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2. Promoting Dignity Mutual Respect & Pluralism
Ashramas
Promoting Dignity Mutual Respect & Pluralism

3. The 4 ashramas 3 4 2 1 Brahmacharya Grishastya Sannyasa Vanaprashta
These stages provide structure and guidance for daily life
The 4 ashramas
Stages of life
Today, most Hindus only follow the first 3 stages

4. 1
Brahmacharya

5. Brahmacharya Student Life
THE GOAL
Learning & Preparing
for success in the next stages
Gaining
Religious Training
to lay the foundation for spiritual practice
Attending School
in the modern era

6. 2
Grishastya

7. Grishastya MARRIED LIFE
THE GOAL
Develop Spiritual Practice
in the midst of the material world
Marriage is given high priority & the
scriptures detail how to make marriage successful
Individuals are encouraged to produce and distribute wealth (artha) & experience pleasure (kama), while always acting ethically (dharma)
In essence, each individual in this stage hopes to
be a supportive family member & productive citizen
* Though some Hindus choose to skip this stage, most choose to practice their spirituality while raising families.

8. 3
Vanaprashta

9. Vanaprashta
This stage begins after individuals fulfill their obligations to family.
In ancient times, once reaching this stage, people would start detaching themselves by moving to the forest to devote more of their time to spiritual practice. The key to this detachment is through service to others.
Today people have stopped retiring to the forest, instead choosing to spend more time giving back to their respective communities.

10. Vanaprashta Spiritual Practice
THE GOAL
To devote oneself to
Spiritual Practice with a Commitment to Moksha And Seva
(service)
The idea is to
live among other seekers of solace, knowledge, peace, and freedom
Hindus may do this by
volunteering, attending lectures, reading scriptures, going on pilgrimages, and even spending time in ashrams

11. 4
Sannyasa

12. Sannyasa RENUNCIATION
THE GOAL
Attain Liberation
from the cycle of birth and rebirth
Hindus who want to exclusively pursue moksha enter this stage:
a monastic lifestyle under the guidance of a guru
(teacher)
Having fulfilled all obligations to family and community, they are
free to devote themselves to spiritual growth, a simple lifestyle, non-violence
while subsisting on a minimum
* Practioners of this stage are called sannyasin (male) and sannyasini (females).

13. 4 Stages of Life with Different Goals
Key takEaways
THERE ARE
4 Stages of Life with Different Goals
Each individual’s progression through the stages is different,
as some may skip one stage or the other, and others may plateau at other stages
The four stages offer a guide for the
attainment of a full life
consisting of virtue, wealth, pleasure and spiritual liberation.
They are meant to help Hindus
balance enjoyment of the material world with ethics and progress
towards moksha, or liberation

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