Hinduism

“We cannot know whether there is only one truth or not, unless indeed, we let a particular faith simply state the matter for us; and secondly, even if there is only one truth, there are many ways that lead to it.”

Swami Agehananda Bharati

A Few Facts and Figures

No unique philosophy

No founder or central teacher

No one deity (330 million of them) in the strictest sense of the word

Over 800 million Hindus

13.7% of the world’s religious population is Hindu

99.2% of all Hindus live in Asia The majority live in India and

Nepal (the only Hindu nation in the world)

Large minorities in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan

What does Hindu mean?

The Persian word for the Indus River is how we get the word (in Sanskrit it is Sidhu.)

Indigenous Term: Sanatana Dharma or “Eternal Duty”

Sri Ramakrishna (19th century teacher)

God has made different religions to suit different aspirations, times and countries. All doctrines are only so many different paths; but a path is by no means God (God’s)self. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with wholehearted devotion. One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way. As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo staircase or a rope, so diverse are the ways and means to approach God, and every religion in the world shows one of these ways......

People partition off their lands by means of boundaries, but no one can partition off the all-embracing sky overhead. The indivisible sky surrounds all and includes all. So it is in all ignorance people say, ‘My religion is the only one, my religion is the best.’ When a heart is illumined by true knowledge, it knows that above all these wars of sects and sectarians presides the one indivisible, eternal, all-knowing bliss.

No One Hinduism

Classical or Brahamanic Hinduism favors elite, educated men

Many variations in deities worshiped and practices of faith

A Little History

Dravidian People Native to Region

Harappan Civilization Advanced Urban

Areas in Indus Valley 2500-1500 BCE

Many figurines and seals survive

Vedic Religion

Mixture of a new cultural influence with traditional forms

Vedas Scriptural texts Sanskrit “vid” or “to know”

Vedas

Four Parts To a Veda Samhitas

Main Body Oldest Part Hymns of Praise

Brahmanas Manuals about ritual

Aranyakas “forest texts” Quite esoteric

Upanishads “Near sitting” Spiritual Teaching

Four Vedas Rig-Veda Sama-Veda Yajur-Veda Artharva-Veda

Two Basic Types of Literature

SHRUTI Oldest Texts “Heard” by wise ones

or rishis Recited for centuries

by pupils for their teachers and thus preserved

SMIRTI 500 CE or later “Remembered”

tradition Often collections of

either Dharma (obligations,

duties, laws) Itihasa (“how it was” or

epic literature)

Itihasa

Mahabharata World’s Longest Poem

Bhagavad-Gita Book 6 “Song of the Adorable

One” Krishna is the subject

Core Concepts -- Brahman

“To Be Great”

Nirakara and Nirguna Without form and without

attributes

Sakara and Saguna With form and with

attributes

Sat Reality itself

Chit Pure consciousness

Ananda Bliss

More Key Ideas

Atman Originally ‘breath’ or ‘soul’ Universal spirit

Jiva Our individual self More like the western

concept of a soul More common in Jainism

Prakriti Physical matter

Maya ‘magic’ or ‘trick’ illusion

Samsara

Wheel

Continuous cycle of birth/death/rebirth

Humans are trapped; our goal is moksha or liberation

Karma and Reincarnation

Karma “To Do” Deeds, Works

The sum total of an individual’s desires, thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Actions Produce Consequences

Reincarnation Taking on bodily form

again Not necessarily human Based on your karma

Ashramas – Life Stages Bramacharya

Grihastha

Vanaspratha Moksha

sannyasin

                                                                           

                        

Four Life Goals

Artha

Kama

Dharma

Moksha

Castes

Brahmins Priests, philosophers

Kshatriyas Warriors, nobles

Vaishyas Farmers, Merchants

Shudras Laborers, Artisans

Bhagavad –Gita 18:11

…the duties of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras have been fixed according to the qualities arising from their inherent natures. The natural duties of a Brahmins are serenity, self-restraint, religious austerity, ritual purity, forgiveness, uprightness, spiritual knowledge, and belief in God. The natural duties of a Kshatriya are bravery, splendor, fortitude, dexterity, courage in battle, and the exercise of authority. The natural duties of a Vaishya are agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade. In the same way, rendering work through service is the natural duty of a shudra.

Final Notes on Caste

Social Order

Mlechcha or “untouchables” are outside of the system Renamed “harijan” or

“children of God” by Gandhi

Dvija or “twice-born” Upper three castes They can study the

Vedas

Spiritual Disciplines

Yoga “Yug” – yoke or union

State of “living in the divine”

Four Paths

Bhakti Yoga

“To Share”

Most common path

Path of Devotion or Love

Ishta Mantra

Japam

Jnana Yoga

Path of Knowledge

Way of Wisdom

Intellectual Orientation; Spiritual Insight

Who am I?

Neti-Neti “not this, not this”

Karma Yoga

Path of Selfless Action

Putting yourself to work helping others without any thought to your own reward

Every act part of the divine that we all share

Raja Yoga

Raj – reintegration

Path of Stillness

Samadhi or union with the divine is your goal

Sadhanas or “practices” Date back in time Coherent system finally

developed by 2nd century

Pantanajali’s sutras or threads (196 total – eight steps)

First, the body

The body is full of energy (kundalini)

Seven chakras or circles. They move energy

Must move energy through the body in order to reintegrate and reach higher consciousness

Chakras

Mooladhara or “base”

Swadishthan or “sacral”

Nabhi (Manipura) or “solar plexus”

Anahat, Anahata or “Heart”

Vishuddhi or “throat”

Agnya or “brow”

Sahasara or “crown” – 1000-petal lotus

Step One

Yamas Self-control

Five Abstentions Ahimsa or “non-injury” Satya Bramacharya No Greed No Theft

Step Two

Niyamas or observances

5 observances Cleanliness Contentment Self-Control Studiousness Contemplation of the

Divine

Works with step one

Clears your visual field by removing you from concerns of this world

Step Three

Asanas or posture

Most common is the lotus (padmasana)

Align chakras for good energy flow

Step Four

Pranayamas or breath control

Prana is life energy

Three basic types of breath Clavicular Thoracic Deep Abdomina

Step Five

Pratyahara or sense control

Learning to control all of the data you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch

Step Six

Dharana

Steadying the Mind

Working to Focus on One Thing

Mantras again are helpful as are ishtas

Yantras – linear image

Step Seven

Dhyana

Meditation

Start Experiencing Loss of Self

Step Eight

Samadhi Sam = with Adhi = divine or Lord

Higher Consciousness or Illumination

Hindu gods and goddesses

33 gods/goddesses in the sacred texts (more if you count the names)

33 koti devas Koti can mean kinds or

types Koti can also mean

10,000,000 330 million

Trimurti or Triple Form Brahma Vishnu Shiva

Most Hindus Vaishnavites Saivites Saktas

Vaishnavites

580 million adherents

Third only to Roman Catholics (1,030,000,000) and Sunni Muslims (940,000,000)

Typically with four arms; on the serpent Shesha; with consort Lakshmi

Avatars or descents; 22 mentioned only 10 really key

Saivites

220 million followers

Fifth (Eastern Orthodox Christians are fourth at 240 million)

Symbolizes asceticism

Mahadeva or “Great god”

Spouse is Parvarti

Saktas

50 million worship goddesses

Durga is the great goddess

Kali is the destroyer of evil

Also Parvarti, Uma

Tantras (sacred texts) help explain the feminine and stress the need for unity between the male and the female

Union of a lingam and yoni

Mohandas Gandhi

1869-1948

Satyagraha or ‘reality force’

Mahatma or “Great Spirit”

Final Notes -- India

1,065,070,607 0-14 years: 31.7% 15-64 years: 63.5% 65 years and over: 4.8%

2.5% world’s land; 15% of the world’s population

1.44% growth rate 15 million people added each

year Median age is 24 Life expectancy is 65 Most women average 2.85

children

Literacy definition: age 15 and over

can read and write total population: 59.5%

male: 70.2% female: 48.3%

Religion Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%,

Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5%