Belief and Philosophy

Ahimsa - the teaching of non-violence

Atman = Brahman - our individual share of universal energy (we are all equal)

Dharma - ethical duty based on the divine order of reality; one of the four goals of life. 

Four Desires (Tanhas):

• Sukkah - pleasure

• Artha - wealth/success

• Dharma - duty

• Moksha - a release from this limited realm of existence into the divine; united forever with the divine having returned to the sacred source

Karma - the moral law of cause and effect of actions determines the nature of one's reincarnation

Monism - the doctrine that reality is made up of only one essence

Monotheistic-Polytheism - various gods and goddesses are viewed strictly as embodiments or avatars of one God, Braham

Reincarnation - rebirth in new life forms

Samsara - the cycle of birth death and rebirth

Concept of God

“God is one, all-pervasive, divine presence.”

“While not unknowable, God is entirely unsearchable.”

Chief Attributes of God:

• Sat - being

• Chit - awareness

• Ananda – bliss

Trimurti:

• Brahma/Sarasvati

  • "the creator"

  • 4 heads, drawn sitting down

  • Saravati (goddess of knowledge) is Brahman's female counterpart

• Shiva/Parvati

  • "the preserver"

  • blue skin, drawn with cobra and water

  • Lakshmi (goddess of good fortune and beauty) is Vishnu's female counterpart

• Vishnu/Lakshmi

  • "the destroyer" (of evils)

  • drawn with trident, and animal furs

  • Parvati (goddess of evil) is Shiva's female counterpart

Other Commonly Worshipped Gods:

• Rama - the avatar of Vishnu, a central figure of the Ramayana

• Sita - avatar of Lakshmi, wife of Rama, represents good virtue

• Ganesha - the elephant god, god of success

• Hanuman - monkey god, represents courage, power, and selfless service

Structure and Practice

Caste System (Varna/Jati):

• Brahmin - the highest, traditionally made up of priests

• Kshatriya - the second, traditionally made up of warriors and administrators

• Vaisya - the third, traditionally made up of producers such as farmers, merchants, and artisans

• Sudra - the lowest, traditionally made up of servants and laborers

• Hari-jan/Dalit (technically outside of caste system) - untouchables, outcasted from society

Four Ashramas (Stages of Life):

• Student - brahmacharga

• Householder

• Forest Dweller

• Renunciant - sanyasin

Four Yogas (Paths to Moksha):

• Karma Yoga

  • "the path of works"

  • performing right actions according to one's dharma

  • concern for the world and one's fellow human

• Jnana yoga

  • "the path of knowledge"

  • knowing the true nature of reality through learning and mediation

  • 3 schools of philosophy (Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga)

• Bhakti Yoga

  • "the path of devotion"

  • most popular

  • loving devotion to one's chosen god or goddess

• Raja Yoga

  • the path of meditation

Holy Books

Vedas

• Samhitas

  • Rig - oldest and most important, gods are formally identified, caste system

  • Sama - verses for chanting

  • Yajur - most authoritative instructions for rituals

  • Atharva - medicine book with spells

• Brahmanas 

  • philosophy of rituals

• Aranyakas

  • anecdotal information; interpretations

• Upanishads (at the feet of)

  • ataman=brahman

Epics

• Ramayana - one of two classical Hindu epics telling of the banishment of Rama from his kingdom the abduction of his wife by a demon and Rama's restoration to the throne

• Mahabharata - the longest single poem in the world, about a war fought between two branches of the same family. Main Character: Arjuna.

  • Bhagavad-Gita - a section of the Indian epic the Mahabharata

• Puranas - popular epics, collections of stories and poems about favorite sectarian gods and sages