HINDU HOLY POWERS RELATIONSHIPS, SOCIETY, COMMUNITY: THE HOLINESS OF BEING TOGETHER 1

THE ISOLATION OF ANCIENT INDIA 2

AN ANCIENT TRADITION INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION BCE 3

AN ANCIENT TRADITION BCE VEDIC LITERATURE DEVELOPES 4

AN ANCIENT TRADITION BCE COMPOSITION OF UPHANISHADS 5

AN ANCIENT TRADITION THE ARYAN INVASION BCE DECLINE – INDUS VALLEY CIV C BCEARYANS BEGIN TO INFILTRATE FROM CENTRAL ASIA 6

THE HINDU WAY OF LIFE TRADITIONALLY, TO BE HINDU MEANT TO LIVE IN (H)INDIA TO BE PART OF THE “CASTE” SYSTEM 7

ORGANIZING SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS WHAT MIGHT BE SOME WAYS TO DO IT? WHAT IS IN YOUR PISTIS? 8

ORGANIZING SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS WHAT MIGHT BE SOME WAYS? 1.FAMILY? 2.SOCIAL RANK? 3.OCCUPATION? 4.INDIVIDUAL TALENT? 5.AGE ? 9

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM THE INDO-ARYANS SEEM TO HAVE BROUGHT WITH THEM A THREE PART SOCIAL SYSTEM: 1.PRIESTS 2.MILITARY 3.AGRICULTURE AND TRADE 10

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM OVER TIME THEY ADDED ANOTHER LEVEL FOR THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF INDIA WHOM THEY HAD SUBJUGATED. THE SHUDRAS THESE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE LIKELY ALREADY HAD A SIMILAR SYSTEM, THE “JATI” SYSTEM CLOSED ENDOGAMOUS GROUPS BASED ON OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALIZATION 11

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM 12

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM IN THE VEDIC LAW OF MANU, THE IDEAL SOCIAL SYSTEM IS COMPOSED OF FOUR VARNAS THE “TWICE BORN”: 1.BRAHMINS-PRIESTS AND SCHOLARS 2.KSHATRIYAS-WARRIORS AND RULERS 3.VAISHYAS-IN COMMERCE AND TRADE _____________________________________ 4. SHUDRAS-LABORERS 13

BRAHMINS PRIESTS AND SCHOLARS INTELLECTUAL AND SPIRITUAL LEADERS PHILOSOPHERS ARTISTS TEACHERS 14

KSHATRIYAS WARRIORS AND RULERS ADMINISTRATORS ORGANIZE PEOPLE AND PROJECTS MILITARY POLITICIANS POLITICAL LEADERS 15

VAISHYAS COMMERCE AND TRADE PRODUCERS ARTISANS TRADES PEOPLE FARMERS SKILLED WORKERS 16

SHUDRAS-LABORERS FOLLOWERS SERVANTS UNSKILLED LABORERS 17

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM IN SOME OF THE VEDIC LAW BOOKS, THERE IS A FIFTH GROUP CALLED 5. DASYUS (“ALIENS”) HUNTERS, FISHERMEN, LEATHER WORKERS, EXECUTIONERS, HANDLERS OF CORPSES CONSIDERED UNCLEAN “OUTCASTES”: LIVE OUTSIDE VARNA SYSTEM “UNTOUCHABLES” VS. “HARIJAN” 18

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM THE LAW OF KARMA- A MORAL UNIVERSE REINCARNATION- YOU GET WHAT YOU WANT – PICK UP WHERE YOU LEFT OFF MOKSHA- SOONER OR LATER EVERYONE WISES UP AND ACHIEVES LIBERATION THIS WORLD DOES NOT LAST TRUE FULIFLLMENT LIES BEYOND 19

THE “VARNA” SYSTEM IS THERE A COSMIC DIMENSION OR REAL, LASTING MEANING TO HUMAN BEING AND ACTION? 20

THE JATI SYSTEM 21

THE “JATI” SYSTEM “JATI” MEANS “BIRTH” THE PROPER TERM FOR “CASTE” (Pg = race, lineage) GEOGRAPHICALLY AND LINGUISTICALLY LIMITED LARGE KIN GROUP W/ OWN CUSTOMS, DRESS, DIET, BEHAVIOR DETERMINES RELATIONSHIPS IN AND OUT 22

LEADING A HOLY LIFE YOGAS: DIFFERENT PATHS FOR DIFFERENT OCCUPATIONS (in next segment) STAGES OF LIFE- HOW OUGHT WE TO LIVE?: – STUDENT: ACQUIRE PISTIS FOR YOUR DHARMA 23

LEADING A HOLY LIFE HOUSEHOLDER: FAMILY, VOCATION, COMMUNITY ENACT YOUR DHARMA ENGAGE PLEASURE IN FAMILY ACHIEVE SUCCESS THROUGH VOCATION DUTY IN COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION 24

LEADING A HOLY LIFE RETIREMENT: – WITHDRAW FROM SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS – PURSUE ENDS OF PERSONAL INTEREST – SPEND TIME WITH THE YOUNG – LOOK INTO THE MEANING OF LIFE’S JOURNEY – THEN THE FOREST DWELLER – SIMPLICITY AND DEPTH 25

LEADING A HOLY LIFE SANNYASIN EXPANDING ONE’S IDENTITY BEYOND SOCIAL OR EARTHLY PURPOSE FINDING ONE’S LINK WITH THE ABSOLUTE NO EARTHLY GOAL LEAVING ALL BEHIND 26

RESOURCES Smith, Huston. The World’s Religions. New York: HarperCollins, Nielsen, Niles C., Jr., et. al. Religions of the World. New York: St. Martin’s Press, nd ed. 27