Hinduism

1. Hinduism Basic Worldview

2. Key Terms Braham: The all-pervading, self-existent power, the cosmic unity. Atman: The true self; The essence or principle of life: reality in its individual forms, as distinct from brahman; n.b. this is not individual soul rather it is the universal self Maya: Literally ‘illusion’; this world is neither real nor unreal Advaita: Only one reality exists. All things are one. A strict form of this belief called ‘monism’ was taught by Shankara. Dharma: moral and religious duty

3. Key Terms Karma: Literally ‘action’; the inexorable moral law of cause and effect governing the future: bad actions lead to rebirth in the lower orders, perhaps as an animal; good actions lead to rebirth in the higher orders, perhaps as a priest. Samasara: The bondage of life, death and rebirth, governed by the law of karma Moksha: Literally ‘release’; liberation from the continuous round of rebirths Bhakti: Devotion or worship (often but not always offered to a single deity); Liberation by faith as distinct from liberation by works or knowledge.

4. Indian World View • Diversity as essential element of Hinduism • No need to select exclusively • Flexibility • Divine is manifested in a number of ways • Truth transcends all conceptualizations or verbalizations

5. Common Beliefs • Common beliefs include: • Recognition of Vedas as revelatory and authoritative • Even if content is largely unknown to many Hindus • Recognition of Brahman priests • Bear and teach the Vedas • Ideal of ritual purity • Brahman as ultimate • samsara • Transmigration of atman • Karma

6. World View: Cycles & Reality • Endless ages and cycles of death & rebirth • There are creation stories, though Upanishads suggest that source of creation is unknowable • Each falls into period of decline • Present point of cycle is one of increasing evil & chaos • Ultimate Reality Diversity of approaches but two main strands: • Brahman as the Sacred Ultimate • Theistic Hinduism

7. Ultimate Reality:Brahman • Brahman as the Sacred Ultimate • Evolution of understanding • Stress on oneness • All-embracing principle • The one behind all differentiation • Precedes any forms of multiplicity • The ultimately real • Transcendent and immanent • Immanent because Brahman permeates all reality/existence (monism), including gods

8. Ultimate Reality: Brahman • Grounds all reality • Ultimate cause, source and goal of all existence • Preserves universe • All things emanate from Brahman • Uncreated • Infinite • Apophatic quality • Beyond description on conceptualization • Impersonal • No personal attributes • IMPORTANT: Atman=Brahman

9. SagunaBrahman Lower level of knowledge . Stress on immanence Manifest Changing………………… Active With form:differentiated Bounded Personal god With attributes Creative force in the universe NirgunaBrahman Highest level of knowledge Stress on transcendence Unmanifest Non-changing; beyond change Non-active Formless: undifferentiated Unbounded Impersonal Beyond all attributes - Two ways of knowing Brahman(see esp. philosopher Shankara)

10. Indian World View:Atman • What is eternal is atman or self • More real than empirical self • Atman = Brahman- pure consciousness • Through mediation one may come to experience the atman and achieve unity with Brahman • Atman is eternal, immaterial & immortal • Ego (the ‘I’) is impermanent • Mistake true nature if excessive focus on the ‘I’ • Result is one is caught in bondage of samsara • N.b. that for many in India, liberation is not communion w/personal God

11. Indian World View:Karma • Law of karma • Every action has a consequence which leads to rebirth • Karma binds one to wheel of existence, samsara • Three paths: karma (action), jnana (knowledge), bhakti (devotion) • Liberation achieved through path of jnana or bhakti

12. Indian World View:Dharma • Law of dharma • One’s dharma is conditioned by karma from previous lifetimes • Dharma is duty to live in the state of life which has been determined

13. Dharma (cont.) • Two aspects of dharma: • Dharma as cosmic ordering principle • Dharma as expression of cosmic order in the social order • Dharma on these two levels are linked in that • The social order represents (is a microcosm) of the the cosmic order • Dharma is focus in day to day existence • All things have proper place & function • Understand what our place is, its associated duties & follow it to best of ability • We have duty to contribute to dharma which keeps world functioning • Ignorance & selfishness cause us to fail to take our proper place in divine, cosmic order • Maintaining divinely ordered society is central to Hindu way of life

14. Doctrine of Maya Doctrine of Maya • saguna Brahman – what we subjectively experience w/ our senses • Finite world does exists, but it is not the ultimate reality • Shankara’s rope illustration

15. Indian World View:Basic Problem • Basic Problem: We fail to realize our true nature: atman = Brahman • Ignorance of our true nature (identify w/Brahman) causes egotism • We act as if the phenomenal world is ultimate reality & we pursue selfish desires • Pursuit of desires causes desire for worldly existence • Which leads to actions which have consequences (karma) • Karma (the chain of acts & consequences) then produces bondage to physical world through cycle of samsara • Solutionis moksha from samsara so that the atman can attain union with Brahman • Thus it is our ignorance & selfish desire that creates conditions for next lifetime • Realization of our true nature comes from insight