HINDUISM
Introductory Questions:
Hinduism
• Where did Hinduism originate?
• Hinduism is considered a major world
religion. Why do you think this is?
• Is Hinduism polytheistic or monotheistic?
Basics of Hinduism
• Originated in India
• Dates back to 1500 BCE and
many consider it the oldest
religion in the world
• Third largest religion (# of
adherents)
• Practiced by 80% of India’s
inhabitants
• Derivative of word Hindu is
the geographical term
(Sindu River or Indus Valley)
Indus Valley
• 4000 – 2200 BCE
• Built houses for
worship
• Stone sculptures
and charms to
ward off evil
• Fire altars & animal
sacrifices
Aryans
• 1500 BCE
• Poems and ritual
texts called VEDAS
(early sacred
writings)
• Rig Veda – the oldest
of the Sacred Texts
• Agni - worshipped
forces of nature as gods
• Atman - human soul
VEDAS
• Composed in Sanskrit
• Vedas literally means
“knowledge“
• Vedas called “Shruti” by the
Hindus
• RIG VEDA
• Upanishads – mystical texts on
human existence
EPICS
• Ramayana – Hindu Epic of
about 24000 verses including
hero story of Rama
• Mahabharata and Bhagavad
Gita
Legal Codes
• Laws of Manu
Many Rivers to One Ocean
HINDUISM
• MANY RIVERS TO ONE OCEAN
– HARMONY AND TOLERANCE ARE KEY
ASPECTS OF HINDUISM
– ALL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ARE AIMING
FOR THE SAME RESULT: SALVATION
• “GOD IS ONE BUT MEN CALL HIM BY MANY
NAMES” (from the RIG VEDA)
HUMAN DESTINY: FROM WORLDLY
REALMS TO THE DIVINE BEYOND
• SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AMOUNTS TO
A RETURN TO THE BEGINNING
• THE FINAL DESTINY OF SALVATION
THROUGH LIBERATION RETURNS THE
INDIVIDUAL TO THE BEGINNING
LIBERATION: RETURNING TO THE
SACRED SOURCE
• TO BE LIBERATED, OR ATTAIN SALVATION, MEANS
TO BE RELEASED FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF
THE HUMAN CONDITION
• THIS CANNOT BE ATTAINED IN ONE LIFETIME
• REINCARNATION-SEVERAL LIFETIMES
• MOKSHA: BEING RELEASED FROM THE HUMAN
CONDITION INTO THE INFINITE OR DIVINE
• THE HINDU WHO ATTAINS MOKSHA IS NEVER
AGAIN REINCARNATED AND IS UNITED FOREVER
WITH THE DIVINE
THE DIVINE: ONE ULTIMATE
REALITY, MANY “MASKS”
• HINDUS WORSHIP MANY GODS AND
GODDESSES; THOUGHT OF AS MANY
MASKS OF GOD
MONISM: ALL IS BRAHMAN
• MONISM: THE BELIEF THAT ALL REALITY IS
ULTIMATELY ONE
• PLANTS, ANIMALS, GODS, GODDESSES,
SHARE A COMMON ESSENCE
• THIS ESSENCE IS CALLED BRAHMAN
– BRAHMAN IS PURE SPIRIT, THE SOURCE OF THE
UNIVERSE AND BEYOND HUMAN PERCEPTIONS
AND THOUGHT
• THE SACRED TEXTS, UPANISHADS, REFER TO
BRAHMAN AS “NOT THIS, NOT THAT”
Hindu Beliefs & Deities
Categorizing the religion of Hinduism is somewhat confusing:
• POLYTHEISTIC= worships multiple deities: gods and goddesses
• MONOTHEISTIC = it recognizes only one supreme God: the
panentheistic principle of Brahman, that all reality is a unity. The
entire universe is seen as one divine entity who is simultaneously at
one with the universe and who transcends it as well
• TRINITARIAN= Brahman is simultaneously visualized as a triad -one God with three persons: Brahma (the Creator) Vishnu (the
Preserver, Shiva (the Destroyer)
• HENOTHEISTIC= recognize a single deity, and recognizes other
gods and goddesses as facets, forms, manifestations, or aspects of
that supreme God
BRAHMAN: THE ESSENCE OF ALL
REALITY
• THE ULTIMATE REALITY CAN BE
UNDERSTOOD THROUGH INWARD
CONTEMPLATION OF THE SELF
• THE ULTIMATE REALITY WITHIN IS
NAMED: ATMAN
– THE ETERNAL SELF
• THE TERMS BRAHMAN AND ATMAN ARE
INTERCHANGEABLE
POLYTHEISM: 330 MILLION GODS
AND GODDESSES
• HINDUS REGARD ITS GODS AND
GODDESSES AS EXTENSIONS OF ONE
ULTIMATE REALITY
• SINCE THE DIVINE REALITY IS BEYOND THE
REACH OF THE HUMAN SENSES AND
THOUGHT, HUMANS NEED POINTS OF
CONTACT WITH THE DIVINE: MULTIPLE
MASKS (GODS)
• HINDUS MAY WORSHIP WHICHEVER GODS
THEY LIKE, SINCE THEY ARE ALL THE
ESSENCE OF THE ULTIMATE REALITY
• MAYA= all forms of existence are temporary and
illusionary
• SAMSARA = endless cycle of reincarnation
• KARMA = Basic belief of cause and effect (all
actions have a consequence)
• DHARMA =personal conduct and righteous living
• MOKSHA= the liberation from samsara and the
uniting of ATMAN (human soul) with Brahman
(ultimate soul)
– ॐ । असतो मा सद्गमय । तमसो मा ज्योततगगमय । मत्ृ योमागमत
ृ ं
गमय ।।
– OM Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya,
mrityormāmritam gamaya
– "OM (Lead me) from falsehood to truth, from darkness to light,
from death to immortality."
• Aum (also Om, ॐ) is the most sacred syllable in
Hinduism and Vedas
• Used in meditation and prayer as sound gives
supernatural power
• Represents the original sound of creation
• To chant “om” will steady and elevate the mind
• Good luck symbol
representing “well being”
• Usually illustrated in red
• Used on wedding
invitations, drawings
• Used in rituals to bring
good luck and protect
against evil
MANY WORLDS, MANY LIFETIMES:
HINDU COSMOLOGY
• IF EVERYTHING COMES FROM THE
DIVINE, BRAHMAN, WHY DOES THERE
APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING ELSE?
• NO REAL IMPORTANCE IN EXPLAINING
THIS OTHER THAN HUMANS HAVING
TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY AND GAIN
SALVATION
CYCLES OF CREATION
• TIME AND CREATION ARE VIEWED AS
ONGOING CYCLES
• LONG PATTERNS OF CREATION AND
DESTRUCTION
REINCARNATION
• WHILE THE UNIVERSE GOES THROUGH
THIS CYCLE, HUMANS ALSO GO
THROUGH THE PROCESS OF
REINCARNATION UNTIL THEY ATTAIN
“MOKSHA”
• “SAMSARA”: “WHEEL OF REBIRTH; THE
INDIVIDIDUAL IS REINCARNATED FROM
ONE LIFEFORM TO ANOTHER
• INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT
TRANSMITTED
REINCARNATION (CON.)
• REINCARNATION OCCURS ON MANY
LEVELS: GODS, DEVILS ETC…
• “BHAGAVAD-GITA”: HINDUISM’S
MOST SACRED TEXT
– THE GOD, KRISHNA, TEACHES THE
WARRIOR, ARJUNA, ABOUT MANYY
IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS ISSUES
LAW AND ORDER: DIVINE
PRINCIPLES IN THE WORLD
• KARMA AND DHARMA CONNECT THE
DIVINE WITH THIS WORLD
• FORM A BASIS FOR MORAL LIFE AND
PERMEATE THE EARTHLY LIFE WITH
SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE
KARMA
• DETERMINES THE NATURE OF EACH
REINCARNATION
• MEANS “ACTIONS” OR “DEEDS”
• INDIVIDUAL MORAL RESPONSIBILITY
FOR YOUR ACTIONS
• INDIVIDUAL KARMIC RECORD STAYS
WITH YOU FROM REINCARNATION TO
REINCARNATION
• KARMA DETERMINES THE LIFEFORM
INTO WHICH ATMAN APPEARS
DHARMA
• STANDARD OF ETHICAL DUTY BASED ON
THE DIVINE ORDER OF REALITY
• THE COMPLETE RULE OF LIFE
• FOUR SOURCES PROVIDE GUIDANCE
ABOUT DHARMA IN PARTICULAR
SITUATIONS
–
–
–
–
DIVINE REVELATION
SACRED TRADITION
EXAMPLES OF THE WISEST IN SOCIETY
CONSCIENCE
DHARMA (CON.)
• DHARMA LIMITS PURSUIT OF DESIRES
• SHIFTS SATISFYING OWN DESIRES TO
THE CONCERN FOR OTHERS
• IT IS THE ETHICAL FEATURE OF
HINDUISM
HINDU SOCIETY: MAPPING THE
INDIVIDUAL’S IDENTITY
• DHARMA IS CONNECTED TO SOCIAL
ORDER DETERIMINED BY GENDER,
CASTE AND STAGE OF LIFE
DOING ONE’S JOB: THE CASTE
SYSTEM
• VARNA WAS THE ORIGINAL TERM
• BRAHMIN
– PRIESTS
• KSHATRIYA
– WARRIORS AND ADMINISTRATORS
• VAISHYA
– PRODUCERS: FARMERS,
MERCHANTS,ARTISANS
• SHUDRA
– SERVANTS AND LABORERS
CASTE (CON.)
• ORIGINALLY THERE WERE OVER 3,000
CASTES
• DEPENDENT ON OCCUPATIONS
• FOR WOMEN, CASTE WAS CONTINGENT
ON WHO SHE MARRIED
• THIS WAS OFTEN DICTATED BY DHARMA
• OUTCASTS OR “UNTOUCHABLES”,
WERE ANOTHER CASTE
• RIGIDLY MAINTAINED BY HEREDITY
ACTING ONE’S AGE: FOUR
STAGES OF LIFE
• STUDENT
– INTENSIVE STUDY OF SACRED LITERATURE
• HOUSEHOLDER
– MARRIAGE (ARRANGED)
– PURSUING A CAREER, RAISING FAMILY
• FOREST DWELLER
– FIRST GRANDCHILD
– RETREAT FROM WORLDLY BONDS
• SANNYASIN (ASCETIC)
SEEKING ONE’S DESIRE: FOUR
GOALS OF LIFE
• SENSUAL PLEASURE (KAMA)
– A LEGITIMATE AIM OF LIFE
• CELEBRATES THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE
– MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE LIMITS OF DHARMA
• MATERIAL SUCCESS (ARTHA)
– YEARNING FOR FULFILLMENT BEYOND SENSUAL
PLEASURE
• HARMONY WITH DHARMA
– GOES BEYOND A DUTY GRUDGINGLY PERFORMED
– PERFECT HARMONY WITH DHARMA
• THE BLISS OF MOKSHA
– PATHS TO ACHIEVE MOKSHA ARE NUMEROUS
THREE PATHS TO LIBERATION
• THREE PATHS BY WHICH THE PERSON
MOVES CLOSER TO THE ULTIMATE
GOAL OF LIBERATION
• PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT TALENTS
OR TENDENCIES
– TO BE ACTIVE
– TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE
– TO EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL
ATTACHMENT
FOR THE ACTIVE: KARMA MARGA,
“THE PATH OF WORKS”
• SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS “KARMA YOGA”
• MARKED BY AN ATTITUDE OF UNSELFISHNESS
– ATTATCHMENT TO THE RESULTS OF ACTION MUST BE
AVOIDED
– DO THE RIGHT THING ONLY BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT
• THIS PATH HAS ALL TO DO WITH LIVING IN
ACCORDANCE WITH DHARMA
• EXEMPLIFIED BY GANDHI
– “RELIGION IS CONCERN FOR THE WORLD EXPRESSED
THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICE”
GANDHI
• Best known Hindu in world
• Fought to end discrimination
against Indians in South Africa
• Tolerant of all religions
• Religious ideals on duty, truth,
non-violence (ahimsa) and
spiritual liberation (moksha)
• Negotiated independence of
India in 1947
• Opposed social injustice of
Hindu society (ie.
untouchables)
• Assassinated in 1948
FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL: JNANA
MARGA, “THE PATH OF
KNOWLEDGE”
• THE STEEPEST ASCENT TO LIBERATION
• REQUIRES DEVOTING TIME TO LEARNING
AND MEDITATION; MORE PRACTICAL FOR
THE BRAHMIN CLASS
• EMPHASIZES ATTAINING KNOWLEDGE
OVER IGNORANCE
• IT GOES BEYOND THE MERE
ACCUMULATION OF FACTUAL KNOWLEDGE
• IT MEANS TO LIVE, TO EXPERIENCE THE
TRUE NATURE OF REALITY
THREE SCHOOLS OF
PHILOSOPHY
• THREE SCHOOLS OF HINDU PHILOSOPHY: THE
ATTAINMENT OF KNOWLEDGE OVER IGNORANCE
– VEDANTA
• SHANKARA TAUGHT THAT REALITY AMOUNTS TO MONISM
– SANKHYA
• REALITY IS COMPOSED OF TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES:
MATTER AND AN INFINITE NUMBER OF ETERNAL SELVES
• THE FOLLOWER OF SANKHYA ATTEMPTS TO FREE THE
ETERNAL SELF FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE PERSONALITY
– YOGA
• TO FREE THE ETERNAL SELF FROM BONDAGE BY STRIPPING
AWAY THE MANY LEVELS OF PERSONHOOD IN WHICH THE
SELF IS WRAPPED
• AN 8 STEP PROCESS THAT LEADS EVENTUALLY TO
“SAMADHI”, A TRANCELIKE STATE I WHICH SELFCONCIOUSNESS IS LOST AND THE MIND IS ABSORBED INTO
ULTIMATE REALITY (p. 56, 57)
• 4 Paths to
Salvation
• 4 Stages of Life
• 4 Goals of Life
• Caste System
• Puja
• Upanayana
• Vegetarianism “holy
cow”
• Arranged Marriages
• Diwali – Festival of Lights
• Ahimsa – non-violence
• Yoga – philosophy and
exercise together – very
spiritual
FOR THE EMOTIONAL: BHAKTI
MARGA, “THE PATH OF
DEVOTION”
• LEADS SPIRITUAL ENERGY OUTWARD
TOWARDS WORSHIP OF A DEITY
• DEVOTION TO A DEITY REDUCES THE
INDIVIDUALITY THAT BINDS THE SELF
TO SAMSARA (CYCLE OF
REINCARNATION)
• ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE
DIVINE, NOT ON THE SELF
GODS AND GODDESSES
• COMMONPLACE TO WORSHIP
SEVERAL GODS
• MORE POPULAR GODS: VISHNU, KALI,
SHIVA, RAMA, KRISHNA
• IMPORTANT TRIAD
– BRAHMA=THE CREATOR
– VISHNU=THE PRESERVER
– SHIVA=THE DESTROYER
Brahman
-is the supreme being
-entity without form
or quality
-soul of universe
-divine, invisible,
unlimited
Preserver
Destroyer
Creator
Brahma
(Saraswati)
Shiva
Vishnu
(Parvati)
(Lakshmi)
AVATARS
• INCARNATION OR LIVING
EMBODIMENT OF A DEITY
– GENERALLY VISHNU
• IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH A DIVINE
PURPOSE
Vishnu has many AVATARS
(incarnations)who appear
on earth as humans or
animals to conquer evil and
establish righteousness
7th- Rama
8th- Krishna
9th- Siddhartha Gautama
(Buddha)
THE BHAGAVAD-GITA
• MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH
BHAKTI MARGA
• ACCOUNTS WITH THIS TEXT FAVOR
THE PATH OF DEVOTION
ASPECTS OF DAILY DEVOTION
• RITUAL, PRAYER, VISITS TO TEMPLES
AND SHRINES.
• VENERATION OF SACRED COWS
HOUSEHOLD AND VILLAGE
RITUALS
• HOUSEHOLD DEITIES FREQUENTLY
HAVE SHRINES IN THE HOME
• VILLAGES OFTEN WORSHIP IN
UNISON DURING ANNUAL FESTIVALS
TO HONOR CERTAIN GODS OR
GODDESSES
HOLY PLACES
• ALL RIVERS, IN PARTICULAR THE
RIVER GANGES
• PILGRIMS FREQUENTLY TAKE RITUAL
BATHS IN THE GANGES IN ORDER TO
SYMBOLLICALLY WASH AWAY THEIR
SINS
COW VENERATION
• THE COW REPRESENTS LIFE
• IN THE PAST, THE KILLING OF A COW
WAS A CAPITAL OFFENSE
HINDUISM IN THE MODERN
WORLD
• THE MODERN WORLD SEEMS TO
POSE A CHALLENGE FOR HINDUISM
SINCE INDIA’S STRUGGLE TO
BECOME A DEMOCRACY, SEEMS TO
BE IN CONTRADICTION TO
HINDUISM’S CASTE CONCEPT.
THOSE WHO HINDUS
REVERE: RELIGIOUS
LEADERS
• BRAHMIN
– TEND TO ANCIENT RITUALS
• GURUS (ENLIGHTENED TEACHERS)
– TEACH THE TRUTH OF THE uPANISHADS
 The ultimate aim of all Hindu thoughts is to
attain the universal soul or divine wisdom called
Brahman
Hindu’s believe in the freedom to individually worship
and guide own spiritual experience.
The goals of Hinduism consist of personal conduct and
righteous living which equals to dharma
Goal to achieve moksha, (liberation) from endless
cycle of rebirths called Samsara and reunite atman
with Brahman