REL2300 B001 June 25th 26th 27th Hinduism The world s most ancient living religion o Most confined to India o Some presence in Sri Lanka o Other countries Approx 800 million Hindus o Probably the 3rd largest religion What do you do to become Hindu How do you become Hindu One MUST be born as Hindu AND into a caste o Implications in wider sense a culture and way of life as opposed to religion in a narrower sense religion culture o Considered the way of life which includes religious thinking ceremonies worship prayers rituals and cultural traditions How can this be explained Origins of Hinduism There is NO such word as Hindu in the sacred books of Hinduism o Hindu was derived from the word Sindhu meaning Indus Valley When Iranians Persians came to India they called the native peoples Hindus Greeks upon learning of them from the Iranians called them Indos rather Indos from which we have the word Indian Thus Hinduism is the way of life thinking customs rites rituals etc of the people of India Sanskrit ancient language of Hindu Original inhabitants of India Monhanjo Dar and Harappa underground cities o Grid like patters brick houses running water sewage system people are shorter no cheek bones darker Peaceful agricultural people Little known about religion probably assimilated by Aryans o Fertility cults phallus of Shiva in later times Came from Asia Minor Turkey and Greece Through Khyber Pass conquered Indus Valley People of India today are product of Dravidians and Aryan Dravidians Aryans o Keeps natural and physical order rita intact parallel to the Roman Gob The Religion of the Aryans Dyaus Pitr Indra God of God o God of Rain parallel to Greek God Zeus Varuna natural order Ouranos God of Nature Rudra and Marut o Winds and storms respectively 92 F Angi Soma o God of Fire most worshiped and cherished God o God of Drink by which one can gain immortality amarat Gods are placed into three realms 1 Celestial 2 Atmospheric 3 Terrestrial Akash ether 3 3 million Gods Hindu Scriptures Sacred Books 1 Vedas written c 1500 BCE 2 Upanishads written c 500 BCE 3 Epic Literature Mahabharata Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana written c 100 CE 4 Rishis The Vedas Vedas means Knowledge There are four 1 Rig Veda 2 Yajur Veda 3 Sama Veda 4 Atharva Veda Rig Veda Rig means praise Rig Veda contains the praise of Gods devas 1028 in number hymns in the praise of Gods Aryans placed themselves into three upper castes ad Dravidians into lowest o Based on Varna meaning color specifically skin color In Rig Veda Brahman says o I created Brahmins from my mouth Chaitryas from my arms Vaishyas from my thighs and Shudras from my feet Economic class division part of religion 1 Brahmin Priestly class religious authority 2 Chaitrya Rulers kings defend country 3 Vaishya tradesmen farmers serve people 4 Shudras manual laborers also include Parayas untouchable Chandlas illegitimate children Contains hymns to be recited during sacrificial ceremony Instructions on how to carry out rituals Contains hymns to be chanted with appropriate music Anisha respect for life Contains spells against demons protection from sickness snakes etc Emphasizes house worship how priest should visit home help carry out religious o He should also act as a medicine man To sit under tree with Guru Swami and Sadhu Written c 500 BCE 128 books or chapters Written in prose and poetry By different people at different times Emphasize meditations fasting silence avoidance of sex etc Written in reaction to Vedas o Reject priestly class o Don t give importance to too many Gods rituals and sacrifices o Hinduism had become too ritualistic Caste in Rig Veda Yajur Veda Sama Veda Atharva Veda ceremonies The Upanishads o Infinite eternal unchanging pure consciousness o TAT TVAM ASI Thou art that o NETI NETI It is neither this nor that Atman o Translated as self soul or consciousness o Also eternal unchanging unborn and undying god is transcendental Key Concepts of Hinduism Brahman Key Concepts continued Moksha o Highest goal of life o Atman becoming one with Brahman o Release from cycle of birth and death Reincarnation Avatra o Being born again and again till one achieves moksha Maya Dharma Karma o Physical and moral order created by Brahman o Doing good deeds according to Dharma Yoga Union with God o Illusion referring to this empirical world of sense perception and thought 1 Karma Yoga doing good deeds without expecting rewards 2 Jnana Yoga knowing Brahman as different from Maya 3 Bhakti Yoga concentration only on Brahman becoming indifferent to anything Four Stages of Life 1 Student Life 2 Household Life 3 Forest Life 4 Samyasin 1 Student Life After religions initiation one leaves the house around the age of 7 in order to learn scriptures rituals and other duties from a teacher Guru 2 Household Life Approximately from age 14 to 40 One assumes social responsibilities by o Marrying o Having a baby o Making a living 3 Forest Life After 40 start devoting more time to Brahman Retiring to live in the forest Relieving himself of social obligations 4 Samyasin Life Complete devotion to Brahman Freed from any worldly possessions and properties Freed from other social obligations The Bhagavad Gita Most sacred book of Hindus Bhagavad Gita forms 18 Chapters 2543 of the Mahabhrata the largest epic ever written o Means Songs of God Main theme is that ALL Gods are simply incarnations of Brahman They all are millions of faces of Brahman Whichever God you worship whether it is Indra Agni Shiva or Vishnu you are worshipping Brahman Main characters of B G are Arjuna and Krishna an incarnation of Vishnu o Arjuna is a prince Chatriya caste from the family of Pandavas o His family is in conflict with the Kaurvas Krishna advices Arjuna to fight because 1 It is his caste duty 2 Atman is eternal The slayer thinks he slays the slain thinks that he is being slayed They are fools They do not know anything 3 The throne belongs to Arjuna rightly and he must fight for what is just o B G speaks for four yogas with slight modification from the Upanisha NEW Raja Yoga 1 Brahman understood as the Creator is Brahma 2 Brahman understood as the Preserver is Vishnu 3 Brahman understood as the Destroyer one who changes things from one form Brahman as God Trimurti Is the only God others are his incarnations to another is Shiva Essentials of Hinduism Make this important distinction o Brahma God o Brahma Creator o Brahmin Priestly caste Hindu Daily life o Hindu worship puja Mandir o Offerings o Japa and tapa Sects