Exam 1 Eastern Religious Traditions

samsara

Repeated cycle of death an rebirth. Liberation of this continual rebirth is sought by renouncers. They thought that through inaction one escapes karma and the cycle of rebirth. However, in the Bhagavad-gita Khrishna says the renunciation is not how people break samsara. Instead he suggests Karma yoga bring equanimity and liberation.

dalit

The preferred name for those denoted as untouchable. Dalits consist of the lowest class and are considered unclean, as especially noted in the Laws of Manu. Dalits are not allowed to hear the Veda and are often forced to live outside of villages and are prevented from from growing religiously or being coming a religious leader. Dalits are often tasked with the worst and "unclean" jobs in society.

brahman/atman

Ultimate reality and self. This is the idea of the relation between the self and ultimate reality. Shanakra has a non dualist view that brahman is atman. In other words, they believed that the personal God that they worshiped was the same as ultimate reality and that they was they same as the individual self. Brahmin is Atman. Knowledge of self identity is knowledge of Brahman. Ramanuja had a qualified no dualist view that held that we are different from one another and different from God, but that God is the inner controller of bother our individual selves and world. Madhva had a dualist view that held that brahman and atman were not identical and to be liberated, you had to devote yourself to god.

the Indus Valley civilization: provide at least three important facts about it

-From 2500 - 1800 BCE -Harappa & Mohenjo (Major Cities) - highly developed urban population -Had pretty intensive agriculture & developed religions -Temple complexes - had a bathing pool, involved ceremonial ablosions -Animal/animal sacrifices - seals, language hasn't been deciphered

brahmin

A ritual specialist associated with brahman; one who recites vedic hymns and preforms sacrifice; priestly caste. They carry out rites to sustain the world and to maintian the relationship between humanity and the gods. They hold importance on spiritual purity and preform rituals such as upanayana, marriage, childbirth rites, and ceremonies associated with death.

Puranas

Ancient. Mythological and genealogical texts containing stories of the gods and goddesses between 300 and 900 CE. Principal texts include Markandeya Purana, Vishnu Purana, Vayu Purana, Shiva Purana, and Bhagavata Purana. They are Smriti texts that have been taught by sages and remember by disciples.

varna-ashrama-dharma (include lists)

Duties according to ones social position and stage of life. Varna social class: (mouth - brahmins), (arms- warriors), (thighs - commoners), (feet - servants). Ashrama - stages of life: student, householder, forest dweller, renouncer. Marriage is seen as the rites of initiation for a wife.

dharma

Duty, law, teaching, order, or sometimes religion. It has a general and personal application. The harmony of the world must be maintained and an individual's dharma must be fulfilled. The laws of Manu states that a woman's dharma is to give birth to sons and and to be a good wife.

yoga

yoking; focusing or concentrating; discipline; a system for attaining liberation. Practiced to improve health & well being There are different kinds of Yoga

avidya

"Ignorance" - lack of spiritual knowledge (me), identification with limited perspective on reality, and human existence characteristic of the ego-self.

List and briefly describe the 7 dimensions of religion (Ninian Smart/ Keown), provide examples from Hinduism for each of the dimensions

1)Practical/Ritual - This dimension involves the set ceremonies, rites, and related rituals that are established within a religious tradition. For Hinduism this includes fire rituals (Yajna), yoga, Upanayana (sacred thread ritual where the boy receives rites of passage), samskara (Life syscle rituals). 2)Experiential/Emotional - This dimension involves the personal/spiritual connection one develops with their religious tradition. For Hinduism this reflects in the practice of people having personal deities. These can come from family tradition, personal experience, or a desire that that god represents. In Hinduism the devotee loves the Deity and the Deity personally loves them back. Another example is Yoga which allows one to achieve self realization and see the true nature of reality. 3)Narrative/Mythic - This dimension involves the symbolic stories that communities use to orient themselves to the human life and the world. These are often metaphorical and have an added level of meaning that require interpretation. Some examples in Hinduism are The Ramayana, The story of Devi-mahatmya and the Bhagavad-gita. (Epics and Puranas) 4)Doctrinal/Philosophical - This dimension involves the systematic formulation of religious teachings in an intellectually coherent form. The Vedas, Upanishads would be examples of this as they include hymns, mantras, spells and charms and critique and discuss their religious beliefs. 5)Ethical/Legal - This dimension deals with how religion is used to police morality and human action. In Hinduism and example of this would be the Sutras which contains the Manusmiriti which deals with Hindu law and conflict especially regrading women and dalits. Dharma would be an example of this, because is a Hindu breaks their dharma they are viewed as a bad Hindu. For example if a women refuses to marry, traditionally she is seen as a breaking her dharma to be a good wife. 6)Social/Institutional - This dimension involves the way that the tradition influences how people treat and act toward one another. It involves people's status in society. This is evident in Hindu caste system. People are supposed to marry from the same caste and influences what they do, who they socialize with and where they live (Dalits are the lowest). In Hinduism people are born in to different classes and have a varna-ashra-dharma. There are 4 traditional Aryan social classes: bragmins, warriors, commoners, and servants. The first 3 classes are twice born and able to hear the Veda. Ashrama are the 4 stages of life: student, householder, forest dweller, renouncer. At first they were life choices and not stages. Last is Dharma which is you general and personal duty or obligation. 7)Material - This dimension relates to the physical objects that are associated with a religion. With Hinduism this includes icons and statues that Hindus invite the gods to inhabit and then pray and make sacrifices to. The Ganges river is also an example of a material dimension of Hinduism as they see it as a physical manifestation of one of their Gods.

Identify the key challenges faced by Hinduism today; use information and examples presented in Knott's book and The World Before Her video to discuss two selected challenges and the ways in which contemporary Hindus deal with them.

Key challenges faced by Hinduism today: (1) globalism, (2) modernization, (3) responses to colonialism (historical and current), (4) Hinduism in the Western diaspora/Western influences, (5) caste, (6) gender roles and norms, and (7) Hinduism's interaction with other religious traditions. The challenge of gender roles and norms was extremely prevalent in both Knott's chapter and the move The World Before Her. In Knott's chapter she discusses how many Hindus follow the Laws of Manu which discuss the role of women and dalits in Hindu society. This text says that women are not to hear the Veda and are restricted from sannyasa, greatly restricting their spiritual journey. Traditionally, women always to be under the protection of their fathers, husbands and sons and are never meant to act independently. Women's Dharma is to be good wives and birth sons. This can be seen in Pachii's situation in the movie. She wanted a career, but her father, a traditional Hindu man would have nothing of it and would only want to see her married despite his daughter's protests. This Dharma also leads to violence against women. Some Hindu families participate in illegal sex selection when a fetus is found out to be an unwanted female, that would drain her family's resources. Dowry deaths are also a issue: when a woman's family cannot provide a demanded additional dowry after marriage, some men act out violently, murdering their wives. Widow burning is also a women's issue. When women's husbands died they were considered sati-matas or goddesses if they burned themselves at their husbands death. However, now this act is viewed as inhumane. While laws have been put into place to restrict all of these acts, not all violence has been stopped. Some women's groups such as the the Order in memory of Sarda Devi encourage women to live as students or reformers or the Brahma Kumari who promote asexual love, chastity, and abstinence from alcohol and sex to impove family life for women. Another challenge to Hinduism is modernization. Modernization has brought about greater communication and therefore a greater sharing and melding of ideas religious, social, and otherwise. Some of these ideas conflict with traditional Hinduism and the result is that some people greatly reject outside influences. This reaction has resulted in Hindu fundamentalism. As we saw in the movie, Hindu fundamentalists are extremely intolerant demonizing other religions like Christianity and Islam and promoting violent defense. These groups have created camps that indoctrinate the youth with these fundamentalist views, such as the hatred of Christians and Muslims, the inferiority of women, and teaching violence such has shooting guns and fighting. These camps have been accused of being "terroristic". While fundamentalists they are simply defending themselves and their culture, other Hindus, like the women in the film, want to embrace modernity, have career and break into the international beauty industry. Opposed to this reaction to modernity is Gandhi who left his birth region to study law in 1880. He was ejected from his caste, but surrounded himself with freethinkers like himself and found a non-attachment and the way of action (karma yoga) the basis for his nonviolent approach to India's self rule.

Veda

Knowledge. Earliest Hindu scriptures that are associated with the Aryans. Contain accounts of creation, information about ritual sacrifice, and prayers to the gods. Has 4 parts: Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda. Part of Shruti literature which is said to be diversely revealed. The Veda has been passed down in oral tradition (Sanskrit) to religious authority which are mostly boys and men; very few of of the common people have read it or even understand what is being said. Certain casts (women and dalits) are banned from hearing to Veda.

Manusmriti

Laws of Manu. A religio-legal text describing duties of different social groups. Specially describes the Dharma of women and dalits; specifies that these groups should not hear the Veda. It also specifies that women are to be under the control of men and should not be independent. It specifies that dalits could not own property and had to live outside the village preforming the lowest unclean tasks.

bhaki

Means "loving devotion" Can describe the relationship between spirit and god, allowed previously excluded people to express their devotion

sanyassi

One who has renounced the world. This is associated with the final stage of asharma or life. In this stage people renounce society, most of their worldly possessions and even their given name. They spend their time completely devoted to their spirituality and uncovering their self actualization and seeing the true nature of reality. They are trying to become closer to the Brahman. Seeking liberation from samsara.

Khrisna

Popular deity, depicted as a baby, cowherder, charioteer; avatara of Vishnu In the Bhagavad Gita, spiritual guide to Arjuna

Soma

Prayer, god, plant → has a hallucinogenic effect, refers to a fruit drink taken to enhance religious experience, located in Rig Veda

varna

Social class or state: brahmins, warriors, commoners, servants. They are organized hierarchically. Only the first three groups are twice born and able to hear the Veda.

Sita

The consort of Rama, often described as the perfect wife Almost sacrificed herself, but was drawn out of the fire because she was pure

puja

Worship in which offerings are made to a deity. water food clothes flowers incense and praise. awoken each day dressed, visited, worshipped and put to rest.