Religion Hinduism

Om

Essence of universe (3 male deities in Holy Trinity)

Peace

Why is Hinduism unique?

It’s disorganized because they have no leader

Hindi Worldview

Pluralism

→ 80% Hindu, 10% Muslim, and 10% Christian

→ Many paths, 1 destination

Origin of Hindu

Comes from Sanskrit Sindu or “river”

Banyan tree

Tree with branches grow in all directions and can become new roots or a new trunk; you can’t tell where it began

How does a Banyan tree connect to Hinduism?

You can’t answer “where did this come from? b/c Hinduism has expanded and changed so much that there’s no linear path

What happens during  550 BC – 300 BC?  

We see the role of Brahmin taken over by Gurus

Gurus

Sanskrit for teachers

→ Follow personal devotion to the Hindu gods

Bhakti

Sacrificial rituals

Asceticism

Practice of self denial + self discipline

→ Thru meditation

Brahman

Ultimate reality; concept of Godhead found in Hinduism

6 seasons

The 4 basic, cool season, and rains

Samsara

Endless cycle of birth, death, & rebirth until one has achieved oneness with Brahman

Karma

Sum of a person’s actions in this life/previous lives and decided their fate in future existences

Moksha

Pursuit of liberation from the cycle of Samsara thru action, knowledge, + devotion

→ Goal: To not be reincarnated cuz it means you messed up on something

2 terms that define the sacredness of life

Ahimsa and Satyagraha

Ahimsa

Non-violence

Satyagraha

Peaceful resistance

→ Think Ghandi

Dharma

Ethics + duties

→ Pursuit of righteousness

Artha

Work + prosperity

→ Pursuit of material + political wealth

Kama

Passion + desires

→ Pursuit of artistic, recreational, + sensual pleasure

4 castes + outsider (BKVSD)

1. Brahmins

2. Kshatriyas

3. Vaishyas

4. Shudras

5. Dalit

Problem with Caste system

You can’t move from your castle

Brahmins

Priests

→ Head of Brahma to symbolize divine knowledge

Kshatriyas

Kings, Rulers, + Warriors

→ Chest + arms of Brahma to symbolize the strength as a warrior

Vaishyas

Merchants + craftsmen

→ Legs of Brahma to symbolize need for strong legs for that, turns + moves your body

Shudras

Farmers, unskilled, + servants

→ Feet of Brahma to symbolize importance but physically & figurately the lowest

Dalit

Street workers, human/animal waste removers, + dead body handlers

→ Untouchables, outside of the caste system.

→ Brahma/caste system sits “on top of” them

3 paths of yoga

1. Karma

2. Jnana

3. Bhakti

Karma is the path of…

Action

Jnana is the path of…

Knowledge

Bhakti is the path of…

Devotion

Karma

Selfless service to others and it brings liberation; desire for liberation should be purged

Jnana

Learning → receiving info from outside of yourself

Thinking → internal reflection of what you know

Viewing → seeing yourself thru God’s pov

Bhakti

Pure long devotion to Brahmin (followed by most Hindus)

Maya

Illusion

→ Freed only from Moksha

____ determines what kind of life you’re born into, while ____ is the illusion you are only freed from by _____

Karma; Maya; Moksha

Male deities

1. Brahma

2. Vishnu

3. Shiva

Brahma

The creator

Vishnu

The preserver

Shiva

The destroyer

Parvati

Goddess of Love

Kali

Goddess of Time, Death, and Doomsday

Durga

Warrior Goddess

Saraswati

Goddess of Knowledge

Divali is the festival of ____

Lights

Divali

→ Most important holiday

→ Commemorates the return of Prince Rama after the 14^th year exile

Celebrate by lighting a row of diyas (clay lamps) to guide Rama home

→ 15^th day of Kartik (Oct or Nov)

5 Days of Divali

1. People clean their homes and shop for gold/kitchen utensils to help bring good fortune

2. People decorate their homes with diyas and create rangoli designs on the floor

3. Main day, families gather together for Lakshmi followed by mouth-watering feats + firework festivities

4. January 1^st, when friends visit with gifts and best wishes

5. Brothers visit their married sisters who welcome them w/ love and meals

Holi is the festival of ____

Colors

Holi

→ Celebrates the start of Spring

→ Love between Krishna + Radha

→ Division of castes is gone for this day

16 samskaras (rites of passage) of the Life Cycle

Birth, Childhood, Adulthood, + Death

Birth

→ Womb placing (Conception)

→ Male rite (Prayers for male child after 3 months)

→ Hair parting (Husband combing wife’s hair)

→ Rite of birth (Blessing baby w/ honey)

Childhood

→ Namkaran (Welcome newborn baby into the community 3 weeks after birth w/ name of a God/goddess)

→ Feeding (Marks down the first meal baby eats, sometimes rice)

→ Ear piercing (Boys/girls gold earrings)

→ First haircut (Rite of passage for boys’ first haircut)

→ Formal education (Write 1^st letter of alphabet into uncooked rice before beginning 1^st day of school)

Adulthood

→ Proper season (Girls’ ceremony after 1^st menstrual period)

→ Beard shaving (Boys’ ceremony after 1^st time they’ve shaved)

→ Word giving (Betrothal ceremony where one pledges themself)

→ Marriage

Death

→ Preparation of the body (Eldest son does this)

→ Cremation

→ Scattering ashes in water

3 Sacred Places/Spaces

1. Home Shrines

2. Nature

3. Temples

Nature

Rahman is present in creation like thru mountains, forests, and rivers

→ Rivers: symbol of life without end

Ganges River

→ Most sacred place

→ Spiritual healing of washing away bad karma

→ Ashes spread across it

→ Dirtiest river

Home Shrines + Temples

→ Individual or collective worship (not communal like Christians)

→ Temple in all of India’s major cities

→ Images of many Gods but dedicated only to one

→ Rare to have a unified worship like Christians

→ Where Brahmins perform puja

Puja

Honor a deity in a devotional ritual

Murti

Artistic artform of a deity, NOT an idol

Atman

A person’s soul

2 types of Sacred Texts

Shruti and Smriti

Shruti

“That which is heard”

→ Numerous Hymns

→ Vedas revealed to Rishis

Rishis

Hindu holy person/Sage

2 Shruti texts

Vedas and Upaishads

Vedas

Earliest + most important part of Hindu text

4 Vedas (RSYA)

1. Rig Veda

2. Sama Veda

3. Yajur Veda

4. Atharva Veda

Rig Veda – 1300 BC

Oldest + most sacred

→ Multiple accounts of creation, praise for Gods, and mantras used in Bhakti and sacrifice

Sama Veda – 1050 BC

Collection of hymns chanted @ soma sacrifices (Bhakti)

→ People’s favorite

Soma

Hallucinogenic beverage that aligns your mind/body…weird af

Yajur Veda – 1200-800 BC

Instructions for the priests regarding the proper manner of fire + soma rituals

for the priests regarding the proper manner of fire and soma rituals

Atharva Veda – 850 BC

Hymns meant to be used at home

→ Charms, spells, healing incantations, or curse removal

Upanishads

Philosophical dialogues between guru + student

→ “To sit down beside”

→ Used to be part of Vedas

→ Talking w/ intent to reveal what is true and what is maya, escaping Samsara

→ Relationship between Brahman and Atman

Smriti

“That which is remembered”

→ Epic stories that bring the Shruti to life

→ Poems and epic stories that include the Gods

3 Smriti texts

1. Mahabharata

2. Ramayana

3. Puranas

Mahabharata

Story of war between 2 families over inheritance

→ Krishna (avatar of Vishnu) supported good brother

→ Includes the Bhagavad Gita

Bhagavad Gita

Part of the Mahabharata that addresses the moral and philosophical dilemmas faced by Arjuna on the battlefield

Ramayana

Addresses the life of Prince Rama, his exile, the abduction of his wife Sita by the demon king Ravana, and his quest to rescue her

Puranas

Addresses the myths about the 3 main male Gods