...they are related to one another in the Upanishads and then later re-appropriated in the Bhagavad Gita through the teaching of Krishna to Arjuna. Chapter ten in the Patterns of Religion textbook describe Hinduism as a religion of “many layers” on page 308. This analogy is further described on page 304 by likening Hinduism to a maze. “There is not a single straight line, but everything is connected.” The word Brahman is used in different context throughout the text. It is mentioned during the era of Vedism, when the Aryan migrants introduced the term for the pinnacle of the hierarchy in the caste system. An interesting note here is that rulers are placed below the Brahmans in the caste hierarchy. Later in Upanishads, Brahman is defined as “the One, which existed before the gods.” The Upanishads term atman as a distinguished self that is rebirthed throughout the journey through reincarnation. While reading the texts, I keep attempting to collaborate the information into theories that I am familiar with. The closest I am able to reach towards understanding is to liken atman to the soul, and the Atman/Brahman relationship to the path towards enlightenment and self-discovery. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna altered the relationship of Atman/Brahman from what was traditionally taught and established. Krishna taught that there is a path to moksha for everyone regardless of birth, caste, or gender. He urged people to not relinquish social responsibility, bot to instead...
Words: 606 - Pages: 3
...What is Hinduism? It is the true culture of Indians in India. Many call it "A way of life." It is not an organized religion like Christianity or Islam. It has no founder. It has no Pope. It has no hierarchy. Just a lot of scriptures. In Hindu scriptures, you are actually studying about the history and culture of India, like in 66 books of the Holy Bible you are actually studying about the culture and history of the Jews. Hinduism and Judaism are mothers of all modern religions in the world. Buddhism, Sikhism and to some extent Jainism and Zoroastrianism came from Hinduism. Of course, Jainism existed during Rig Vedic Period. Statues of Rishabha, the first Thirthankara and founder of Jainism was found in the Mohenjadaro, Harappa excavations. Islam and Christianity came from Judaism. Judaism, Islam and Christianity have Abraham as the common father figure. All three have many common prophets. There is even mention about Jesus Christ many times in the Holy Koran. Coming back to Hinduism, C.S. Lewis, the great author and theologist wrote, finally it will come to two religions. Hinduism and Christianity. The first [Hinduism] will grow absorbing ideas and concepts from everywhere and later [Christianity] will keep away from everything that is foreign to it. What C.S. Lewis wrote is very true. Hinduism cannot be destroyed, even if we burn every Hindu scripture and kill every Hindu theologian on earth. Hinduism or Hindu Culture is a very dynamic living, breathing Reality. Strength of Hinduism...
Words: 6218 - Pages: 25
...Mediterranean Christianity want the same things for their followers but the path to achieving that goal is very different. The Bhagavad Gita, “Song of the Blessed Lord” (reader pg. 73), is a document of the Indian Salvation Religion which is a sacred text that involves a story that explains perfect detachment through one’s caste duties. The Last Judgement is a Christian text that explains how everyone must stand before...
Words: 1544 - Pages: 7
...The Origins of Hinduism 1 What features of geography might have contributed to Hindu religious sensibilities? The river Ganges 2 Explain one of the analogies the author uses to understand Hinduism (a great river or a palace added to over centuries). Both convey the idea that nothing is ever lost in Hinduism. The religious life of India is something like the river Ganges. It has flowed along for thousands of years, swirling from its own power but also from the power of new streams that have added to its force. (Molloy 78) But the limitations of Hinduism may also be its strengths. It is like a palace that began as a two-room cottage. Over the centuries, wings have been built on to it, and now it has countless rooms, stairs, corridors, statues, fountains, and gardens. (Molloy 78) 3 What features have enabled Hinduism to develop freely in many directions? Many influences—early indigenous religion and influences from later immigrants—have added to its inherent momentum. It has no one identifiable founder, no strong organizational structure to defend it and spread its influence, nor any creed to define and stabilize its beliefs; and in a way that seems to defy reason, Hinduism unites the worship of many gods with a belief in a single divine reality. (Molloy 78) Molloy, Michael. Experiencing the World's Religions, 5th Edition. McGraw-Hill Learning Solutions, 2010. VitalBook file. The Earliest Stage of Indian Religion ...
Words: 1343 - Pages: 6
...1. What elements of earlier belief systems do you see integrated into Hinduism? What were the external conditions (environmental/societal/political/economic etc.) which gave rise to the origination of Hinduism? What was it about this time period? Location? Population? In some ways Hinduism is the oldest living religion since some elements of it date back thousands of years; Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings despite many key figures and numerous holy books that might indicate otherwise. Hence why Hinduism is often referred to as a “way of life” and why it makes sense that the religion was informed by so many external conditions around its “birth” (BBC Religion Profile, Hinduism) For instance even though the birth of the term “Hindu” could be traced back to the Sankrit word, Sindhu, the river complex of the northwest, used by the Aryans in the second millennium B.C. It likely dates back to the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used by people to differentiate themselves from followers of other traditions, especially Muslims in Kashmir and Bengal at the time (BBC Religion Profile, Hinduism) (Hinduism, www.web.csulb.edu). Hinduism evolved or rose as a religion by the way it was used to group people by certain cultural practices, belief systems and rituals that enshrined certain sacred things or defined rites of passage. But it was also used to group people by geography and politics. Most scholars can...
Words: 990 - Pages: 4
...In comparing the evidentiary documents from Robert W. Strayer’s Ways of The World, the Analects from Confucius’ teachings, the Bhagavad Gita from the Hindu Scriptures, Socrates’ Apology, and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount teach similar values. In each example, the master, the deity, the inquisitor, and the teacher challenge the prevailing theories about life and virtue (pp. 199, 201, 203, 206). The key message is to find virtue by treating others with respect and to live more simply by denouncing material and emotional attachments (pp. 199, 201, 204, 205). These theories shifted from the traditional concepts and in turn, they influenced new styles of politics (p. 186). For instance, in the Analects, Confucius encourages people to live virtuously,...
Words: 376 - Pages: 2
...A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Introduction to Essay There are a variety of Vaishnava groups in the UK. Many Vaishnavas belong to the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON). The organisation was founded in 1966 in New York by A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. ISKCON is based on the teachings of two sacred Hindu writings called the Bhagavad Gita and the Bhagavad Purana. It was set up to spread the message of Sanatan Dharma throughout the world. ‘Krishna Consciousness’ is the idea of people being aware of God and their relationship with God in everything they do Krishna is one of the Sanskrit names for God. It means the ‘All-attractive One’. Life and Work of Prabhupada Born in Calcutta, India in 1896 Showed a devotion to Krishna from an early age. He organised religious festivals at the age of 5. Engaged his community in chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra. Would visit the Radha Krishna Temple instead of playing with his friends. At the age of 26, he met his spiritual master Sarasvati. He gave the command “Go to the West and spread Krishna Consciousness in the English language”. He starting writing and distributing “Back to the Godhead”, a magazine of the science of Krishna Consciousness. In 1959 he took Sannyasa after retiring from the householder stage. At the age of 70 set off to America to promote Krishna Consciousness. This was a 40 day journey by sea. During this time he had 2 heart attacks...
Words: 454 - Pages: 2
...ENGLISH HHW The Caste System in Brief: The origins of the caste system in India and Nepal are shrouded, but it seems to have originated more than two thousand years ago. Under this system, which is associated with Hinduism, people were categorized by their occupations. Although originally caste depended upon a person's work, it soon became hereditary. Each person was born into a unalterable social status. The four primary castes are: Brahmin, the priests;Kshatriya, warriors and nobility; Vaisya, farmers, traders and artisans; and Shudra, tenant farmers and servants. Some people were born outside of (and below) the caste system. They were called "untouchables." The Caste System in Brief: Practices associated with caste varied through time and across India, but they had some common features. The three key areas of life dominated by caste were marriage, meals and religious worship. Marriage across caste lines was strictly forbidden; most people even married within their own sub-caste or jati. At meal times, anyone could accept food from the hands of a Brahmin, but a Brahmin would be polluted if he or she took certain types of food from a lower caste person. At the other extreme, if an untouchable dared to draw water from a public well, he or she polluted the water and nobody else could use it. In terms of religion, as the priestly class, Brahmins were supposed to conduct religious rituals and services. This included preparation for festivals and holidays, as well as marriages...
Words: 531 - Pages: 3
...came together to form a huge regon Hittites Adopt and Adapt littertrue, arts, politics, and law came from the hittites the hittites used their indo europeans with one another Chariots and iron technology the hitties excelled in the technology of war chariots iron weapons the iron was the best thing for the hitties and the chariots helped a lot in war Aryans Transform India before 2000 B.C the hitties settled in anatolia the aryans also settled in that time the Aryans are another indo european group the homeland was was somewhere between the caspian and aral seas their sacred litrature called the vedas A caste system Aryans fought their enemies called the dasas the groups were different to eachother in many ways the aryans were taller and lighter in skin color and spoke a different language the Aryans had no writing system the dasas were town dwellers the dasa kived in...
Words: 362 - Pages: 2
...The Mahabharata (composed between 300 BC and 300 AD) has the honor of being the longest epic in world literature, 100,000 2-line stanzas (although the most recent critical edition edits this down to about 88,000), making it eight times as long as Homer's Iliad and Odyssey together, and over 3 times as long as the Bible (Chaitanya vii). According to the Narasimhan version, only about 4000 lines relate to the main story; the rest contain additional myths and teachings. In other words, theMahabharata resembles a long journey with many side roads and detours. It is said that “Whatever is here is found elsewhere. But whatever is not here is nowhere else.” The name means “great [story of the] Bharatas.” Bharata was an early ancestor of both the Pandavas and Kauravas who fight each other in a great war, but the word is also used generically for the Indian race, so the Mahabharata sometimes is referred to as “the great story of India.” The work is divided into 18 books (concerning an 18-day war among 18 armies). The main narrative concerning the war is contained in the first ten books. Pronunciation guide of the main characters: Vyasa [Vee-YA-sha]: narrator of the story and father of Pandu and Dhritarashtra BHISH-ma: half-uncle by marriage of Pandu and Dhritarashtra Dhri-ta-RASH-tra: blind king, father of Duryodhana and the Kauravas GAN-dhari: wife of Dhritarashtra KUN-ti: wife of Pandu and mother to the five Pandavas and Karna Yu-DHISH-thira: leader of the Pandavas, rightful...
Words: 2658 - Pages: 11
...Sources of Hinduism: Hindu ethics is taught through Hindu scriptures, for example * Vedas * Upanishads * Smriti * Bhagavad-Gita * Ramayana Importance of Hindu Ethics . * Human rights in Hinduism: "If by 'human rights' one means minority rights, then Hindu society can be said to have a human rights tradition, for it has always had a way of incorporating the poor and socially ostracized into the social whole."1 The caste system can be understood as a reflection of dharma or "the moral order" in Hindu society, which at its best maintains "reciprocal relationships of mutual economic and social benefit. Each group respects the rights and dignity of the others." * Rights of Women in Hinduism: 1. The Hindu Woman has no right to divorce her husband. 2. She has no property or inheritance rights. 3. Choice of partner is limited because she can only marry within her own caste; moreover her horoscope must match that of the intending bridegroom. 4. The family of the girl has to offer an enormous dowry to the bridegroom/family. 5. If her husband dies she should commit Sati (being cremated with her dead husband). Since today's law forbids Sati, society mainly punishes her in other "holy" ways. 6. She cannot remarry. 7. The widow is considered to be a curse and must not be seen in public. She cannot wear jewelry or colorful clothes. (She should not even take part in her children's marriage!) ...
Words: 445 - Pages: 2
...Hindu Practices and Rituals Hindus prescribe to certain traditional practices in accomplishing the basic goals of their faith. The basic spiritual ideal is to be unworldly but some worldly goals are also respected. These values are kama (pleasure), artha (power and security), and dharma (religious and social duty). Hindus consider Moksha the highest goal. Moksha is liberation or complete freedom. Yoga is a technique, which Hindus use to accomplish these goals. Yoga is a method or path oriented to the work of a person’s place in society or the work required by his or her caste. These differing paths have created different forms of Yoga. One type of yoga is Jnana Yoga (wisdom yoga) acquired by studying Hindu doctrine and teachings from the enlightened. Karma Yoga (right action yoga) is based on the idea that all purposeful work is done selflessly as a path to perfection. Bhakti Yoga (love and devotion yoga) involves loving devotion to saints or gods. Also, Raja Yoga (meditation yoga) is practiced by inward thought, sitting quietly, and calming one’s thoughts (Molloy 2010). This method conducted regularly in short periods brings peace and lessens stress; practiced for longer durations, it can initiate new states of awareness. Hindus in their practice of worship seek awareness of God. This can involve pursuing a Deva’s blessing. Worship can either be done at home by creating a shrine with various icons of gods of their choosing or in a temple where there is usually one main...
Words: 847 - Pages: 4
...makes when talking about Orientalism? 9. Which public speaker in the 1893 World Parliament of Religions spoke about “little wells” and which religion did he/she represent? 10. Which of the following is not one of the postmodern critiques of “religion”. 11. What does Masuzawa say about the study of religion? 12. What is Craig Martin’s “Rule of Thumb”? 13. What does Portier-Young say about apocalypses? 14. What label do we use to refer to a religious discourse that maintains the basic logic of the status quo but modifies it to change political order? 15. Which caste is second in the order of the Hindu caste system? 16. What was the name of the Buddha? 17. Which leader ruled over India in the 3rd century BCE and established his edicts on 33 rocks and pillars? 18. What does the Dharma Policy refer to? 19. Who is the main deity in the epic of the Bhagavad Gita?...
Words: 1102 - Pages: 5
...realization. Karma is another well-known belief of Hinduism, meaning action or the consequences of action, followed by Samsara, which is the ultimate goal of the eternal cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Lastly, Moksha, which means the liberation from the limitation of space, time, and matter through realization of the immortal absolute (Fisher, M.P., 2005). Considering that Hinduism lacks a uniting belief system, what makes up the Hindu religion, includes Veda, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, and Epics, also known as Sanatana Dharma. Still practiced today, Sanatana Dharma or Hinduism is one of the oldest religions known to mankind. The spiritual expression of Sanatana Dharma range from extreme sensuality, from the heights of a personal devotion, to a deity, to a abstract philosophy (Fisher, M.P., 2005). This religion is still one of the major religions in the world and has been able to hold itself together for many years. Hinduism is more than a way of life; it is a restrictive and well organized religion of India. Numerous traditions and social systems that were adhered by the people of India or fellow adepts made Hinduism vital to the region in which it originated. Hinduism contains various myths that imply the countless faces of the Devine to interact in various forms with people. In...
Words: 740 - Pages: 3
...REL2300 – WORLD RELIGIONS WINTER 2014 EXAM ONE STUDY GUIDE Multiple-Choice Questions 1. Literally, the word religion means a. meditate on. b. worship. c. connect again. d. rise above. 2. A common element often found in religions is a. respect for sculpture. b. feelings of wonder. c. rules governing meditation. d. the use of permanent places of worship 3. The early anthropologist who saw religion as rooted in a belief in spirits and the worship of them was a. E. B. Tylor. b. James Frazer. c. Sigmund Freud. d. Carl Jung. 4. Sigmund Freud, when analyzing the origin of religion, emphasized a. the human need for psychological security. b. the certainty of an afterlife. c. his belief that religions were essential to psychological health. d. the valuable role that religions play in helping people find meaning in their lives. 5. Belief in many gods is called a. polytheism. b. monotheism. c. agnosticism. d. atheism. 6. Belief in one God is called a. monotheism. b. polytheism. c. atheism. d. agnosticism. 7. A universal religious symbol that is circular, or that blends a circle and a square, is called a a. mandala. b. mudra. c. mantra. d. megalith 8. Pantheism is the belief a. that all reality is divine. b. in the ancient Greek religion that believed the god Pan was the source of cosmic order. c. in endless reincarnation. ...
Words: 1701 - Pages: 7
