Classical Hinduism

Phil B37: World Religions

Michael McNellis

Classical Hinduism

Hindu Life and Stories After the Vedas

Introduction

• 
  Emergence of the Trimurti (three forms: Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu):
  
  • 
    One form but three faces
    
  • 
    Ideas is all three have equal importance (somewhat true)
    

Brahma (Creator)

Never the focus of worship in modern Hinduism

Often seen as being created by another (Vishnu or Siva)

Vishnu (all pervasive one, preserver)

• 
  Several incarnations (avatars): 10 in this eon alone. As animal and or human to rid world of evil and establish dharma (righteousness/cosmic law/svadharma)
  
• 
  First incarnation is the fish (Familiar story (Vedic but again send in Puranas):
  

incarnates as fish to save Manu (primeval man) from great flood. Manu finds fish in lake, takes the fish home at fishes request and put in jar. Next day, fish expands, asks to be put back in lake; Next day, fish outgrows lake, asks to go to river, then ocean. Now Vishnu (as Big fish) tells Manu to build boat, put family in it, along with 7 sages, and the ‘seeds of all animals’. Flood sweeps earth, Manu hooks on to fish and rides the waves.

• 
  Tenth and final one to come at end of this eon!
  

• 
  Often depicted with his consort, Laksmi,
  

Siva (Destruction)

• 
  No consecutive incarnations
  
• 
  Instead he was expressed in mutually contradictory roles: creator but destroyer; dancer (of life) but austere yogi; threatening but benevolent
  
• 
  Often depicted in union with Parvati (his wife) (son is Ganesha)
  
  • 
    Idea of shiva/shakti (male creative force/ female creative cosmic)
    
  • 
    Shakti was the power of siva
    

• 
  Emphasis on other deities
  
  • 
    The Great Goddess (Devi) and Parvati, Shiva’s wife
    
    • 
      Parvati seen as benevolent and homemaker, but when she gets angry can emerge as DURGA (warrior goddess) or KALI (black with wild hair and a garland of skulls) Today worshipped all over India.
      
  • 
    Sarasvati, Consort of Brahma (but not emphasized in images as together)
    
    • 
      Often depicted as goddess of learning, seen holding a manuscript
      
  • 
    Ganesa, son of Shiva and Parvati
    
    • 
      Most popular god of all Hinduism.
      
    • 
      Remover of all obstacles (prayer goes out to him before any new project)
      
    • 
      Only one to remember the Mahabharata (god of civilization!)
      

Sacred Writings & Important Developments of the Hindu Way of Life

Smriti literature (human authorship yet still sacred value)

*Note: our book includes the two main epics of Hinduism (Ramayana and Mahabharata) within the Itihasa-Puranas, which are ancient stories, of which 18 honor Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu.

• *Ramayana, The Story of Rama and Sita, the ideal man/husband and woman/wife)

  • 
    Last 2500 years, memorized, recited, sung, danced, enjoyed, and emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually experienced. Found in almost all Hindu’s homes.
    
  • 
    Story line: young prince Rama who has 3 brothers and is exiled by father on day of his coronation (his father promised one of his former wives). Rama accepts cheerfully and leaves for the forest, accompanied by his wife Sita. Father dies of grief and borther Bharata is crowned king but wants Rama to come back.
    
  • 
    Meanwhile Sita gets kidnapped by Ravana, demon king, and refuses to marry him. Rama, with a pack of monkeys (Hanuman, a monkey of divinity status, especially) seeks Ravana out and kills him and then they return to Ayodha to have Rama crowned king.
    

• Mahabharata, Great Epic of India, sometimes considered the 5^th Veda, making it also part of the sruti set of sacred writings (

  • The Bhagavad-Gita, or Song of the Lord (c. 100 C.E. dates back to 4 BCE)

    • Story: Arjuna and Krishna on battlefield across from Krisna’s relatives

1. 
   Key Elements of the Gita
   
   1. 
      Promote lokasangraha (stability, solidarity, & progress of society)
      
   2. 
      Awareness of svadharma (one’s one dharma, or set of duties)
      
      1. 
         Based on Doctrine of Four Classes (varņas) - the way things should be
         
   3. 
      Establishes active way of life through yoga (spiritual discipline or work)
      
      1. 
         Yoga: from English word “yoke,” which has 2 connotations: 1) to unite (yoke together) and 2) to place under discipline and training (to bring under the yoke) Taken together, yoga means a method of training designed to lead to union (between God and self).
         
      2. 
         The path is not isolated to specifically high-endowed individuals (as in ritual sacrifice of Brahmans), but to all that wish to participate.
         
      3. 
         Recognizes a personal god who is responsible for creation, preservation, and destruction of universe. (The trimurti)
         

• Four Hindu Ways of Salvation and Yoga (spiritual discipline)

1. Karma-yoga (way of action/work explained above)

2. Jnana-yoga (way of knowledge)

   • Realize atman-Brahman and freeing atman from prakriti by eliminating ignorance (avidya)

3. Bhakti-yoga (way of devotion)

   • 
     A general amnesty (a pardon) offered to those who sin:
     

Even if a sinful person adores with exclusive devotion/ he must be regarded as righteous…quickly his soul becomes righteous and he gets eternal peace/my devotee is never lost (9:30-1)

• 
  Krsna promises Arjuna that if one surrenders to the lord, he will forgive sins (almost last words of krshna):
  

…Letting go all dharma, take refuge in me alone; I shall deliver you from all sins; do not grieve (BG 18:66)

4. 
   Raja-yoga/hatha (way of physical discipline of body and mind through correct postures/ breathing) Usually associated with Patanjali and his Yoga sutras (second century)
   
   • 
     8 ‘limbs’ or disciplines of meditation and physical discipline
     

1. 
   yama right moral actions (avoid violence, stealing, greed, etc)
   
2. 
   niyama cleanliness and strong control over bodily desires (tapas)
   
3. 
   Sitting with correct posture (yoga style with ease)
   
4. 
   Correct breathing techniques engendering serenity
   
5. 
   Withdrawal from all stimulation of the senses
   
6. 
   Concentrate on one object only (one-pointed concentration)
   
7. 
   withdrawing the object from mind so as to not be aware of it
   
8. 
   Samadhi, extinguishing all consciousness of the world
   

Method: perfecting concentration (dharana) and meditation (dhyana) leads to samadhi

• 
  Puranas, ancient stories (composed 300 BCE – 100 CE)
  
  • 
    Ages of Time (the kalpas)
    
    • 
      Cycles of creation and destruction of cosmos and reflect the days and nights of Brahma. Lasts 311,040, 000 million years, after which the entire cosmos is sucked into the body of Vishnu or Siva (depending upon which Puranas your reading), where it remains until the next Brahma is evolved.
      
    • 
      The days within the cycles are called kalpas and during one kalpa (1 day) there are secondary cycles of creation/destruction.
      
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      Each kalpa lasts 4,320 million earthly years. (same for nights)
      

In essence, the ages of time can be broken up into 4 stages, each representing an eons (yugas)

1. 
   Golden Age (dharma is solid and on firm footing) Dharma depicted as bull stands on 4 legs.
   
2. 
   The Treta Age (dharma on 3 legs)
   
3. 
   The Davpara age (dharma on 2 legs)
   
4. 
   The Kali Yuga age (dharma on 1 leg)
   
   • 
     Worst of all ages, unstable and continuously degenerating. Started 3102 BCE.
     

• Dharmasastras, Treaties of righteousness, moral duty, and law (c.100 CE)

  • 
    The Laws of Manu (Manava Dharmasastra)
    
    • 
      The Four Castes (varnas)
      

1. 
   Brahmins (priests)
   
2. 
   Kshatriyas (warriors/kings)
   
3. 
   Vaishyas (commoners/farmers/producers)
   
4. 
   Shudras (servants of other classes)
   
   1. 
      Not allowed to accumulate wealth
      
   2. 
      Not twice-born
      
5. 
   [untouchables]
   

• 
  Four Goals of Human Life
  
  1. 
     kama (Way of pleasure) E.g. Kamasutra
     
  2. 
     artha (Way of wealth and power) E.g. through politics and business
     
  3. 
     dharma (Way of the cosmos and living according to one’s caste)
     
  4. 
     moksha (Way of release/liberation from wheel of rebirth) E.g. sannyasin
     
• 
  The Four Stages of Life (ashramas)
  
  1. 
     Student Stage
     
  2. 
     Householder Stage (Age 25)
     
  3. 
     Forest Dweller
     
  4. 
     Ascetic (sannyasin)
     
     • 
       Goal is samadhi (release of soul from body)
       
     • 
       Usually not for women