Midterm Hinduism

Samskara

"Constructed, put together" - This could be thought as referring to the ritual construction of the individual through these ceremonies. There are important life cycle rituals and 16 Samskaras is the standard number signifying wholeness.

Gandhi

Leader in India's successful struggle for independence from British colonists. He is famous for his idea of non-violent resistance.

Moksha

Liberation and bliss from the cycle of rebirth

Kali

Fierce G-ddess who is sometimes the consort of Shiva. In Tantric texts, she is described as the highest reality. She is important in Bengali devotion and is seen as a benevolent mother

Madhva

Founder of Dvaita (dualism) Vedanta and is from South India. Devotee of Krishna. Wrote commentaries on the Upanishads and Bhagavadgita

Kapila

Founder of Samkhya- Sage Kapila

Ramanuja

From Tamil Nadu, South INdia. Devoted to Vishnu. Wrote commentary on the Bhagavadgita. Thought was Vishishtadvaita: modified non-dualism. Atman equals Brahman but Brahman is greater than Atman. Brahman is a personal G-d.

Shiva

G-d of destruction, asceticism and erotic power. "Father" of Ganesha and Skanda. Owner of the bull Nandin. In classical Hinduism, Shiva is one of the main deities and is still very popular today. He is wild and unpredictable.

Skanda

G-d of war, also called Karftikeya and rides on a peacock. Skanda is very popular in South India He is said to have been born of 7 mothers after Shiva's seed fell in the water. These 7 mothers are associated with water, but also constellation pleiades.

Sarasvati

G-ddess of learning and music. She is Brahma's wife and continues the Vedic deity Vac

Lakshmi

G-ddess of wealth and good fortune. She is the wife of Vishnu

Can you summarize the main teachings of the Samkhya philosophy?

In Sanskrit, Samkhya means "enumeration." It is the "sister" school to yoga and is thought to probably be the oldest school of Indian philosophy with traces of Samkhya ideas in the Upanishads. The mythical founder is Sage Kapila and the main text of the school is the Samkhyakarikas. The main teachings of Samkhya we see that there is dualism- two eternal principles in the world. The first eternal principle is Purusha ("man"/"spirit") which is pure consciousness in all living beings. The second principle is Prakriti ("nature") which is everything else that is not Purusha. The basic problem in Samkhya is that Purusha is under the illusion that it is boung to Prakriti but it must realize that it is separate and free from Prakriti. The way to achieve liberation is to understand that your body, thoughts, sense of self/ego is all a part of nature and not you (your spirit).

Ramananda

Ramananda is from Varanasi and is a disciple of the Vedanta philosopher Ramanuja. He founded his own sect and made Rama and Sita as the combined supreme deity. He uses Hindi language rather than Sanskrit and caste is insignificant. All worshippers are equal. One disciple of his was a Brahman and the other a leather worker.

Tulsidas

Tulsidas was a poet who wrote Ramacaritmanas, an epic poem in Awadhil Old HIndi. He believed that Rama was the highest G-d, not just an incarnation of Vishnu.

What is the role of the Vedas in Mimamsa philosophy? What is the role of the Sanskrit language in Mimamsa?

Mimamsa means "investigation" and is closely connected to the Vedas. The Vedas are regarded as eternal, author less, and infallible. The supreme principle in Mimamsa is that shruti (sacred Hindu literature) = the Vedic tradition. Sanskrit plays an important role in Mimamsa because there is no concern with any speech that is non-Sanskrit.

Shankara

Most influential Hindu philosopher? From South India. Born into a Brahman family. Mastered all 8 Vedas by age 8. Traveled to North India

Vaisheshika

Nyaya's sister school. Concerned with ontology- the study of being. Founded by Kanada

4 Ashramas (stages of life)

The four stages of life 1) celibate student 2) Married householder 3) Hermit/forest-dweller 4) Renunciant

Svaraj

The goal of svaraj is "self rule." The goal politically: Indian independence from Britain. The goal spiritually: mastery over one self, mental discipline based on the Bhagavadgita

What is the role of knowledge (jnana) in the Upanishads?

The knowledge of the mystical unity of atman and brahman, leads to salvation

Parvati

Parvati is also called Uma and is Shiva's wife. She is often defined through her roles as wife and mother but she also occurs independently as well.

Mirabai

Poet and princess from Rajasthan. She was married off at age 13 but her husband died. She refused to hill herself on funeral pyre. She wrote 200-1000 poems and songs in praise of Krishna

Mantra

- A non-linguistic sacred utterance - Can be a single syllable, word or phrase - Most famous mantra in the Upanishads: Om >Sounds or utterances used for meditating. >Sacred sounds that are meant to connect you with the rhythms of the universe

Jnana

- Knowledge - Cp. Greek gnosis - The knowledge of the mystical unity of Atman and Brahman, leads to salvation -Just this life and this world is not enough -There is something more, some deeper meaning that we need to get to and figure out.

Upanishads

- Unlike the vedas, the Upanishads are read today - Main idea: inner self (Atman) = cosmic force (Brahman) - Knowledge of the mystical identity between the two leads to salvation - Reincarnation and karma introduced - Sacred Hindu text about Atman and Brahman - "Upanishad" = "sitting down near" (a teacher?); "underlying reality" - hundred of texts called Upanishads, the "classical" or "main" ones are the 10 included in the commentary by the 9th century philosopher Shankara

How would you define a "Hindu"?

-"Hindu" not an Indian word -Persian: "one who lives on the other side of the river -Indus" = Indian -"Hinduism" first used by foreigners -Covers a vast range of beliefs and practices -Tied together by the belief in the sanctity of the Vedas and the Sanskrit language -Polytheistic religion -"hindu" used in inscriptions from Nepal around 1700 King referred to himself as "lord of the Hindus" -Nepal the world's only Hindu state today -Monarchy until 2008 - the king an incarnation of Vishnu -Reverence for the Vedas (but little continuity of ideas/practice) -Belief in Karma/Reincarnation (but also in Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism) -Non-Violence (originally from Jainism?) -Caste system (religious or political?) -Worship of specific deities (especially Vishnu, Shiva, and the goddess)

Mahabharata

-A long epic poem -8 times longer than the Bible -Great war between two branches of the same family

Arjuna

-Arjuna: The perfect warrior Son of Indra, the Vedic god of war

What is dharma? What is the significance of dharma in Hinduism?

-From the Sanskrit verb Dhr - "to uphold" -Cosmic order, Social Order, Law, Righteousness, Religion - Dharma a concept in classical Hinduism -Corresponds to the concept of Rta - cosmic and social law in the Vedas -Sva-Dharma: One's "own dharma" -Different from person to person -People of different castes have different duties -Men and women have different duties -People have different duties at different stages of life

Agni

-G-d of fire -seen as a father and protector -mediator between gods and humans -Very important, second in importance only to Indra

Krishna

-One of the most popular and beloved avataras of Vishnu worshipped today -Often portrayed as a mischievous toddler -Also depicted as a lover -Has affairs with numerous women -Seen as symbolic of the relationship between God and the human souls

What new ideas are introduced into Hinduism in the Upanishads?

-Sacred books -Main teaching: Atman = brahman -Atman = inner self -Brahman = cosmic force -Atman = the eternal soul in all living beings -Humans, animals, gods, and ghosts all have souls -Some Hindu philosophers: There is only one divine soul dwelling in everything -Karma: Everything you do, good or bad, will come back to you -Reincarnation: When you die, your soul will take on a new body, based on your previous karma -One can be reincarnated as human, animal, god, etc.

Andal

Andal is a female saint. She said she was married to the Vishnu statue and Shrirangam. Her great devotion to this statue was respected and she is regarded as an incarnation of Vishnu's wife Lakshmi.

Bhakti

Bhakti is intense love and devotion. It is the love of a worshipper for a G-d and the of of the G-d for the worshipper. There are three main characteristics of the Bhakti movement: 1. Intense devotion to a personal G-d 2. Protest against orthodox Brahmanical Hinduism 3. Fierce competition with Janism and Buddhism over ideology, land, and royal patronage.

Ganesha

Elephant-headed G-d of beginnings. Parvati made him from the dirt in her bathwater. Shiva cut his head off so his head was replaced with an Elephant head. Ganesha is an extremely popular G-d today and is also worshipped by Buddhists and Jains.

Trimurti

• "Trimurti" = three forms • Central trinity of Hindu G-ds • Brahma - the creator • Vishnu - the protector • Shiva - the destroyer

Bhagavad Gita

-"Bhagavad Gita" = "the song of the Lord" -The most well-known Hindu text today

Satyagraha

"Grasping the truth" = passive, non-violent resistance. This urged Indians in South Africa to protest peacefully and go to jail if necessary. Inspired by the Jain idea of Ahimsa, non-violence towards all living beings

Mimamsa

"Investigation" closely connected to the Vedas. Regard the Vedas as eternal, authorless, and infallible

Shakti

"Power." This is a feminine word for divine feminine creative power. The G-ds Shakti manifest as their wives

Vedanta

"The end of the Vedas" "The fulfillment of the Vedas" School of philosophy based on the Upanishads. Very popular and influential today.

Durga

"The one who is difficult to access." Often seen as a fiercer form of Paravati and is very popular today. The demon Mahishasura cannot be defeated by men or G-ds but Durga is able to emerge from the wrath of the G-ds and slay the demon.

Purusha

"man"/"spirit"- pure consciousness in all living beings

Yoga

-Sanskrit: "to Yoke", "to join together", "to be disciplined" -Philosophy: based on Samkhya, same teachings -Yoga adds: meditation techniques necessary to reach the insight -In order to realize that Purusha is separate from Prakriti, meditation techniques are necessary >Ishvara ("The Lord"), a G-d and spiritual Guide, one Purusha that is eternally enlightened. -Focus on postures (asanas) and controlled breathing -Mentioned in Upanishads

Rama

-The oldest of the four brothers -Perfect man in all ways -The ideal human being -Bharata - Very popular incarnation of Vishnu - The ideal prince and warrior - Kills a 10-headed monster to rescue his kidnapped wife

Ramayana

-The oldest of the four brothers -Perfect man in all ways -The ideal human being -Bharata - Very popular incarnation of Vishnu - The ideal prince and warrior - Kills a 10-headed monster to rescue his kidnapped wife

What is the role of the Vedas in Hinduism? How is it similar?

-Veda = "wisdom" -4 Vedas -The oldest sacred texts of Hinduism -Oral texts, written down much later

Pandavas

-Yudhishthira: The oldest brother Son of Dharma, divine righteousness -Bhima: Son of Vayu, the god of the wind The strongest of the brothers -Arjuna: The perfect warrior Son of Indra, the Vedic god of war The hero of the Bhagavad Gita -Nakula and Sahadeva: Twins Sons of Vedic twin gods, Ashvins >>Yudhishthira loses his kingdom to the Kauravas in a dice game The Pandavas in exile for 13 years

Dharma

-from the Sanskrit verb Dhr - "to uphold" -Cosmic order -Social order -Law -Righteousness -Religion -Dharma a concept in classical Hinduism -Corresponds to the concept of Rta - cosmic and social law in the Vedas

Indra

-main G-d of the Rigveda -more hymns to him than any other deity -G-d of thunder and war -kills the evil serpent Vritra

Soma

-sacred plant -sacred drink made form the plant -Hallucinogenic drink -Indra drinks a lot of Soma before battle

The 4 Varnas (castes)

1) Brahmans: Priests. Duty: Religious rituals, Veda recitation, studying, etc. 2) Kshatriyas: Warriors (and kings!). Duty: protecting the people, fighting in justified wars. 3) Vaishyas: Farmers and merchants. Duty: Producing food, providing goods. 4) Shudras: Servants. Duty:Doing the menial tasks (sweeping, cleaning, etc.)

How is salvation achieved according to the Upanishads?

1) Knowledge (of an absolute truth) 2) Actions (may include worship of gods) 3) Devotion (to a god who can save from rebirth) -Salvation in Hinduism: Freedom from the cycle of death and rebirth -A state of eternal bliss

3 paths to salvation in the Bhagavadgita

1. Action -one must surrender all one's actions to karma -only then will no karma be accrued -karma leads to further rebirth >How does this path of action relate to what is coming for Arthava? -He doesn't want to fight and kill people he knows really well >What will happen to his karma? -he was told to not worry about it 2. 3. Devotion -Bakhti=devotion -Liberation from what? >Liberation from what? - Samsara=the cycle of death and rebirth

6 padarthas

A category of things that can exist: 1. substance ( 5 elements, time, space, atman, and mind) 2. quality (modifies a substance: taste, smell, color, size, etc.) 3. karma (activity) 4. generality (the horse-ness that all horses have in common) 5. particularity (that which makes this horse different from all others) 6. inherence (the relationship between inseparable substances)

Ravana

10 headed monster that kidnaps Sita

The three gunas

3 gunas: qualities 1. light (sattva) 2. passion (rajas) 3. darkness (tamas) - this is what makes up nature >made up of 3 strands: -sattva (light) -rajas (passion) -tamas (darkness) - also slowness and inertia >grunge ,psychic energy is getting lost in your space, things are getting stuck

Shruti

=the Vedic tradition. Sacred religious text

Vishnu

> "all pervading one" > appears to have been a sun G-d in the Rigveda > blue skin and 4 arms > Married to Lakshmi, the G-ddess of wealth > Rides the divine bird Garuda

Samkhya

>Sanskrit: "enumeration" >"Sister" school to yoga >The oldest school of Indian philosophy? >Traces of Samkhya Ideas in the Upanishads > Mythical founder: the sage kapila >Mam text of the school: Samkhyakarikas

Karma

>all actions will come back to you >good actions lead to good results, bad actions to bad results >good karma can lead to good rebirth & bad karma to bad rebirth >liberation from karma: -the goal: to be free from all karma good and bad -how: the three paths to liberation

Advaita (non-dualism)

Atman and Brahman are absolutely identical, there is no difference between them. Everything else is an illusion. Brahman is impersonal, not a personal G-d.

Dvaita (dualism)

Atman and Brahman are separate.

Vishishta Advaita (modified non-dualism)

Atman is Brahman but Brahman is greater than Atman. Brahman is a personal G-d.

Ganga

Baghiratha made Ganga descend from heaven because he wanted her to flood the underworld and cleanse his ancestors' souls. Ganga was mad and wanted to wipe out all life, but Shiva caught her in his hair and slowed her descent, only allowing her to use life-giving trickles of water

Kabir

Disciple of Ramananda? Kabir was born into a Muslim family of weavers. He wrote poems in old Hindi. He rejects all religious customs of both Hindus and Muslims. He felt that Muslim prayer was too formal, and he rejected Hindu idols. There was no pilgrimage to Mecca or Varanasi. He rejected the sacred thread ceremony, rejects the caste system and says there is only one G-d.

Should the religious thought of Hinduism be classified as "philosophy"? Why/Why not?

It wouldn't be absurd to say that religious thought of Hinduism could be classified as philosophy. The goal of philosophy is to know/find the truth. Philosophy relates to the realm of pure thought which is different from religion but the goal of philosophy in India is salvation, not merely knowledge for its own sake. Because salvation is the goal here and not just knowledge or wisdom, this key word salvation changes the original meaning of philosophy (to know/find the truth) and adds one more layer to that definition (salvation), making it seem possible for Hinduism to be classified as philosophy.

Avatara

Means incarnation. Vishnu comes to earth in different forms/Avataras.

Namdev

Namdev was a poet and one of the earliest writers of the Marathi language. He was a passionate devotee of the G-d Vithoba who is everywhere, accessible to all. Pilgrimage and meditation are not necessary, you just have to love the deity and sing his name.

Prakriti

Nature >everything that is not pure soul. Our bodies, the universe, our minds, etc.

Puja

Puja means worship. This means offering gifts to a deity such as flowers, food, or incense. This can be done either at home or in a temple

Devi

Sanskrit for "G-ddess." Often different Hindu G-ddesses are seen as manifestations of the on G-ddess, Devi

Nammalvar

Spent his life in fasting and meditation. He composed four series of verses in Tamil for the masses as substitutes for the Vedas they did not have access to.

Murukan

Supreme Tamil deity pronounced "Murugan." Murukan is known as "the destroyer" and the G-d of ancient fertility and vegetation. He is associated with a peacock which brings rain. In Hinduism, he is identified with Shiva's son Skanda and sometimes even Shiva himself.

Can you place the Bhagavaadgita in the context of the larger story of the Mahabharata? Why is Arjuna about to fight in a war? Why is this a problem for him? What is the solution?

The Bhagavaadgita is a part of the Mahabharata and is the most well known Hindu text today. The Mahabharata is about a war between two branches of the same family The Pandava brothers and Kauravas. The Bhagavaadgita comes into play in the Mahabharata when the son Arjuna (Pandava) refuses to fight in the war because he doesn't want to kill his relatives. The reasoning for this fight is due to his oldest brother losing in a dice game to the Kauravas which resulted in the loss of his brother's kingdom and for the Pandava brothers to be exiled for 13 years. He has a conversation with his charioteer Krishna about his predicament and her words to him are the Bhagavaadgita itself. Main teachings - 3 paths to salvation: 1) Knowledge: Knowledge that atman (inner self) = brahman (cosmic force) = Krishna 2) Action: One must surrender all one's actions to Krishna Only then will no karma be accrued Karma leads to further rebirth 3) Devotion:Bhakti = devotion Salvation can be obtained by complete surrender to Krishna -Liberation from: Samsara = the cycle of death and rebirth -Karma leads to further rebirth, good or bad

Kauravas

The Pandava brothers' cousins 100 brothers Led by the evil Duryodhana

How is Yoga philosophy different from Samkhya?

The basic problem: Purusha is under the illusion that it is bound to Prakriti, so one must realize that it is separate and free from Prakriti. Need to understand that their body, thoughts, sense of self/ego is all a part of nature and not you your spirit. Realizing that is what will give you liberation. . . SO. . . the founder of Samkhya Sage Kapila was the only one who was apple to realize this which is why yoga was formed. Its philosophy is based on Samkhya and the same teachings but adds meditation teachings necessary to reach the insight of Samkhya. In order to realize that Purusha is separate from Prakriti, meditation techniques are necessary. Also, in Samkhya there is no G-d but in Yoga there is the Lord Ishvara, a G-d and spiritual guide, one Purusha that is eternally enlightened.

Ayodhya

The city that Ramayana and Sita lived in. The whole city lit lamps to welcome them back after their victory over Ravana

What is the role of the Upanishads in Vedanta philosophy? How is the relationship between atman and brahman interpreted differently in the three main schools of Vedanta?

The school of philosophy of Vedanta is based on the Upanishads and is very popular and influential today. Also, Vedanta is "the end of the Vedas," "the fulfillment of the Vedas" which are a part of the Upanishads. The three sub-schools of Vedanta are very different. First there is non-dualism which states that atman and brahman are absolutely identical and there is no difference between them. Everything else is an illusion and brahman is not a personal G-d. Then there is modified non-dualism which states that atman is equal to brahman but brahman is greater than atman and brahman is a personal G-d. Third, there is dualism which states that atman and brahman are completely separate - the soul and G-d are different.

Alvars

There are 12 Alvars who are Vaishnava poets and saints. They are defined as "those immersed in G-d." Many of them are regarded as incarnations of Vishnu, or his attributes

Divali

This holiday is often celebrated with firework shows and today, Divali cards are sometimes used. It came to be a holiday because when Rama destroyed the 10 headed monster and rescued Sita, their town greeted them by lighting lanterns everywhere to welcome them.

Holi

This is a spring festival "the festival of colors" that takes place in February/March. This is a celebration of Krishna playing with the Gopis. During this holiday there are many water fights and people throw colored powder on each other. Bonfires are lit to burn the demoness Holika.

Upanayana

This is the ceremony in which the sacred thread is received. It is for boys of the highest castes between ages 6 and 15. The sacred thread ceremony is seen as new birth and men of the 3 upper castes are called "twice born."

4 pramanas

Valid means of knowledge: 1. direct observation 2. inference 3. analogy 4. verbal testimony by someone with authority

Rudra

Vedic storm G-d who's name means "howler." He is a minor G-d with 3 hymns to him alone and is mentioned in two others. He is fierce and destructive. Sometimes called "Shiva" or "The kind one." He has braided hair and shines like the sun. He also has a bow and arrows which can bring disease and death. Rudra is a great healer and hymns to him express fear and respect.

Aranyakas

o The "wilderness books" o Also about rituals, particularly dangerous ones

Nyaya

school of logic. concerned with epistemology-how do we know what we know? traditional founder: Akshapada Gautama

Samsara

the eternal cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth

Sita

the wife of Ramayana who is captured by the 10 headed monster Ravana and then rescued

Brahman

• Divine impersonal force • Manifests itself in all the different G-ds and in the Atman of all humans • P. 52 in the Upanishads

Brahmanas (texts)

• Sacred texts that follow after the Vedas • 800 BCE • details about the sacrifice and its meanings • a sacrifice must be correct down to the smallest detail • mostly about rituals, but a few stories in between

Atman

• The inner self of all beings • Described as a little person within the heart • Identical with the cosmic force brahman • Why should we translate "self" rather than soul? • Cp. German "Atmen" - to breathe