Religion Midterm exam reviewHinduism:Origins of Hinduism/ Vedic Hinduism- Indo-Europeans were Aryans (central Iran/Turkey)- Vedas: earliest surviving Indo-European composition. 4 Vedic collections (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva) consist of 4 sections; hymns, directions for rituals,compositions for the forest, philosophical works- Upanishads are most recent collection. - Rig mentions diety Narayana (Vishnu) and Sri (Lakshmi)- Earliest hymns (samhitas) address many gods like Varuna. Agni (god of fire) was seen as a messenger between human beings and the deities. Soma (moon). Saraswati (goddess of River) identified with Vac (speech/ mother of Vedas)- Early hymns ask for good happy life not salvation- Yajna- ritual sacrifice. Usually with fire (Agni) Involved soma (drink)- Rta connection between the rituals and the prevalence of cosmic and earthly order. Truth and justice, the rightness of things. Upheld by Varuna- Origin of the four classes (varnas) trace to cosmic sacrifice of the cosmic person. Purusha Sukta- hymn of the supreme person- Upanishads rethink and reformulate early hymns and sacrificial ritualso Karma (action) system of rewards and punishments linked to various actions people do. Implies continuous cycle of life and death (samsara) The goal is to achieve liberation from this cycle (moksha) and attain wisdom to become immortal (a-mrta)o Search for unifying truth- Relationship between Atman (soul) and Brahman (Supreme Being) - Brahman is associated with truth (satya), knowledge (jnana), infinity (anata),consciousness (chit), bliss (ananda)- Upanishads suggest the connection between Atman and Brahman and do not specify. - Brahmins- priestly class in Hindu traditionClassical Hinduism- Smrti- composed after the Vedaso Epics (itihasas)o Ancient stories (puranas)o Codes of law and ethics (dharmasastras)- Two most important epics: Ramayana and Mahabharatao Ramayana Centered around prince Rama who goes into exile. His wife Sitais captured by Ravana the demon king. Rama returns and is crowned king. Begins Ram rajya (Kingdom of Rama) Rama is ideal son and husbando Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita- 100,000 verses. Longest poem - Bhagavad Gita (copies of extract) of the conversation between Krishna and Arjuna- Story of the great struggle among the descendants of king Bharata.- Krishna (9th incarnation of Vishnu) picks to side with Pandavas- Gita (holiest book) teaches loving devoton to the lord and the importance of selfless action as Krishna instructs Arjuna on thenature of God and the human soul and how to reach liberation- Krishna is the supreme being- The thee ways to Liberation (each way [marga] is a discipline [yoga]o The way of action (karma yoga) is the path of unselfish duty performed neither in fear of punishment of in hope of reward. Krishna urges Arjuna to act without attachment to the consequences in the Gita. o Way of knowledge (jnana yoga) through scriptural knowledge, one may achieve a transforming wisdom that also destroys one’s past karmao Way of devotion (bhakti yoga) most emphasized in the Gita. Surrender to the lord, he will forgive all our sins- Deities of Classical Hinduismo From Gupta era onward, three deities become prominent: Vishnu, Shiva and Devi (the Goddess)o Vishnu rids world of evil and establishes dharma. First reincarnation as a fish. 10 reincarnations in total. o Shiva god of creation and destructiono Devi (the Goddess) wife of Shiva. Puranas envision the cosmos as moving through cycles of creation and destruction known as the days and nights of Brahma: a creator god who is a minor god. The Dharmashastras and Hindu Philosophy Caste and the “Laws of Manu”- Dharmashastra: treaties on the nature of righteousness, moral duty, and law. Foundation for later Hindu laws. o Most famous is the Manava Dharmasatra- attributed to the primordial man that Vishnu saved from the flood.- Caste signifies both the four broad varnas and the minutely divided jatis. Jati- birth groups (caste) varna (class)- Varnashrama-dharma- duties performed according to the system of varna and four ashrams The stages and goals of life- Four stages of life (ashramas) for maleso Studenthoodo Repay debts and support family and other studentso Retire to the forest and live a simple life devoted to recitation of the Vedaso Elderly man renounce the material world altogether and take up theascetic life of a samnyasin Vedanta- most important philosophical school of Hindu tradition (end of the Vedas) Shankara- most important interpreter of Vedanta- Human beings can still achieve liberation while embodied- 3 levels of reality (discussed illusion) Yoga- Physical and mental discipline through which one “yokes” ones spirit to a god- Classic yoga text is a collection of short aproristic garments called the Yoga Sutra - Patanjali’s yoga is a system of moral, mental and physical discipline and meditation with a particular object, either physical or mental, as the single point of focus- Learn to detach the mind from the domination of external sensory stimuli Tantra- Body of ritual practices- Developed its own form of yoga known as kundalini Bhakti- Use of the vernacular language for devotion- Differentiations between north and south are: o South bhakti was generally addressed to a particular deityo North bhakti the object of devotion could be a less specific, even formless, divine beingHindu Gods and Goddesses- Shiva- covered in ash, the creator and destroyer- Vishnu- rids world of evil, establishes dharma. Colored blue like water filled clouds. First incarnation is a fish who warns man of flood- Rama- 7th incarnation of Vishnu. Ideal man and perfect human. Fights demon lord- Krishna- 9th incarnation of Vishnu, in the Gitas and describes the three paths of liberation- Hanuman- devoted to Rama. Monkey god- Lakshmi- light and wisdom- Kali- the Goddess. Shiva’s wife. Pictured holding severed heads. Fucking evil. Time, Death, ChangeHindu Rites, Rituals, and Festivals- Utilize the sacred Om- Temple worshipo No congregational prayero Hold regular festivals commemorating events in local mythso At the center of the temple is the garbha grha “womb house” where the god or goddess is enshrined. This is where the spiritual regeneration or rebirth is belived to take place.o Emphasis is on seeing the deity (as important as hearing the sacred words of Hindu scripture) In south Indians temples, devotees are not permitted to go beyond the threshold of the
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