Module 8 Coherence Systems

In the next three weeks we will look In the next three weeks we will look at three major regional religious at three major regional religious

traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism and traditions: Hinduism, Buddhism and IslamIslam

Coherence Systems – Overview of Today’s Work

First part of the lecture:First part of the lecture: General introduction to regional religions General introduction to regional religions

and our approach to studies of religionand our approach to studies of religion A brief introduction to HinduismA brief introduction to Hinduism

Module 8 Objectives

On successful completion of this module, you On successful completion of this module, you should be able to:should be able to:

  identify the principal religious traditions of identify the principal religious traditions of Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and those Australia, Asia and the Pacific, and those countries where each is practisedcountries where each is practised

describe key ideasdescribe key ideas of each religious of each religious tradition included in this moduletradition included in this module

Module 8 Objectives

identify the central source booksidentify the central source books or written or written record (if any) of each religious traditionrecord (if any) of each religious tradition

identify the ways in which a particular identify the ways in which a particular religious tradition can affect the behaviour religious tradition can affect the behaviour of believers of believers

Coherence systems

The Asia Pacific region is rich in religious The Asia Pacific region is rich in religious traditionstraditions

Let’s acknowledge some of them …..Let’s acknowledge some of them …..

A Coherence System

We use the phrase “coherence system” We use the phrase “coherence system” rather than “religion” to avoid some of the rather than “religion” to avoid some of the cultural baggage associated with “religion”cultural baggage associated with “religion”

The cultural baggage might include angels, The cultural baggage might include angels, Easter, church schools, historical strife Easter, church schools, historical strife between different faiths, God, Sunday between different faiths, God, Sunday school, school, Christmas Christmas ….….

A Coherence System

Is a creative intellectual and emotional Is a creative intellectual and emotional attempt to make sense of human life on attempt to make sense of human life on earth, and to construct a satisfying order of earth, and to construct a satisfying order of lifelife

Is a way of connecting this world with “the Is a way of connecting this world with “the world beyond” which we glimpse, and is a world beyond” which we glimpse, and is a way of bringing the worlds together so they way of bringing the worlds together so they “make sense” (cohere).“make sense” (cohere).

Hinduism

the religion or the religion or coherence coherence system of “the system of “the people people beyond the beyond the Indus river”Indus river”

Hindu communities

There are Hindus There are Hindus living in Fiji, living in Fiji, Malaysia, Bali, Malaysia, Bali, Singapore, Sri Singapore, Sri Lanka, South Lanka, South Africa and the Africa and the West IndiesWest Indies

Why is that?Why is that? Why these Why these

countries?countries?

The Indic States

Southeast Asian Southeast Asian states which were states which were influenced by influenced by Hindu Hindu philosophical, philosophical, religious and religious and social ideassocial ideas

What does Hinduism signify?

Like “game”, Hinduism signifies a Like “game”, Hinduism signifies a whole range of beliefs and whole range of beliefs and practicespractices

Think of the word Think of the word ““gamegame””. Talk to . Talk to your neighbour about what “game” your neighbour about what “game” really means. Can you pin it down?really means. Can you pin it down?

Three Organising Questions

1.1. From What?From What? What is the situation in What is the situation in which we humans find ourselves, and which we humans find ourselves, and from which we seek liberation?from which we seek liberation?

2.2. To What?To What? To what do people aspire? To what do people aspire? What are peoples’ spiritual goals?What are peoples’ spiritual goals?

3.3. By What?By What? How do people seek to How do people seek to achieve their goals?achieve their goals?

Hinduism and the human situation

Human life is Human life is cyclical, not cyclical, not linearlinear

Hinduism and the human situation

The character The character of our life is of our life is affected by affected by behaviour in behaviour in past livespast lives

Hinduism and the human situation

Past Past behaviour behaviour determines determines our status in our status in lifelife

Hinduism and the human situation

Individuals Individuals are ordered are ordered hierarchically hierarchically in terms of in terms of ritual purity ritual purity

The Law of Effects:The Law of Karma

Karma derives from a word which relates to Karma derives from a word which relates to the idea of creation, creating (kri)the idea of creation, creating (kri)

Karma is an account of what we do, what Karma is an account of what we do, what we create in life, what the effects of our we create in life, what the effects of our actions will beactions will be

How is Karma expressed?

The effect of what we have done The effect of what we have done determines our status in future livesdetermines our status in future lives

Our status is indicated by our caste Our status is indicated by our caste membershipmembership

A Hindu’s caste status is an indication A Hindu’s caste status is an indication of their ritual purityof their ritual purity

Major Caste Divisions

BrahminBrahmin KshatriyaKshatriya VaisyaVaisya SudraSudra

Dalits (outcastes)Dalits (outcastes)

How Does Caste Affect Daily Life?

It affects marriage: people should marry It affects marriage: people should marry partners of the same ritual purity levelpartners of the same ritual purity level

It affects interpersonal relations: who you can It affects interpersonal relations: who you can share food with, where you liveshare food with, where you live

It privileges some groups, and marginalises It privileges some groups, and marginalises others: some groupsothers: some groups,, for example, are for example, are allowed access to the scriptures, others are allowed access to the scriptures, others are notnot

The Human Situation - The Hindu View

SummarySummary Human life is cyclicalHuman life is cyclical Individual status is affected by behaviour in Individual status is affected by behaviour in

past livespast lives Humans are ranked in terms of ritual purityHumans are ranked in terms of ritual purity Humans can aspire to a higher rankHumans can aspire to a higher rank Higher rank is dependent on the way we Higher rank is dependent on the way we

behave on earth (on our karma)behave on earth (on our karma)

Q2: To What do Hindus Aspire?

Hindus aspire to three things:Hindus aspire to three things: Survival, and betterment in lifeSurvival, and betterment in life The acquisThe acquisiition of merit, and the tion of merit, and the

desire to be re-born welldesire to be re-born well Liberation and salvationLiberation and salvation

Q3: How do Hindus try to achieve their spiritual goals?

We can identify three different, very general We can identify three different, very general patterns of behaviour which Hindus follow patterns of behaviour which Hindus follow

in trying to reach their goals:in trying to reach their goals: The Pragmatic path or pattern of behaviourThe Pragmatic path or pattern of behaviour The Dharma path, or the Wheel of Law The Dharma path, or the Wheel of Law

pattern of behaviourpattern of behaviour The Transcendental pathThe Transcendental path

The Pragmatic Path

The main concern is to The main concern is to avoid misfortune, and avoid misfortune, and to ask supernatural to ask supernatural agents to helpagents to help

Religious behaviour Religious behaviour typically involves typically involves making vows, making making vows, making offerings, performing offerings, performing ritualsrituals

The Dharma Path

Hindus who want Hindus who want to achieve merit to achieve merit and to be re-born and to be re-born “well” follow the “well” follow the path of dharma, path of dharma, sometimes called sometimes called the Wheel of Lawthe Wheel of Law

The Concept of Dharma

Good or righteous conduct; to live life in Good or righteous conduct; to live life in accordance with the laws and duties of your accordance with the laws and duties of your castecaste

Dharma differs for different castesDharma differs for different castes Dharma is an elite tradition centred on the Dharma is an elite tradition centred on the

scriptures and commentariesscriptures and commentaries The dharma path depends on priests and The dharma path depends on priests and

scholars who advise othersscholars who advise others

The Dharma Path

Hindus who follow the Hindus who follow the dharma path typically dharma path typically observe caste rituals, observe caste rituals, read scripture, go on read scripture, go on pilgrimages to holy pilgrimages to holy places, build temples, places, build temples, give gifts to temples,give gifts to temples,

try to “live right”, try try to “live right”, try to “live well”to “live well”

The Transcendental Path

The drive is toward The drive is toward liberation from this liberation from this world and human world and human existenceexistence

The individual who The individual who follows the follows the transcendentaltranscendental path path renounces the world renounces the world and tries to find release and tries to find release through different through different disciplinesdisciplines

A Contemporary Fourth Path: Devotionalism

Devotion, called Bhakti, is very popular in Devotion, called Bhakti, is very popular in India todayIndia today

The way of achieving your spiritual goals is The way of achieving your spiritual goals is seen to be devotion to the gods.seen to be devotion to the gods.

Devotion can take many forms: singing, Devotion can take many forms: singing, chanting god’s name, prayerchanting god’s name, prayer

Devotionalism and Liberation

Salvation or liberation is understood as a Salvation or liberation is understood as a gift from godgift from god

So liberation can come from intense So liberation can come from intense devotion, and does not depend on endless devotion, and does not depend on endless re-births, endless shifts up the scale of ritual re-births, endless shifts up the scale of ritual puritypurity

Devotionalism is a very radical doctrine, as Devotionalism is a very radical doctrine, as it offers release here and now, in this lifeit offers release here and now, in this life

Devotion: the Contract

Whosoever offers to Whosoever offers to me with a pure heartme with a pure heart

A leaf, a flower, a A leaf, a flower, a drop of water,drop of water,

That offering from a That offering from a pure heartpure heart

I acceptI accept

How Do Hindus Achieve Their Spiritual Goals?

SummarySummary

There are three paths to spirituality:There are three paths to spirituality: The Pragmatic pathThe Pragmatic path The Dharma pathThe Dharma path

The Transcendental PathThe Transcendental Path