RELI367 module 1

Yoga as a technical term

"attainment of liberation or supernatural powers by means of prescribed psychophysical methods"

Nastika

"does not exist", improper/hererodox view, rejected knowledge of the Vedas and sacrifice

astika

"there exists", proper/orthodox view

Practice and the goal

"yoga (arises from) the attainment of samadhi or it is in the practice of yoga itself"

Context of Bhagavadgita

-Beginning of war- Guilt (arjuna.. bc these people are family & friends) -form --samvada --song of the Lord or song of the Blessed One -"dont be a eunuch" --brhannala and Virata" --Bull of Bharatas vs. Masculinity -why Arjuna must fight

Paths of Bhagavadgita

-Karmamarga (action) - Jnanarmarga (knowledge) -Bhaktimarga(devotion)

Visvarupa

-after krsna explains his ultimate true form -arjuna seeks a vision -krsna shows him

Legacy of Bhagavadgita

-complex philosophies -medival commentators -Krsna devotion --notheast india --international society for Krishna consciousness (ISKCON) -Hindu bible? -american culture --oppenheimer- "Now i am become Death, the destroyer of worlds" -Legend of Bagger Vance

Katha Upanisad 6.10-11

10. when the 5 senses along with the mind, remain still and the intellect is not active that is known as the highest state. 11. they consider yoga to be firm restraint of the senses. the one becomes undistracted for yoga is the arising and the passing away

"The self is not born nor does it ever die...Unborn, eternal...the self is not killed when the body is killed" In this verse from the BhG, to what does the "self" most likely refer?

Atman (self/soul)

"...this highest being is reachable by singular devotion; all beings stand within it, this whole world is woven through it."In this verse from the BhG, who is the highest being?

Brahman

"i am unborn an imperishable self and the lord of all beings... and come into being by my own creative force" in this verse from BhG, what term best describes Krshna

Brahman (a member of the highest Hindu caste, that of the priesthood)

Reading the Gita 1-4

Chapter 1: -surveying the battlefield -arjuna's dejection Chapter 2: -summary of text's content -Introduces major ideas Chapter 3: -Karma yoga -act according to dharma, but don't think about reward Chapter 4: -introduction of Bhagavadgita's Metaphysics -Brahman is the goal in moksa -fruits of action bind you in samsara

"Abiding in yoga, engage in actions! Let go of clinging, and let fulfillment and frustration be the same" In this verse from BhG, what type of yoga is being described

Karma yoga (yoga of action". ... It teaches that a spiritual seeker should act according to dharma, without being attached to the fruits or personal consequences)

Krsna is Brahman

Ninth discourse, Raja Vidya and Raja Guhya --"kingly knowledge" --"kingly secret", true form of krsna

Story of Mahabharata

Pandavas v. Dhartarastras -ksatriya -sons of Pandu and Drtarastra -grew up together -Throne of Hastinapura -Drtar elder but blind -Pandu younger but "no heirs" -A rjuna, son of Indra Kuruksetra war - all kingdoms of india -Krsna, ruler of Yadavas --councilor --entire army or Krsna --Arjuna choses Krsna --go to war

(astika school) Nyaya

Perception: experiencing an object. Inference: using previous experiences to draw logistical conclusions. Comparison: logically deducing information from analogy. Testimony: firsthand witness accounts from a reliable person.

Yoga and the Bhagavadgita

Practice and goal three yogas: -yoga of...karma (related to path of action -samnyasa (path of knowledge) -bhakti (path of devotion)

"this world does not belong to those who do not sacrifice, much less the other world" In this verse from BhG, doing your duty (like sacrifice) is an example of what principle?

Samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound)

"Death is fixed for those who are born, and birth is fixed for those who die" In this verse from BhG, what process is being described

Samsara (the cycle of death and rebirth to which life in the material world is bound.)

Six astika schools

Vaisesika, Nyaya, (Purva) Mimamsa, Vedanta, Samkhya, Yoga

"Even among all these practitioners of yoga the one who loves me, ...that one is thought by me [to be] the most closely joined to yoga."In this verse from the BhG, who is the best practitioner of yoga?

a person devoted to Krsna

Karma Yoga

acting in the world, renouncing all fruits of actions

Mahabharata

an epic poem, composition: vyasa, layers, final approx. 300-450 CE. war of Bharata. 5th Veda: -vedas (sruti) -Mahabharata (smrti-remembered, acions and deeds are recountings) Yajina -Fire sacrifice -mahabharata war

"The embodied one gives up all actions with the mind, neither performing nor causing action, as a lord sits contentedly in the city of nine gates."In this verse from the BhG, to what does "embodied one" most likely refer?

atman

This whole world is woven through with me, in a shape which is formless; all beings dwell in me Yet neither do beings dwell [physically] in me. Behold, my powerful yoga."In this verse from the BhG, why can't beings dwell [physically] in him?

beings are in samsara (something like that?)

Path of Bhagavadgita cont.

bhaktimarga -path of devotion -reflective of reality --devotional cults --arch evidence -blended system --brahman --pursusa --isa -soteriology --salvataion --Krsna

[Materiality] is my lower nature. But be aware of my other, highest nature—that nature being the life by which this world is held up."In this verse from the BhG, to what does the higher nature refer?

brahman/purusha

yoga as a goal

conjuction - union w god -union between atman(soul) and brahman disjuction -samkhya -removal of matter of narue and return to purusa

What is Arjuna's reaction to seeing Krishna's true form?

fear?

"Renouncing by thought all actions to me, and holding me as the highest, take refuge in the yoga of insight and think of me always."In this verse from the BhG, how can one stop the karmic cycle?

giving up fruits of action, realizing krishna is brahman, understanding true reality

Patanjali's yogasastra 3.6

it is said that "yoga is to be known through yoga. yoga arises from yoga. one who is vigilant by means of yoga delights in yoga for a long time"

Three paths to take to transcent life cycled from body to body

jnana (knowledge), karma (action), bhakti (devotion)

(astika school) Vedanta

literally "end of the Veda" also known as "Uttara Mimamsa", school of hermeneutics based on the Upanisads (end of the Vedas), Seeks to understand the relationship between [atam (self), brahman (ultimate reality), samsara (cycle of existence), moksa (liberation) Types of interpretations: Dvaita (dual), Advaita (non-dual), Visistadvaita (qualified non-dual)

(astika school) (Purva) Mimamsa

literally "investigation" or "examination", school of Vedic ritual hermeneutics, assumption that vedas are true but our interpretation of them must be accurate, seeks to understand the metaphysical world behind ritual Asks questions about: existence of gods, results of ritual and sacrifice, life after death

Yoga

literally "joining", builds upon Samkhya but is theistic, purasa is equated with isvara Yoga provides means to go beyond the phenomenal world through mental (and physical practices), Patanjali's Eight Limbs of Yoga: [ yama (restraint), niyama (piety), asana (postures), pranayama (breath control), prayahara (withdrawal), Dharana (focus), dhyana (abstract meditation), Samadhi (union)

(astika school) Samkhya

literally "numeral", school of enumeration, non-theistic (philosophy that precedes yoga is this meaning that a deity is not at the center of the worldview), goal is liberation by returning to pure consciousness, dualist cosmogony and ontology Purusa: male, eternal source of pure consciousness (spirit), Prakriti: female, eternal source of all matter and energy, Tattvas: 24/25 essential building blocks for the phenomenal world, Gunas: essential qualities everything [sattva (pure), rajas (active), tamas (inactive)

Darsana

literally "sight, tecnhical term for philosophical tradition or school of thought

(astika school) Vaisesika

literally "special/specific", school of atomistic naturalism, cosmos is made up of atoms (paramanu), these are naturally occurring and the root cause of all categories of existence (pardartha) Perception: experiencing an object Inference: using previous experiences to draw logical conclusions - goal is to obtain liberation through the alleviation of ignorance

"I can only be known by devotion. In this way, may I be truly known and seen and reached."In this verse from the BhG, to what process does "reached" refer?

moksha

"I am time that has aged who makes the world perish. I have come forth to destroy the worlds. Even without you, these warriors facing off against each other will no longer exist."Given this verse, what concept should drive Arjuna actions?

now dharma

Karmamarga

path of action, karma -action and inaction -seeds and fruit -moska -dharma --code of ethics --responsibilities --governed by: varna (broader idea), jati (specific idea), asrama (life stage) (dharma, supposed to forget about the seeds and fruits that will be produced

Jnanamarga

path of knowledge Vedanta -samsara atman brahman moska -Samkhya --dualism --gunas -yoga --Isa --concept of joining

Brahmana Ksatriya Vaisya Sudra

priests (saiva, vaisnava, sakta) warriors (kings, royals) merchants (merchants, agi leaders) servants/agis (agi, potters) \jati/

Action v. Renunciation

returns to the theme of action, historical context: buddhism, jainism, yoga Hierarchy of practice

"The heroes of the mortal world enter your flaming mouths, as so many currents of water in a river might run toward the ocean."In this verse from the BhG, what process is being described?

samsara

Asrama (life stage)

student/brahmacarin (debt:sages), Householder/grhastha(debt: ancestors), forest dweller/vanaprastha (debt: gods), renouncer/sannyasin (debt free and can achieve things for yourself)

Jnana Yoga

transformative knowledge, philosophical roots, Samkhya and Yoga/Vedanta

Bhakti Yoga

yoga of devotion, highest practice, highest goal, true knowledge is knowing, Krishna's true name a relationship, devotion and love, exclusive

yoga as a practice

yogabhysa=practice of yoga -methods to attain goal: -mantra yoga (speech) -laya yoga (dissolve personal identity) -hatha yoga (power yoga) -raja yoga (spiritual/physical/highest power) limbs (anha) of yoga, systems of practice -many diff forms -common 8 fold -astangayoga

Defining Yoga

yuj= to yoke, join, bind yoga=joining or attaching yogin=someone who practices ascetic= somone who practices severe discipline religious: accrual of karma or piety -method -wealth -trick -magic