Bahá'í Faith

Part 1

What is the human condition?
Bahá’ís believe that all humans are born good because everything created by God is good in nature. Humans have free will and therefore stray from their inherent good nature, which is the cause of evil in the world. Bahá’ís believe that each human is part of a unified human race and it is the responsibility of each person to recognize this truth and work towards manifesting it. Bahá’ís also believe that humans exist in a physical form on earth in order to use the opportunities of the physical world to understand and know God better and to grow spiritually.

Where are we going/what is the goal?

Bahá’ís believe that after death one’s soul can either go to paradise, which is a state of perfection and unity with God. Bahá’ís do not believe in a physical location of hell, but if one’s soul does not obtain the spiritual growth required to become unified with God one’s soul will remain in a state of imperfection and disunity from God. Humans should also work toward the goal of creating a unified human race as the maturity of humanity progresses over time.

How do we get there?

Humans can reach paradise by praying and communing with God daily in order to achieve spiritual growth and development. Humans should also follow the religious laws set forth by Bahá’u’lláh and some of the other prophets, and should try to avoid making evil decisions due to free will that could distance them from God. Humans can also achieve paradise by working towards the unification of humanity specifically through performing service and recognizing the unity of all religions and practicing religious tolerance.

Part 2- In Depth Research

1. Key Concepts:

1. The Unity of Humanity: Bahá’ís believe that the human race is one unified group and therefore there is no justification for any type of prejudice. This is the main tenant of the Bahá’í Faith and therefore influences all other Bahá’í principles and doctrines. Bahá’ís believe that humanity is going through a gradual maturation process, and we are at the point in which we need to begin working towards eliminating prejudice and injustice from the world in order to unify the human race.

2. The Unity of God: Bahá’ís believe that there is only one God, and they believe that there is only one God throughout all religions and that God has been responsible for the creation of all major religions in the world. Bahá’ís also believe that part of our purpose in life is to better understand and know God through spiritual development in order to unite with God after death.

3. The Unity of Religion: Bahá’ís also believe in the unity of all of the major religions in the world and believe they’re beliefs are valid because they all came from the same God. Bahá’ís stress accepting all religions and religious traditions while they also stress focusing on what Bahá'u’lláh taught in order to bring humanity into a new era and a new step in the progression of its maturation process.

4. Bahá’u’lláh: Bahá’u’lláh is the messenger of God who founded the religion. It was announced by the Báb that there would be a new religious prophet coming and in the late 1800’s, Bahá’u’lláh began working towards founding the Bahá’í Faith. He and his followers were imprisoned and tortured for many years, which resulted in multiple exiles from Baghdad during his lifetime.

5. Messengers of God: Bahá’u’lláh is seen as one of the many messengers of God that have been sent to earth throughout history. This is the main reason for why Bahá’ís believe in the unity of all religions. They believe that each messenger of God has been sent to earth at different stages in humanity’s maturation process and to different cultures. These messengers of God communicated God’s wishes to that specific culture during that specific time so that humanity could progress more and more over time with the guidance of God.

6. Independent Search For Truth: The Bahá’í concept of the independent search for truth means that every person has the responsibility to investigate their religious beliefs and seek the truth about life’s questions for themselves. One is not supposed to simply follow a religion just because his or her parents did, or because he or she has been told to. Bahá’ís believe in studying all kinds of religious texts and each person is responsible for finding their own personal truth.

7. Service: Service plays a large role in worship in the Bahá’í Faith. Service is considered worship whenever one does anything that is done with the interest of serving others. For this reason, many Bahá’ís hold service-oriented professions like teachers, doctors, or work with local non-profit organizations. Service can also be in the form of community service projects on an individual and community wide level, but it can also just mean providing for one’s family and taking care of one’s children.

8. Good and Evil: Bahá’ís do not believe that our desires for materialistic things are evil because everything created by God is viewed as good. Bahá’ís believe the physical form of the human body and the physical world are supposed to be used as a way to develop spiritually. Bahá’ís believe that if these physical desires are unlimited, they could cause harm to the soul or the spiritual progress a person has made. Bahá’ís also believe that humans are inherently good and that evil is simply the absence of good in the world due to our decisions caused by free will.

9. The Universal House of Justice: The Universal House of Justice is a legislative community of the Bahá’í Faith that began in 1963. It is a group of nine members who are elected every five years. They determine the progress and development of the Bahá’í Faith. They also control holy sites and artifacts of the faith. It is very similar to the Vatican in its purpose and function within the faith, except it has multiple leaders who do not play as large of a role in the religious experience of members.

10. Universal Education: The goal of having universal education is a very important concept within the Bahá’í Faith. Bahá’u’lláh valued education a lot because he believed that it is a main part in the development of society and humanity. Bahá’ís believe that all humans should receive an education in terms of subject matter and also believe that everyone should be educated on what it means to be a global citizen of the world.

2. Rituals:

a) Houses of Worship: Bahá’ís congregate in Houses of Worship, which are community centers that are common to churches or mosques and are open to members of all religions. Houses of Worship do not only act as places for worship, but also as the main center for the community. Bahá’í gatherings do not involve worship in the way that other religions do because they do not include rituals, clergy, or sermons. Instead, Bahá’ís read religious texts from all religions, pray, or play music. During worship, Bahá’ís read texts from varying religions while focusing on the texts of Bahá’u’lláh, the Bahá’í Prophet or messenger of God. There are major houses of worship around the world with at least one on each continent and community centers for smaller Bahá’í communities. Houses of Worship are important because community life is central to the Faith, as Bahá’ís believe that each community acts as an example of a unified human race and are places where service projects can be organized which is another important part of the faith.

b) The Nineteen-Day Feast: An important festival or religious holiday within the Bahá’í Faith is the Nineteen Day Feast. The Bahá’í calendar consists of 19, nineteen-day months, so once every nineteen days, Bahá’ís within a community gather to interact socially, make announcements that pertain to the whole community or administration of the community, and keep the community unified. Bahá’ís do not have clergy, but each community does have a group of nine elected leaders who organize community events and work with the national or international elected leaders. At each nineteen day feast, the community leaders can inform the members of the community about events and news on a community, national, and international level within the faith.

3. Sacred Texts:

The Bahá’í prophet, Bahá’u’lláh wrote around 40,000 pages of Bahá’í sacred texts within his life time that have all been preserved. Aside from studying the writings of Bahá’u’lláh Bahá’ís study the religious texts of all other religions as part of community meetings in Houses of Worship. They study other religious texts because of their beliefs on the unity of all religions and the validity of all messengers of God. Bahá’ís believe that the qualities of God can be seen through each of his messengers, but since one messenger only appears about once every thousand years, these messengers have written down God’s word in order for it to be preserved. Studying all religious text is really important to Bahá’ís because being able to understand all of the different messengers of God contributes to the Bahá’í principle of religious unity. Bahá’ís do not place a higher emphasis on one specific religious text because they view all religions as being equal. The most holy text written by Bahá’u’lláh is the Kitab-i-Aqbas, which consists of all of the moral laws and obligations of the faith.

1^st excerpt:

“I bear witness, O my God, that Thou hast created me to know Thee and to worship Thee. I testify, at this moment, to my powerlessness and to Thy might, to my poverty and to Thy wealth. There is none other God but Thee, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.”

This prayer is from the Kitab-i-Aqbas. It is the shortest obligatory prayer that was written by Bahá’u’lláh and it encompasses the main beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith because it states the Bahá’í belief of the human condition and the nature of God.

2^nd Excerpt:

“And now, concerning thy question regarding the creation of man. Know thou that all men have been created in the nature made by God, the Guardian, the Self-Subsisting. Unto each one hath been prescribed a pre-ordained measure, as decreed in God’s mighty and guarded Tablets. All that which ye potentially possess can, however, be manifested only as a result of your own volition. Your own acts testify to this truth. Consider, for instance, that which hath been forbidden, in the Bayán, unto men. God hath in that Book, and by His behest, decreed as lawful whatsoever He hath pleased to decree, and hath, through the power of His sovereign might, forbidden whatsoever He elected to forbid. To this testifieth the text of that Book. Will ye not bear witness? Men, however, have wittingly broken His law. Is such a behavior to be attributed to God, or to their proper selves? Be fair in your judgment. Every good thing is of God, and every evil thing is from yourselves. Will ye not comprehend? This same truth hath been revealed in all the Scriptures, if ye be of them that understand. Every act ye meditate is as clear to Him as is that act when already accomplished. There is none other God besides Him. His is all creation and its empire. All stands revealed before Him; all is recorded in His holy and hidden Tablets. This fore-knowledge of God, however, should not be regarded as having caused the actions of men, just as your own previous knowledge that a certain event is to occur, or your desire that it should happen, is not and can never be the reason for its occurrence.” –Gleanings From the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh.

This excerpt is important because it describes the Bahá’í belief of the human condition and the nature of God more in depth. It basically says that human are made by God and are therefore good by nature, but our capabilities to make independent decisions cause us to disobey God’s laws. This means that any evil thing humans do is a result of their decisions while all good things that humans do come from the divine nature of humans that comes from God. Also, this excerpt illustrates the Bahá’í belief in a unified God by discussing the idea that there is only one all-knowing God, but emphasizes that God is not the reason for men’s evil actions.

3^rd Excerpt: “O YE children of men! The fundamental purpose animating the Faith of God and His Religion is to safeguard the interests and promote the unity of the human race, and to foster the spirit of love and fellowship amongst men. Suffer it not to become a source of dissension and discord, of hate and enmity. This is the straight Path, the fixed and immovable foundation. Whatsoever is raised on this foundation, the changes and chances of the world can never impair its strength, nor will the revolution of countless centuries undermine its structure. Our hope is that the world’s religious leaders and the rulers thereof will unitedly arise for the reformation of this age and the rehabilitation of its fortunes. Let them, after meditating on its needs, take counsel together and, through anxious and full deliberation, administer to a diseased and sorely-afflicted world the remedy it requires…. It is incumbent upon them who are in authority to exercise moderation in all things. Whatsoever passeth beyond the limits of moderation will cease to exert a beneficial influence. Consider for instance such things as liberty, civilization and the like. However much men of understanding may favourably regard them, they will, if carried to excess, exercise a pernicious influence upon men…. Please God, the peoples of the world may be led, as the result of the high endeavours exerted by their rulers and the wise and learned amongst men, to recognize their best interests. How long will humanity persist in its waywardness? How long will injustice continue? How long is chaos and confusion to reign amongst men? How long will discord agitate the face of society? The winds of despair are, alas, blowing from every direction, and the strife that divideth and afflicteth the human race is daily increasing. The signs of impending convulsions and chaos can now be discerned, inasmuch as the prevailing order appeareth to be lamentably defective. I beseech God, exalted be His glory, that He may graciously awaken the peoples of the earth, may grant that the end of their conduct may be profitable unto them, and aid them to accomplish that which beseemeth their station.” –Proclamation of Bahá’u’lláh.

This passage is part of a series of proclamations made by Bahá’u’lláh that is directed toward the people of the world. It outlines the Bahá’í belief of the unity of humanity and calls on the global population to realize the unity of humanity and work towards achieving it. He specifically calls on the leaders of the other major religions and world leaders to begin this transformation and to understand that there could be serious consequences for humanity if we do not begin to work towards developing a unified human race.

4. Doctrines and Beliefs

1. Essential Statement of Belief: the essential belief of the Bahá’í Faith is that humanity is one unified element and Bahá’u’lláh said that God sent him to signal the oncoming unification of the human race. All other Bahá’í principles, doctrines and rituals center on this concept. The ethical and social concepts such as destroying all forms of prejudice, promoting equality, and accepting members of all religions are important ethical laws that support the unification of the human race. The idea that service towards others as a form of worship and the principles of the unity of God and other religions also center on this concept. Bahá’u’lláh said that he had been sent to signal this coming era, and people’s responsibility is to accept it and being working towards that goal.

2. The two other key doctrines are the unity of God and the unity of all major religions, which stem from and support the main concept of the unity of humanity. The Bahá’í Faith is a monotheistic religion because they believe that there is only one all-knowing God. They also believe that God is unified throughout all religions because every major religion stemmed from the same God. Bahá’ís believe that God has sent different messengers or prophets to earth throughout history in order to bring his message to humanity at that specific time period.

3. Eschatology: Bahá’ís believe that every person has a permanent soul and that the body is just a physical being, not part of the soul. Bahá’ís believe that after the physical death of the body, the soul continues through multiple “worlds” on a journey towards uniting with God. Bahá’ís do not believe in literal locations of heaven and hell, but that if one’s soul does not make progress towards becoming closer with God after death, they will remain in a state of being distant from God, which is considered to be hell. Progressing towards and finally uniting with God is considered to be heaven. During one’s lifetime, Bahá’ís work on communing with God every day and studying religious text in order to begin getting closer to God.

5. Religious Experience

1. Role of worship and prayer: Prayer is very important within the Bahá’í Faith because it plays a key role in understanding and becoming closer to God, which is an essential part of the faith. Bahá’u’lláh wrote thousands of prayers during his lifetime, and prescribed a few obligatory prayers that Bahá’ís must recite every day, which is part of the obligation to pray and commune with God daily. Worship also plays a very large role in the Faith, because it plays a large role in the development of the Bahá’í community through the houses of worship. Music also plays a large role in worship, especially in social rituals like the Nineteen Day Feast.

2. The group experience in the Bahá’í Faith: The community of Bahá’ís can be seen as a model for a unified human race and therefore, the community plays a large role in the religious experience of the individual. The main center for community life is in the Houses of Worship and through community meetings and service as a form of worship. Each individual performs service-oriented tasks in their own life such as through their professions, and sometimes the community organizes larger projects that involve more members of the faith. Bahá’ís are also encouraged to connect with members of other faiths as a part of the principles of acceptance of other faiths and the unity of humanity. Throughout most aspects of the Bahá’í Faith, elements of the personal religious experience can are also part of the experience of the community as a whole such as the examples of service and worship.

6. Ethics and Moral Conduct

The main ethical beliefs of the Bahá’í Faith include:

-Praying daily and/or communing with God.

-Trustworthiness, chastity and honesty are some of the emphasized virtues, but being a generally moral person is very important.

-Being dedicated to service toward others

-Accepting members of all religions

-Avoiding being materialistic, using drugs and alcohol, or gambling.

The main social principles are also interconnected with the ethical beliefs of the faith, they include:

-Removing all forms of prejudice from society.

-Equality of women

-Recognizing the unity of religions

-Eliminating poverty and wealth.

-Universal Education

-Each person has a responsibility to independently search for truth.

-Establishing a global organization of nations

-Recognizing that religion coexists with science.

There are not many different interpretations of these ethical beliefs within the faith because it is such a young religion. These are the ethical beliefs of the faith but Bahá’ís also follow most of the other ethical beliefs of other religions like the Ten Commandments, and other beliefs from different religions. There are different interpretations that come with the tenants of other religions that Bahá’ís study, but they mainly rely on the texts for information on those religions.

Useful resources:

http://www.bahai.org/

http://reference.bahai.org/en/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-l6-lb6vRLE

Buddhism Overview 7-11

7. a) Buddhism does not have a text that is similar to the bible, but there are texts that were specifically designed for the sangha that elaborated on the teachings of Buddha such as the Pali Triptaka. Specific divisions of Buddhism also created their own group of texts like the canons of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism. Mayahana Buddhism’s main texts are sutras such as the diamond sutra from the Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom.

b) The Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom was written in Sanskrit and is part of the sutras in Mayahana Buddhism. It describes various points in the life of Buddha and describes specific bodhisattvas and other celestial beings. It usually has a picture in the center and script around it describing it and the teachings that relate to it.

8. a) In Mayahana Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are celestial beings who help others attain enlightenment. They are considered to be Buddhas who are representations of the nature of a Buddha. They are usually people who have reached a state of heightened consciousness but chose not to enter nirvana but to stay and teach others and once he or she does enter nirvana, he or she will not be able to help other Buddhists.

b) One of the symbols used to celestial beings is the lotus blossom as they are usually depicted holding one because it symbolizes enlightenment. Celestial beings are also sometimes depicted as holding a bow and arrow, which symbolizes their ability to know the heart of all beings. Also, sometimes the eye of compassion will be present on their hand, which symbolizes their compassion and heightened state of consciousness.

9. a) After Buddhism spread to China, they developed their own forms of different Buddhas that were depicted in Chinese Buddhist art. The Chinese depiction of an overweight laughing Buddha came from Maitreya, who was originally depicted as a young man.

b) Zen Buddhism is one of the most well known forms of Buddhism in the west although it is not the most practiced form of Buddhism in Japan. There are two schools of Zen Buddhism; Rinzai Zen Buddhism and Soto Zen Buddhism. Rinzai’s main practices focus on Koan, which is like a saying, or question they ask. Soto’s main practices focus on sitting in meditation to achieve enlightenment.

10. Tantric Buddhism is a form of Buddhism that focuses that uses meditation, rituals, magic, and forms of symbolism in order to attain enlightenment faster than the other forms of Buddhism. Tantric Buddhism also focuses on Bodhisattvas and recognizing that everything is Buddha-natured which makes everything equal. Tantric Buddhists base these practices off of the Tantra texts and also sometimes use mantras as a form of prayer.

11. Many different forms of Buddhism have developed since Siddhartha Gautama founded it, but the basic beliefs of each division are still basically the same. The methods of devotion, beliefs of cosmology and the nature of the Buddha are all similar throughout the different schools of Buddhist thought which mainly differ due to geographical or regional characteristics. Buddhism also generally relies heavily on symbolism and the use of drawings and texts to illustrate the teachings of Buddha and his life. Due to the differences between the different divisions of the faith, Buddhism can be very complex but at its core is the same set of beliefs.7. a) Buddhism does not have a text that is similar to the bible, but there are texts that were specifically designed for the sangha that elaborated on the teachings of Buddha such as the Pali Triptaka. Specific divisions of Buddhism also created their own group of texts like the canons of Chinese and Tibetan Buddhism. Mayahana Buddhism’s main texts are sutras such as the diamond sutra from the Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom.

b) The Manuscript of the Perfection of Wisdom was written in Sanskrit and is part of the sutras in Mayahana Buddhism. It describes various points in the life of Buddha and describes specific bodhisattvas and other celestial beings. It usually has a picture in the center and script around it describing it and the teachings that relate to it.

8. a) In Mayahana Buddhism, Bodhisattvas are celestial beings who help others attain enlightenment. They are considered to be Buddhas who are representations of the nature of a Buddha. They are usually people who have reached a state of heightened consciousness but chose not to enter nirvana but to stay and teach others and once he or she does enter nirvana, he or she will not be able to help other Buddhists.

b) One of the symbols used to celestial beings is the lotus blossom as they are usually depicted holding one because it symbolizes enlightenment. Celestial beings are also sometimes depicted as holding a bow and arrow, which symbolizes their ability to know the heart of all beings. Also, sometimes the eye of compassion will be present on their hand, which symbolizes their compassion and heightened state of consciousness.

9. a) After Buddhism spread to China, they developed their own forms of different Buddhas that were depicted in Chinese Buddhist art. The Chinese depiction of an overweight laughing Buddha came from Maitreya, who was originally depicted as a young man.

b) Zen Buddhism is one of the most well known forms of Buddhism in the west although it is not the most practiced form of Buddhism in Japan. There are two schools of Zen Buddhism; Rinzai Zen Buddhism and Soto Zen Buddhism. Rinzai’s main practices focus on Koan, which is like a saying, or question they ask. Soto’s main practices focus on sitting in meditation to achieve enlightenment.

10. Tantric Buddhism is a form of Buddhism that focuses that uses meditation, rituals, magic, and forms of symbolism in order to attain enlightenment faster than the other forms of Buddhism. Tantric Buddhism also focuses on Bodhisattvas and recognizing that everything is Buddha-natured which makes everything equal. Tantric Buddhists base these practices off of the Tantra texts and also sometimes use mantras as a form of prayer.

11. Many different forms of Buddhism have developed since Siddhartha Gautama founded it, but the basic beliefs of each division are still basically the same. The methods of devotion, beliefs of cosmology and the nature of the Buddha are all similar throughout the different schools of Buddhist thought which mainly differ due to geographical or regional characteristics. Buddhism also generally relies heavily on symbolism and the use of drawings and texts to illustrate the teachings of Buddha and his life. Due to the differences between the different divisions of the faith, Buddhism can be very complex but at its core is the same set of beliefs

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.