Week 2 Hinduism Jainism Review of Week 1

Week 2 – Hinduism & Jainism

Review of Week 1 Why is it important to study other religions? – Global workplace – People from other religions see the world differently than you do

Overview of Week 2 Explain how Hinduism developed into a religion. Describe the major tenets of the Hindu belief system.

Hinduism The world’s oldest religion, has no beginning—it precedes recorded history Has no human founder Is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one

Development of Hinduism Has been practiced in India since at least 3000 BCE Originated around the Indus river valley – ‘Hindu’ is derived from ‘Indus’ – Used by the British to describe a great variety of religious practices – Not a native term Santana Dharma – Eternal Truth

Hinduism It was not started as a system, like Islam or Christianity It is the product of the seers of the Vedas. It was developed from age to age by the teachings of Avataras, Rishis, Vedas, the Upanishads, the Gita and the Itihasas Hinduism is also known by the names Sanatana Dharma and Vaidika Dharma – Sanatana Dharma means eternal religion, the Ancient Law – Vaidika Dharma means the religion of the Vedas. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of Hinduism.

Stages of Hinduism Nature worshiping with prayers, chants, and sacred formulas -- ~ time of the Aryan invasion and the blending of religions Priestly Hinduism with the Brahmanas and a focus on sacrifice ~1000 – 800 BC(E) Philosophic Hinduism with the development of the Upanishads ~800 – 600 BC(E) Legalistic Hinduism with the Code of Manu & stress upon obedience to a law ~250 BC(E) Devotional Hinduism as exemplified in the Bhavagad. Vita 1 st century AD (CE) Popular Hinduism with temples, shrines, sacred places, pilgrimages, belief in transmigration since 1 st century Comparison of World Religions. Heydt. 1967. (P. 18 -19).

Background - Pantheon The holy Hindu scriptures, the Veda, propound the idea of 33 principal deities in the earlier Hindu pantheon. Because of a mistranslation this has sometimes been interpreted as 330 million – the word for ‘types or kinds’ and the word for 10 million (crore) are the same. This, naturally has lead to accusations of rampantheism when it really means that the One God had 33 distinct aspects, all with separate images and functions. The elements of World Religions. Flowers. 1997. (P. 71).

Historical Figures Rishis – the ‘forest seers’ – Wrote down the Vedas – Vyasa- mythical (? ) compiler/author of Vedas Shankara ‘All plurality and differentiation is nothing but an Illusion. ’

Mahatmas (Great-Souled One) Gandhi

Background – Central Tenets Central tenets of Hinduism: Everything in existence is an expression of God The proper aim of anyone’s life is to come close, realize, and merge with God World delights are temptations that divert the person from pursuing his true purpose of coming near to God The elements of World Religions. Flowers. 1997.

Hinduism: Central Beliefs Plurality of Beliefs Cyclical nature of universe – Creation and destruction Brahman Reincarnation (samsara) Karma Goal of human life: moksha

Commonalities 1. Have deep roots in the Vedas and other scriptures but also in direct personal experiences of the truth through meditation. 2. Hold ethics to be central to orderly social life. They attribute suffering to the law of karma, thereby suggesting incentives to more ethical behavior. 3. Hold that the ultimate cause of suffering is people’s ignorance of their true nature, the Self, which is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, perfect, and eternal.

Hinduism Who is a Hindu? “Acceptance of the Vedas with reverence; recognition of the fact that the means or ways to salvation are diverse; and the realization of the truth that the number of gods to be worshiped is large, that indeed is the distinguishing feature of the Hindu religion. ” -India’s Supreme Court, 1995

Indian Supreme court definition of Hinduism The Indian Supreme court has formally defined Hindu beliefs in a way that affirms universality rather than exclusiveness. According to the Court’s definition, to be a Hindu means: – 1. Acceptance and reverence for the Vedas as the foundation of Hindu philosophy; – 2. A spirit of tolerance, and willingness to understand appreciate others’ points of view, recognizing that truth has many sides; – 3. Acceptance of the belief that vast cosmic periods of creation, maintenance, and dissolution continuously recur; – 4. Acceptance of belief in reincarnation; – 5. Recognition that paths to truth and salvation are many; – 6. Recognition that there may be numerous gods and goddesses to worship, without necessarily believing in worship through idols; – 7. Unlike other religions, absence of belief in a specific set of philosophic concepts

Nature of the Divine Brahman – The ultimate reality behind all things Impersonal and beyond description; without attributes; indescribable Or – manifest in a personal way, as in a particular deity (such as Siva, Krishna, or Vishnu)

The Godhead Upanishads first suggested the idea of a God (Brahman) without form (akara) or quality (guna) around 6 th century AD (CE) Therefore the godhead must be represented by aspects The Trimurti (3 major aspects): Brahma – creative aspect of Brahman Consort is Sarawati goddess of Arts and Learning Vishnu – preserver aspect of Brahman Consort is Laxmi goddess of Good Fortune Rama and Krishna are avatars of Vishnu Shiva – destroyer aspect of Brahman, also fertility and regeneration Consort is Parvati who is worshiped in two forms Benign form worshiped as Shakti – Mother Goddess Destructive form worshiped as Durga or Kali – who demands blood sacrifice Both aspects combined form the dualistic play of cosmic forces

Trimurti or Triad Brahma, the Creator god – Balance between Vishnu and Shiva Vishnu, the Protector god Shiva, the Destroyer god – Vishnu and Shiva represent opposite forces

Brahma, the Creator Brahma is depicted as red in color with four heads, bearded faces, and four arms His hands hold a kamandalu, his bow or a rosary, a sacrificial ladle, and the Vedas. Brahma is sometimes depicted as sitting on a lotus. The four Vedas are said to have originated from his head. The four castes (see Varna) are also believed to have originated from Brahma: the Brahmins from his head, the Kshatriyas from his arms, the Vaishyas from his thighs, and the Shudras from his feet.

Vishnu

Siva

Vedic gods Surya, the Sun god – Surya is linked with Agni and Vayu Agni, the Fire god – Was one of the most popular of the Vedic deities – He acted as a mediator between gods and humans which often involved aburning a sacrifice to the gods Indra, the Warrior leader – He would lead the Vedic gods in battles against demons – He was strong, brave and a great eater and drinker Vayu, the god of the air and wind – Often linked with Indra and his chariot – Involved in conflicts with Vishnu Varuna, the god of the sky and water – He is all-knowing and all-seeing and king of the Vedic gods – He had the power to punish sins – To please him one had to lead a virtuous life

Vishnu, the Protector Vishnu, the Preserver God, is the protector of dharma (righteousness) and the guardian of humanity His particular task is the conservation or preservation of the Divine Order in the world Vishnu has had 10 avatars or incarnations He assumes these and comes down to earth in order to help humanity In reliefs, sculptures, and paintings Vishnu is shown possessing 4 arms and has a long and narrow sign in the shape of a U inscribed on his forehead His followers wear the same sign.

Avatars of Vishnu Matsya, the fish avatar Kurma, the tortoise avatar Varaha, the boar avatar Narasimha, the half-man, half-lion avatar Vamana, the dwarf avatar Parashurama, “Rama with the axe” avatar Rama, the Lord Rama avatar Krishna, demon king Kamsa avatar Buddha, ninth avatar Kalki, the Final avatar

Shiva, the Destroyer Shiva sits on Mount Kailasa in silent meditation He is the king of yogis and the original teacher of spiritual science The message of Shiva for the spiritual seeker is to become one with Shiva's consciousness by meditating within to experience the Absolute

Shakti, the Female Aspect of the gods Sarasvati, the consort of Brahma Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu Shiva’s consorts take on many forms – Parvati, the benign – Durga, the fearsome

Sarasvati, the consort of Lord Brahma, is the Hindu goddess of learning and the creative arts. With two of her four hands, she plays upon a stringed instrument called a veena; her third hand holds a sacred book; and the fourth, which bears a rosary, is raised in blessing. She is usually depicted seated on a white swan or a peacock.

Sarasvati is the Hindu Goddess of all arts: music, painting, sculpture, dance, and writing. She is credited with presenting the gift of writing to mankind so that her songs could be written down and preserved. Sarasvati is often depicted on the back of a swan or peacock, and with four arms, with which she plays the lute or drum and bestows jeweled blessings. She is the Goddess of eloquence, and words pour from her like a sweetly flowing river. One myth of this Goddess is that She is a jealous rival of the Goddess of wealth, Lakshmi, and that pursuing wealth alone will assure that Sarasvati's gifts will desert you. Sarasvati

Lakshmi is the goddess of wealth. She is also called 'Sri' ' Money, grain, cattle, land, gold, and silver are forms of wealth. Everybody worships Lakshmi because one gets wealth if Lakshmi grants it. Wife of Vishnu. In different incarnations of Vishnu she married Sri Rama as Sita, Sri Krishna as Rukmini and Sri Venkateshwara as Padmavati. Devotees believe that Lakshmi resides in a place where virtue, righteousness, truth and compassion prevail.

Parvati, the Benign Consort of Lord Shiva. By rigorous penance she won over Shiva, himself a great ascetic. Mother of Shanmukha and Ganesha. By becoming the wife of Shiva she paved the way for the spread of peace and felicity in the world.

Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati He is the god of good luck People pray to him to remove any obstacles they might face, especially before new undertakings such as moving, marriage or exams

Hinduism A. Scriptures 1. Vedas 2. Upanishads 3. Bhagavad Gita 4. Puranas

Sacred Texts Vedas – Shruti and Smriti Four collections of texts (Shruti) – Rig-Veda, Sama-Veda, Yajur-Veda, and Arthava. Veda Mostly hymns and rituals Upanishads – last of the Vedas – a shift to a more internal and speculative religion with the introduction of reincarnation and the importance of moksha

Sacred Texts Mahabharata, Ramayana & Code of Manu – Epic poems – Mahabharata is loooooong… – Ramanya contains the Bhagavad Gita Establishes Rama as the model for Hindu life Grounds for Bhakti – intense personal devotion to a particular deity – Code of Manu: laws governing all aspects of life, including the proper conduct of rulers, dietary restrictions, marriage laws, daily rituals, purification rites, social laws, and ethical guidance. [around 100 A. D. ]

Ritual and Practice Bhakti – Great variety of expressions of devotion, depending on which deity one is devoted to. “The Hindu mind is averse to assigning an unalterable or rigidly fixed form or name to the deity. Hence it is that in Hinduism we have innumerable god-forms and countless divine names. And, it is a truth that is recognized by all Hindus that obeisance offered to any of these forms and names reaches the one supreme God. ”

Devotional disciplines Yoga – means ‘to yoke. ’ – Spiritual seekers are generally encouraged to engage in disciplines that clear the mind and support a state of serene, detached awareness. This desired state of balance, purity, wisdom, and peacefulness of mind is described as sattvic, in contrast with active, restless states or lethargic, dull states. The practices for increasing sattvic qualities are known collectively as yoga. There are four main yogic paths, suited to different kinds of human personalities—raja, jnana, karma, and bhakti.

4 types of yogic paths Raja yoga – Path of physical disciplines (Western or Hatha yoga) Jhana yoga – Path of knowledge Karma yoga – Path of action Bhakti yoga – Path of devotion

Yogic practices The sacred sound of creation – ‘Om’ – The OM symbol, representing the original sound of creation, is topped by the sun and the moon, harmonized opposites. To chant OM is to commune with this cosmic sound vibration.

Hindu practices Purification Pilgrimage Holy Days – Divali – Holi Asceticism

Hindu Ethics and Morality Karma – Our actions have consequences, good or bad – Very strong moral teaching Code of Manu – describes the four basic goals that motivate humans: pleasure, gain, righteousness and liberation. – Although each goal has its rightful place, all but the last (liberation) will exhaust themselves. To move closer to liberation from the cycle of life and death, individuals must follow the highest principle (dharma) in themselves. They must hold the family sacred and commit themselves to their community with compassion and non-harmfulness.

4 Concepts of Morality CODE OF MANU 4 Main reasons for all human actions: – Dharma – to do what is right according to religious and moral principles, age, education, occupation, and social caste (varna) with different obligations depending on social class – Artha – acquisition of wealth to support your family and to make their lives comfortable – Kama – enjoyment of the physical pleasures that life has to offer – Moksha – aiming for liberation from the endless cycles of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) and achieving oneness with God

Hindu practices Cremation – Since only the soul survives death, most bodies are cremated, and the ashes are often scattered on sacred rivers Chanting – Specified verbal formulas, sacred chants, (called mantras) and sacred actions were to be used by the priests to invoke the breath behind all of existence

Caste System There are 4 castes; 1. Brahmans – priestly and intellectual caste 2. Kshatriyas – governing and military caste 3. Vaisya – merchant and agricultural caste 4. Sudras – the artisan and laboring caste A non-caste is the untouchables whose primary duty is management of dead animals and people

Hindu Ethics and Morality Caste system – Fought against by Gandhi – Not formally recognized by Indian Government – Still very prevalent

Nine Beliefs of Hinduism 1. In the divinity of the Vedas, the world’s most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God’s word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end. 2. In a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. 3. That the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution. 4. In karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.

Nine Beliefs of Hinduism 5. That the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny. 6. That divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods. 7. That a spiritually awakened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation. 8. That all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, “noninjury. ” 9. That no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God’s Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

Four Facts of Hinduism Karma – Karma is what the soul undergoes in one of two ways, according to whether its actions are virtuous or not; but both kinds subsist until the end of enjoyment in this world. -Svayambu Agama Reincarnation – Through his past works he shall return once more to birth, entering whatever form his heart is set on. This mighty soul unborn grows not old, nor dies, for the soul is immortal and fearless. -Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

Four Facts of Hinduism Dharma – May noble wisdom come to us from all sides, undeceived, unhindered, overflowing, so that the Devas may always help us onward, unceasing is their care, our Guardians day by day. -Rig Veda Worship – Offering of perfumed substances, flowers, incense, lamps and fresh fruit-these are the five elements of the traditional puja which culminates with offering of the lamps. -Kamika Agama

Another Indian Religion : Jainism is one of the world's oldest religions. Much of its history is unknown. Two main parts Ahimsa (non-violence) and Aparigtaha (self-control). Jainism teaching remained predominantly in India

Jainism Not based on the Vedas – Some say predate the Vedas Doesn’t acknowledge castes Approximately 6 million followers worldwide From the word ‘jina’ or winner – one who has ‘won’ over the passions

Jain beliefs Reincarnation Karma – Sees karma as ‘subtle matter’ – Something to avoid accumulating Non-violence Non-attachment Non-absolutism Asceticism (especially among monks) Vegetarianism No personal deity Self is maya, an illusion

Background of JAINISM Mahavira (Great Hero) was the teacher for the current age and of Kshatriya clan like Buddha Lived in the mid 6 th century BC(E) and was contemporary of Buddha. Died ~527 Son of minor Raja and renounced life at 30. Spent 12 years of meditation, silence, and extreme deprivation to achieve moksha Taught for 30 years before his death Last in the line of 24 teachers or Tirthankarasford-finders/makers, kevalins-single ones, jinas-conquerors

The Human Cycles Universe without beginning or end – like Hinduism, but human progress is cyclical Humans are happy, long-lived, and virtuous and do not need religion Then humans look to elders for guidance and direction as things begin to deteriorate Finally Tirthankaras must come to establish religion and help guide humanity away from growing evil

Tirthankaras First Lord Rishabha who established social institutions like marriage, family, law, justice, government, arts of agriculture, crafts, reading, writing, & mathematics 22 nd cousin of Lord Krishna who refused to marry because of the slaughter of so many animals for the wedding celebration – became an ascetic. 23 rd lived ~877 -777 BC(E) was an extreme ascetic and great preacher 24 th was Mahavira who is portrayed as sinless, omniscient, pre-existent, and descended from heaven

Split with the Religion 310 BC(E) ~12000 priests moved into southern India where they discarded all clothing for the duration of the 12 year famine Upon returning the found 2 major changes that split religion – Loosening of requirements about nudity – Convening of council to establish canon of 45 books Digambaras (sky clad) do not accept changes believe women can not reach highest heaven or lowest hell Svetambaras (white clad) believe women are able to obtain liberation without being reborn male, also believe 19 th Tirthankaras was female Islam invaded India and required Digambaras to wear loin-clothes

Mahavira’s 5 Vows Prohibition against: 1. Killing 2. Lying 3. Stealing 4. Sexual pleasures 5. Attachment to anything

Accumulating Karma – defined as subtle matter that we acquire as we think and act –there are 3 approaches which help limit accumulation Ahimsa – principle of non-violence Aparigraha – principle of non-attachment Anekantwad – principle of relativism

Observations about Jain Beliefs Best practiced as priests/priestess (full time for best results) Universe is eternal and run by certain specific natural principles Supernatural beings subject to same ignoble passions as humans Transmigration is instantaneous Kevala is the state of liberation and the person exists with boundless vision, infinite righteousness, perfect bliss, existence without form Jains have high ethical standards Tirthankaras are elevated above the human plane and as such are not available as helpers Liberation from samsara is the result of personal effort There are ~6, 000 Jains Jain scriptures consider all who practice Jain principles as Jains