Hinduism

What is Hinduism? What is Hinduism?: Hinduism is the world's oldest extant

religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world's third largest religion.

REINCARNATION ideas and practices that originated in

India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation,

BRAHMAN one absolute being of multiple

manifestations,.

One GOD with various manifestations. Within Hinduism a large number of

personal gods are worshipped as murtis. These beings are either aspects of the supreme Brahman, avatars of the supreme being, or significantly powerful entities known as

devas. In total, there are 330 thousand of these

supernatural beings in various Hindu traditions.

One God with many manifestations….like krishna.

RELIGIOUS SACRED TEXTS The VEDAS recited as Mantras

Purusha The Cosmic Man

The Self that Pervades the Universe The Gods are the many “facets” of

Purusha

PURUSHA Dismembered by the DEVAS

(gods/goddesses) Mind = Moon Eyes = Sun Breath = Wind

Purusha From his dismembered body come the World

and Castes MOUTH = Brahamin (Priests and Teachers of

the Law) ARMS = Ksatriya (Monarchs and Ruling Class) THIGHS = Vaisyras (Cattle-herders,

merchant-traders, farmers and some artisan castes)

FEET = Sudra (labourers, some farming castes and other artisan castes)

What of the Dalit? Dalit = the unmentioned “fifth” caste:

Suppressed, crushed, ground. Considered of “mixed race” hence, outcast,

Do work ritually impure: Butchering Removal of rubbish, animal carcasses, wastes Manual labourers cleaning streets, latrines

sewers. Pollution considered contagious, hence segregated and banned from social life.

SAMSKARAS/ LIFE JOURNEY RITUALS SAMSKARAS/ What do they do?

CONSTRUCT ACCOMPSH PERFECT REFINE

RITUALS: CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF ONE STAGE OF LIFE AND ACCOMPLISH SUCCESSFUL PASSAGE TO ANOTHER.

8 sacred rituals Naming …………………………..

Solid Food…

Ear Piercing …………………

8 sacred rituals

Head Shaving …………………………

Beginning Education…………

Sacred Thread (adolescence) …………………………..

8 sacred rituals Marriage………………….

Death….

CONTEMPORARY “SAMSKARA” RITUAL ADVANCEMENT OF A LIFE-BODY

FROM Moment of conception To immediately beyond bodily death.

Why? Refinement of life body by elimination of “impurities”. Attention to previous life and passage from body to body.

FINAL SAMSKARA: DISPOSAL OF BODY. FINAL SAMSKARA = ANTYESTI: final

sacrifice. WHAT IS SACRIFICED? THE DECEASED PERSON?

ELIMINATES IMPURITIES OF THE LIFE BODY

CONSTRUCTS ANOTHER BODY FOR ANOTHER BIRTH

The body and the spirit The Soul can never exist without some

sort of body. The death ritual helps to develop an Thumb sized“air body” which gives way to the forearm sized “preta body” and then to the full grown glorified (pitr) body.

Hindu Funerals http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMOJXPizC5E

Therapeutic and consoling to prepare body: Body not embalmed or cosmeticized.

A Hindu funeral in the West: http://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8THoiDZhblQ

Karma & Reincarnation

Karma Human actions produce results for good

or bad. You make yourself what you become and by your actions you become what you make yourself: eg. Dorian Grayhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8THoiDZhblQ

SAMSARA THE POTENTIALLY ENDLESS PROCESS OF

BIRTH DEATH, REBIRTH AND RE-DEATH

MOKSHA = Liberation From cycle of birth and death. Heaven

and Hell not eternal….only as long as merited.

Moksha not the most urgent personal ambition of every Hindu

Four aims Pleasure: aesthetic, erotic, sensual Success: economic and social Duty: social responsibilities and

obligations Moksha: liberation and release from

birth and death and all embodiments.

Four stages of life are Student Householder Forest dweller Sunyasin or enlightened renunciant.

Life movement? From aim to aim & stage to stage. Not all aims are appropriate at all

stages. Householder: marriage, career, family

Pleasure: Sacred literature on pursuit of erotic pleasure. Kama sutra.

Success Social obligations

Is Moksha or seeking ‘release’ from re-incarnation the final aim of all? NO! Since life is pleasurable and there

is an infinity of life-times there is an infinity of pleasure and hopes for the next life-time.

So the life of the ascetic, and renunciant who seeks freedom is not popular!

What is most popular form of religious practice? DEVOTIONAL THEISM …. Many ways to

freedom. MOKSHA IS ATTAINABLE BY GOD’S GRACE

THROUGH FAITH. It is God’s presence. It is deep dreamless sleep, no pain, no

suffering. It is pure consciousness, direct awareness

of infinite depth of one’s own being.

Who are the most famous practitioners of modern Hinduism? Sri RAMAKRISHNA Paramhansa (1836 –

1886) Narendra Dutta aka Swami Vivekenanda

(1863-1902) Mohandas Gandhi (1869 – 1948) aka the

Mahatma Gandhi

Mystical & Practical Hinduism Rama Krishna:

Called for ethical conduct Direct mystical illumination. Direct rapturous devotion/to God and the

Goddess Kali

Swami Vivekenanda Socially engaged Hinduisim A tolerant faith In 1893 Takes Ramakrishna’s message

to the West with a famous talk in Chicago at the “World Parliament of Religions” 1893.

Mohandas K. Gandhi Primacy of conscience over text Dialogue with other faiths Satygraha or non-violent resistance. Non-violence ahimsa Against the caste system.