World Religions:Hinduism: The Persian version of “Sindhu”, the Sanskrit word for River

Basics of Hinduism Founder: None (So ancient that it can’t be traced back) When: 2500 BCE

1500 BCE written Where: IndiaGod: Brahma (One great reality) Text: Vedas; Upanishads; Mahabharata; Gita – Written

in Sanskrit Tradition: Considered a Religious Tradition more than a

religion, because there many Hinduisms. Sects: NoneStructures: Temples

Basics of Hinduism Beliefs:

Everything is part of BrahmaLife results from karma (previous life and deeds); Reincarnation (moksha) ends through dharma.

Practices: Follow dharma; puja (worship); yoga; meditation.

Life Purpose: Follow dharma; do not harm living things.

Clergy: Brahman priesthood Vegetarianism is personal choice.

Origins of Hinduism: 15,000– 800BCE

Developed in the Indus River Valley, where settlements date back to 15,000 BC (Modern day Pakistan)

Began as a pagan religion 5,000-8,000 years ago: Worshipped a pantheon of Spirits who controlled nature.

This period brought: Vedas (the holy books which describe proper rituals) and Priests (who enacted the rituals)

Vedas: Guides to ritual worship (not historical books) Thought to be complete texts by 1200BC

Origins of Hinduism: 800BCE – 100 CE

800BC: increasing abuse by Brahmin priests triggered a reformation of Vedic Hinduism.

Reforms included: Shift from emphasis on rituals to a meditative style

of worshipNew form of literature: Upanishads (highlighted

oneness with spirit world) Focus on Brahman: the unity of all existence.

Origins of Hinduism: 800BCE – 100 CE

Focus on Maya: the mental prison that prevents people from encountering the underlying reality of Brahman. For Hindus, sin is not immoral behavior, but

ignorance of the real nature of existence. Focus on Yoga: A way to release oneself from the

world to glimpse BrahmanTwo types of Hindu monasticism develop: Jainism

and Buddhism

Origins of Hinduism: 100 CE –Present

With Buddhism and Jainism becoming religions in their own right, Hinduism experienced a period of decline around the turn of the millennia.

100CE: The start of “Classical Hinduism”: what is practiced today

The Ramayana and the Mahabharata, 2 epic poems were written

Worshippers began expressing loyalty to particular incarnations of Brahman, known as bhakti (gods and goddesses)

Brahman has no gender associations, is never represented in human terms, and is not the object of bhakti.

Three ways to unite with Brahman through: 1. knowledge from study and contemplation 2. Action known as Karma 3. Acts of devotion and self-surrender to a particular

incarnation of Brahman (bhakti). In Bhagavid Gita, Krishna shows preference to #3, because

people of accessibility to all classes.

Origins of Hinduism: 100 CE –Present

Familiar Hindu ConceptsGuru: Someone with specialized knowledge. From

Sanskrit, meaning destroyer of darkness

Karma: The universe’s way of teaching us to take responsibility for our thoughts and actions. Result is not felt in this lifetime: doing good deeds helps you attain a higher spiritual form in the next reincarnation

Reincarnation: Each human has a core entity: atman (individual self) that undergoes a series of incarnations before finally rejoining Brahman or Universal Self.

What are the Sacred Texts?

Shruti (“heard”) – oldest, most authoritative: Four Vedas (“truth”) – myths, rituals, chants Upanishads - metaphysical speculation Plus other texts

Smriti (“remembered”) – the Great Indian Epics: Ramayana Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-Gita) Plus others

Four Goals of Human LifeKama – fulfillment of

desires

Artha – accumulation of wealth

Dharma – performance of social and religious duties

Moksha – freedom from want, salvation

Life in this worldRespect for all life – vegetarianism

Human life as supreme:Four “stations” of life (Caste) - priests &

teachers, nobles & warriors, merchant class, servant class

Four stages of life – student, householder, retired, yogi

Four duties of life – pleasure, success, social responsibilities, religious responsibilities (moksha)

Spiritual PracticesThe Four Yogas - seeking union with the

divine: Karma Yoga – the path of righteous action through

selfless service (releases built up karma without building up new karma)

Jnana Yoga – the path of rational inquiry/knowledge (understanding the true nature of reality and the self)

Raja Yoga – the path of meditation Bhakti Yoga – the path of selfless devotion

Guru – a spiritual teacher, especially helpful for Jnana and Raja yoga

WorshipBhakti Yoga is seeking union with the divine

through loving devotion to manifest deities In the Home (household shrines) In the Temples (priests officiate).

Puja: making offerings to and decorating the deity images

Darsan – “seeing” the deity (not idol worship)

Prasad – taking the divine within your own being through eating of food shared with the deity

Hindu Concept of GodNirguna Brahman - God

without attributes

Saguna Brahman - God with attributes

Saguna Brahman can be worshipped in any shape or form, human or otherwise.

Hindu’s Major Gods

Brahma, the creator god (the generator)

Vishnu, the preserver and protector god

Incarnates as ten avatars (descents) including:• Rama (featured in the

Ramayana)• Krishna (featured in the

Mahabharata)

Hindu’s Major Gods

Shiva, god of constructive destruction(the transformer)Appears as Shiva Nataraj, Lord of

the dance of creation and with his wife, Parvati, and son Ganesha ( the elephant-headed remover of obstacles)

Hindu’s Major Gods

Hindu Goddesses (Devi)

Saraswati - goddess of wisdom• consort of Brahma

Parvati, divine mother• wife of Shiva

Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune• Consort of Vishnu

Durga: The protectress

Kali, the destroyer of demons

Plus about 330 million other deities

Hindu Goddesses (Devi)

All these deities are but Manifest forms (attributes and functions) of the impersonal Brahman.

We are manifest forms of God!

“We are not human beingshaving spiritual experiences;We are spiritual beingshaving a human experience!”

Hinduism is about recognizing the all-pervasiveness of the divine.

Cows! Vegetarianism stems from principle of ahimsa: do no harm

The wish to avoid bad karma by killing a defenseless creature

Tradition: Childhood story of Krishna, an incarnation of the god Vishnu: Young Krishna appealed to cow herders to stop eating cows because they provided their livelihood.

Great Respect for Mothers and Milk. Dairy Products are considered to promote spiritual, intellectual

and physical health

In Daily Life, Cow Provides: labor for pulling carts, fertilizer, fuel, cooking (thru droppings)

Temple Worshipan atmosphere

conducive for spiritual progress

Centers of social and cultural activities

a place for collective worship and prayers