Part II

Karma-Yoga:

• Must have an understanding that selfish action binds the soul
• Specifically means actions performed for various deities
• Backing concept is that all action must be performed for the greater good, serve God, and be right.
• Goal of practice is the heavenly planets

Jnana-Yoga:

• Knowledge through seclusion, study, and sense abnegation
• Aim at liberation
• Opposite of Karma for these yogis minimize activity and the necessities of life.

Ashtanga/Raja Yoga:

• Physical Yoga divided into eight parts
• Started by the sage Patanjali
• There are eight possible mystic powers achievable from this practice, but these are not the focus, Patanjali encourages the practitioner to remain focused on the god within, and leaving the material realm.

Bhakti-Yoga:

• Most popular yoga today
• When perfected, it combines all types of yoga
• External and symbolic worship, pilgrimages, and sophisticated processes of inner development.

The Trimurti:

• Based on three representations of God: Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva)
• Each is in charge of a specific Guna (Raja, Sattva, Tama respectively)
• Vishnu (or one of his manifestations) is most commonly associated with the impersonal "Supreme Person".
• Brahma is rarely given direct praise. There is only one temple dedicated to him and the most common worshipping practice associated with him is the chanting of the Gayatri Mantra.
• Shiva represents the male principle in the world and his female counterpart is Shakti (Mother Nature), or Material Energy.

3 Main Focuses of Worship:

• Three main sects: Vaishnavas (worshippers of Vishnu), Shaivites (worshippers of Shiva), and Shaktas (worshippers of Shakti)
• Shaktas use the term Devi or Mataji (goddess or respected mother) to describe their deity. Thus other goddesses (Lakshmi or Sarasvati) may also be included in the focus of Shaktas.
• Every deity falls within four main categories: A form of Vishnu, Shiva, Shakti (a Goddess), or a very powerful soul with an extremely elevated body (such as that of Brahma).
• Each of the Trimurti have a respective partner. Vishnu and Lakshmi, Shiva and Shakti, and Brahma and Sarasvati. Most representations of these deities in stories are forms of these deities (i.e. Rama and Sita = Vishnu and Lakshmi).
• Each deity also has a mount: Vishnu rides a giant eagle (Garuda), Shiva rides Nandi the bull, Shakti has a lion or tiger, and Brahma mounts the swan.

The Murti:

• Worship of the Sacred Image (shrines, statues, paintings, etc...)
• This is central to the way Hindus develop and express their relationship with God.
• Images must be made and worshipped with scriptural guidance. Not just any image is considered sacred.
• Murti is God's way of helping the ignorant begin to differentiate between spirit and matter by endowing a physical depiction with the spirit of God (not metaphorically either. Murti has a spirit)

Holi Festival:

• Takes place in March. Also known as the festival of colors or spring festival and is associated with the deity Vishnu.
• Popular dishes are Gujiya, Mathri, and Papri
• Celebration is primarily focused on the triumph of good over evil, devotion to God, and love.
• Popular legend behind the festival is that king Hiryanyakashyap wanted his kingdom to worship him only, but his son stayed a devout Vaishnavite. The king tried to have his son killed by having his wife (who was immune to fire) carry him into a bon fire. God subsequently saved the boy and killed the wife.
• Practices: Evening Bonfires (in light of the legend), Smearing of vibrantly colored pastes (celebrating spring colors and the harvest), kids play pranks (in light of another less important legend), Consumption of Bhang (highly intoxicating drink), exchange of sweets and small gifts.

Ganesh Chaturthi:

• Celebration of the birth of Ganesh (more specifically how he received his head). Takes place in late August or early September (the 4th day of Bhadrapada).
• Festival lasts 10 days
• Begins when devotees bring home a Ganesh murti and begin the offering of daily prayers.
• Matric and prayer devotion ends on Ananta Chaturdashi (10th day).
• Day 11 is the "Ganesh Visarjan", worshippers march with their idols, singing and dancing before immersing them in water. This symbolizes the removal of obstacles and misfortune (one of the functions of Ganesh as a deity).

Holy Site: Varnasi:

• This is one of the oldest cities in the world.
• It is the location of the Golden Temple.
• It is situated on the banks of the Ganges, one of India's most sacred rivers.
• It is considered to be the foremost city of Shiva (one of the most important deities) based on the Epics and Puranas (important scriptures).
• People perform pilgrimages in many fashions to this city. Many retire to Varnasi in hopes of achieving liberation. Many also transport corpses of loved ones in order to cremate them in the famous Ghats and spread their ashes in the sacred Ganges.

Holy Site: Kanyakumari:

• Important Shakta site.
• The main temple is dedicated to Parvati (form of Shakti), Shiva's partner.
• This is the marital site of Shiva and Parvati.
• Pilgrims travel to bathe at the Bay of Bengal where the Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea meet.

Jatakarma (Birth Rites):

• Father places ghee and honey on baby's tongue and whispers God's name in its ear.
• Namakarana (naming ceremony) takes place 11 days later. Baby is given new clothing and its horoscope is read by the family astrologer. The name is traditionally chosen based on the position of the moon at the time of the baby's birth.
• There is an obligatory feast and sometimes a fire ritual and songs.
• Other various rituals include First Outing (Baby sees sun, moon, and temple deity for the first time), First Grains (during teething period), First Haircut (1-3 years old), and Ear Piercing (3-5 years).

Antyeshti (Death Rites):

• Must be performed by dawn or dusk, whichever comes first relative to death.
• Cremation is customary. This helps the soul release any attachment to the body (because it no longer exists).
• Before cremation, a few drops of ganges water is placed on the tongue of the deceased.
• Ashes are spread in holy rivers (usually ganges)
• Children and saints are considered pure, so they are buried.
• 13 day mourning in which the family is considered impure. This is to release all emotions as to not have any unexpressed emotions when one dies.
• These rites server to assist the soul in a smooth passage from this life to the next (hopefully better) one.
• Shraddha is most important ceremony. Performed on the one year anniversary of death.
• Prasad is offered to God and by transitive property of souls in Hinduism, also to the deceased.
• Death Day: Body is washed and bedecked with flowers. Ganges water is applied. Body carried to cremation site whilst in the midst of Kirtan (sacred chants). Eldest son lights funeral pyre and appropriate scriptural passages are read by a priest.

Dharma:

• "Religious Duty"
• Sanatana-dharma: Souls never ending propensity to serve God. This is innate in all and is the underlying concept for religious acceptance of all kinds and issues related to equality.
• Varnashrama-dharma: Relates more to societal duties. This dharma divides labor and duties based on the four Varnas and Ashrams.
• Sadharana-dharma: General morality based on forbidden and recommended practices.
• Originally, dharma referred to leading a righteous life in accordance with natural laws and scriptural suggestions. Now it is different due to the large scale of hindus across the globe. It is hard to discern what behavior is both practical and righteous.
• Emphasizes personal responsibility which contradicts individual rights. Fulfilling ones duty subsequently fulfills others rights due to hinduism's world view of interdependence.

Varnas:

• Shudras (artisans and specialists)
• Purpose: To serve others, be loyal and proud of their work, to marry, to follow moral obligations such as not stealing.
• Vaishyas (farmers, merchants, business men)
• Purpose: Productive class, protect animals and land, create wealth and prosperity, take care of workers, trade ethically and pay taxes to Kshatriyas.
• Kshatriyas (warriors, police, administrators)
• Purpose: many, can not refuse a challenge, protect citizens from harm, first into battle, never flee battle, etc...
• Brhamanas (priests, teachers, intellectuals)
• Purpose: Study and teach Vedas, perform sacrifices and religious ceremonies, never accept paid employment, know brhama, etc...
• Overall Purpose of Varnas: To keep a functional society by fostering an environment of personal responsibility.

Ashrams:

• "A spiritual shelter"
• Four stages of life for specific types of spiritual growth.
• Brahmacari: Student life
• Purpose: be celibate, live simply, not have material or sensory pleasures, serve gurus, study Vedas, etc...
• Grihasta: Household life
• Purpose: make money, enjoy sense pleasure (within ethical guidelines), be married, raise family, etc...
• Vanaprashta: Retired life
• Purpose: Pilgrimage, austerity and penance, focus on religious matters
• Sannyasa: Renounced life
• Purpose: Control mind and senses, complete renunciation of the material world for full dependance on God, preach the importance of self realization and the truths of God.

12 Concepts of Hinduism

Atman:

The word means soul, but carries with it such important implications that it is the base on which Hinduism stands. The concept of Atman revolves around the idea that there is a true self (the atman) and a material world in which it is trapped. The soul is separate from the body and mind and is also trapped by both. The mind identifies self with body, and purpose within a material world, but the atman is absolved of such attachments and it is our goal as humans to free it from the clutches of samsara. To do this, one must reach a level of thought and action known as Krishna Consciousness. All forms of yoga and meditation are aimed at releasing the atman. Important also is the fact that the atman does not change. It always was, is and will be. Given that it is derived of Brahman, and Brahman exists since time immemorial and forever more, atman, by default, shares the same qualities of timelessness. This belief in unchanging self shapes the Hindu attitude towards issues such as respect for life, empathy and compassion, etc...

Reincarnation and Samsara:

• The travel of the soul from one body to another (reincarnation)
• Samsara is the cycle of birth, disease, old age and death in the material world
• Souls exist in everything, but to varying degrees of alertness. Lowest to highest is aquatics, plants reptiles/insects, birds, animals and then humans.
• The next body of the soul is determined by state of mind at death and karma

Law of Karma:

• Accumulates only in the human form. Other animals are bound by instinct and therefore take no moral decision.
• Karma elevates (good deeds), Vikarma degrades, Akarma is neutral and leads to liberation.
• This answers questions such as why bad things happen to good people (karma is worked off in the next life and therefore, when bad things happen they must be endured)
• Practices: Pious acts such as charity, penance and pilgrimage. Avoidance of acts which would neglect or abuse the 5 sections of society (women, children, animals, saintly people and the elderly).

Pakriti and Guna:

• Matter: undergoes 3 stages of existence which are creation, sustenance and inevitable destruction
• Guna: qualities of material nature, Passion (rajas) creates, Goodness (sattva) sustains and Ignorance (tamas) destroys.
• Guna explain all material phenomena. If one is immersed largely in Sattva will be reincarnated in heavenly planets, those in Rajas will remain in samsara and those in Tamas will be reincarnated lower in the chain of living.
• Combinations of Gunas can result in any kind of movement through the cycles and levels of existence.
• Each Guna is controlled by a god, Brhama, Vishnu, Shiva.

Maya: Illusion:

• Term used to describe the world in which the soul is trapped.
• Refers to the concept that the soul in Tamas identifies with the body and all matter connected to it. Race, religion, etc. The soul seeks simply to enjoy everything material no matter the consequence.
• In Rajas, the soul seeks to enjoy material things, but repents when it knows its done wrong
• In Sattva, the soul is immersed in righteous action, disregarding the material world and its benefits, and thus is on route to liberation.
• Pratices: Samanas remove themselves from the material world and live an ascetic lifestyle in order to refrain from falling into maya. Others simply engage in mind controlling meditation in order to consciously avoid Maya.

Moksha:

• Ultimate goal in life
• Unity with god (nature of the unity is debatable)
• Practices: Renunciation (in old age particularly) and anything designed to over come lust, anger and greed.

God:

• Percieved in three ways: Brahma is the all pervading aspect of god. He is everything. Antaryami is the part of god that resides within all living beings and Bhagavan is the more conventional view of god who is presiding over this universe.
• God is reached with philosophical study, yogic exercises and worship.
• Advaita are the monistic sects of hinduism which claim that there is one god, everyone's soul is a part of that god and all of the various representations of god are simply representations of the many aspects of God.
• Dvaita are the monotheistic sects, they claim that there is one distinct god with form, personhood, and action. He is distinct from the individual soul.
• Worship through Murti (sacred Images) is a large part of understanding these forms of God.

Dharma:

• Varnashrama: The frame work for the caste system
• Not a man made system, but a natural occurence in all societies to some extent.
• Each Varna has a Dharma, a specific attribute suited simply for that varna and no other (i.e. non-violence is a must in the priestly caste, but not acceptable for the warriors).
• Duty is important, it is necessary for everyone to realize their potential within their caste and act accordingly. (help society run smoothly)
• Sanatana: Religious Duty
• refers to the purpose of all things (fire is hot, sugar is sweet, etc)
• Duties which pertain to the atman. these are constant for all people.
• It is intrinsic in all beings to perform service and these duties transcend the temporary world.

One Goal, Different Paths:

• Moksha is the goal
• 4 steps to get there, Dharma (duty) leads to Artha (wealth) which leads to Kama (sensual pleasure) and then one realizes that all this is futile and seeks Moksha.
• the four goals are all necessary stepping stones in the quest for eternal peace, but everyone reaches these goals in a personalized manner.
• The process of reaching these goals is Yoga.

Scripture and Guru:

• Shastra is the written scripture
• Shabda-brhaman is the oral tradition and is the most reliable source of authority.
• Hinduism is not all that authoritative and encourages open ended philosophical exploration.

Kala: The Concept of Time:

• cyclical and eternal time is central to hindu belief (close to concept of atman)
• Time extends for ever forward and back.
• No judgement day concept. When the universe ends, it only leads to its re-creation
• Universe exists for lifetime of brhama (1 day = 1000 maha-yugas)
• Yuga is one age, there are four, successively shorter and more degraded
• Yugas: Satya, Dvapara, Treta, Kali.

Creation:

• Universe is created again and again
• Hinduism places emphasis on other planes of existence
• Three material worlds: Heavenly planets, earth, lower worlds.
• There are many enclosed material universes (like bubbles within bubbles)
• No clear account of creation

Houston Smith: Hinduism 1

What do people want?

According to Hinduism, people want many things, and they attain them in stages. The first thing people want is pleasure. Pleasure is a highly self centered goal, and thus is unsatisfactory, although should not be discouraged. Hinduism addresses the issues of desire as necessary, and if someone wants pleasure, they should seek it. After pleasure ceases to satisfy the individual, one's desires move on to Success (which consists of wealth, fame, and power). This is a slightly more sophisticated desire for it includes the lives of others, but like pleasure, it is an insatiable and dissatisfactory pursuit in the end. This is due to the fact that the quest for success is still self centered and highly competitive. If one seeks success and fame and money and whatnot, then they are attempting to better their own situation and in competition with everyone else on the same pursuit. These two desires comprise the concept of the Path of Desire, a rudimentary yet necessary part of gaining sophisticated thought on this issue and moving on to the next realm of thinking. Smith compares this transition to the way a child interacts with toys. The Path of Desire is necessary to develop the person and help them grow healthily, but at some point it must be outgrown for more complex and sophisticated pursuits. These pursuits are described as the Path of Renunciation. This path underlines the fact that the self is small, too small to sustain legitimate happiness when focused upon too much. Thus it renounces the importance of self in search of the more satisfying focus on community. Taking to the religion of Duty is the third great aim of life for Hindus. However, there remains one more item which people want according to Hinduism.

What do people REALLY want?

According to Hinduism, people really want infinite being, knowledge and bliss. More interestingly, Hinduism claims that people already possess these coveted qualities, but simply can not make it through the layers of superficial distractions in order to find them. According to Hinduism, the prior three desires are shallow ones, although worthy of exploration, and once it is realized that those three are not as satisfying as hoped, one will move on to realize the true desires in life. This desire is the one which satisfies the Atman.