Part C - HINDUISM’S LEGACY
Global Contributions & Impact
“Many Paths to the Same Summit”
www.HinduismResource.com
1
History of Hindu Contributions
The earliest seats of learning were in India .
Scholars travelled from all over the world
(Greece, China, Persia, etc.) to study.
In addition to spiritual contributions,
ancient Hindus contributed to
art, culture, mathematics, politics, humanities,
and physical and biological sciences.
Science and Hinduism were never at odds!
This tradition continues in modern India.
2
“Nonviolence is the highest
duty and the highest teaching.”
(Mahabharata 13.116.37-41)
http://www.thekingcenter.org/news/2012-10gandhis-birthday-dr-kings-tributes-mahatma
https://www.stlbeacon.org/#!/content/
33968/mandela_commentary_120613
3
Legacy of
Gandhi ji
Gandhi ji treating a
man with leprosy
A midwife tends a pregnant woman
in a remote part of Maharashtra state.
Mobile clinics, started in 2013 by Gandhi’s Sevagram ashram,
honor his commitment to rural health needs.
4
Fertile Ground for Other Faiths
India’s fertile ground for other faiths:
• Jainism
• Buddhism
• Sikhism
5
Buddhism
http://www.buddhanet.net/elearning/buddhistworld/east-asia.htm
6
No room for Arrogance
Astrophysicist Caleb Scharf, Columbia Univ.:
“We all reside on a small planet orbiting a single, middleaged star that is one of some 200 billion stars in the great
swirl of matter that makes up the Milky Way galaxy. Our
galaxy is but one of an estimated several hundred billion
such structures in the observable (emphasis added)
universe - a volume that now stretches in all directions
from us for more than 270,000,000,000,000,000,000,000
miles.” (http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/is-earth-s-life-unique-in-the-universe/)
There may be parallel universes! If so, how is it
possible to comprehend the nature of the cosmos,
let alone the Infinite?
7
Hinduism and Ecology
Hindus consider Mother Earth as a Goddess:
Bhudevi
Source: NASA
Each Hindu should be inherently
ecological. Any time we are doing
something that is not ecological, we
are insulting our own mother.
8
Mathematical Contributions
• Number Theory
• Introduction of ‘Zero’
• Introduction of decimal system, place value of
numbers
• Introduction of negative numbers
• Development of algebra
• Discovery that roots occur in pairs  solution of
quadratic equations
• Advances in Trigonometry: Use of ‘Sine’
• Binary system  basis of modern computers
9
Magical Square
Inscribed on doorway
of Parsvanatha temple
in KhajurahoIn
dated 954 CE
Numbers in each row & each column
and the numbers in the main and
secondary diagonals, all equal 34
Also, the sums of all two-by-two squares
at the four corners of the large square
and the sum of the central two-by-two
square equal 34
10
Astronomy
Jantar Mantar: An Ancient
Astronomical Observatory In Jaipur
11
Ayurvedic Medicine
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayurveda
12
Chakras
Respect for Knowledge and Wisdom
Iherent in Hindu tradition
Sri Sarswati is the Goddess revered by all Hindus
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saraswati
14
Hinduism’s Three Greatest Teachers
were born outside
the Teacher Class!
Sri Ram
Sri Krishna
Lord Buddha
15
Prime Minister of India: Narendra Modi
http://www.indiatv
news.com/news/in
dia/barack-obamamodi-journeyfrom-tea-seller-topm--46722.html
16
World Heritage Sites in India
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki
/List_of_World_Heritage_Sit
es_in_India
17
Hinduism and Modern India
Hinduism has never been an obstacle to
scientific developments
and modern discoveries.
India’s Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM)
Mangalyaan मंगलयान
http://www.bbc.com/news/
world-asia-india-33473694
18
Hindu Practices and Beliefs
in the Larger American Culture
-
Meditation
Yoga Studios
Vegetarianism
Belief in Reincarnation
Belief of U.S. general Public in Yoga and Reincarnation :
19
http://www.pewforum.org/2012/07/19/asian-americans-a-mosaic-of-faiths-religious-beliefs
/