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HINDUISM
PART I
I.
INTRODUCTION
A. In 1500 B.C. the Aryans from Persia and mixed with the people around
the Indus River region. “Hindu” means “the people and culture of the
Indus River region”.
B. Aryan religion expressed in hymns and later collected in sacred texts
called the Vedas.
1. language – Sanskrit
2. Veda means “knowledge”
3. Vedas collected from about 1400 B.C. to 400 B.C.
MAP OF INDIA
C. Brahmin priests established and social laws
They established a caste system
1. Brahmins – priests
2. Ksatriyas – warriors, rulers
3. Vaisyas – merchants
4. Sudra – laborers, servants
5. Harijans – untouchables – impure “no group”
D. Buddhism – born in India
1. rejected – sacrificial system of the Hindus
2. developed – yoga system; guru/student relationship
E. Bhakti – devotion to a personal god
1. two most popular Hindu gods – Siva and Krishna
F. 6 schools of Hindu thought – 1000 B.C. to 0
1. darsana – each developed their own way of looking at truth
2. Samkara (SHAN ka ra) born 788 A.D. founded a school of
thought
a. individual soul – each person has an individual soul
that is related to the Universal Soul (Brahman)
b. Universal Soul - Brahman
II. CONTEMPORY HINDUISM
A. bhakti – path of devotion
B. two popular gods to worship – Siva and Vishnu
1. texts providing understanding of these gods
Bhagavad-Gita
Puranas
C. Moksa – personal salvation; available as result of gracious love
bestowed by the Adorable One to those who adore God in
whatever forms most meaningful to them
D. Radhakrishnan (1888 – 1975) – was one of the most important
Hindu philosophers, He helped establish Hinduism in the West
III. HINDUISM IN NORTH AMERICA
A. Transcendentalism Movement – mid 1800’s
1. Ralph Waldo Emerson – pantheistic worldview
2. Henry David Thoreau – inspired by Bhagavad-Gita wrote Walden
B. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi – developed idea of unity and oneness of all
creation
1. 1959 – came to U.S. to impart meditation
2. 1960’s – taught TM to Beatles, Beach Boys
3. mid 1970’s
a. scientifically proven method of achieving relaxation
and inner peace
b. could be practiced without violating own religious
beliefs
c. self-help technique for dealing with stress
4. decline
a. couldn’t deliver on all benefits
b. seekers wanted something more powerful
c. legally a religion – couldn’t get into schools
C. Hare Krishna Movement
1. Vishnu – god (preserver)
2. Avatars – incarnations of these gods
a. Krishna – most popular
3. Prabhupada – founder of Hare Krishna
a. 1944 – wrote religious views in Back to Godhead
b. 1965 – came to NYC and established temples
throughout the U.S.
c. inherited leadership – several of his disciples
d. bhakti
dancing and chanting to Krishna – burn
off ignorance and karma
Indians laugh in amusement at Hare Krishna!
D. Population of Indians between 1899 – 1907 – over 1900 in U.S.
1. population at 2000 – close to 1 million
2. Hindus in India – 700 million
a. world population – 13% Hindu
IV. THEOLOGY
A. History of the world is cyclical
1. measure time – according to creator God, Brahma
2. when Brahma dies – we die
3. Brahma born again from a cosmic egg
4. Puranas, sacred texts
a. division of world into 4 recurring ages
b. increasing evil as ages progress
c. we live in the last age (Kali), worst evil
B. Sesa (SHA shu); lord of the snakes
1. destroyed the world with fire
2. Sesa pleased Brahma with his piety
3. Brahma gave Sesa the honor of bearing the earth
4. Sesa linked to the sustainer god Vishnu
C. All humanity destroyed (Kali age)
1. 400,000 years longer before the end of this world
2. GREED – root of all suffering
SELFISHNESS – source of war, disease, and death
3. Categories of sins
a. violating social customs, dishonoring family, and no
respect for Brahmin priests
b. not maintaining purity of body (eating cow meat)
c. evil behavior – stealing, killing, etc.
4. Decay of the world
a. vegetation is gone, people starve
b. sun scorches earth by drying up all water
c. cosmic rain brings fire and floods
d. cosmic ocean exists, absorbs spiritual remains of
beings, waiting to be reborn
e. Brahma’s life ends, but is reborn again and he
creates a new universe
V. JESUS CHRIST
A. Christ did not suffer
B. Jesus was not perfect
1. anger was a major flaw in Christ’s character –
moneychangers in the temple
C. Jesus Christ was one of many great men
1. admiration is expressed by Hindu leaders but He is not
acknowledged as God or Savior
D. Highest reverence should be offered to Brahman, who is the
greatest among all gods
1. avatar – some believed Jesus was an avatar (reincarnation)
VI. GOD
A. Numerous gods protect humankind
1. Hindu pantheon includes many gods, but Brahman is the
greatest
B. Brahman is the creator of the world
C. True enlightenment is knowing that we are one with god.
That is, we are god.
1. by practicing spiritual disciplines (such as yoga) that
help an individual seeker explore the hidden
meaning of the inner self
VII. SALVATION
A. The cycle of death and rebirth is the fate of all unenlightened souls.
B. Those who break free from the cycle of death and rebirth become
immortal. They are delivered from the cycle of death and rebirth.
C. An enlightened person achieves salvation and perfection through the
efforts of one’s self
D. Ultimate salvation of the soul is total absorption into Brahman.