Hinduism “We cannot know whether there is only one truth or not, unless indeed, we let a particular faith simply state the matter for us; and secondly, even if there is only one truth, there are many ways that lead to it.” Swami Agehananda Bharati

A Few Facts and Figures No unique philosophy No founder or central teacher No one deity (330 million of them) in the strictest sense of the word Over 800 million Hindus 13.7% of the world’s religious population is Hindu 99.2% of all Hindus live in Asia  The majority live in India and Nepal (the only Hindu nation in the world)  Large minorities in Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan

What does Hindu mean? The Persian word for the Indus River is how we get the word (in Sanskrit it is Sidhu.) Indigenous Term: Sanatana Dharma or “Eternal Duty”

Sri Ramakrishna (19 th century teacher) God has made different religions to suit different aspirations, times and countries. All doctrines are only so many different paths; but a path is by no means God (God’s)self. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with wholehearted devotion. One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way. As one can ascend to the top of a house by means of a ladder or a bamboo staircase or a rope, so diverse are the ways and means to approach God, and every religion in the world shows one of these ways People partition off their lands by means of boundaries, but no one can partition off the all-embracing sky overhead. The indivisible sky surrounds all and includes all. So it is in all ignorance people say, ‘My religion is the only one, my religion is the best.’ When a heart is illumined by true knowledge, it knows that above all these wars of sects and sectarians presides the one indivisible, eternal, all-knowing bliss.

No One Hinduism Classical or Brahamanic Hinduism favors elite, educated men Many variations in deities worshiped and practices of faith

A Little History Dravidian People  Native to Region Harappan Civilization  Advanced Urban Areas in Indus Valley  BCE Many figurines and seals survive

Vedic Religion Mixture of a new cultural influence with traditional forms Vedas  Scriptural texts  Sanskrit  “vid” or “to know”

Vedas Four Parts To a Veda  Samhitas Main Body Oldest Part Hymns of Praise  Brahmanas Manuals about ritual  Aranyakas “forest texts” Quite esoteric  Upanishads “Near sitting” Spiritual Teaching Four Vedas  Rig-Veda  Sama-Veda  Yajur-Veda  Artharva-Veda

Two Basic Types of Literature SHRUTI  Oldest Texts  “Heard” by wise ones or rishis  Recited for centuries by pupils for their teachers and thus preserved SMIRTI  500 CE or later  “Remembered” tradition  Often collections of either Dharma (obligations, duties, laws) Itihasa (“how it was” or epic literature)

Itihasa Mahabharata  World’s Longest Poem Bhagavad-Gita  Book 6  “Song of the Adorable One”  Krishna is the subject

Core Concepts -- Brahman “To Be Great” Nirakara and Nirguna  Without form and without attributes Sakara and Saguna  With form and with attributes Sat  Reality itself Chit  Pure consciousness Ananda  Bliss

More Key Ideas Atman  Originally ‘breath’ or ‘soul’  Universal spirit Jiva  Our individual self  More like the western concept of a soul  More common in Jainism Prakriti  Physical matter Maya  ‘magic’ or ‘trick’  illusion

Samsara Wheel Continuous cycle of birth/death/rebirth Humans are trapped; our goal is moksha or liberation

Karma and Reincarnation Karma  “To Do”  Deeds, Works The sum total of an individual’s desires, thoughts, feelings, and actions. Actions Produce Consequences Reincarnation  Taking on bodily form again  Not necessarily human  Based on your karma

Ashramas – Life Stages Bramacharya Grihastha Vanaspratha Moksha  sannyasin

Four Life Goals Artha Kama Dharma Moksha

Castes Brahmins  Priests, philosophers Kshatriyas  Warriors, nobles Vaishyas  Farmers, Merchants Shudras  Laborers, Artisans

Bhagavad –Gita 18:11 …the duties of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras have been fixed according to the qualities arising from their inherent natures. The natural duties of a Brahmins are serenity, self-restraint, religious austerity, ritual purity, forgiveness, uprightness, spiritual knowledge, and belief in God. The natural duties of a Kshatriya are bravery, splendor, fortitude, dexterity, courage in battle, and the exercise of authority. The natural duties of a Vaishya are agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trade. In the same way, rendering work through service is the natural duty of a shudra.

Final Notes on Caste Social Order Mlechcha or “untouchables” are outside of the system  Renamed “harijan” or “children of God” by Gandhi Dvija or “twice-born”  Upper three castes  They can study the Vedas

Spiritual Disciplines Yoga  “Yug” – yoke or union  State of “living in the divine”  Four Paths

Bhakti Yoga “To Share” Most common path Path of Devotion or Love Ishta Mantra Japam

Jnana Yoga Path of Knowledge Way of Wisdom Intellectual Orientation; Spiritual Insight Who am I? Neti-Neti  “not this, not this”

Karma Yoga Path of Selfless Action Putting yourself to work helping others without any thought to your own reward Every act part of the divine that we all share

Raja Yoga Raj – reintegration Path of Stillness Samadhi or union with the divine is your goal Sadhanas or “practices”  Date back in time  Coherent system finally developed by 2 nd century Pantanajali’s sutras or threads (196 total – eight steps)

First, the body The body is full of energy (kundalini) Seven chakras or circles. They move energy Must move energy through the body in order to reintegrate and reach higher consciousness

Chakras Mooladhara or “base” Swadishthan or “sacral” Nabhi (Manipura) or “solar plexus” Anahat, Anahata or “Heart” Vishuddhi or “throat” Agnya or “brow” Sahasara or “crown” – 1000-petal lotus

Step One Yamas  Self-control Five Abstentions  Ahimsa or “non-injury”  Satya  Bramacharya  No Greed  No Theft

Step Two Niyamas or observances 5 observances  Cleanliness  Contentment  Self-Control  Studiousness  Contemplation of the Divine Works with step one Clears your visual field by removing you from concerns of this world

Step Three Asanas or posture Most common is the lotus (padmasana) Align chakras for good energy flow

Step Four Pranayamas or breath control Prana is life energy Three basic types of breath  Clavicular  Thoracic  Deep Abdomina

Step Five Pratyahara or sense control Learning to control all of the data you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch

Step Six Dharana Steadying the Mind Working to Focus on One Thing Mantras again are helpful as are ishtas Yantras – linear image

Step Seven Dhyana Meditation Start Experiencing Loss of Self

Step Eight Samadhi  Sam = with  Adhi = divine or Lord Higher Consciousness or Illumination

Hindu gods and goddesses 33 gods/goddesses in the sacred texts (more if you count the names) 33 koti devas  Koti can mean kinds or types  Koti can also mean 10,000,000  330 million Trimurti or Triple Form  Brahma  Vishnu  Shiva Most Hindus  Vaishnavites  Saivites  Saktas

Vaishnavites 580 million adherents Third only to Roman Catholics (1,030,000,000) and Sunni Muslims (940,000,000) Typically with four arms; on the serpent Shesha; with consort Lakshmi Avatars or descents; 22 mentioned only 10 really key

Saivites 220 million followers Fifth (Eastern Orthodox Christians are fourth at 240 million) Symbolizes asceticism Mahadeva or “Great god” Spouse is Parvarti

Saktas 50 million worship goddesses Durga is the great goddess Kali is the destroyer of evil Also Parvarti, Uma Tantras (sacred texts) help explain the feminine and stress the need for unity between the male and the female Union of a lingam and yoni

Mohandas Gandhi Satyagraha or ‘reality force’ Mahatma or “Great Spirit”

Final Notes -- India 1,065,070,607  0-14 years: 31.7%  years: 63.5%  65 years and over: 4.8% 2.5% world’s land; 15% of the world’s population 1.44% growth rate  15 million people added each year Median age is 24 Life expectancy is 65 Most women average 2.85 children Literacy  definition: age 15 and over can read and write  total population: 59.5% male: 70.2% female: 48.3% Religion  Hindu 81.3%, Muslim 12%, Christian 2.3%, Sikh 1.9%, other groups including Buddhist, Jain, Parsi 2.5%