Buddhism Overview

Buddhism Overview

1. Buddhism-General Overview
The three main concepts of Buddhism:

1. “Conditioned Arising”: One of the main concepts of Buddhism is conditioned arising, which is a chain that shows how everything in the world is connected. Buddhists believe that all physical things depend on each other, and that if this chain is unraveled, one can reach nirvana because nirvana is the only thing in existence that is independent of everything else.

2. Nothing is permanent: Another main concept of Buddhism is the idea that nothing in the world is permanent. This idea has influenced many other Buddhist doctrines, such as the belief in a universal consciousness, but not a permanent soul that travels through samsara.

3. The Three Jewels: The Three Jewels are an important concept in Buddhism because they lay out the three most important components of Buddhism. They consist of the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha. The Buddha is the example that Siddhartha Gautama set for others to reach enlightenment, the Dharma is the guidelines he set for the path to nirvana, and the Sangha is the community of monks and nuns who teach others.

2.

1. One of the most important elements of the Buddha’s life is how he was sheltered from suffering in his youth because this allowed him to think about suffering differently than the average person at the time would. Another important element of his life is when he first saw suffering for the first time (in the forms of old age, sickness, and death) because this experience caused him to abandon his previous life and search for enlightenment. One of the other important events in his life was when he achieved nirvana, because this led him to teach others the path to nirvana.

2. a) The wheel that the Buddha holds in his hand represents the dharma of Buddhism. The wheel has eight spokes, and each spoke represents on the steps of the eightfold path, which leads to nirvana.

b) In the picture, the Buddha sits on a lotus as a throne and is meditating. The lotus represents enlightenment because its roots being in the mud but flowers in the open free space, symbolizing the journey towards enlightenment.

c) There is an aura of Buddha-hood that surrounds him and symbolizes the fact that he has reached nirvana. The aura for each Buddha is different and his aura is composed of six different colors and is said to be 20 feet in diameter.

3.

a) The Buddha can be represented as either a symbol or an image. At first, he discouraged people from depicting him, so people depiced him using symbols such as the wheel, his footprints, the stupa, and the bodhi tree. He can also be visually depicted, which usually involves him sitting down, and each depiction of the Buddha tries to also represent the twelve key events in his life.

b) i. The Buddha has that is put into a topknot, which is what an ascetic would have worn his hair like during that time period.

ii. The Buddha has an urna, which is a small tuft of hair on his forehead. This is one of the thirty two physical marks of a superman.

iii. The Buddha’s posture is typical of the time, and his hands are placed in mudras, and is sitting in meditation.

iv. The Buddha is also sitting in a meditation posture, meaning that the legs are crossed and the soles of his feet are turned upwards and resting on his thighs. There are many different postures that the Buddha can be depicted in, and the meditation posture is very popular.

v. The Buddha is also depicted to be sitting on a meditation throne, which was usually used to symbolize the Buddha’s presence and indicate that a figure was the Buddha in Buddhist art.

4. a) Stupas are burial mounds that were used for important figures in early Buddhism. Some stupas also supposedly contain relics of the Buddha, which were divided up between mutiple stupas after his death. Some of the common symbols on stupas are a dome that sits on a five layered base which represents the five elements of the world and a sun that rests on a crescent moon which symbolizes wisdom and compassion.

b) One of the main features of a stupa is a depiction of certain events from the Buddha’s life such as right before he became a Buddha. There are also two stone lions that guard the entrance to the stupa and depictions of celestial spirits that carry offerings to the Buddha are usually located at the top of the stupa. There is also usually a wheel present like in other Buddhist art, which represents the dharma.

5. One symbol used for devotion in Buddhism is the lotus blossom. Its roots are in the mud, but it blooms in the open pure space, which represents enlightenment and the teachings of Buddha. The Sangha has also come to be represented by the lotus and monks are usually depicted by rising out of a lotus.

6. a) One of the main concepts of Buddhist cosmology is the idea of different realms of existence such as the four realms of mental rebirth, the realms of pure form, and the realm of desire. Buddhist believe that there are six realms or spheres of existence into which one can be reborn such as the realm of the gods, the asuras, the hungry ghosts, the animal realm, and the human realm.

b) Mandalas are representations of ideal worlds that usually pertain to a specific Buddha. They basically represent a smaller version of the cosmos, but also a larger version of the believers energy or spirit and are used for specific rituals within the faith.

c) One of the most important aspects of the wheel of life is craving, because Buddhist believe that this is part of what causes suffering. Another important part of the wheel of life is clinging because it represents the attachment to the physical world that causes suffering. Antoher important aspect is rebirth because it symbolizes the cycle of samsara.

World Religions Vocab Themes

1. The Human Condition

Humans are considered to be undergoing the cycle of samsara, and can only break that cycle through becoming unified with their Atman. The physical world is considered to a part of maya, meaning that it is an illusion, and part of breaking the cycle of samsara is for one to recognize this illusion and transcend it. Humans can be in different Gunas, or states of mind, which affects their progression through samsara and ultimate release from the physical world. There are three gunas, Tamas which is laziness, Rajas, which is greed, and Sattva, which is clarity. If a person dies in Tamas or Rajas, they will usually be born into lower castes or as animals, but if a person dies in Sattva, they would be reborn into a higher caste.

2. Achieving Salvation

Achieving salvation in Hinduism means the release from samsara through moksha, through liberation from the physical world and the illusion of the physical world. Most Hindus work to accomplish this through practicing one of the four forms of yoga. Through practicing Jnana Yoga, Hindus seek to achieve moksha through study. Bhakti yoga involves devoting oneself to a specific deity to reach mosksha. Karma yoga involves restricting one’s actions in order to attain moksha. Also, Ashtanga yoga involves pushing one’s physical limits in order to break free from the consciousness of the physical world in order to connect with one’s atman.

3. Concept of God/ Deities

In Hinduism, Brahman has three distinct characteristics that are portrayed through three different deities that compose the trimurti. Brahma is the maintainer, Vishnu is the sustainer, and Shiva is the destroyer. These deities have manifested themselves on earth through avatars such when Vishnu appeared as Krishna and Rama. Humans can experience darshan, which is the sight of vision of one of these deities and it is believed that experiencing darshan will bring one good luck, although it does not occur often.

4. Sacred Texts/Doctrines

The largest sacred texts in Hinduism are the Vedas which are Shruti literature because it was passed down through oral tradition. The Upanishads are also very important Hindu texts because they are the texts that first begin to elaborate on the doctrines and major beliefs of the religion. The other type of Hindu literature is Smirti literature, which is literature based on memory such as the Ramayana or the Bhagavad-Gita.

Hinduism Parts 4 and 5

Part 4: Doctrine and Scripture

1. Shruti- The Upanishads and Vedanta Sutras:

Shruti is one of the two divisions of Hindu literature meaning information that has been heard, and is usually considered to be universal truth. The Upanishads are philosophical texts in Hinduism that are thought to be lessons given by gurus to their students, which people think marks the beginning teaching using the Vedas. They contain information on some of the most important doctrines in Hinduism such as Atman, reincarnation, karma, Brahman, and how to achieve liberation. The Vedanta Sutras are a way to create a system for teaching the Upanishads that were created by the sage Vyasa by using different proverbs or anecdotes to teach the Upanishads. Most people cannot understand the Upanishads or Vedanta Sutra without guidance from smriti.

2. Smriti- The Bhagavad-gita:

Smriti is defined as knowledge that has been remembered, it is supplementary to shruti and can change over time. The Bhagavad-gita is a part of the Mahabharata and details a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna who sit on a chariot on a battlefield between the two armies. Arjuna seeks the guidance of Krishna after he sees some of his friends and family members on both sides of the battlefield and does not want to fight against them. Krishna tells him that he is associated their bodies with their Atmans, which are two separate entities. Krishna explains that the atman and the body are different things and explains how one can reach enlightenment through the different types of yoga. He also talks about God and how the soul is confused by the three gunas. The Bhagavad-gita is important to Hinduism because it is like a summary of the major concepts of Hinduism.

3. Smriti-Dharma Shastras: The Dharma Shastras contain the laws and codes of conduct related to Hinduism. These laws concern three main subjects: codes of conduct, civil/criminal law, and punishment or atonement to God. The most important one is the Manu Smriti, which was written by Manu who was a demigod and the first person to come up with laws. It establishes the duties of Hindus specifically relating to the varnas and ashrams. The Dharma Shastras establish moral and civil laws, which are the basis for Hindu society and how Hindus live their everyday lives.

Part 5: Denominations and Practice

1. Vaishnavism: Vaishnavism is a one hindu denomination that worships God in the form of Shiva. There are four main branches but the two main focuses of Vaishnavism are personally associating with God through Bhakti, and worshipping different avatars of Vishnu such as Krishna or Rama. Vaishnavism claims to have existed for millions of years, but it experienced a revival in the twelfth century when bhakti became more popular.

2. Shaktism: Shaktism focuses on worhsipping the godess Devi, who is Shiva’s official consort. Devi takes many forms such as Parvati, Durga, and Kali which are all worshipped in Shaktism. Shaktism bases a lot of its doctrine and ideology from Shaivism since Shiva is seen to represent the male and Shakti is seen to represent the female. Specifically, Shakti doctrine emphasizes that there is a difference between matter and spirit but also a creative potential in within matter. Shaktism was probably passed down through cultural customes and through Shaivism but is a prominent part of the larger Hindu community today.

Hinduism Parts 2 and 3

Part 2: Practice

Step 1:

1. Karma Yoga: Karma Yoga recognizes that selfish actions limit the soul to the physical world, and therefore one’s actions should not be driven by selfish needs or wants. To practice Karma Yoga, one needs to have their actions be driven by a greater cause, with the ultimate goal of having all of one’s actions serve God.

2. Jnana Yoga: Jnana Yoga focuses on limiting and reducing one’s actions to promote knowledge and wisdom. People who practice Jnana Yoga emphasize education to promote knowledge and freeing the body from desires that hide one’s Atman. The main goal of Jnana Yoga is to achieve liberation through knowledge and freeing oneself from physical limitations.

3. Astanga/Raja Yoga: This type of yoga is an eight-part process that is based on the teachings of Pantanjali, a Hindu sage. This process makes the people who practice this type of Yoga obtain eight main types of mystic powers by overcoming physical and mental limits. By reaching these goals, one can focus on leaving the physical world through focusing on God within one’s Atman.

4. Bhakti-Yoga: Bhakti-Yoga is the type of Yoga that most Hindus follow in order to be released from Samsara, and focuses on worshiping the murti, spiritual development, and specific practices like pilgrimages in which one worships a personal god. Bhakti-Yoga is also a blend of most of the other types of yoga because it focuses on knowledge as well as liberation. The main goal of most people who follow Bhakti Yoga is to completely devote oneself to the personal deity that he or she worships.

Step 2:

1. The Trimurti: The Trimurti is a method of understanding God through his three main qualities, creating, sustaining, and destroying. The Trimurti uses the three principle deities of this world, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva to portray these qualities. Brahma is the creator who controls Raja-guna and is usually not specifically worshipped by Hindus. Vishnu is the sustainer of the universe who controls Sattva-guna and is usually worshipped in the form of Rama or Krishna. Shiva is the destroyer who controls Tama-guna and is in control of the destruction of the universe.

2. The Murti: Murti is a sacred image and worshipping these images helps Hindus connect and develop their relationship with God. The Murti is like a middleman for people to communicate with God through because most people cannot communicate with God directly, so He appears in the Murti that they worship. This means that Murti are not just a physical form of God, but can also be a spiritual form of God to those who have developed their relationship with him. Also, there are specific regulations for creating Murti that are in Hindu scriptures. Hindus do not view the Murti as a form of idolatry because it is done out goodness, instead of evil desires.

3. Puja- Ritual Worship: Puja refers to worship specifically of the Murti. Each denomination (sampradaya) of Hinduism has different regulations for Puja, but it usually involves bathing and dressing the Murti and offering items to it and later offering food to the Murti. Puja can be performed at home or in a temple where it is performed more elaborately. It is seen as an act of devotion to god or the specific deity that the Murti symbolizes.

Step 3:

1. Holi: Holi occurs in March and celebrates the defeat of the evil king Kiranyakashipu by Narashimha (a form of Vishnu) after he tries to kill his son by having his sister, Holika take him onto a pyre to burn him alive. Instead, Holika begins to burn and the King’s son forgives her dedicating a festival to commemorate her death. Holi begins by burning fires to symbolize the burning of Holika and to dispel evil spirits. Then there is a part of the festival in which everyone throws colors or colored water at each other.

2. Ganesh Chaturthi: This festival occurs in August and/or September and celebrates when Ganesh was born. The festival lasts for eleven days in which intricate Murtis of Ganesh are made which the people worship in large, intricately decorated tents. It is believed that during this festival Ganesh is present on earth for all those who are devoted to him.

Step 4:

1. Varanasi: Varanasi is located on the Ganges river south of Delhi and is one of the oldest cities in the world. Varanasi is a pilgrimage site because Hindus believe that if someone dies or is cremated there, they have a better chance or breaking free from samsara and achieving moksha. People transport corpses from all over India to be cremated in Varanasi and sometimes the loved ones of the dead come to scatter their ashes in Ganges to help the soul achieve liberation.

2. Mathura and Vrindavana: Mathura is an ancient city in India and is famous for being where Krishna was born. It has a main temple called Keshava Deo Mandir where many people come to worship Krishna and Radha. Mathura is part of a larger area called Vraj that consists of other holy sites and sacred forests. Vrindavana is the village that Krishna lived in and many people who worship Krishna live the end of their lives in Vrindavana because they want to return and be connected to Vishnu after death.

Step 5:

1. Upanaya-Initiation: This ceremony symbolizes that a boy has been recognized as part of his Varna, or social level. Hindus view this rite of passage as a second birth for the boy on which he beings to develop his relationship with God, find his spiritual identity, and accepts a spiritual teacher and the Vedas as his symbolic parents. In the ceremony, the boy’s head is shaved and he is bathed and given new clothes to wear. He also receives a jenoi, which is a sacred thread that all men wear for their entire lives after this ceremony. Sometimes, the boy’s spiritual teacher will give him a spiritual name to replace his birth name and the boy vows to study the Vedas and follow certain rules of the faith.

2. Antyeshti-Funeral Rites: Most Hindus retire into the third stage of their life, which is called Vanaprastha in which they focus more on their spiritual progress before they die. Funeral Rites play a large role ending not only this stage in their life, but their entire life. In Hinduism, there are not many differences between how funeral rites are preformed in different denominations and usually involve cremating the dead, unless it is a small child or saint, who are buried. Hindus cremate bodies in order to allow the spirit to detach from that specific physical body and move onto its next life. There is also a mourning period of thirteen days to allow family members to grieve and allow the departed soul to move onto its next body. The ceremony itself consists of bathing the body and dressing it in fresh cloths, placing flowers around the body, and putting a few drops of water from the Ganges River in the mouth of the deceased. Then the body is carries to be cremated where the eldest son of the deceased lights the fire and verses are read from Hindu scripture.

Step 6:

1. Describe the concept of Dharma: Dharma means religious duty and has two parts: Sanatana-Dharma and Varnashrama-Dharma. Sanatana-Dharma is the souls natural desire to serve God, and is more closely related to spiritual concepts than Hindu lifestyle. Varnashrama-Dharma is an individual’s duties that are correlated with his or her place in society and spiritual stage in life. It is mainly concerned with social matters, and teaches Hindus to accept that there are many paths toward liberation allowing for acceptance of diversity. There is also a third part of Dharma, called Sadharana-Dharma, which is the set of moral codes that all Hindus live by. Dharma combines all of these three concepts to live a life that coincides with the natural laws that are listed in scripture in which one can spiritually grow and flourish.

2. Explain the purpose and meaning of the Varnas: There are four Varnas, or social/economic classes that each contains their own set of duties for members of that specific Varna. The first Varna is the Shudras, which consists of Artisans and workers. The Shudras should take pride in their work, provide their services for other, follow the general moral code, and marry. The second Varna is the Vaishyas, which consists of businessmen and merchants. The duties of the Vaishyas are to protect animals, create wealth, care for their workers, trade ethically, and pay taxes to the Kshatriyas. The third Varna is the Kshatriyas, who are the ruling class. They are supposed to protect society, and show strength in terms of force and moral character to act as an example for the rest of society. The fourth Varna is called the Brahmanas and consists of priests, teachers, and intellectuals. They provide spiritual education and leadership, and shape the moral character and development of society.

3. Explain the purpose and meaning of the four Ashrams: An Ashram is a spiritual stage of life that each person goes through in their lifetime, although not everyone goes through all four. The first Ashram is called Brahmacari, in which one usually moves away from home to grow spiritually by living a simple life, serving the guru, studying the Vedas, and developing the ideal qualities of a Hindu. The second Ashram is called Grihasta in which one gets married and starts a family and is required to support the family, and teach the children spiritual values. The third Ashram is called Vanaprashta, in which one can stop thinking about family responsibilities and begin to focus more on spiritual responsibilities. The fourth Ashram is called Sannyasa, which is mainly only for Brahmanas. In Sannyasa, the man leaves his family and wanders until his death living the last part of his life fully devoted to God.

Part 3: Expressions of Faith

Step 1: Practice

Hindu Symbolism:

Symbolism is used in Hinduism to simulate things that cannot be understood in earthly terms because they occur on a higher level of consciousness. Symbols are used in all aspects of Hinduism, such as using the Murti and Puja displaying sacred symbols in one’s home in order to bring about good luck. The most is important Hindu symbol is the Aum (“Om”) symbol. It signifies many different things, especially the three levels of consciousness that all humans know: waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. The symbol as a whole signifies the fourth state of consciousness, in which one is aware of his or her spiritual identity. Hindus consider religious symbols the embody God, and therefore each symbol is sacred.

Step 2: Lifestyle

Caste and Untouchability: Untouchables are considered to be the fifth Varna, which consists of everyone who is not born into one of the four other Varnas. Untouchables were ostracized from village life and had to do work that was considered to be below the other castes such as sweep or be crematorium attendants. The Bhakti movements during the middle ages were the first to oppose the Caste System. Other people such as Gandhi have opposed the Caste System, including Ranji Ambedkar, an untouchable who was allowed to study law and promoted an Indian society that did not rely on castes. People still debate over what the purpose of Castes should be in Indian society even though all Indian citizens were granted equality in the Constitution of 1950.

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.