Lecture #6: Hinduism-

Foundations of Hinduism:

Origins of Hinduism:- not a founded religion

• No single founder
• Founding of Hinduism vs the foundations of Hinduism

Historical Orientation of Hinduism

• Indus Valley Civilization
• Aryans- ‘noble ones’- C. 1500 BCE
• Vedic period (1200-200 BCE)

Source of Hindu Myths:

Veda

• ‘Knowledge’ (Sanskrit)
• Collection of early Hindu religious scriptures
• Also known as samhitas (‘collection’)

Two general types of Vedic scriptures:

Shruti: ‘heard’; considered divinely inspired, fully authoritative

Smurti: ‘remembered’; products of the minds of the great Hindu sages interpretation of shruit and make them meaningful to followers.

Sages: wisdom people

What the vedas are

2 genres of literature

Upanishads:

• ‘Sitting down near’- upa= ‘near’; ni= ‘down’; sad= ‘to sit’
• Collection of teachings about self and ultimate reality
• Last part of Hindu scriptures

Bhagavad Gita:

• ‘The song of God’ (Sanskrit)- most cherished document in Hinduism
• Summarizes the fundamental beliefs of Hinduism- e.g., Ultimate Reality, Braham, atman, moksha, duties of life, how to live according to the laws of dharma, etc.

Understanding of Ultimate Reality:

Brahman:

• ‘Spirit’, ‘to be great’ (sanskrit)
• Divine reality at the heart of all things; present in all things
• Energy that sustains the universe-formless, eternal
• Creator, preserver, and transformer of everything
• Appears in created beings (e.g humans) as atman

Atman: in hinduism ___ is divine reality, in buddhism it is ____. Know atman and anatman.

• Divine reality at the heart of all things as experienced within oneself
• Brahman and atman are identical and in fact the same thing!

What does it mean to know Brahman?

• Lived experience that all things are holy because they come from the same sacred source. Therefore, all things are ultimately one.
• “The truth is One, but different sages call it by different names.” (Rig Veda 1.164.46)

Maya:

• ‘Illusion’ (Sanskrit)
• Belief that the world, as we know it, is an illusion, not true reality
• Through deep meditation, begin to know and understand true reality that all things are One because Brahman and atman are identical

Hindu Deities:

Trimurti:

• ‘Triple form’; also known as the Hindu Trinity
• Trinity- concept that god/deity has 3 aspects which are different forms of the same god/deity
• Brahma (creator, source of life) + Vishnu (preserver) + Shiva (transformer/destroyer)
• Together, represent the cosmic functions of creation, maintenance, and destruction of life (life, death, rebirth)

Other Hindu deities include:

• Indra- warrior deity, associated with thunderstorms
• Agni- God of fire, associated with the sun
• Soma- god of the drink consumed by priests during fire sacrifices
• Brihispati- patron deity of Hindu priests

Fundamental Hindu Beliefs:

Brahman- ultimate reality at the heart of all things

Atman- existence of an enduring atman that transmigrates from one physical form (body) to another at death

Human nature one of bondage to ignorance and illusion (maya) - but we can escape this

Samsara- means ‘to flow together’, eternal cycle of cosmic functions (wheel) of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth (NOTE difference between samsara and reincarnation) —birth, life, death, rebirth (constant cycle)

Reincarnation- belief that all things have a life force; when life forces loses one form (at death), the life force (atman) is reborn into another form; also known as the transmigration of the atman/soul- when we die, our life force transmigrates into another physical form– why you hear people talk about past life experiences. ***Know for exam

Hierarchy of life forms- humans are not the highest form (superhumans, gods/deities, etc)

Karma- means ‘action’; our actions and their consequences on this life and future lives; sum of a person’s actions and non-actions, thoughts, desires, and intentions in all lifetimes (everything!!) —all the different choices, thoughts, actions. Its cumulative from all of our lifetimes, determines our next rebirth. Good karma-fulfilling the purpose of that entity (purpose of bee is to make honey and pollinate things, a bee would get good karma by doing this. If a bee didn't make honey or do what bees do, then it would get bad karma)

Inherent moral consequence; determines direction of rebirth

If Karma unresolved, atman reborn into new body’ if Karma resolved, attain moksha

Authority of the Vedas and the Brahmins (Hindu priests)-brahma, brahmin, brahmacharin**** know these for exam

Moksha- liberation from rebirth; purpose of human life– we want to achieve this and resolve our karma (get off the wheel of samsara)--- come to understand that everything is Brahman, how we can achieve good karma is doing the things expected of us

Varna- caste system; hereditary division of Indian society; rigid social system

-central to varna are ideas of samsara, reincarnation, karma; if obey rules of case, reincarnation into higher caste is possible (social system) –if you follow the rules of how to live, you accumulate good karma

Dharma- rules of order of how to live**** know the difference between DHARMA in Hinduism and Buddhimsm

Fundamental Hindu Beliefs- Varna

Varna:

Brahmins-priests and academics

Kshatriyas- warrior nobles, ruling class (governance)

Vaishyas- merchants, artisans (community) — if ur a good business owner and pay ur employees well u get good karma, if ur not a good business owner and treat ur workers bad you'll get bad karma

Kshudras-peasants, unskilled labourers, servants

Dalit/Harijan- untouchables, outside of caste system (people outside community)

Fundamental Hindu Beliefs-Goals/Purposes of Life:

• Primary goal is to escape bondage of ignorance and illusion (maya)
• Achieve this by knowing and understanding your place in life and fulfilling the goals appropriate for your station and stage of life
• Goal 1: Dharma
• Dharma = ‘law’, ‘teaching’
• Appropriate living, fulfilling the moral, social, and religious duties of your station
• Goal 2: Artha
• Prosperity, attaining financial and worldly success through legal means
• Goal 3: Kama- pleasure principle
• ‘Delight in the senses’, pleasure – satisfying desires and senses and drives in moderation (pleasure- sleep, sexuality, food, and drink, listening to something you enjoy, all done in moderation)
• Goal 4: Moksha
• Release from rebirth to attain freedom from reincarnation, highest purpose in life

Fundamental Hindu Beliefs- Stages of Life

• Primary goal is to escape bondage of ignorance and illusion (maya)
• Achieve this by knowing and understanding your place in life and fulfilling the goals appropriate for your station and stage of life
• Stage 1: Brahmacharin***
  Student stage of life– achieving good karma– reading vedic scriptures, studying, being attentive to studies for school and spirituality
• Stage 2: Grihasta
  Householder stage of life- includes finding a life partner, marriage, kids, work, employment, contribute to society– achieve good karma (be a good spouse and parent, giving back to community)
• Stage 3: Vanaprastha
  Retiree stage of life- people are no longer working, spending more time studying scripture
• Stage 4: Sannyasin
  Renunciate, spiritual focus- someone who lets go of the social world, let go of material things, “hermits”, lives devoted to spiritual world, uncommon for most people (monk, non, clergy), not a social norm, focus is on spiritual pursuits

– follow dharma,