Transcript Powerpoint - Hindu American Foundation

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The History Of Hinduism
Promoting Dignity
Mutual Respect & Pluralism
the enigmatic origins of Hinduism
Hinduism’s
Diversity
owes greatly to its
development over
thousands of years,
reflecting the various
PHILOSOPHIES,
PRACTICES,
a n d A D A P TAT I O N S
that shaped the religion.
Hinduism doesn’t
have a single
founder nor a single
point in history that
can be pinpointed
as its start.
The ideas and practices
emerged in the ancient
Indian subcontinent,
firmly tied to early
civilization. Over time,
they spread to places
such as Southeast Asia,
the Caribbean, Africa,
and the Western world.
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
Harappan Era & Vedic Period
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
the Harappan Era & the Vedic Period
In 1924,
British archaeologists
found evidence of great
ancient cities –MohenjoDaro and Harappa –
in Sindh, Pakistan.
What is known about ancient
India is based on the theoretical
proposition that all people
speaking the same language
must belong to a single race.
The study of Sanskrit is central
to this assumption.
The discovery…
revealed a community of 30,000 people who
enjoyed a municipal sewer system, indoor
plumbing, standardized trade, and many
o t h e r s i g n s o f a n a d v a n c e d s o c i e t y.
Harappa
Mohenjo
-Daro
Further excavation
revealed artifacts such
as faïence beads, seals
depicting swastikas and
o t h e r r e l i g i o u s i m a g e r y,
and a ritual bathing site.
These are the centuries-old
remains of what is now
known as the IndusSaraswati Civilization.
The precise origin and
decline of these cities
a n d o f t h e I n d u s Va l l e y
Civilization is unknown.
Earlier historians
speculated that the decline
may have been due to
invading Aryan bands. This
theory has since been
debunked. Contemporary
discussions posit a drought
as the likely cause.
*Both the Vedic and Harappan
civilizations are contemporary and
the nucleus of these civilizations is
located in the same geographical region
formed by the Indus and its tributaries.
Aryan Invasion Theory
The theory
that a nomadic race
supplanted a native
population through
a combination of FORCE,
CO-OPTION, AND
INTERMINGLING, and
created what became
Indian civilization and
Hinduism.
There are two
assumptions
for this nowdebunked theory:
1
The earth, according to
Biblical understandings
of the time, was 4,000
years old
2
Sanskrit’s similarity
to modern European
languages meant that the
“Aryans” were a race from
Europe and Central Asia.
contemporary theories
The Aryan Migration Theory
(or Indo-European Migration Theory)
Migrating central Asian people, later
called Aryans, settled in the Indus
Va l l e y s t a r t i n g a r o u n d 1 8 0 0 B C E ,
after the cities of Mohenjo-Daro and
Harappa were established.
The “Aryan” group label was derived from
the Sanskrit word Arya (noble) found throughout
Hindu texts.
Much of this
theory relied upon…
1
linguistic ties between
Sanskrit and the modern
Proto Indo-European
languages
2
mention of certain
practices, such as
the use of iron and horses
Scholars thought
the confluence of
local philosophies
and those of the
newcomers led to the
emergence of Hinduism.
They now believe the
migrations took place
from Central Asia, and
cite similarities between
ancient Persian religions
like ZOROASTRIANISM
and VEDIC HINDUISM.
A competing theory
Aryans were indigenous to
the Indian Subcontinent, and
b u i l t t h e I n d u s Va l l e y c i t i e s .
Supporters of this idea cite:
1
archaeological
evidence
from the
Harappan
civilization
2
mitochondrial
DNA
analysis
3
4
textual and
astrological
evidence
f r o m Ve d i c
writings
the fact that
beyond the
Ve d a s , t h e r e
is little
archaeological
evidence of
a migration
continuity
THE BASIS OF HINDUISM
The beliefs and
practices of the
inhabitants of
the ancient
Indus region
1
an emphasis on
sacrificial rituals (yajna)
2
a reverence for deities
personifying virtues,
concepts, and natural forces
THE BASIS OF HINDUISM
INDRA
God of Thunder
VA R U N A
God of the Water
S U R YA
The Sun God
AGNI
God of Fire
Early concepts like DHARMA and BRAHMAN
a n d t h e P R A C T I C E O F C R E M AT I O N u n d e r w e n t
d e v e l o p m e n t i n t h e H A R A P PA N E R A
THE BASIS OF HINDUISM
All of these ideas are contained in the four Vedas:
RIG-VEDA
SAMA-VEDA
YA J U R - V E D A
AT H A R V A - V E D A
primary scriptures which Hindus believe were realized
through the meditations of ancient sages during this period
THE BASIS OF HINDUISM
Perhaps the most influential philosophical
idea from this period is religious pluralism
a n d f r e e d o m i n t h e R i g Ve d a v e r s e :
Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti
THE TRUTH IS ONE; THE WISE CALL IT MANY NAMES
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
the Upanishads
the Upanishads
a
DIVERSE
sets of
texts
forwarding
M O N I S T,
D U A L I S T,
AND NONTHEIST
PERSPECTIVES
on God
emphasizing
DIALOGUE,
D E B AT E , A N D
INTROSPECTION,
over ritualism
and dogmatism
articulating
the concept
of BRAHMAN
(universal
soul) and
AT M A N
(individual
soul)
U PA N I S H A D I C H I N D U I S M
VEDAS
PRIESTS
SHRAMANAS
SAGES
ASCETICS
resulted
in a more
mystical,
abstract, &
F U L LY
E L A B O R AT E D
HINDUISM
The Shramana Movement
The Shramana movement also produced
a number of distinct religions, including
Jainism and Buddhism. Some ideas from
these traditions fused with those of
Hinduism and vice versa. Hindu
philosophers also responded to them by
more clearly formulating their contrasting
beliefs. Debates and dialogues between
Jains, Buddhists, and Hindus were common
in the philosophical corpus of all three
religions. Hindus also further elaborated
o n Ve d i c c o n c e p t s l i k e D h a r m a , K a r m a ,
Reincarnation, Moksha, Samsara, and
Ahimsa, as did Jain and Buddhist thinkers.
other important texts of the period
The
Dharmashastras
The first treatises
regarding law and
m o r a l i t y.
One of the better known of these is the
LAWS OF MANU, which addressed
subjects ranging from business ethics,
interactions between caste groups, and
the obligations of rulers to their people.
*not considered scripturally
authoritative in the sense that the
Upanishads or Vedas are.
The Arthashastras
A treatise on politics
and economics.
In this text, Kautilya tried to describe
how to realistically run a prospering
kingdom, while also adhering to the
proper duties of a king.
*not considered scripturally
authoritative in the sense that the
Upanishads or Vedas are.
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
texts of the period
Within this period,
t h e e p i c p o e m s c a l l e d t h e R A M AYA N A
a n d M A H A B H A R ATA ( w h i c h i n c l u d e s
the Bhagavad Gita) were composed.
These texts focused largely on
DHARMA, or righteous conduct, often
in morally uncertain circumstances.
Devotionalism,
or BHAKTI, starts in the PURANAS.
The Puranas contain complex stories
and introduce new deities such as
GANESHA, the Remover of Obstacles
S K A N D A , t h e G o d o f Wa r
various SHAKTI DEITIES
KRISHNA and other avatars of Vishnu
schools of thought
BY THIS POINT IN TIME...
the diverse array of philosophical insights which had emerged
in prior ages began to coalesce into various schools of thought.
S i x o f t h e s e Darshanas ( s c h o o l s o f t h o u g h t ) a r e t h e m o s t w e l l k n o w n :
N YAYA
VAI S H E
SHIKA
S A N K H YA
YOGA
MIMAMSA
V E D AN TA
THE MAJOR DARSHANAS
N YAYA
VAI S H E
SHIKA
each has its
own a unique
perspective on
S A N K H YA
YOGA
cosmology
the
universe
the nature
of God
the
soul
MIMAMSA
V E D AN TA
they each
addressed
issues
spanning the
breadth
of secular
philosophy
THE MAJOR DARSHANAS
N YAYA
VAI S H E
SHIKA
logic
in the
logic
in the
conceptual
physical
world
world
S A N K H YA
the
relationship
between
spirit
and
matter
YOGA
meditative
practices
MIMAMSA
V E D AN TA
ethics
elaboration on
and
philosophy of
language
Upanishadic
philosophy
spread & diversification
As scriptural Hinduism
became more diverse
and local,
distinct sects evolved
around specific deities,
m o s t s i g n i f i c a n t l y S H I VA ,
VISHNU, and SHAKTI.
Different sects
emphasized different
P U R A N A S a n d TA N T R A S
or texts on ritual and
meditation.
This diversified
form of Hinduism
flourished under
p a t r o n a g e o f t h e G U P TA
EMPIRE, and also spread
from south India to
Southeast Asia along
maritime trade routes.
For instance, the SRIVIJAYA and
MEDANG empires in modern day
Indonesia patronized Hindu temples.
The early Khmer empires, located in
modern day Thailand, Cambodia, and
Laos, were Hindu as well.
It was during the latter
Gupta period when the
Hindu scriptural concepts
o f VA R N A S l i k e l y b e c a m e
fused with a social
classification known
a s J AT I S .
This laid the groundwork
for what would evolve
into a more ossified caste
system that DIVERGED
FROM
HINDUSCRIPTURES.
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
bhakti
Bhakti
The concept of
intense, loving
devotion to God,
Bhakti saw its fullest
expression in the
Medieval period.
The Bhakti movement
focused mainly on
V I S H N U a n d S H I VA .
In central and
northwest India,
Bhakti ideas
interacted with
SUFI ISLAM
and SIKHISM.
In the south
devotionals
were spread
by religious
artists called
ALWAR S a n d
N AY A N A R S .
The spread
of Bhakti
Many devotional
songs and poems
were composed by
Bhakti saint poets.
In the
Bengal region,
t h e V A I S H N AV A
(Vishnu
worshipping)
saint
C H A I TA N YA
emerged to
spread devotion
to Krishna.
Influential Women
of the Bhakti Movement
the Rajput princess MIRA BAI wrote
bhajans (religious songs) to Krishna,
w h i c h a r e s t i l l p o p u l a r t o d a y.
In the South, AKKAMAHADEVI made
major contributions to Bhakti literature.
Bhakti poets from Maharashtra such
a s S O YA R A B A I a n d B A H I N A B A I
would be very important in speaking
out against caste oppression, priestly
privilege, and the subjugation of women.
Mirabai was a Rajasthani princess in the 16th century, who became
one of the most prolific and well known bhakti saints of that time.
architecture
Temple architecture
in Southern India
reached an apex
in complexity and
artistic form.
This is most evident
in such sites as the
temple complex at
HAMPI, built in the
V I J AYA N A G A R A E M P I R E .
The preceding CHOLA dynasty also built
a number of impressive temples.
TEMPLES SERVED AS CENTERS FOR
religion
knowledge
cultural
interchange
economic
activity
Hinduism
underwent
intense syncretism,
blending traditions from
north and south India.
These temples also were
responsible for irrigation
projects and agricultural
management which
allowed for much larger
populations to subsist on
t h e D E C C A N P L AT E A U .
In Southeast Asia as well,
temple construction was at
a high point during this period.
A N G K O R WAT
was built in
the 12th century
by the Khmer
Empire in
modern day
Cambodia.
It is one of the
most famous
Shiva temples
in the world.
intellectualism
Innovations in
Hindu Philosophy
Adi Shankara (788 – 820
CE) was one of the most
influential Hindu
p h i l o s o p h e r s i n h i s t o r y.
He systematized the
A D VA I T A s c h o o l o f
Hinduism which asserts
that the individual soul
( AT M A N ) a n d G o d
(BRAHMAN) are one and
the same. Shattering the
illusion of separateness is
said to result in spiritual
release.
Though he grew up in the Kerala region of south
India, he traveled widely throughout the entire
Indian subcontinent engaging in debates with
other theologians and establishing monasteries.
Ramanujacharya
( 1 0 1 7 - 11 3 7 C E ) w a s a H i n d u
phi l os opher.
His school of
V I S H I S H TA D VA I TA , o r q u a l i f i e d
non-dualism profoundly
influenced the bhakti
movement, also emerged in
this period.
According to this school,
AT M A N o r i n d i v i d u a l s o u l s
may make a part of BRAHMAN
or God, but not the whole.
Only Brahman, Atman, and
the universe together are the
inseparable whole. Brahman
is a personal god, namely
VISHNU, and devotional
practice was emphasized.
Madhavacharya
(1238 – 1317 CE) was another
influential philosopher with his
D VAI TA s c h o o l o f V E D AN TA.
Madhava was a critic of
A d i s h a n k a r a c h a r ya ’s AD VAI TA
V E D AN TA a n d R a m a n u j a ’s
V I S H I S H TAD VAI TA .
The Dvaita school asserts that
reality is plural – BRAHMAN or
g o d i s t h e i n d e p e n d e n t r e a l i t y,
a n d c r e a t i o n , i n c l u d i n g AT M A N o r
individual souls, always
dependent.
All souls are separate and
d i s t i n c t f r o m o n e a n o t h e r.
Brahman in this school is also a
personal god, namely VISHNU.
Madhavacharya also hailed from the south, but
his influence was widespread.
New Schools of
Hindu Philosophy
N A V YA N YA YA ( N e w L o g i c )
was one such school with a
critical approach to exegesis.
It was “modern” in that it
applied the tools of Indian
philosophy to previously
unconsidered logical and
philosophical problems.
Philosophers subjected
scriptural claims to tests of
logic and personal experience
to find truth - thereby
attaining spiritual release.
It emerged in modern day
Varanasi and the Bengal region.
THE HISTORY OF HINDUISM
Initial
Formation
Epic /
Puranic Period
Upanishadic
Period
Medieval
Modern
Era
~4000 BCE –
800 BCE
~800 BCE –
200 BCE
~200 BCE –
800 CE
~800 CE –
1700 CE
~1700 CE –
TODAY
evolving beliefs
Several Hindu reform
and revival movements
occurred in the early colonial
period, as a consequence of
contact with European
l i b e r a l i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y.
RAM MOHAN ROY was
impressed by the teachings
of Jesus. He sought to find
common ground between
H i n d u i s m a n d C h r i s t i a n i t y,
particularly Unitarianism.
He founded BRAHMO SAMAJ
which made early steps
towards securing legal
equality for women and
“lower” castes.
The Brahmo
Samajis
were major vehicles for
reform in Hindu society
in Bengal and were
instrumental in the
a b o l i t i o n o f S AT I .
Though the original Samaj
fragmented into smaller
organizations by 1900, its
philosophy would go on to
influence other thinkers.
Two of these thinkers were RABINDRANATH
TAGORE and AURBINDO GHOSE. Tagore in
particular wrote countless poems, songs, and
philosophical works exploring Hindu themes.
The Arya Samaj
Wa s f o u n d e d b y S WAM I
D AY A N A N D A S A R A S W A T I
on the other side of India,
in Punjab.
This was a revivalist sect
that sought to return purely
t o Ve d i c H i n d u p r a c t i c e s .
It promoted the rejection
of caste and worship
of MURTIS.
Social reformers
in Maharashtra, such
a s Ta r a b a i S h i n d e a n d
Savitribai and Jyotirao
Phule, built on the ideas
of early modern and
medieval proto-feminist
Bhakti poets.
They fought to advance
female education and
undermine caste
hierarchies by establishing
schools for these
underprivileged sectors
o f s o c i e t y.
further global spread
THE BRITISH
began importing
large populations
of indentured
laborers from
India after the
British abolition
of chattel slavery
in 1838.
They imported Hindus
to the West Indies
to places like Guyana,
Suriname, Antigua,
Trinidad, and other
Caribbean British
and Dutch colonies.
SCHOPENHAUER and
NIETZSCHE were heavily
influenced by the Vedas
and Upanishads.
IN EUROPE & THE COLONIES
popular texts like
the R A M AYA N A and
B H A G AVA D G I TA
were the main sources
of scriptural authority
(rather than
the U PA N I S H A D S
or the V E D A S ).
Starting in the 1910s,
t h e A R YA S A M A J s e c t
gained an unusual
d e g r e e o f p o p u l a r i t y.
Caste restrictions
were completely
eliminated from Hindu
communities, Sunday
worship became a
common tradition.
I N T H E U N I T E D S TAT E S
Hinduism was “discovered” at a
mass level. Interest was piqued by
S WA M I V I V E K A N A N D A’ S
speaking tours, particularly his
speech at the World Conference of
Religions in Chicago in 1893.
Am e r i c a n Tr a n s c e n d e n t a l i s t s
s u c h a s R AL P H WAL D O
E M E R S O N a n d H E N R Y D AV I D
THOREAU found inspiration
in the Bhagavad Gita.
Mahatma Gandhi
cited his daily readings
of the Gita as inspiration
in his peaceful struggle
for freedom.
Other Indian
independence leaders
also drew from Hinduism.
Leaders such as
NELSON MANDELA took
inspiration from Hindu
teaching in their own
social justice struggles.
K E Y TA K E A W AY S
Hinduism is a world religion
multi-millennium
long history of
pluralism and
peaceful
interaction,
both internally and
with other religions
simultaneously
incredibly
ancient, and in a
constant state
of evolution
a wide range of
beliefs and
traditions; unified
by shared texts and
metaphysical
concepts such as
SAMSARA, KARMA,
DHARMA, AND
MOKSHA
deeply intertwined
with Indian culture
and a long history in
South and
Southeast Asia
– a more recent
history in Africa &
the Americas
THANK YOU