06 hinduism+sky+bck

Dann May

1/2010

THE RELIGIONS of ASIAMiddle Central East Far East

East Asia Asia Asia

Indian

Religions

Hinduism

Buddhism

Jainism

Sikhism

Chinese

Religions

Daoism

Confucianism

Buddhism

Jap. Religions

Shinto

Buddhism

Confucianism

Relief Map of the Indian Subcontinent

Relief Map of the Indian Subcontinent

SANATANA DHARMAIndian name for Hinduism: “the eternal religion”

• Sanatana: Sanskrit., “Eternal,” “timeless.”

• Dharma: Skt., “Law, duty, religion, truth,

and righteousness.”

Also called the:

Vaidika Dharma: the "Religion of the Vedas".

Sanskrit: The Sacred Language of the Hindu Scriptures

Sanskrit is

part of the

Indo-

European

language

group.

Samskrta =

“put

together,

“refined,”

also called

deve-bhasa,

“divine

language”

SANATANA DHARMAHindu: the Persian word for the Sanskrit name for

the Indus river, Sindhu, and refers to the people

living in that area. The term was originally used

by the Muslims about 1200 CE in order to

distinguish the faith of the people of India from

their own.

A FAMILY OF DIVERSE RELIGIOUS

TRADITIONS“To talk of a single something called Hinduism can be

misleading, because of the great variety of customs,

forms of worship, gods, myths, philosophies, types of

ritual, movements, and styles of art and music

contained loosely within the bounds of the religion.

Some scholars would like to jettison the term. Yet in

modern times there is a much better defined sense

than before of what is in the Hindu tradition. It is as if

many Hinduisms had merged into one. It is now much

more like the trunk of a single mighty tree; but its past

is a tangle of most divergent roots.” (Ninian Smart,

Religions of Asia, 1993, p. 36)


TRADITIONS“The Indian Faiths comprehended under the termHinduism have an almost unlimited diversity. Nopossibility exists of bringing them under one sum-marizing phrase or of suggesting that they are inagreement about what should be said and done in theworld. They are really not one religion, but rather afamily of religions. The term itself is of relatively recentcoinage, and was first used by outsider observerslooking on at what seemed to them a distinctivereligious and cultural complex. Modern Hindus havebecome accustomed to using it themselves whenspeaking or writing in English, but among themselvesthey use the ancient word dharma (“way of life andthought”). (David and John Noss, A History of the World’s Religions, 9thed., 1994, pp. 85-6)


TRADITIONSLegal Definition from India’s Supreme Court:

“(1) Acceptance of the Vedas with reverence;

(2) recognition of the fact that the means or

ways to salvation are diverse; (3) and the

realization of the truth that the number of Gods

to be worshipped is large, that indeed is the

distinguishing feature of the Hindu religion.”

(B. G. Tilak, quoted by the Indian Supreme

Court, 7/2/1995. The Court referred to this

definition as an “adequate and satisfactory

formula, Qtd. in Hinduism Today, 10/1998, p. 8)

HINDUISM: COMMON ELEMENTS

1. Reverence for the Vedas or scriptures.

2. Acceptance that the ways to salvation are

diverse.

3. Acceptance of many gods: However,

“Hinduism is “polysymbolic” not polytheistic.

4. Acceptance of the Atman or true self.

5. Acceptance of karma, samsara, & moksha

6. Until recently, nearly universal acceptance of

the caste or varna system.

Tere Ishq Nachaya (“Your Love has Made Me Dance Like

Mad”), by the Indian Sufi Bulleh Shah (1680-1757)

Your love has made me dance like mad

Falling in love with you was like taking a sip of poison.

Come my healer, forsaken, I am sad. Your love has made me dance like mad.

The sun has set, its flush only is left.

I’ll give my life for a glimpse of you.

My fault I came not when you bade. Your love has made me dance like mad.

Dissuade me not from the path of love. Who can hold the boats on the move?

Stupid, I joined the boatman’s squad. Your love has made me dance like mad.

A peacock calls in the grove of passion.

Its Qibla, It’s Kaaba where lives my love.

You asked not once after you stabbed.

Your love has made me dance like mad.

THE ATMAN or TRUE SELFAtman: Skt., lit. “breath,” trans. as true self, or soul

Characteristics:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

THE ATMAN or TRUE SELFAtman: Skt., lit. “breath,” trans. as true self, or soul“THAT THOU ART”

“Bring hither a fig from the Nyagrodha tree.”

“Here is one, Sir."

“Divide it.” “It is divided, Sir.”

“What do you see there?”

“These seeds, almost infinitesimal, Sir”

“Of these, please divide one.” “It is divided, Sir.”

“What do you see there?” “Nothing at all, Sir.”

Then he said to him: “Verily, my dear, that subtle essence which you do perceive there, out of that very essence this great Nyagrodha tree arises.”

“Believe me, my dear. That which is the finest essence -- this whole world has that as its self. That is Reality. That is Atman. That thou art [Tat tvam asi]” (Chandogya Upanishad 6:12.1-3)

THE ATMAN or TRUE SELFThe Atman is Eternal

Atman, the Spirit of vision, is never born andnever dies. Before him there was nothing, and heis One for evermore. Never-born and eternal,beyond times gone or to come, he does not diewhen the body dies. If the slayer thinks that hekills, and if the slain thinks that he dies, neitherknows the ways of truth. The Eternal in mancannot kill: the Eternal in man cannot die.Concealed in the heart of all beings is the Atman,the Spirit, the Self; smaller than the smallestatom, greater than the vast spaces. (Katha Upanishad2:18-20)

THE ATMAN or TRUE SELFKnow the Atman as the Lord of a chariot; and the body as the chariot itself. Know that reason is the charioteer; and the mind indeed is the reins. The horses, they say, are the senses; and their paths are the objects of sense.... He who has not right understanding and whose mind is never steady is not the ruler of his life, like a bad driver with wild horses. But he who has right under-standing and whose mind is ever steady is the ruler of his life, like a good driver with Well- trained horses....The man whose chariot is driven by reason, who watches and holds the reins of his mind, reaches the End of the journey, the supreme everlasting Spirit.(Katha Upanishad 3: 3-6, 9)

THE ATMAN or TRUE SELFIn truth, it is not for the love a husband that a husbandis dear; but for the love of the Soul in the husband thata husband is dear. It is not for the love of a wife that awife is dear; but for the love of the Soul in the wife thata wife is dear. It is not for the love of children thatchildren are dear; but for the love of the Soul in childrenthat children are dear. . . . It is not for the love of religionthat religion is dear; but for the love of the Soul inreligion that religion is dear.... It is the Soul, the Spirit,the Self, that must be seen and heard and have ourthoughts and meditation, O Maitreyi. When the Soul isseen and heard, is thought upon and is known, then allthat is becomes known. Religion will abandon the manwho thinks that religion is apart from the Soul.... (Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad 2:4:5-6)

What did the guru say to the New

York City hot dog vendor?

“Make me one with everything!”

SAMSARA AND KARMA

SAMSARA AND KARMAAccepted in India as the basic facts of existence by the 6th cent. BCE.

Karma / Karman, Sanskrit or Kamma, Pali (From the verb root kr = “to act, do, or make,” also “deed,” or “action”): the universal law of moral cause and effect (like the law of gravity).

“The accumulated effect of deeds in lives, past and present.” All the Indian systems of philosophy except the Carvaka school accept the theory of karma.” (Grimes, Concise Dict. of Indian Philosophy)

“No deed or action is without its consequences. Good deeds are meritorious, while evil or sinful deeds have painful effects.” (Rodrigues, Introducing Hinduism, p. 50)

KARMA“Acts are spoken of as seeds, which although they may lay dormant for long periods of time, will germinate and bear fruit under the appropriate conditions. The fruits of karma may be produced in this lifetime or in a future incarnation.” (Rodrigues, Introducing Hinduism, p. 51)

“The individual soul (jiva) carries with it a subtle body that is the vehicle for karma. As the jivatransmigrates from one rebirth to the next, it brings along its karmic residue. (ibid., p. 51)

SAMSARASamsara (Skt., from the verb root sr = “to flow” and sam = “together” thus flowing together,” often translated as “passage” from this life to the next): the endless cycle of birth and death, reincarnationor transmigration.

Transmigration / Reincarnation of the Atman

'And as a caterpillar, after having reached the end of ablade of grass, and after having made another approach (toanother blade), draws itself together towards it, thus doesthis Self, after having thrown off this body and dispelled allignorance, and after making another approach (to anotherbody), draw himself together towards it.'And as a goldsmith, taking a piece of gold, turns it intoanother, newer and more beautiful shape, so does this Self,after having thrown off this body and dispelled all ignorance,make unto himself another, newer and more beautifulshape, whether it be like the Fathers… or like the Devas…or like Brahman, or like other beings.'That Self is indeed Brahman, consisting of knowledge,mind, life, sight, hearing, earth, water, wind, ether, light andno light, desire and no desire, anger and no anger, right orwrong, and all things. Now as a man is like this or like that,according as he acts and according as he behaves, so willhe be :a man of good acts will become good, a man of badacts, bad. He becomes pure by pure deeds, bad by baddeeds. (Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad Part 3:4, 3-5)

SAMSARA AND KARMA

Transmigration / Reincarnation of the Atman1. Those who are of pleasant conduct here -- the prospect is, indeed, that they will enter a pleasant womb, either the womb of a brahmin [priest], or the womb of a ksatriya [warrior], or the womb of a vaisya [trader and agriculturalist]. But those who are of stinking conduct here -- the prospect is, indeed, that they will enter a stinking womb, either the womb of a dog, or the womb of a swine, of the womb of an outcast. (Chandogya Upanishad5:10:7)

2. Samsara, the transmigration of life, takes place in one's own mind. Let one therefore keep the mind pure, for what a man thinks that he becomes: this is the mystery of Eternity. . . . If men thought of God as much as they think of the world, who would not attain liberation? (Maitri Upanishad 6:34)


3. Accordingly as a man acts and walks in the path of life, so he becomes. He that does good becomes good; he that does evil becomes evil. By pure actions he becomes pure; by evil actions he becomes evil. (Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad 4:4:5)

4. Even a flight in the air cannot free you from suffering. After the deed which is evil has been committed. Nor in the sky nor in the ocean’s middle, nor if you hide in cracks in the mountains, can there be found on this wide earth’s corner where Karma does not catch up with the culprit.... The iron itself creates rust, which slowly is bound to consume it. The evil-doer by his own deeds is led to a life of suffering. (Buddhism, Dharmapada Karmavarga 4:4-5, 8,19)


5. We must never forget that kamma is alwaysjust -- it neither loves or hates, it does not rewardor punish, it is never angry, never pleased. It issimply the law of cause and effect.

Kamma knows nothing about us. It does notknow us anymore than fire knows us when itburns us. It is the nature of fire to burn, to giveout heat; and if we use it properly it gives uslight, cooks our food -- but if we use it wrongly itburns our property.... It is foolish to grow angryand blame the fire when it burns us because wemade a mistake. In this respect kamma is likefire. (Burmese Buddhist philosopher Maha Thera U

Thittila, in The Path of the Buddha, 86-87)

THE FOUR MAJOR CASTES, OR

CLASSES (VARNAS)

Caste position is fixed at birth and the only way to change caste is through death and rebirth. Today, there are over 3000 castes and sub-castes in India. "For the growth of the worlds, Brahman created Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras from his face, arms, thighs and feet respectively." (The Code of Manu1:31)

1. Brahmins: The priestly caste, the highest ranked of the four castes. It includes philo-sophers, artists, priests, teachers, and pro-fessors.

THE FOUR MAJOR CASTES (cont.)

2. Kshatriyas: The caste of princes and

warriors, and the nobility. It includes political

leaders, bureaucrats, administrators, and

various professional classes such as

engineers, doctors and lawyers and other

"white collar" workers.

3. Vaishyas: The caste of skilled laborers

which includes farmers, merchants, crafts-

men, plumbers and other "blue collar"

workers.

THE FOUR MAJOR CASTES (cont.)

4. Shudras: The lowest of the four castes which

includes all unskilled laborers such as maids,

servants, gardeners, but also barbers. Referred

to as the "once-born“ whose purpose is to serve

the other three castes, the "twice-born."

a. Outcastes, untouchables: A subcaste of

the Shudras that includes all the so-called

"polluted" people who work with leather,

slaughter animals, and dispose of the dead

and all non-Hindus. Gandhi renamed them the

harijan ("God's people"), thus raising them to

the status of human beings.

BRAHMAN (Skt., “expansive”)

Characteristics:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

BRAHMAN (Skt., “expansive”)1. "How many gods are there, Yajnavalkya?" "One."

"Yes," said he (Sakalya), "which are those threehundred and three, and those three thousand andthree?" He said: "Those are only their powers....”"Which is the one god?" "Breathe," said he. Theycall him Brahman, the Yon." (Brihad-AranyakaUpanishad 3:9:1)

2. In the beginning all was Brahman, One and infinite.He is beyond north and south, and east and west,and beyond what is above or below. His infinity iseverywhere. In him there is neither above, noracross, nor below; and in him there is neither eastnor west. The Spirit supreme is immeasurable,inapprehensible, beyond conception, never-born,beyond reasoning, beyond thought. His vastness isthe vastness of space. (Maitri Upanishad 6:17)

BRAHMAN (cont.)3. He is the God of forms infinite in whose glory

all things are, smaller than the smallest atom,

and yet the Creator of all, ever living in the

mystery of his creation. In the vision of this God

of love is everlasting peace. . . . The mind

cannot grasp him above, or below, or in the

space in between. With whom shall we compare

him whose glory is the whole universe? Far

beyond the range of vision, he cannot be seen

by mortal eyes; but he can be known by the

heart and the mind, and those who know him

attain immortality. (Svetasvatara Upanishad 4:13, 19-20)

BRAHMAN (cont.)4. His form is not in the field of vision: no one sees him

with mortal eyes. He is seen by a pure heart and by amind and thoughts that are pure. Those who knowhim attain life immortal. (Katha Upanishad 6:9)

5. May we know the Lord of lords, the King of kings,the God of gods: God, the God of love, the Lord ofall. We cannot see how he works, or what are thetools of his work. Nothing can be compared with him,and how can anything be greater than he is? Hispower is shown in infinite ways, and how great is hiswork and wisdom! No one was before he was, andno one has rule over him; because he is the sourceof all, and he is also the ruler of all. (SvetasvataraUpanishad 6: 7-9)

BRAHMAN (cont.)He is self-luminous and more subtle than the smallest;

but in him rest all the worlds and their beings. He is the

everlasting Brahman, and he is the life and word and

mind. He is truth and life immortal. He is the goal to be

aimed at: attain that goal, O my son! Take the great bow

of the Upanishads and place in it an arrow sharp with

devotion. Draw the bow with concentration on him and

hit the centre of the mark, the same everlasting Spirit.

The bow is the sacred OM, and the arrow is our own

soul. Brahman is the mark of the arrow,

the aim of the soul. Even as an arrow

becomes one with the mark, let the

watchful soul be one in him.

(Mundaka Upanishad 2:2:2-4)

BRAHMAN: “expansive,” one supreme God

Saguna Brahman:

Personal God “with attributes,”

Brahman as Ishvara or “the

Lord,” as the Immanent

Nirguna Brahman:

Impersonal God “without

attributes,” the Absolute,

the Transcendent

Trimurti “3 images”

Brahma:

The Creator

(Sarasvati:

Goddess of

wisdom)

Vishnu:

The Preserver or

Supreme Lord

(Lakshmi: Goddess

of fortune)

Shiva:

The Destroyer or

“Friendly One”

(Parvati: “of the

Mountains”)

Vishnu: The Preserver

Rama:

“the

pleasing one”

(Sita, “furrow”)

Krishna:

“the

dark one”

(Radha,

“fortunate)

Avatar“one who descends”

8 other

avatars

including

the Buddha

The 3 main gods

• Brahma:

The creator

• Vishnu:

The preserver

• Shiva:

The destroyer

TRIMURTI:

Skt., “3 Images”

The TrimurtiBrahman is the Absolute, the supreme God:

There are 3 aspects to God:

G = Generator = Brahma, “the Creator”

O = Operator = Vishnu, “the Maintainer”

D = Destroyer = Shiva, “the Destroyer”

TRIMURTI:

Skt., “three Images”

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-july-28-

2005/this-week-in-god---scientology

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-july-28-2005/this-week-in-god---scientology

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/thu-july-28-2005/this-week-in-god---scientology

TRIMURTI:

Skt., “three

Images”

The Christian

Version of the

Trimurti?

The Trinitarian

Christ

How to Look

at an Image

A depiction of

Shiva, shakti,

and the lingam

and yoni.

Questions?

Why do the Hindu gods look so femine or androgynous?

Because, ultimately, the gods are genderless, or beyond gender.

How to Look at or Understand an Image

How to Look at

an Image

Shiva and Shakti

One way to indicate

that they are beyond

gender or

incorporate qualities

of both

How to Look at

an Image

Shiva and Shakti

One way to indicate

that they are beyond

gender or incorporate

qualities of both

How to Look

at an Image

Depictions of

Lord Shiva

How to Look at

an Image

Shiva Symbols

How to Look

at an Image

Jesus as the loving

Shepherd.

But Jesus was

never a shepherd

nor was he

European looking.

How to Look at an

Image

But Jesus was never

a shepherd nor was

he European looking.

Contempo-

rary

Swedish

Depiction of

Jesus

How to Look at

an Image

Forensic anthropo-

logical reconstruction

of how Jesus pro-

bably looked.(Popular Mechanics, 12/2000, p. 69)

How to Look at

an Image

Jesus depicted as a Confucian Sage at the Last Supper and as a Chinese boy helping

Joseph with carpentry.

How to Look at

an ImageJesus depicted as

African and as “Rasta-Christ”

How to Look

at an Image

Jesus

depicted as

Native

American

How to Look at an Image

Jesus depicted as a

Hindu god, meditating

guru & co-equal with

Shiva

Jesus: As an Avatar of Vishni

Brahma: the Creator

Saraswati:

Consort of Brahma

and goddess of

learning & the arts

Vishnu:

the

Preserver

Bringing into

being

Brahma the

Creator

Hindu

Gods:

Vishnu:

the

Preserver

Hindu

Gods:

Vishnu

and

Lakshmi

Hindu Gods:

Vishnu

Hindu Gods:

Shiva (Skt.,

“the kind one,”

or the friendly

one”): the god

of destruction

Hindu Gods:

Shiva: 3rd Eye

Hindu

Gods:

Shiva

Hindu Gods:

Kali: is also the

consort of Shiva

Hindu Gods:

Durga: is also the

consort of Shiva

and is often

called the Divine

Mother. She

depicts woman

as both strong

and beautiful.

Hindu

Gods:

Shiva, Parvati,

Ganesha, and the lingam

and yoni

Hindu

Gods:

Shiva as Nataraja: “the Lord

of the Dance”

Hindu Gods: Ganesha

Hindu

Gods:

Ganesha

Hindu Gods:

Hindu

Gods:

The Ten Avatars

or Incarna-tions of Vishnu

Hindu Gods:

Rama or Rama-chandra, the 7th avatar of Vishnu

Hindu Gods:

Rama & Hanuman

Hindu Gods:

Rama, Sita &

Hanuman

Hanuman:

the monkey king of the

Ramayana

The sacred heart of Jesus

Hindu Gods:

Krishna (Skt.,

“black,” or

“dark-blue”; a

symbol of the

infinite space of

the universe):

the eighth

avatar of

Vishnu

Hindu Gods:

Vishnu takes

birth as Krishna

Mother and Child

Hindu Gods: Krishna

as a young boy

Krishna:

As a Young

Man

Krishna the gopis

(Skt., “cowherd

maidens,” devotees

of Krishna) symbols

of soul’s love of God

Krishna & Radha:

She is the best known

of the gopis of

Vrindavan

Hindu

Gods:Krishna

And Radha:

symbolizing the eternal

play between the

soul and God

Miracles of Krishna: holding up Govardhan Mountain

Miracles of Krishna:

Hindu Gods:

Krishna and Arjuna

depiction from the

Bhagavad-Gita

Hindu Gods:

Krishna and Arjuna,

depiction from the

Bhagavad-Gita

Hindu Gods:

Krishna and Arjuna

depiction from the

Bhagavad-Gita

Krishna &

Arjuna

Sacred

Trees

Hindu

Gods:

Ganga: the

Ganges

river -- the

holiest

river in

India

Hindu Festival, Ganges River

Sacred Ganges River

Aum or Om

The symbol of form as well as sound; a manifestation of spiritual power

Aum or Om

“The sacred utterance , Aum or Om, is said to be Brahman as sound.… meditatively voicing or hearing the sound Aum could reveal the nature of Brahman. Thus, the entire Sanskrit syllabary is said to derive from Aum, which is the beginning and end of all speech. Hindu religious teachers sometimes point out that Aum is formed by the opening and closing of the mouth, beginning with the first vowel, a, and ending with the final anusvara, m. Thus, all vowels and consonants are contained within it. Aum is not merely a symbol of Brahman, but it is often regarded as Brahman itself, manifest in the form of sound.”

(Rodrigues, Introducing Hinduism, p. 111)

THE 4 ACCEPTABLE GOALS OF LIFE

(Skt. Purusharthas)The ultimate goal is moksha, but, according to Hindu thought, it may take many lives to reach it, and only after the lessons from the other three paths or ways of life are learned.

A. THE PATH OR WAY OF DESIRE:

1. Kama-marga ("the path or way of pleasure"):The path of hedonism or the cultivation of sensuous pleasures such as food, sex, and the enjoyment of the arts. Eventually one realizes that all forms of pleasure are bound up with pain (childhood - teens)

2. Artha-marga ("the path of power and wealth"):The pursuit of wealth, power, prestige, and social position. Requires ruthlessness, determination, and competitiveness. Brilliant success in this realm leads one to ask: "To what purpose?“ (adults)

THE ACCEPTABLE GOALS OF LIFE

B. THE PATH OR WAY OF RENUNCIATION:

3. Dharma-marga ("the path of duty"): duty

to one's family, caste, community, and country

as outlined in the Code of Manu. Renunciation

of egoistic desires and the doing of good

deeds, not for material reward, but for the joy

of service. Even this joy is eventually seen as

less than perfect (late adulthood to retirement).

4. Moksha ("release"): Release from the

sorrow and illusion of this world with its end-

less cycle of death and rebirth (samsara).

THE ACCEPTABLE GOALS OF LIFEMoksha ("release"): Release from the sorrow and illusion of this world with its endless cycle of death and rebirth (samsara).

A liberation (mukti) into the fullness of being truly one with ultimate being, infinite awareness, and supreme bliss. "`There comes a time,' writes Aldous Huxley, `when one asks even a Shakespeare, even a Beethoven, is this all?'. . . When this point is reached, [a man] will find himself asking even the finest this world has to offer -- not only the peaks of aesthetic experience but the highest reaches of love and knowledge and duty as well --`Is this all?' This is the moment that Hinduism has been waiting for." (Smith, The World’s Religions, p. 20)

YOGA

Yoga (Skt., lit. “yoke”): Harnessing oneself to

God, seeking union with God. A spiritual

discipline that brings one closer to God. It is not

simply exercise.

FOUR PATHS TO MOKSHAFour paths for the four personality types:

These four paths or yogas (spiritual disciplines) are not mutually exclusive. Hinduism encourages adherents to try all four and find the combination that best suits their needs.

1. Jnana-yoga ("the way to God through knowledge"): For those with a strong intel-lectual and philosophical bent jnana-yoga is the path to oneness with the Godhead through knowledge. The shortest but also the steepest path. Requires a rare combination of rationality and spirituality open only to a very few.

FOUR PATHS TO MOKSHA (cont.)

2. Bhakti-yoga ("the way to God through devotion"): The most popular of the four yogas. The aim of this yoga is to love and adore God with every element of your being. Such devotion is most commonly directed to the Hindu gods Vishnu (Vaishnavites) or Shiva (Shaivites). "All the basic principles of bhakti-yoga are richly exemplified in Christianity. Indeed from the Hindu point of view Christianity is one great brilliantly lit bhakti highway toward God, other paths being not neglected but not as clearly marked.“

(Huston Smith, The World's Religions, pp. 32-33)

FOUR PATHS TO MOKSHA (cont.)

3. Karma-yoga ("the way to God through deeds"): Finding God through work and service to others. Such work is considered worship when it is done for the sake of God and not through the thought of any material reward.

4. Raja-yoga ("the royal road to re-integration"):For persons with a more scientific bent, raja-yoga is the path to God through psychological exercises and experiments on one's body and soul. The goal is to train the mind to be completely absorbed in God (samadhi).

THE 4 STAGES OF LIFE (ASHRAMAS)

1. Brahmaccarin ("student"): The first stage is

that of the student. It involves the study of the

Vedas and giving full attention to the teacher

(from about 8-25 years old).

2. Grhastha ("house holder"): The stage of

family life and community service (from about

25-50 years old).

THE 4 STAGES of LIFE (ASHRAMAS)

3. Varnaprastha ("forest dweller"): The

householder, upon completion of his duties to

his family and to society is expected to retire

to the forest and live for some years as a

hermit meditating on the Vedas and offering

sacrifices (around age 50 and older).

4. Sannyasin ("renounced"), also referred to

as a sadhu: A wandering beggar who has or is

about to achieve moksha. According to the

Bhagavad Gita, "One who neither hates nor

loves anything."

Summary of Concepts: The Glass of H20

Water = samsara

Bubble = atman

Bubble bursting = moksha

Air = Brahman

Up = 4 yogas, 4 margas,

4 stages of life, & 4

varnas

Harappan Civilization, Indus Valley

Aboriginal Dravidian culture which thrived from 2500 – 1500 B.C.E. Major fortified cities, elaborate plumbing and irrigation systems.

Mohenjo-daro means

"mound of the dead”

HINDU SACRED WRITINGSTwo Types:

1. SHRUTI ("heard"):Revealed or sacred

texts considered to be eternal and not

authored by a person (apaurusheya).

a. VEDAS ("sacred knowledge"):

Hinduism's earliest writings believed to

be heard by the rishis or sages 8000-

6000 BCE, written down 1500-500 BCE).

2. SMARTI ("remembered"): Inspired texts

derived from the Vedas and composed

by human authors.

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: ShrutiVEDAS ("sacred knowledge"): written 1500-500 BCE, 6

times the size of the Bible.

A. SAMHITAS ("collections"): The first three were used

principally by the elite in the Vedic sacrifices.

1. Rig-Veda ("knowledge of hymns"): Collection of

religious poetry in 10 books containing 1028 hymns

(suktas) to various gods.

2. Sama-Veda ("knowledge of chants"): Rhythmic

chants and hymns (many borrowed from the Rig-

Veda) used mainly by the singing priests of the Vedic

sacrifices.

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: ShrutiVEDAS ("sacred knowledge"): written 1500-500 BCE

A. SAMHITAS ("collections")

3. Yajur-Veda ("knowledge of rites"): Collection of dedications, prayers and litanies used to accompany the devotional use of the Rig-Veda.

4. Atharva-Veda ("knowledge given by the sage Atharva"): A treasury of charms, chants, spells, and incantations; many are of non-Aryan origin and thus of great antiquity. Used by the common people in their homes and villages.

The Vedic Tree

Each Veda has

its commentaries

which are also

considered to be

part of the shruti.

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: Shruti

VEDAS ("sacred knowledge"): written 1500-500 BCE

B. BRAHMANAS: Lengthy supplements to the samhitas which contain both exhaustive instructions for the performance of the ritual sacrifices and commentaries on their symbolic meaning (900-700 BCE).

C. ARANYAKAS ("Forest Texts"): Supplements and commentaries on the Brahmanas used to explain to persons who had retired to the forest how to make symbolic use of the Samhitas (800-600 BCE).

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: ShrutiVEDAS ("sacred knowledge"): written 1500-500 BCE

D. UPANISHADS ("to sit close by devotedly"):

1. In written form between 800-500 BCE

2. Philosophical and esoteric supplements to the

Aranyakas which pertain to the nature and origin of

the universe, the nature of human beings, ultimate

reality, and the path to salvation.

3. Also known as the Vedanta ("the end and

fulfillment of the Vedas").

4. There are over 200 Upanishads, 10 are considered

to be the principal ones: Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna,

Mundaka, Madukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya,

Chandogya, and Brahadaranyaka

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: Shruti

VEDAS ("sacred knowledge"): written 1500-500 BCE

D. UPANISHADS ("to sit close by devotedly"):

5. Some hold the view that upanishad literally means “secret teaching.”

6. The Upanishsds subordinate Vedic ceremonialism and caste duties to the supreme good of self-realization.” (SourceBook, p. 38)

7. Each Vedic school of thought (shakhas) had its own Brahmana to which an Aranyaka was appended that it turn contains the Upanishad.

8. The first English translation of a collection of the Upanishads was made in 1832.

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: Smarti

SMARTI ("remembered"): Inspired texts derived from the Vedas and composed by human authors.

A. EPIC LITERATURE (400 BCE-400 CE)

1. Ramayana ("The Career of Rama"): Epic poem of 24,000 Sanskrit verses outlining the heroic life of Rama, an avatar of Vishnu. The story takes place during the Aryan migrations into India. (400-200 BCE)

2. Mahabharata ("The Great Bharata Story"): Epic poem of 90,000 Sanskrit verses dealing with a battle between two branches of the Bharata people. Contains battle narratives, mythological scenes, and moral discourses. The story takes place during the Late Vedic Period and is a metaphor for the struggle between good and evil, selfish and selfless desires.


A. EPIC LITERATURE (400 BCE-400 CE)

2. Mahabharata ("The Great Bharata Story"):

a. Bhagavad-Gita ("The Song of the

Lord"): The sixth book of the Maha-

bharata. The most popular book of

the Hindu scriptures. The story

consists of a long dialogue between

Arjuna, a warrior prince, and Krishna,

an avatar of Vishnu. The first English

translation was published in 1775.


B. SHASTRAS ("books"): Writings dealing mainly with practical, ethical, political, economic and sociological issues (300 BCE-500 CE).

1. Dharmashastras ("law books"): Treatises dealing mainly with religious and moral order. They lay great stress on rites of passage or stages of life (ashramas) and caste (varna) duties.

a. Code of Manu: Detailed instructions regarding the social rules and practices of Hinduism. Glorifies custom and convention at a time when they were being undermined (300 BCE-300 CE).

2. Arthashastras: Writings dealing with economic and political concerns.

HINDU SACRED WRITINGS: SmartiC. SUTRAS ("threads"): Collection of systematic

treatises written by adherents of the various orthodox schools of Hindu thought (i.e., the Kama-sutra). They are often aphoristic.

D. PURANAS ("ancient"): Collections of legendary stories dealing with ancient events, many date back to early Vedic times. The Puranas are the scriptures of popular Hinduism and are used by the lower caste or common people, and in this sense, they represent the "real" scriptures of Hinduism. The Puranas are arranged into 3 divisions: (1) those that exalt the god Brahma; (2) those that exalt Vishnu; and (3) those that exalt Shiva (400-1000 CE). There are 18 principal Puranas.

E. TANTRAS (after 300 CE): Sacred texts which instruct worshippers how to honor the feminine divine.

SELECTIONS FROM THE VEDASThere was not then what is nor what is not. There was no sky, andno heaven beyond the sky. What power was there? Where? Whowas that power? Was there an abyss of fathomless waters? Therewas neither death nor immortality then. No signs were there ofnight and day. The One was breathing by its own power, in infinitepeace. Only the One was: there was nothing beyond. Darknesswas hidden in darkness. The all was fluid and formless. Therein,in the void, by the fire of fervour arose the One. And in the Onearose love: love the first seed of the soul. The truth of this thesages found in their hearts: seeking in their hearts with wisdomthe sages found that bond of union between Being and non-being.Who knows truth? Who can tell whence and how arose thisuniverse? The gods are later than its beginning: who knowstherefore whence comes this creation? Only that god who sees inhighest heaven: he only knows whence came this universe, andwhether it was made or uncreated. He only knows, or perhaps heknows not. (Rig Veda 10:129)

SELECTIONS FROM THE VEDAS1. The truth is one and sages call it by different names.

(Sanskrit: Ekam sad viprah bahuda vadanti)

2. What pathway leadeth to the gods? Who knoweth this of a truth, and who will now declare it? Seen are their lowest dwelling-places only, but they are in remote and secret regions.... One All is Lord of what is fixed and moving, that walks, that flies, this multiform creation. (Rig Veda 3:54)

3. Everything in this whole round of the universe is God-made, God-protected and God-pervaded; enjoy what he gives thee, sharing it with thy fellow creatures and without attachment. For whose is all this wealth? It is God's and God's alone. Be not proud, be not greedy. (Yajur Veda 40)

SELECTIONS FROM THE VEDAS4. We praise thee with our thoughts, O God. We praise theeeven as the sun praises thee in the morning: may we find joy inbeing thy servants. Keep us under thy protection. Forgive our sinsand give us thy love. God made the rivers to flow. They feel noweariness, they cease not from flowing. They fly swiftly like birdsin the air. May the stream of my life flow into the river ofrighteousness. Loose the bonds of sin that bind me. Let not thethread of my song be cut while I sing; and let not my work endbefore its fulfillment. Remove all fear from me, O Lord. Receiveme graciously unto thee O King. Cut off the bonds of afflictionsthat bind me: I cannot even open mine eyes without thy help. Letthe dread weapons that wound the sinner hurt us not. Let us notgo from light into darkness. We will sing thy praises, O Godalmighty. We will now and evermore sing thy praise, even as theywere song of old. For thy laws are immutable, O God: they arefirm like the mountains. Forgive the trespasses that I may havecommitted. Many mornings remain to dawn on us: lead us throughthem all, O God. (Rig Veda 2:28:1-9)

SELECTIONS FROM THE BHAGAVAD-GITA

1. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in righteousness... and a rise of unrighteous-ness -- at that time I descend Myself. For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I come into being from age to age. (4: 7-8)

2. Be a warrior and kill desire, the powerful enemy of the soul.... Kill therefore with the sword of wisdom the doubt born of ignorance that lies in thy heart. (3:43, 4:42)

3. As men approach me so do I accept them: men on all sides follow my path ... (4:11)


4. When one sees Eternity in things that pass away and

Infinity in finite things, then one has pure knowledge.

But if one merely sees the diversity of things, with

their divisions and limitations, then one has impure

knowledge. And if one selfishly sees a thing as if it

were everything, independent of the One and the

many, then one is in the darkness of ignorance.

When work is done as sacred work, unselfishly, with

a peaceful mind, without lust and hate, with no desire

for reward, then that work is pure. But when work is

done with selfish desire, or feeling it is an effort, or

thinking it is a sacrifice, then that work is impure.

(18:20-4)


5. He unto whom all desires enter as waters into

the sea, which, though never been filled is

ever motionless, attains to peace and not he

who hugs his desires. He who abandons all

desires and acts free from longing, without any

sense of mineness or egotism, he attains to

peace. (2:70)

SALVATION and FORGIVENESS of SINS

1. We praise thee with our thoughts, O God. We praise

thee even as the sun praises thee in the morning:

may we find joy in being thy servants. Keep us under

thy protection. Forgive our sins and give us thy love.

God made the rivers to flow. They feel no weariness,

they cease not from flowing. They fly swiftly like birds

in the air. May the stream of my life flow into the river

of righteousness. Loose the bonds of sin that bind me.

Let not the thread of my song be cut while I sing; and

let not my work end before its fulfillment. Remove all

fear from me, O Lord. Receive me graciously unto

thee O King. Cut off the bonds of afflictions that bind

me: I cannot even open mine eyes without thy help.

(Rig Veda 2:28:1-9)

SALVATION and FORGIVENESS of SINS2. If thy soul finds rest in me, thou shall overcome all dangers by

my grace; but if thy thoughts are on thyself, and thou wilt not listen, thou shalt perish.... God dwells in the heart of all beings, Arjuna; thy God dwells in thy heart. And his power of wonder moves all things--puppets in a play of shadows--whirling them onwards in the stream of time. Go to him for thy salvation with all thy soul, victorious man. By his grace thou shalt obtain the peace supreme, thy home of Eternity. (Bhagavad-Gita 18:57, 61-2)

3. Leave all things behind, and come to me alone for thy salva-tion. I will make thee free from the bondage of sins. Fear no more.... He who teaches this supreme secret to my devotees, showing the highest devotion to me, shall doubtless come to me. There is none among men who does dearer service to me than he; nor shall there be another dear to me in the world. (Bhagavad-Gita 18:66, 68-9)

HINDU VIRTUES1. Set thy heart upon thy work, but never on its reward. Work not

for a reward; but never cease to do thy work. Do thy work in the peace of Yoga and, free from selfish desires, be not moved in success or in failure. Yoga is evenness of mind -- a peace that is ever the same. Work done for a reward is much lower than work done in the Yoga of wisdom. Seek salvation in the wisdom of reason. How poor those who work for a reward! (Bhagavad-Gita 2:47-9)

2. It is difficult to say what righteousness is. It is not easy to indicate it. No one, discoursing upon righteousness, can indicate it accurately. Righteousness was declared (by Brahma) for the advancement and growth of all creatures. Therefore, that which leads to advancement and growth is righteousness. Righteousness was declared for restraining creatures from injuring one another. Therefore, that is righteousness which prevents injury to creatures.(Mahabharata, Santiparva 109:9-11)

HINDU VIRTUES (CONT.)

3. Abstention from injury, by act, thought, and word, in

respect of all creatures, compassion, and gift

(charity), constitute behavior that is worthy of praise.

That act or exertion by which others are not

benefited, or that act or consequence of which one

has to feel shame, should never be done.

(Mahabharata, Santiparva 124:65-6)

4. Relatives, sons, spouses, the body itself, and all

one's possessions stored with care, are unsubstantial

and prove of no service in the next world. Only acts,

good, and bad, that one does, follow one to the other

world. (Mahabharata, Santiparva 329:32)

HINDU PRAYERS AND HYMNS1. In all these individual things, the unmanifested Atman

reveals its footprints by which it may be known, just as

one follows and finds an animal by its footprints.

(Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad 1:4:7, recited during the

daily morning Agnihotra ceremony. The recitation of

this verse has been taking place continuously in India

for over 3500 years, thus making it the longest

unbroken ritual practice in the world.)

2.O Lord! Thou art on the sandbanks as well as in the

midst of the current; I bow to thee. Thou art in the little

pebbles as well as the calm expanse of the sea; I bow

to Thee. O all-pervading Lord, Thou art in the barren

soil and in the crowded places; I bow to Thee. (Sukla

Yajur, Veda 16, in Earth Prayers 59)

HINDU PRAYERS AND HYMNS3.Peace be to the earth and to airy space! Peace be to

heaven, peace to the waters, peace to the plants and peace to the trees! May all the powers grant to me peace! By this invocation of peace may peace be diffused! By this invocation of peace may peace bring peace! With this peace the dreadful I now appease, with this peace the cruel I now appease, with this peace all evil I now appease, so that peace may prevail, happiness prevail! May everything for us be peaceful! (Atharva Veda 19, in Earth Prayers 173)

4.O God, scatterer of ignorance and darkness, grant me your strength. May all beings regard me with the eye of a friend, and I all beings! With the eye of a friend may each single being regard all others! (Sukla Yajur, Veda 36)

MAJOR THEISTIC MOVEMENTS

(Sampradayas)

1. VAISHNAVITES: Devotees of Vishnu (the sustainer) and his various incarnations or avatars (i.e., Krishna, Rama, etc.).

Adherents: 70% or 547 million

Vertical mark on forehead & nose

Location: North India

Shaktis: Lakshmi, Radha

Principal Scriptures: Bhagavad-gita, Puranas, & Ramayana


2. SAVITES: Devotees of Shiva (the

destroyer), the destructive, but also

creative force. Shiva is the god of the

yogis, symbolizes asceticism.

Adherents: 25% or about 195 million

3 horizontal lines on forehead

Location: South India

Shaktis: Durga, Kali, and Parvati

Principal Scriptures: Puranas

Symbolized: Lingam and yoni


(cont.)3. SAKTAS: Devotees of the

female creative power (i.e. Kali, Durga, other shaktis).

Adherents: 3% or about 23 million

Location: Calcutta ("city of Kali")

Principal Scriptures: Tantras and Puranas

Lush, sensual, & erotic imagery

RELIGIOUS UNITY1. The truth is one and sages call it by different names

(Sanskrit, Ekam sad viprah bahuda vadanti). (Rig

Veda)

2. They have called him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and

the divine fine-winged Garuda; they speak of Indra,

Yama, Matrarisvan: The One Being sages call by

many names. (Rig Veda 1:164:46)

3. By their wordings they made him logically manifold

who is but One. (Rig Veda, 10:114:5)

4. Truth has many aspects. Infinite Truth has infinite

expressions. Though the sages speak in diverse

ways, they express one and the same Truth. (Srimad

Bhagavatam, 11:15, qtd in. TTW, p. 798

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)5. Cows are of many different colors, but the milk of all

is of one color, white; so the proclaimers who

proclaim the Truth use many varying forms to put it in,

but yet the Truth enclosed in all is One. (Upanishads,

The Essential Unity of All Religions, p. 52)

6. Just as light is diffused from a fire which is confined to

one spot, so is this whole universe the diffused

energy of the Supreme Brahman. And as light shows

a difference, greater or less, according to its nearness

or distance from the fire, so is there variation in the

energy of the impersonal Brahman. Brahma, Vishnu,

and Shiva are his chief energies. The deities are

inferior to them ... (Vishnu Purana, 1:22, qtd. in World

Scripture, p. 53)

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)7. Like the bee, gathering honey from different flowers,

the wise man accepts the essence of different

scriptures and sees only the good in all religions. (Sri

Bhagavatam 11:3, qtd. in World Scripture, p. 40)

8. The different paths followed by Hindus and Moslems,

Saktas and Vaishnavas, reunite in the end at the door

of the divine Being. (Ananda Moyi, qtd. in TTW, p. 798)

9. As the different streams, having their sources in

different places, all mingle their waters in the sea, O

Lord, the different paths which me take through

different tendencies, various though they appear,

crooked or straight, all lead to Thee. (well known hymn

of the Hindu tradition, qtd. in Norder, The Eternal Voice, p.12)

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)10. Hindus, Mussalmans, and Christians are

going to the same destination by different

paths. (Sri Ramakrishna, qtd. in TTW, p. 795)

11. The whole world is one family. (Vasudhaiva

kutubakam, a popular Hindu motto)

12. The goal for all is the same. Yet different

names are given to the goal only to suit the

process preliminary to reaching the goal. (Ramana Maharshi, qtd in. TTW, p. 798)

13. The devotee meditates on one and the same

God; he gives different images to the same

deity. (Chaitanya, qtd in TTW, p. 777)

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)14. If you asked me which form of God you should

meditate upon, I should say: Fix your attention on

that form which appeals to you most; but know for

certain that all forms are the forms of one God

alone.... Siva, Kali, and Hari are but different forms

of that One. He is blessed indeed who has known all

as one. (Sri Ramakrishna, qtd in TTW, p. 778)

15. Are all the religions of the world contradictory?... I

mean the internal soul of every religion.... I believe

that they are not contradictory; they are supple-

mentary. Each religion, as it were, takes up one part

of the universal truth, and spends its whole force

embodying and typifying that part of the great truth.

(Vivekanada, Jnana-Yoga, p. 352)

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)15. Every vision of truth that a man has, is a vision of [God] and of none else. Suppose we all go with vessels in our hands to fetch water from the lake....The water in each case naturally takes the form of the vessel carried by each of us. He who brought the cup has the water in the form of the cup; he who brought a jar -- his water is in the shape of a jar, and so forth; but in every case, water, and nothing but water, is in the vessel. So it is in the case of religion; our minds are like those vessels, and each one of us is trying to arrive at the realization of God. God is like that water filling these different vessels, and in each vessel the vision of God comes in the form of the vessel. Yet He is One. He is God in every case. (Vivekanada, 1863-1902, Jnana-Yoga, 1976, pp. 379ff)

RELIGIOUS UNITY (cont.)God has made different religions to suit different aspirants,

times, and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths; but a path is by no means God Himself. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with whole hearted devotion. One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way. As one and the same material, water, is called by different names by different people, one calling it water, another eau, a third aqua, and another pani, so the Everlasting-Intelligent-Bliss is invoked by some as God, by some as Allah, by some as Jehovah, and by others as Brahman.

As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo or a staircase or a rope, so diverse are the ways and means to approach God, every religion in the world shows one of these ways….The devotee who has seen God in one aspect only, knows Him in that aspect alone. But he who has seen him in manifold aspects is alone in a position to say, "All these forms are of one God and God is multiform." He is formless and with form, and many are his forms which no one knows. (Teachings of Sri Ramakrishna, #686, 694, 699)

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