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1
Hinduism
Began in India about 3000 BC
No Individual began Hinduism
Christ = Christianity Muhammad = Islam
2
Sacred Writings • Very important to the development of
Hinduism
• The Vedas
• (1500-700 BC)
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Vedas Contain Hymns
• Ritual Works
• Sayings
• Philosophical Speculations
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The Upanishads
• (End of the Vedas)
• (800-300 BC)
• Most Philosophical Writings
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Major Philosophical Tradition: • “Advaita Vedanta”
• Shankara (750 AD)
• “Advaita” = Non-Dualism
• “Vedanta” = Summation of the Vedas
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Summary: • 1. Everything that exists is Brahman
• 2. Brahman can be interpreted as
• (God): Impersonal Force
• Supreme Principle
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3. Creation is the Dance of Brahman
“Lila”
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4. Atman is the Soul of the Individual
5. Atman and Brahman are One and the Same
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6. Brahman is not to be confused with
• Brahma = a Hindu god
• Brahmin = Hindu Priest or Caste
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• 7. Why do we not understand that Brahman = Atman?
• MAYA = Illusion
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8. Our goal in life is Liberation from the cycle of Samsara
• Samsara = Reincarnation
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9. And reach “Moksha”
• Moksha = Nirvana (Buddhism)
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10. This is when the individual soul (Atman) in absorbed into Brahman
• “Like a drop of rain being absorbed
into a lake”
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11.The Law of Karma
• Governs the cycle of samara
Karma • The good and bad deeds that we do
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• Good deeds
• better rebirth into this world • a god
• a human • an animal • an insect
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• Bad deeds
• worse rebirth into this world
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The Ethics of Hinduism
• 3 Ways or Paths to Good Karma
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The Way of Activity
“Karma Marga”
• Emphasis upon “good works”
• Offerings and sacrifices to gods
• Helping the poor
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The Way of Knowledge
• “Jnana Marga”
• Study
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• Practicing Yoga
• Yoga • Means to be “yoked”
• A discipline of in the Way of Knowledge
• Thru intense concentration, one
become yoked or attached to Brahman
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• Or according to the Laws of Manu
• Following the proper life path
• Four stages of Life Student
• Householder • Forest Dweller
• Ascetic
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The Way of Devotion (Bhakti) • Personal devotion to a particular god
(Avatar)
• Avatar • Manifestation of Brahman usually as a
god
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• Krishna • Brahma = Creator
• Vishnu = Preserver • Shiva = Destroyer
• Etc
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• Also other world religious leaders are viewed as Hindu Avatars
• Christ • Allah • Tao • Etc.
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The Caste System • 5 Categories
• The Brahmin Caste
• (Priests)
• Warrior Caste • (Governing Class)
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• Middle Class Caste • (Workers)
• Sudra Caste
• (Farmers, peasants, manual laborers)
• Untouchable Caste • (lowest class, beggars, aliens, lepers,
etc.)
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Sacred Cow
• The protection of the Cow is prescribed by Hindu scripture in the Rig Veda
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• The Cow represents symbolically and in reality, earthly terms the Hindu reverence for the Divine in all life.
Hindu Ethics • Karma Marga = The Way of Activity
• Jnana Marga = The Way of Knowledge
• Bhakti Marga = The Way of Devotion
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