Hinduism Re-Cap
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Sanatana Dharma
Vedas/Upanishads
Epic poems- Ramayana, Mahabarata-Bhagavad-Gita
Major theistic groups
Four types of yoga-raja, jnana, bhakti, karma
The caste system
Role of the guru
Unique characteristics of “Hindu” or “Hinduism”
Brahman, samsara, moksha, maya
Mudra, mantra, chakras, asanas
Jain Overview
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Doesn’t use the Vedas for religious foundation
Only about 6 million practitioners; a minority in
India
The modern symbol incorporates the swastika
and other representations of important principles
Mahavira was the most important teacher of
“modern”
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Contemporary of Buddha
History of Jainism
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Pre-Vedic
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Another “indigenous” Indian religion
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Ancient Hindu Buddhist sources mention Jainism
as being much older than either one
Why would this be considered controversial
from the Hindu viewpoint?
The 24th Tirthankaras
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Mahavira
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Contemporary of the Buddha (d. 527 BCE)
Also a prince- kshatriya clan
 Renounced his comfortable life.
 Meditated for 12 years (silence, fasting…)
 Wandering teacher for 30 years
 The last of 24 Tirthankaras (“Ford makers”)
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What is described by this last metaphor?
Tirthankaras
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First one lost in history
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Lord Rishabha
23rd lived @800 BCE
elevated beyond the human plane of existence
models for good and ethically and morally correct behavior
honored through images
Originally, folks are happy and virtuous at beginning of a
cycle
Tirthankaras “invent” religion to keep people away from
evils of the world
Two Branches of Monks
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Two groups within Jains
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Digambaras
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Left the area of Mahavira; did not believe in the changes to
his teachings
Monks known as the “sky clad”; they cruise around naked
Women can’t go as high or as low as men
They can only get liberation (freedom from samsara) by
being re-born in a man’s body
Only possessions are a feather broom and a gourd of water;
major ascetics!
Digambaras Jains
Two Branches of Monks
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Svetambaras
Stayed in the area
 Accepted the changes to Mahavira’s teachings in
the 3rd century BCE
 Women can achieve the same kind of spiritual
level as men
 Wear a white cloth (“white-clad”) instead of being
nekked!
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Svetambaras Jains
More Jain Images
Major Jain Principles
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Ahimsa
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The principle of non-violence; do not harm other
living things
Humans have no special right to supremacy over
other living creatures
Some ascetics wear masks to avoid inhaling insects
=strictly vegetarian diet!
Avoidance of occupations that would harm things
(e.g. agriculture is considered harmful)
More Jain Principles
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Aparigraha
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The idea of non-attachment to things and to people
Possessions possess US
Keeping personal goods to a minimum
Dog story moral- as long as we cling to things, we
will bleed for them
Attachments to friends and family can also be
interpreted as binding one to the wheel of life and
death (samsara)
More Jain Principles
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Anekantwad
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The idea of “relativity” especially in moral
judgments
Any issue can be seen from multiple sides; all
sides have a degree of truth to them
No point in finding fault with others when we
should be concentrating on freeing ourselves
from impurity
Comparisons to Other Faiths
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Jiva- an individual’s higher consciousness
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What are parallel terms in other traditions for
this principle?
Jina- an individual who has triumphed over
his/her passions
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Similar term from another faith?
Modern Jain Symbol
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Swastika= wheel of
life/death/rebirth
Ahimsa=represented by
or scribed on open palm
Three dots=insight,
knowledge, conduct
Crescent and dot=the
liberated soul reaching
the highest point of
development
Sikhism
What Is a Sikh?
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'Sikh' in the Punjabi language means
'disciple', Sikhs are the disciples of God
who follow the writings and teachings of
the Ten Sikh Gurus.
Historical Area of Sikhism
Philosophy and Beliefs 1
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There is only One God. He is the same God
for all people of all religions.
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The soul goes through cycles of births and
deaths before it reaches the human form.
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Sikhs should remember God at all times and
practice living a virtuous and truthful life
while maintaining a balance between their
spiritual obligations and temporal obligations.
Philosophy and Beliefs 2
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The true path to achieving salvation and merging
with God does not require renunciation of the world
or celibacy, but living the life of a householder,
earning a honest living and avoiding worldly
temptations and sins.
Sikhism preaches that people of different races,
religions, or sex are all equal in the eyes of God. It
teaches the full equality of men and women. Women
can participate in any religious function or perform
any Sikh ceremony or lead the congregation in
prayer.
Philosophy and Beliefs 3
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God cannot take human form
The goal of human life is to break the cycle of birth's and deaths by
following a guru’s teaching
Rejects all forms of blind rituals such as fasting, religious
vegetarianism, pilgrimages, superstitions, yoga, as well as any form
of idol worship
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What is a blind ritual?
Honest labor and work (Kirat Karna) are the approved way of living
one’s life. It is considered honorable to earn ones daily bread through
honest work and not by begging or dishonest means
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How does this sound for most people?
The Five Cardinal Vices
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There are five vices to avoid
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Kam (lust)
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Krodh (anger)
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Lobh (greed)
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Moh (worldly attachment)
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Ahankar (pride).
If one can overcome these, they will achieve salvation
Are these vices similar to those portrayed in other
religions?
Guru Nanak
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The founder of the Sikh religion
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born in 1469.
He preached a message of love and
understanding and criticized the blind rituals of
the Hindus and Muslims.
Nine successive Gurus.
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The final living Guru died in 1708
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Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Gobind Singh
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Guru Gobind Singh declared that the
Sikhs no longer needed a living guru
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Sri Guru Granth Sahib-spiritual
successor, his knowledge embodied into
spiritual writings
Khalsa- physical successors; the “pure
ones”
Established the “five Ks” of Sikh
accessories (see later slides)
Sri Guru Granth Sahib
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Sri Guru Granth Sahib
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Unique in the world of religious scriptures
It is the spiritual head of the Sikh religion
Contains the poetry of the Gurus and
also the writings of saints of other faiths
whose thoughts were consistent with
those of the Sikh Gurus
What are the ramifications of a sacred
text as a spiritual head?
Khalsa
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Soldier-saints.
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commitment
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dedication
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social consciousness
The Khalsa are men and women who have
undergone the Sikh baptism ceremony and who
strictly follow the Sikh Code of Conduct and
Conventions and wear the prescribed physical
articles of the faith.
Harmandir Sahib
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Harmandir Sahib
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(The Golden Temple) at Amritsar
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In the state of Punjab in northern India.
It is the inspirational and historical center of
Sikhism
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Not a mandatory place of pilgrimage or worship.
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All places where Sri Guru Granth Sahib are installed
are considered equally holy for Sikhs.
The Golden Temple
Harmandir Sahib
Gurdwaras (Sikh Temple)
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remove the shoes
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cover ones bare head
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signs of respect towards the sovereignty of
the Guru Granth Sahib.
Hands are washed
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In some Gurdwaras there are also foot
washes.
Gurdwaras
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Approaching the Guru Granth Sahib one is
expected to bow down and touch the floor
as a sign of further respect towards the
Eternal Sikh Guru.
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Offerings of cash are usually made at this
time
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These offerings are voluntary
Gurdwaras
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All people irrespective of their status sit on
the floor as a sign of equality
One may enter or leave the congregation at
any time.
Men and women do not generally sit
together but on separate sides of the room
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Both groups are at an equal distance from the
Guru Granth Sahib.
Gurdwaras
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Gurdwaras are open to all people of all
religions and are generally open 24 hours a
day.
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Some Gurdwaras also provide temporary
accommodations for visitors or pilgrims.
Only vegetarian food is served so that no
person may be offended and all people of all
religions can sit together to share a common
meal irrespective of any dietary restrictions.
Spiritual Evolution
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Stage 1: Manmukh
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A person who is self-centered and only thinks
about himself and the material world around him
and is totally oblivious to God.
Stage 2: Sikh
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Anyone who sets out on the path of learning and
meets the specific definition of a Sikh as
appears in the Reht Maryada (Official Code of
Conduct).
Spiritual Evolution
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Stage 3: Khalsa
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Total dedication to Sikhism. One who has
has shed his ego and personality and
truly honors the memory of Guru Gobind
Singh through his actions and deeds.
Stage 4: Gurmukh
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One who has achieved mukhti (salvation)
and is totally God-centered
The Sikh Articles of Faith
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The “Five Ks”
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What does the external adornment of Sikhs
do for them?
Would any of those accoutrements be
problematic in the United States? Which
one(s) and why?
Kesh
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Long unshorn hair. A symbol of spirituality. The
Kesh reminds a Khalsa to behave like the
Guru's. It is a mark of dedication and group
consciousness, showing a Khalsa's acceptance
of God's will. Long hair have long been a
common element of many spiritual prophets of
various religions such as Jesus, Moses and
Buddha.
Kangha
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Comb. A symbol of hygiene and
discipline as opposed to the matted
unkempt hair of ascetics. A Khalsa is
expected to regularly wash and comb
their hair as a matter of self discipline.
Kara
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Steel bracelet. A symbol to remind the
wearer of restraint in their actions and
remembrance of God at all times.
Kachha
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Drawers/short pants
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A symbol signifying self control and
chastity.
Kirpan
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Ceremonial sword/knife
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A symbol of dignity and the Sikh struggle
against injustice.
Worn purely as a religious symbol and
not as a weapon.
Religious Emblems- Khanda
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As the Cross is to Christians or the Star of David is
to Jews.
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The symbol derives its name from the double-edged
sword called a Khanda
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This double-edged sword is a metaphor of Divine
Knowledge, its sharp edges cleaving Truth from
Falsehood.
The circle around the Khanda is the Chakar.
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The Chakar being a circle without a beginning or an
end symbolizes the perfection of God who is eternal.
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The Chakar is surrounded by two curved swords called
Kirpans.
More Emblems- Nishan Sahib
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Nishan Sahib is the name given to the
flag which is seen flying outside every
Sikh Gurdwara (Temple).
It is a triangular piece of ochre or saffron
colored cloth with the Khanda emblem in the
middle.
 The flag post also has a khanda or spear on
top and is usually covered with the same
cloth as the flag.
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The Khalistan Movement
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Radical group in India working for independent Sikh state
in Punjab region
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Indian reprisals eventually killed Sikh leader in Operation
Blue Star
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Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale led Damdami Taksal, a group of
devout Sikhs who wanted a theocratic Sikh state
Sikh bodyguards responsible for assassination of Indira
Gandhi (Indian PM) in 1984
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Punjab had been independent previously
Retaliation for Blue Star desecration
Anti-Sikh riots in India as well
Today, Khalistan issue is occasionally revived politically,
but otherwise defunct?
Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale