Hinduism 12 Core Concepts

Key Concepts

1. The Atman. Who are we? What is the real self?

Atman is one’s real self that does not change and cannot be defined by material parameters and is separate from one’s physical body or mind. Consciousness is considered to be a “symptom” of the soul and without it the body cannot be aware and also cannot function. The soul is like the driver of a car, and the body cannot function without the soul just like a car cannot function without a driver.

2. Reincarnation and Samsara: What happens after death and before birth?

After death, the soul is carried to its next destination which is determined by one’s desires and karma and although the physical body changes, the soul does not. Samsara is the process of passing from one body to another in all species of life, which are ordered based on the awareness of the soul in that species. Samsara is considered to be a painful cycle because life brings suffering.

3. The Law of Karma: Why is there suffering?

Karma is the reactions to one’s actions that are stored throughout life and determine each soul’s destiny and what one’s new physical form will be after death. Only humans accumulate Karma because animals act only on instinct while humans make conscious decisions. There are three types of Karma:

1. Karma: Karma that elevates the soul.

2. Vikarma: Karma that lowers the soul.

3. Akarma: Karma that is neutral and leads to unification with Brahman.

4. Prakriti and Guna: How does the world work?

All matter is temporary undergoes three stages that correspond to the three gunas. The first is Rajas, which means passion and is the stage where matter is created. The second guna is Sattva, which means goodness and is the stage in which matter is sustained. The third guna is Tamas, which means ignorance and is the stage in which matter is destroyed. The physical form that an Atman takes corresponds to the guna , or mixture of gunas of that Atman, which creates physical diversity among all species.

5. Maya (Illusion): Why do we run into difficulty in this world?

The Atman is deceived by earthly matter and is therefore confused, giving one’s Atman a false sense of self-identity because one identifies with his or her physical condition. The three Guna’s affect the Atman’s connection to the body and to escape Maya, one must work towards Sattva, in which one can identify their atman as separate from the physical body.

6. Moksha (Liberation): What is the goal of life?

In Hinduism, Moksha is usually the main goal of life because it means release from Samsara and unification with Brahman. There are different interpretations of what unification with Brahman means, it can either mean unification of one’s identity with Brahman or unification of one’s purpose and realizing one’s spiritual nature.

7. Is there a God? If so, what is he/she like?

-God Part 1: There are three main features of God. The first is Brahman, which exists in everything, meaning that since everything comes from God, it is not separate from Him. The second is Antaryami, which exists in one’s soul and is sometimes called the “supersoul”. The third aspect is Bhagavan, which is the aspect of God that lives in the spiritual world and is personal so each soul can interact with it.

-God Part 2: In Hinduism, there are two main doctrines about the nature of God. The first is called Monism and says that the soul is part of one God, and all of the deities in Hinduism were made up to help humans have a better understanding of God, but there is only one god. The other is called Inclusive Monotheism and says that God and Atman are distinct entities, and accepts deities as God, which has a specific form that human were modeled after.

8. Dharma (Religious Duties): Which is the right way to act?

-Sanatana Dharma: Dharma means religious duties, especially one’s that sustain you according to your nature. Sanatana Dharma consists of duties that pertain to one’s Atman and are the same for everyone. These are the universal laws that are beyond religion. This concept is similar to how something can be called by different names but it is still the same thing, meaning that these universal laws can be called different names, but are the same things.

-Varnashrama Dharma: The natural classifications that appear in society which are catageorized into the four Varnas (social divisions) and the four Ashrams (stages in life). Each Varna and Ashram has its own Dharma that coincides with the responsibilities of the members of that classifications. The four Varnas are Brahmanas (intellectuals/priests), Kshatriyas (armed forces/administration), Vaishyas (merchants/farmers), and Shudras (artisans/workers). The Four Ashrams are student life, household life, retirement, and renunciation.

9. One Goal, Different Paths: Explaining Hindu Diversity

Hinduism states that there are four main goals in life: Dharma (righteousness), Artha (economic growth), Kama (pleasure) and Moksha (liberation). While Moksha is the main goal, Hindus believe that each of the other three goals are part of the process towards reaching Moksha. This process is called Yoga and there are many different practices of Yoga because everyone has a specific path towards Moksha.

10. Scripture and Guru: How are the teachings preserved?

Hindu Scripture is called Shastra and was written down after it could not be continued through oral tradition anymore. This information is considered to be the most reliable information for spiritual and religious matters. Scripture is like a mother, because as a child only your mother can educate you or reveal the nature of your father (God) to you.

11. Kala (Time): When did it start and when will it finish?

Hindus consider Atman and the real-self to be eternal, with no end and no beginning. Hindus also believe that the physical world undergoes cycles of creation and destruction and therefore the physical world also has no final end or beginning.

12. Creation: How and why was the world made?

The physical world is not created only once, but goes through a cycle of creation and destruction. Hindus also believe that there are many different universe’s with three main regions, the heavenly planets, the earthly area, and the lower worlds. Hindus also believe that the purpose of the physical world is to fulfill the souls desires and Samsara allowing the soul to be reunited with God.

Hinduism Vocabulary

Hinduism Vocab

Sanatana Dharma: A Sanskrit phrase that means “the eternal law” which is usually used to refer to Hinduism by its followers. The Sanatana Dharma are a group of spiritual laws that have always existed in the way that natural laws have always existed even before they were discovered.

The Vedas: The Vedas are the primary sacred texts of Hinduism. There are four specific Vedas: the Rig Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Atharva Veda. They contain hymns, incantations, and rituals and are some of the oldest religious texts in existence.

Upanishads: The Upanishads are a series of over 200 philosophical texts in Hinduism. The major concepts that the Upanishads cover are man’s dilemmas, the soul and God, man’s role in the world, the purpose of existence, and how to achieve true salvation.

Bhagavad-Gita: A sacred Hindu scripture comprised of 700 verses that is part of the Mahabharata. It describes the discussion between Lord Krishna and Arjuna before an important battle. It is considered to be like a concise guide to Hindu theology because it discusses different Yogic and Vedantic beliefs.

Ramayana: One of the two Hindu epics (other than the Mahabharata). It depicts the duties of relationships by portraying figures like the ideal king, brother, or mother. It contains the teachings of ancient Hindu sages and presents them in an allegorical narrative that mainly explores the concepts of dharma and human existence.

Atman: Used to describe the soul in a global sense or individual sense. It is one’s true self that does not exist within the physical world.

Avatar: Refers to the deliberate descent of a deity to an earthly manifestation or incarnation. It is usually associated with Vishnu, but can sometimes be associated with other deities like Shiva and Ganesh.

Bhajans: A Hindu devotional song that can have multiple subjects like stories from scripture or descriptions of gods.

Brahman: Refers to the eternal and unchanging divine reality in the universe. -The source and sustainer of the universe.

Trimurti: The idea that the cosmic functions of creation, destruction and maintenance are personified by the three manifestations of Brahman; Brahma the creator, Vishnu the maintainer, and Shiva the destroyer.

Brahma: The Hindu god of creation. He is the father of Manu, who all Hindus descended from and is the creator of the universe.

Vishnu: The Hindu god who controls, maintains, sustains and governs the universe. Vishnu is described as having the “universal form” in the Bhagavad-Gita, which cannot be understood by the human mind.

Shiva: The Hindu god of destruction. Followers of Hinduism who focus on worshipping Shiva are called Shaivites and/or Shaivas. Shiva can be presented in two ways: fearsome and terrifying or a figure of honor that is auspicious.

Darshan: Means sight or vision of a deity. In Hinduism, it is believed that standing in the sight of a deity will bring you a blessing.

Gunas: A state of mind or attitude.

-Tamas: A state of mind in which the spirit is overshadowed by laziness and ignorance. Usually people who die in a state of Tamas are reborn into lower castes.

-Rajas: Selfishness in which people are drawn to materialistic things. It causes people to be greedy, restless and follow selfish desires resulting in pain.

-Sattva: Calmness and clarity, a state in which the spirit is bonded to the body creating a state of happiness and knowledge.

Guru: A teacher of the Upanishads whose teachings have been illuminated by the Gods.

Ishta-Devata: A worshipper’s favorite deity that they chose to worship individually. All deities are a form of Brahman, but this is the specific form that a person chooses to worship because it has a particular meaning or characteristics of themselves.

Krishna: An avatar of Vishnu, making him easier to relate to because he is in human. Appears in the Upanishads and the Bhagavad-Gita in which he mainly emphasizes one’s duty to their caste, which will eventually lead to enlightenment. The Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana are texts that focus on Krishna’s life and teachings

Rita: The determined natural law; the idea that pure awareness is the only constant in existence and between different cycles of the universe, it exists without the existence of anything else.

Akriti: The idea that truth comes from beyond the human constraints of space and time and that what is true has always and will always be true.

Law of Karma: The idea that all deeds have consequences that will follow a person into their next life. It provides an explanation for the caste system because your place in this life is a direct cause of actions in a previous life. It also reinforces the idea that everything in the universe is related through cause and effect.

Maya: Refers to allusion of the physical world, which one needs to see through in order to be reunited with Brahaman. It also means that one soul cannot be separated from the rest and is a warning not to succumb to one’s ego.

Moksha: The release from Samsara and from the physical world through which one’s Atman is united with Brahman. This occurs through self-realization and achieving pure consciousness and bliss.

Murti: A physical representation of a deity or an image that expresses the divine spirit.

Puja: A ritual that acts as an offering to various deities. They are performed mainly at home or at temples. There are three important parts to a Puja: observing the deity, worshipping the deity, and eating the food that is offered.

Samsara: The idea that life is a continuous flow and does not end with death, it is the idea that death and re-birth repeat in cycles throughout the continuous existence of one’s Atman.

Shruti: Literature that is considered to was passed down through oral tradition and then written down by sages. It is revered and considered to have come from divine revelation. This includes the Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and the Upanishads.

Smriti: A part of sacred literature that is based on memory. They elaborate on Shruti, but are considered to have less of an authority although most people are more familiar with the Smriti than the Shruti. Smriti includes texts like the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.

Varna: The division of Hindus into four classes, but it is different than the caste system. The four classifications are:

1. Brahmins: scholars/clergy members

2. Kshatriyas: warriors/rulers

3. Shudras: laborers

4. Vaishyas: merchants, artisans, and agricultural workers.

Jati: A caste, meaning a one’s existence determined at birth by the actions of one’s previous life.

Yoga(s): Means union. It is a process to bring union between the individual self and the higher self through uniting different parts of the body and mind. There are four types:

1. Bhakti Yoga: the path to loving a single god by devoting one’s self to that God as if they were a parent/child/spouse etc…

2. Janana Yoga: The path to understanding “ultimate reality” through knowledge, but you have to be able to understand it on a deeper level that just comprehending it.

3. Karma Yoga: Aims to reverse the effect of Karma on one’s life, and it is consider that if you can work to take Karma out of your life, there is no need to be reborn and one can achieve Moksha, This is done by trying to detach one’s Atman from one’s actions.

4. Raja Yoga: Aims to remove one’s consciousness from this world, escaping Maya, to focus on the ultimate reality and to focus on the unity of Atman and Brahman.

Huston Smith Hinduism Reading Pages 12-22

What do people want?

1. In Hinduism, people want four things, the first of which is pleasure. Hindu’s do not condone Hedonism and encourage one to seek pleasure in life as long as they do not break basic moral rules. Although this may temporarily fulfill someone, they cannot totally fulfill one’s soul forever.

2. The second thing that people want is success. The benefits of success last longer than hedonism, but still cannot totally fulfill one’s soul because success cannot be shared, worldly success cannot stay with you when you die, and the drive for success cannot be relieved.

3. After one can no longer be filled by desires, he/she will seek the path of renunciation; in which he/she will seek fulfillment from what life has to offer other than what you can physically experience.

4. To follow the path of renunciation, one must shift their focus off of themselves and onto a larger community and their duty toward that community. Doing one’s duty has many benefits that require a maturity of the soul to appreciate such as self-respect and respect from others.

5. Although the path of renunciation offers a longer-lasting sense of fulfillment, this fulfillment is still only temporary and only exists in the physical world without having long-lasting affects on one’s soul.

Thesis: In Hinduism, it is believed that people will want different things at different stages of their Atman or soul’s maturity. The first two are mainly composed of hedonistic and earthly desires, and after one realizes that this is not enough to fulfill the soul, they will shift their focus to a larger community, but this will also eventually not be enough to fulfill them.

What do people really want?

1. Eventually, every human being will realize that they want more than the world can offer and will want to make progress on a spiritual level.

2. After going through the first 3 levels of what people want, they will realize that what they really want is to be (to exist forever and have the promise of the future ahead of them), to know, and joy but they will want an infinite amount of each.

3. Hinduism affirms that infinite being, knowledge and joy are all attainable and when you attain all three, you will be liberated or in Moksha.

4. The reason that people do not immediately want these things or even know that they are there is because this mindset is buried beneath a multitude of distractions associated with the physical world.

Thesis: What people really want consists of three things; to be, to know, and joy. Once one breaks thorough the barriers of distractions associated with this world, they will discover a desire to have an infinite amount of this three things, which Hinduism affirms is attainable through Moksha.