1. The Anthropology of Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
It’s Getting Better All the Time?
Hinduism

2. The Hindu Trimurthi

3. Central Concepts of Hinduism (pantheon)
Brahman – a term used to refer to the one, indivisible, ultimate reality, of which māyā is the manifestation
Ātman – the manifestation of Brahman within the individual (approximates the English term “soul”)

4. Central Concepts of Hinduism (substantive beliefs)
māyā – etymologically related to “measure”
(root mā – “to measure, lay out,
produce, create, display”)
māyā is existence

5. Central Concepts of Hinduism (substantive beliefs)
dharma – “duty”, “what you must do”
karma – a universal law of cause and effect
all beings are born and reborn in positions
that are at least partially determined by the
results of their past actions

6. Krishna teaching Arjuna
(from the Bhagavad Gita (part of the Mahabharata)

8. Central Concepts of Hinduism (substantive beliefs)
The aim of Indian thought is to learn that māyā exists and to cut through its webs of deception. In doing so, a person attains a reality which truly is reality.
moksha – the liberation that results when a person understands the nature of the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth

9. What drives the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth?
ignorance
desire
attachment

10. In Hinduism
That which cannot be comprehended by mind but by which the mind is comprehended – know that alone to be supreme being and not this or that god whom people ordinarily worship
Kenopanishad – P.1.5
(ca. 600 B.C.E.)
unreality = all that is ever- changing, transitory, elusive, and ever-returning reality = that which is changeless, imperishable, steadfast, and eternal

11. treta dvapara kali Hinduism a cyclical view of the world
cycles embedded in cycles
each world cycle has four world ages (yuga)
krita
treta
dvapara
kali

12. krita yuga (the “four-quartered” yuga)
dharma stands on four legs, like the sacred cow
all beings follow their dharma of their own accord, all are virtuous
lasts for 1,728,000 years

13. treta yuga (the “three-quartered” yuga)
the power of dharma stands on three legs
order is loosing ground
the observance of duty is no longer automatic, but must be learned
lasts for 1,296,000 years

14. dvapara yuga (the “two-quartered” yuga)
dharma stands on two legs
a dangerous balance between perfection and imperfection, dark and light
knowledge of the divine is increasingly lost
true spirituality is disappearing, and can only be attained through fasting, vows, devotion, etc.
lasts for 864,000 years

15. kali yuga (the “one-quartered” yuga)
only ¼ of the original dharma is being observed
egotism, blind and reckless qualities prevail
humans and the world of humans are at their worst
lasts for 432,000 years

16. kali yuga began on Friday, February 18, 3102 B.C.E.
over 427,000 years remain in the current yuga

17. maha yuga (the “great” yuga)
krita yuga 1,728,000 years
treta yuga 1,296,000 years
dvapara yuga ,000 years
kali yuga ,000 years
_____________
maha yuga 4,320,000 years

18. Cycles of Existence 1 maha yuga = 4,320,000 years
1 kalpa (day of Brahma) = 1000 maga yuga
= 4,320,000,000 years
each kalpa consists of 14 manvantaras (intervals of Manu), each of which ends in a great flood
we are currently in the 7th manvantara of the present day of Brahma

19. Cycles of Existence
At the dawn of each kalpa, Brahma reemerges from a lotus which grows from the navel of Vishnu

20. Cycles of Existence
At night, Brahma and all within him disappear for a period as long as one Brahma day

21. Cycles of Existence
after 100 years of Brahma days and nights, all is dissolved.
The three visible worlds (earth, heaven, and the space between) disappear, as do all the spheres of being
all is reabsorbed into the divine primeval substance

22. = 311,040,000,000,000 years Cycles of Existence
this state lasts as long as one life of Brahma (a century of Brahma)
= 311,040,000,000,000 years

24. Emotional Rescue

25. Buddhism
founded by Siddhārtha Gautama, a prince from the Himalayan foothills (ca B.C.E.)
Gautama’s mother, Māyā, dreamed that a white elephant descended from heaven and entered her womb

26. Gautama
The priests consulted to interpret this dream told the parents that the son would either be a great king or become a great monk, depending upon what he experienced
Gautama’s mother died soon after giving birth

27. Gautuma
Gautama’s father sequestered his son from the world, and took steps to ensure that he only experienced happiness and beauty
Gautama married the most desirable princess of the land
Together, they had a beautiful son
But Gautama became bored with life

28. Gautama
The gods, aware that Gautama was destined to be the Buddha, were dismayed at the king’s behavior
They agreed that a deva (god) would appear to Gautama to help bring him to his path
The deva appeared to Gautama when he left the palace

29. The “Four Signs” on the 1st day, the deva appeared as an old man
on the 2nd day, the deva appeared as a sick person
on the 3rd day, the deva appeared as a corpse
on the 4th day, the deva appeared as a sannyasin, a wandering monk

30. Gautama’s Quest
Gautama leaves his life of privilege and wealth for a spiritual pursuit
The “renounciation”

31. Gautama’s Quest
he wandered for years, studied with many sages, and learned a wide variety of spiritual practices
meditation
fasting
asceticism

32. Gautama’s Quest
After many years, Gautama finally realized that that no teacher could lead him to the fulfillment of his quest, but that he had to attain it on his own
The “middle path”

33. the “tree of enlightenment” (Ficus religiosus)
Gautama’s Quest
One day, he came to the Bodhi tree
He vowed to remain there until he either died or attained enlightenment
Gautama began to meditate
the “tree of enlightenment” (Ficus religiosus)

34. Gautama’s Quest Mara, the “tempter” but Gautama is not diverted
(who uses desire, fear, distraction), attempts to divert him from his quest
he appears as a messenger with sad news from his home
he sends his three beautiful daughters to seduce him
by challenging his generosity
but Gautama is not diverted

35. 3 Stages of Enlightenment
Gautama gains knowledge of his prior lives and states
His “third eye” of omniscient vision opens
He understands from within the “chain of causation”
Gautama becomes the Buddha,
the “Enlightened One”

36. The “Four Noble Truths”
that existence coincides with dukkha (pain, suffering)
that dukkha has a cause
that dukkha also has a cessation
that there is a path which leads to the cessation of dukkha

37. The “Eight-Fold Path” right views right aspiration right speech
1 & 2: focus on attitude 3, 4, 5 & 6: focus on behavior 7 & 8: focus on the meditative dimensions of human life
right views
right aspiration
right speech
right action
right means of livelihood
right effort
right awareness
right concentration

38. Buddha’s Teachings therapeutic in nature
the normal condition of the organism is health; a doctor works to remove the obstacles to health
our normal spiritual state is also one of health; when a person takes refuge in a viewpoint (= dogma), then the fever of desire burns

39. Buddha’s Teachings
the three poisons which feed the flame of self- ishness are:
Ignorance
Desire
Fear (of loss of attachment)
Nirvana is the state in which this flame is extinguished
Once the flame is extinguished, there will be no rebirth

40. Buddha’s Teachings
Buddha did not concern himself with metaphysics, but with the phenomena of existence
There is no “first cause” or “god” – a meaningless concept
The teachings are like a raft used to cross a river – once you have crossed, you do not need them (and thus should abandon them)

41. “When one gives up trying to understand, then one may be enlightened” Nagarjuna

43. You Are Cordially Invited to Attend
The Anthropology of
Magic, Witchcraft, and Religion
For an
Emotional Rescue