers no ancestral oblations;
He praises nobody, blames nobody,
Is never dependent on anyone.
He has no need to repeat the mantram,
No more need to practice meditation.
The world of change and changeless reality
Are one to him, for he sees all in God.
The Paramahamsa Upanishad
5. The aspirant who is seeking the Lord
Must free himself from selfish attachments
To people, money, and possessions.
When his mind sheds every selfish desire,
He becomes free from the duality
Of pleasure and pain and rules his senses.
No more is he capable of ill will;
No more is he subject to elation,
For his senses come to rest in the Self.
Entering into the unitive state,
He attains the goal of evolution.
Truly he attains the goal of evolution.
Worship (Puja)
• Images (puja)
• Prayers
• Diagrams of the universe
(yantra)
• Water, fruit, flowers and
incense offerings
Shri Haridra Ganesh Sidhi Yantra
Worship (Puja)
• Images (puja)
• Prayers
• Diagrams of the universe
(yantra)
• Water, fruit, flowers and
incense offerings
Shri Maruti Yantra
Worship (Puja)
• Images (puja)
• Prayers
• Diagrams of the universe
(yantra)
• Water, fruit, flowers and
incense offerings
Worship (Puja)
• Images (puja)
• Prayers
• Diagrams of the universe
(yantra)
• Water, fruit, flowers and
incense offerings
Karma in Hinduism
• “Action” or deeds
• Law of cause and effect
• Beneficial events are derived
from past beneficial actions and
harmful events from past
harmful actions
• Reincarnations
• Explains the problem of evil
• Must follow dharma to achieve
liberation from the karma cycle
Ethic
• Family unity
• Kindness and caring
• Honesty
• Hard work
• Care for elderly in home
• Respect for animals (gods
present in animals)
• Emphasis on education
• Community service
Family and Marriage (traditional)
• Patriarchial
• Few liberties for women
• Married women live with
husbands’ families
• Sex before marriage criticized
• Widows cannot remarry
(traditional view)
• Many marriages still arranged
Sikhism
• 5th largest religion (23 million)
• Punjab region (N. India)—2 %
• 1469: Guru Nanak
• All people are all equal in the eyes of one
God. (“There is no Hindu, no Muslim.”)
• Rejects Hindu ritual & caste system.
• Meditation, reincarnation, 10 gurus.
• Persecuted by Hindus and Muslims
• 1984: India Army attached Sikh temple
• Sikh extremists assassinated Indira
Ghandi
Sikhism Beliefs
• The goal of human life is to break the cycle of
birth's and deaths and merge with God. This
can be accomplished by following the
teachings of the Guru, meditation on the Holy
Name and performance of acts of service and
charity.
• The five cardinal vices are; Kam (lust), Krodh
(anger), Lobh (greed), Moh (worldly
attachment) and Ahankar (pride). If one can
overcome these, they will achieve salvation.
Golden Temple
Amritsar, India
• Rejection of all forms of blind rituals such as
fasting, religious vegetarianism, pilgrimages,
superstitions, veil wearing, yoga, as well as
any form of idol worship. Permits widow
remarriage.
Jainism
• 800 BCE
• 1 % of Indian population
• Does not include a belief in an
omnipotent supreme being or creator,
but rather in an eternal universe
governed by natural laws
• Rejects Vedas and Hindu deities
• Non-violence (ahimsa) is the core
• Vegetarianism
• Karma and reincarnation
• Influenced Ghandi
Sikh Attitude toward Jainism
• They have their heads plucked, drink dirty
water and repeatedly beg … The daily routine
of their mothers and fathers they give up, and
their kith and kin bewail loudly. For them
none gives barley rolls and food on leaves,
nor performs last rites, nor lights earthen
lamp. After death where shall they be cast?
They ever remain filthy day and night, and
bear not sacrificial marks on their brow. They
ever sit in groups, as if mourning and go not
into the True Court. With begging bowls slung
round their loins and a clew in their hands,
they walk in single file. They are neither
disciples of Gorakh nor adorers of Shiva, nor
Muslim Qazis and Mullah's." (Guru Nanak,
Slok, pg. 149)
Sufism
• Encompasses a diverse range of
beliefs and practices dedicated to
divine love, the cultivation of the
heart, and helping fellow man
• Originated in Middle East in 8th C.
(some believe it predates Islam)
• Mystic tradition
• Incorporates elements of Hindu, Sikh
and Buddhist Cultures (some festivals
are shared between the followers of
these beliefs)
• Emphasis on cosmic love
• Sufic development involves the
awakening of spiritual centers of
perception that lie dormant in an
individual
“Fire” by Deepa Mehta
• Main characters Sita and Rhada
– Sita was Ram’s wife
– Rhada was Krishna’s lover
• Sita’s trial by fire
– Ram accused Sita of being
unfaithful
– She offered to walk in fire
– If guilty, would be consumed
– She walked through fire and was
not burned
India Today
• Over 1 billion people
• Federal democratic republic
• Dozens of political parties
and factions
• 60% agriculture
• High tech, manufacturing and
service industries
• High emphasis on education
• Increasing Westernization
• Conservative society