Transcript Hinduism

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Section 1: The Human Condition
 What is the human condition?
 What is the cause of the human condition?
Section 2: The goals in life
 What are the goals
 What is the final aim of existence?
Section 3: The means (or path)
 What teachings help to achieve the goals?
 What practices help to achieve the goals?
Diwali, the Festival of Lights
honouring Lakshmi,
Goddess of wealth, in the hope of
a successful year
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Read Introduction on page 1
Like many religions, Hinduism, has many branches (like a tree).
This course is also going to use a tree analogy
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The Human Condition –life is a
journey to union with God but, when
they remain ignorant of this, human
beings suffer and are continually
reborn.
Brahman
Moksha
Jivanmukti
Samadhi
Atman
The Goals - to live a virtuous
life and finally to achieve
Moksha.
The Means – there are many
paths which lead to Moksha.
Brahman also has a role in
the attainment of Moksha.
Samsara
Avidya
Maya
Jiva
Kama
Dharma
Artha
Gunas
God’s Grace
Trimurti
Varnas
Margas
Shruti
Ashramas
Guru, rishi,
swami
Ahimsa
Detachment
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What is the Human Condition? p1
 All life is a journey to union with Brahman
 Until humans achieve this they will continue to suffer (dukkha) and
be reborn (samsara)
 Life is transient; brief and short-lived, ever-changing
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Who or What is Brahman ? p1
 the ultimate reality behind existence
 pure being – sat
 pure consciousness – cit
sat
 pure bliss – ananda
 Saguna – with attributes
 Nirguna – without attributes
cit
ananda
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What aspects of Brahman are represented by the Trimurti ? p3
 Creation – Brahma
 Preserver – Vishnu
 Destroyer – Shiva
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What is the Atman? p6
 The real self.
 The one that is permanent.
 A spark of the divine Brahman
 Hinduism is all about realising the Atman & Brahman are the
same.
 The Atman goes through samsara, and controls moral behaviour
 Moksha ends the Atman’s journey.
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What is the jiva? p6
 Some see jiva as the ‘person’ i.e. body & mind that the atman hides
behind.
 Some see it as impermanent and can’t achieve moksha
 Some see it as ‘attached’ to atman and can achieve moksha
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What is maya? p6
 The grand illusion
 Everyday reality makes false promises of comfort and security
 Liberation will not be achieved until maya is ignored and the Ultimate
reality is understood.
 There is no lasting beauty or possibility of immortality in everyday
reality.
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What is samsara? p7
 Samara literally means ‘continuous
flowing’.
 It is the cycle of birth, death, rebirth that
the soul or atman travels through.
 Samsara is the journey to moksha.
 It can act as a motivation to improve a
person’s life through following their
dharma.
 It is the cycle of life that Hindus strive to
‘escape’ from.
 Reincarnation literally means ‘sea of
change’
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What is karma? p7
 Moral and proper actions
 Ruled by law of cause and effect
 Past karma has affected present circumstances
 Present karma will affect future rebirth
Answers questions on page 6
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What is the cause of the human condition? P9
Attachment, specifically to the self, and ignorance (avidya) of true reality
keep the human soul (atman) trapped in the cycle of birth, death and
rebirth (samsara)
 Attachment to the self (or jiva)
 Avidya; ignorance of the true nature of self and the universe
 Maya (illusion)
 Keeps the atman trapped in samsara
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What is Avidya ? p9
 Ignorance; stops spiritual enlightenment or the union of the
Atman & Brahman.
 Ignorance of the ‘true nature of reality’
 Avidya is kept alive by materialism, Education is not the same
as ‘knowledge’. (see Jnana Yoga)
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What is darshana? p9
 Differing schools of philosophy about the nature of reality.
Samkhya – dualistic: Reality is divided between physical & spiritual
 Physical world remains imbalanced if gunas are imbalanced
 Maya tricks humans into belief that existence is only physical
 Once spiritual aspect is realised the physical will be forgotten
Shankara – non-dualistic: Only one reality – Brahman.
 Maya (illusion) prevents understanding of this
 Only when maya & avidya are overcome will liberation be possible
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What are the gunas? p9
 The 3 categories the world of matter can be divided into
 Sattva: goodness or purity; represents all good and holy aspects of the
world.
 Rajas: passion or energy; represents the active component of the world
 Tamas: dark or inactive; represents negative aspects of the world
 There is peace when the 3 categories are balanced.
 All 3 are present in humans and while they
are imbalanced liberation is not possible.
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What are the goals during life? p11
 To live with intention of improving situation so that better rebirths are
gained until liberation (moksha) is achieved.
 Follow dharma (duties and customs) for varna & jati
 Follow dharma; act in harmony with the laws of the universe
 Pursue kama
 Pursue artha
 Achieve moksha (liberation)
 Of the four goals only Moksha is permanent; the other three are
temporary and corruptible
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What Is Dharma? p11
 Right Conduct – behave yourself, duty of your caste/varna
and your obligation or responsibility to society.
 Religious or moral duty relating to specific varna and stage
in life.
 It gives order & harmony to the world and the universe
 Affects a person’s journey through samsara.
How can a person affect samsara through their dharma? p11
 Following your dharma well can help the atman progress through samsara
 Samsara is the apparent endless cycle of rebirth the atman has to go
through. Performing dharma and developing karma can attain a better
rebirth
 A Hindu aims to achieve Moksha and the end of samsara; carrying out their
dharma makes it possible to move towards moksha.
 Practice takes priority over belief and has more of an effect on dharma
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What is artha? p11
 A goal humans pursue in householder stage
 Material wealth
 Was first sought by Indian king as part of his dharma towards his
people.
 Householder has to provide for family
 Must be pursued within moral structure of dharma or can result in
poor karma
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What is kama? P11-12
 A goal humans pursue in householder stage
 Pleasure such as music, drama, painting, sex.
 Required for a well-ordered society
 Should be pursued before moksha as it prepares a person for what is
needed to be devoted to Brahman i.e. longing and loving adoration.
 Achieving kama means a person is ready for higher spiritual
achievement.
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What is Moksha? p12
 A Hindu’s final goal or destiny.
 The final stage of existence after the release from the cycle of
samsara.
 The end of suffering.
 Union of Brahman and atman; the atman is never reborn.
 Highest state of happiness which cannot be described.
 Achievable for only a few
 Important to some Hindus; not important
to others.
Answer questions on page 10
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What is the final aim of existence? p13
 Achieve moksha
 Release from samsara
 Union of atman with Brahman
 Jivanmukti - liberation while still living
 Samadhi - attainment of bliss
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How Moksha relates to other Hindu concepts: p13
 Karma – the idea of moksha controls action & behaviour
 Dharma – moksha encourages Hindus to follow dharma enabling
individuals & society to operate more efficiently
 Samsara – through karma & dharma, atman is advanced in the cycle,
leading it closer to moksha
 Margas – the scriptures stress the importance of the margas in
achieving moksha
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Why is Moksha Important to Hindus? p13
 The ultimate goal for a Hindu is to achieve Moksha. Without
re-uniting with Brahman, your atman/soul can never be at
peace.
 It encourages Hindus to lead a good/honest and peaceful life
because to achieve Moksha requires good karma & following
Dharma – varnashramadharma
 Gives hope of a better life after this one
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Why/when is Moksha not important to some Hindus? p13
 Many Hindus struggle to survive from day to day and do not
think about life after death.
 Moksha has too many stages and some Hindus do not think
it is achievable.
 Scientific development has lead many Hindus to question the
concept of reincarnation.
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What is Jivanmukti? p15
 Jiva (the soul of a person) Mukti (liberation)
 Liberation while still living
 Debate whether liberation is achievable while alive
 True gurus are believed to have achieved liberation
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What is Samadhi? p15
 It means enlightenment.
 It means realising who Brahman really is.
 It is the final state of the Atman; there is no
sense of 'I' or 'mine'
 Cannot be described
 Is not full liberation
 The highest state that someone who
practices yoga/meditation - some claim to
levitate
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What are the means (physical things) to achieving the goals in life? p17
 The Hindu Scriptures - known as ‘sruti’ or ‘shruti’
 The guidance of a guru, acarya or swami
What scriptural teachings help to achieve the goals?
 The Vedas
 The Upanishads
 The Epics
 The Bhagavad – Gita
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The Vedas: p17
 4 books
 Written around 600 BCE
 Revered (regarded very highly), although few Hindus actually read
them
The Upanishads:
 Written around 500 BCE when a more philosophical approach
regarding the Ultimate Reality took hold
 New interpretations of the Vedas
The Epics:
 Epic poems
 Mahabharata & Ramayana extremely popular and influential
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The Bhagavad – Vita p17-18
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Means ‘The Lord’s Song’
One book of the epic Mahabharata
Holds special status
Includes famous conversation between the warrior Arjuna and the
Supreme Being, Krishna Video clip
Arjuna, a young warrior is concerned about going into battle against the
opposition which includes his uncle, cousin and former teacher. Krishna
who is an avatar of Vishnu advises:
 Not to fight isn’t noble – he should fulfil his duty as a warrior
 The atman of the people he may kill won’t die anyway
 Performing your own dharma requires detachment from any situation
even if that means killing loved ones
 Brahman will understand through his grace
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What is the role of a guru and acarya in achieving goals in life? p19
 Respected religious teacher and leader
 Sometimes thought of as ‘divine being’
 The same as or similar to a swami
 Some believe it is necessary to have a guru or swami to achieve
moksha or samadhi
 Others believe it is possible to achieve moksha or samadhi without a
teacher
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What is an ashram? p19
 A place for spiritual education, social work, medicine, religious activities
and community activities
 Where you will find a swami (religious teacher) or guru
 Hindu Kings usually had an ashram where a raj guru (royal teacher) who
would advise him
Ghandi’s ashram
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What practices help to achieve the goals? p21
 There are many paths which lead to moksha
 Followers should choose the right one for them
 Brahman has a role in the attainment of moksha
 Practice margas; karma, bhakti, jnana
 Follow dharma for ashrama
 Varnashramadharma – dharma for varna and
ashrama
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Marga (way or path) and yoga (discipline) basically mean the same
thing.
What are the Three Margas? p21
 Forms of following dharma
 Karma – performing duty
 Jnana – Meditation & learning
 Bhakti – devotion, puja
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Karma Marga p21
 Performing duties according to caste and ashrama –
varnashramadharma
 A person should only carry out a task because it should be done – not
for any other reason
 Includes thoughts as well as actions
 A person should use their particular talents for the benefits of others i.e.
family, society and cosmic order
 ‘How poor those who work for a reward’ Bhagavad Gita
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Jnana Marga p21
 Considered most difficult to follow
 Knowledge of scripture is only the beginning
 Spiritual learning e.g. meditation required
 Some believe this requires a guru or swami (teacher)
 Guru Ramana Maharshi (1879 – 1950) is claimed to have achieved
Jivanmukti (liberation while alive). Others believe this is not possible
while living.
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Bhakti marga p22
Followed by the majority of devotees as it is more accessible than
the other two
Hindus choose which god or deity to worship as a vehicle to
Brahman
Worship or ‘puja’ can take place anywhere
Most Hindus have a shrine at home at which they worship daily;
the mother is usually responsible for looking after it
Puja is also carried out as a community (16:08)
Worship also takes place in temples or Mandirs
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Relationship between margas and dharma p22-23
 Pursuing margas is part of a Hindus dharma (duty) in relation to their
varna and ashrama e.g. bhakti marga is more accessible for lower
castes; jnana marga is more relevant to a sunnyasin
 Some believe jnana marga, for example, is necessary in order to achieve
moksha and this is the most difficult path. However not all agree that
following jnana marga is necessary.
 Some choose not to follow jnana as it takes up too much time or is too
difficult or they don’t have the opportunity. They may feel one of the
margas that fits in to their lifestyle is more appropriate
Video clip
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Being a Hindu in UK v India p23
Easier in India because:
 Society is immersed in Hindu culture
 Temples & gurus easily available
 Not may as many distractions
Easier in UK because:
 Temples & gurus available
 People are freer to pursue ambition & potential as caste system less
restricted
 Hindu culture not so stereotyped
Neasden Hindu Temple in London
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What does varna mean? p25
 Varna literally means ‘colour’
 Refers to the 4 social classes or castes.
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Who are the Brahmins? p25
 They are priests/professionals
 They understand and study Hindu teachings.
 They set a good moral example for others by remaining pure
in words and deeds.
 Paid by other castes
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Who are the Kshatriyas? p25
 They are the rulers & military forces in society, such as royal
family, prime minister, members of the government and
officers in the armed forces.
 They are leaders, and protectors and guard the welfare of the
people.
 They were a secular (non-religious) power responsible for
enforcing dharma.
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Who are the Vaishyas? p25
 They are the business people in society. They deal with money
and commercial activities i.e. traders, bankers, financial
advisers, solicitors and directors.
 They were farmers or peasants involved in agriculture to
provide food.
 They are responsible for providing the material goods & the
wealth in society.
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Who are the Shudras? p25
 Skilled workers eg potters, weavers and servants.
 The working class. i.e. workers, labourers, factory workers and
builders.
 They do the physical and manual workers, serving the needs of
others.
 They were banned from access to scriptures.
 Cannot be twice-born (sacred thread ceremony/ Upanayana)
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Why are Varnas important for Hindu Society? p25
 Everyone is given a role and responsibility to produce a stable
society.
 It was based on occupation ensuring that society had a thriving
society with everyone depending on each other.
 Your caste reflects your position and status in terms of a persons
karma and therefore reincarnation.
 It provides a moral incentive for all to improve their caste.
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What are jatis? p25
Birth groups
Sub groups of the 4 varnas
Social divisions of which there are thousands
Who are the Untouchables?
Dalits
They are outside the caste system.
They deal with things considered unclean i.e. dead
animals/rubbish.
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What other practices help to achieve the goals? p27
What are the Ashramas ?
Stages laid out in Hindu law texts for the men of first three
castes.
Student Stage – Brahmacharya
Householder Stage – Grihastha
Retirement Stage – Vanaprasta
Renunciation Stage – Sunnyasin
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What is Brahmacharya (student stage)? p27
 Students study Hindu scripture.
 During this stage the initiation rite of the sacred thread called
Upanayana, or twice-born, is performed only for boys in the
upper 3 castes. This ‘second birth’ is one of knowledge and
wisdom.
 Traditionally boys would have their own scriptural teacher
 Today this takes place in regular schools
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What is Grihastha (householder stage)? p27
 This begins when the student returns from his studies,
marries and produces children.
 This stage is considered a sacred duty.
 Should carry out social and religious traditions
 Pursue kama (pleasure)
 Pursue artha (wealth)
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What is Vanaprasthya (retirement stage)? p27
 This stage occurs when the children are grown up and able to run
their own lives.
 He steps aside from society and work
 Helps with grandchildren
 May go on pilgrimage with his wife if she wishes
 Concentrates on texts and spiritual matters
 Not all men enter this stage
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What is Sunnyasin (renunciation stage)? p27
 Becomes a sadhu or wandering holy man
 Practices detachment and renunciation from all worldly possessions
 To give up all worldly ties, possessions, family and even name and
devoting one's entire life to the spiritual god of liberation or moksha.
 May attend his own funeral and is considered dead to his former
life.
 May follow a guru for some years before becoming homeless
ascetic. (9:00)
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The relationship between dharma and the ashramas p27-28
 Hindus refer to their way of life as Sanatana dharma
 Varnashramadharma is the duties of this way of life
 Dharma for ashrama changes with different life stages
 Dharma for varnas remains unchanged as they are fixed for life
 Hindus do not go through all stages of ashramas – the third and fourth
are difficult and many modern Hindus do not want to give up their
lifestyle
 However some argue carrying out all stages is
vital in order to achieve moksha as it can only
be done by complete detachment
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The means to achieving the goals p29
What is Ahimsa?
 Means non-violence to all things, this is because Hindus believe
in the 'specialness' of all life.
 All life is involved in samsara.
 Some Hindus reject it because if we don't defend ourselves we
can allow suffering to happen. This might mean poor karma and
not following your dharma.
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Mahatma Ghandi (1869 – 1948) campaigned in South Africa and India for
equal rights for all castes and was a key figure in Indians independence from
Britain. p29
 ‘Mahatma’ means great one or soul
 Campaigned for equality for untouchables whom he named Harijan or
‘God’s children’
 Campaign was based on ahimsa
 ‘…he who faces death without raising his little finger is braver.’
 In South Africa he ended unjust against Indians/Hindus
 In India he improved life for untouchables; some were now allowed into
temples and draw water from any well
 He helped India gain independence from Britain in 1947
However…
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It could also be argued: p29
 Ghandi’s non-violent approach caused thousands to be beaten or killed
as they would not fight back
 Following India’s independence there is still unrest between Hindus and
Muslims
 Ghandi himself felt he hadn’t been completely successful, ‘My 32 years
of work have come to an inglorious end.’
 Ghandi was assassinated by a Hindu extremist (who was a Brahmin); this
was the 5th attempt on his life
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What is God’s Grace? p31
Ramanuja (poem from Epics)
 Without it man is nothing on his own
 Impossible to achieve spiritual progression without it.
Vivekananda (Influential 19th C Indian monk)
 Some Hindus believe it doesn’t exist; we are on our own
 Some Hindus believe that man by nature is free, not dependant on
God.
God’s grace
No God’s grace
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