Hinduism
Historical Background
Developed on the outskirts of Persia along the Sindhu River (now Indus River). It is sometimes hailed as the world’s oldest religion (approx. 3000 BC)
Hinduism has various sects, all of which have some very different expressions. The important thing to note is that the Hinduism of today is not the Hinduism of 5000 years ago.
Sacred Writings
The Hindus have no prophets or a savior, but they do have sacred writings (a. lot. of. them!).
1. The Vedas - The most basic of these writings are the 4 Vedas.
Why are there so many different writings?
It is because no one person has the handle on the truth! There are no leaders, popes, prophets, or governing bodies. There are priests and gurus, but they are primarily people who pray, administer rites, and blessings.
Furthermore, you can question the writings. You are actually encouraged to question them because questioning the truth is supposed to deepen your understanding of the truth.
Hindu Beliefs
1. Belief in one universal soul - Brahman.
This is a formless, gender-less source of all reality. Brahman is the universe and is that which makes up the universe. It is also the goal of all things (Mokshu). Brahman is likened to the ocean and drops that emerge out of the ocean for a time. The drops are separate from the ocean, but essentially the same.
2. Belief in an immortal individual soul - Atman.
Your soul exists eternally and will be reincarnated (transmigration) after the death of this body. What you will be in the next life will be determined by karma.
3. Belief in Karma -
Karma is the universal law of cause and effect. The actions that we did in the past affect us today and will have an effect on our future, most especially when it comes to our reincarnation. Evil’s origin is in you and your “judgment” is how that Karma comes back upon you. The same for your good deeds; its “reward” will come to you. Think of dominoes: you knock one down, they go toppling over in a circle like fashion until the last one lands on your own head.
4. Belief in Moksha -
The goal of the Hindu life is to get back to Brahman. If a Hindu can achieve this, he is freed from the cycle of life and death. The release of the Atman (soul) from the body is called Moksha.
5. Belief in the Vedas -
6. Belief in cyclical time -
Hindus do not see history as Christians/Westerners. We tend to see history as linear. History is moving forward towards a climax (i.e. the return of Christ/ judgment/ salvation). Hindus see time as cyclical, which means that time basically repeats 4 stages.
At the end of an epoch, there will be a decline in human morality which will lead to the destruction of reality. Like reincarnation, the world will be reborn again and start over.
7. Belief in Dharma -
Perhaps the best way to think of it is as “proper behavior.” Dharma holds the universe in check. As long as people and animals follow their Dharma, the world will be fine. If they break from their Dharma the world will be destroyed.
Each living thing has its own Dharma. A lion’s dharma is to hunt antelope, a king’s dharma is to rule well, a human’s dharma is to follow what is required in his caste (i.e. do what is right for him)
Notice what is missing! You do not have to believe in a god or gods to be a Hindu. Hindus can be monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, atheistic, agnostic, nontheistic (apathetic towards the gods) or humanist. Hinduism is often said to be a way of life and not a religion. It can encompass such a wide variety of “beliefs” because it does not believe in one absolute truth. You can arrive at your truth via your own path.
Gods
4 Goals Hindus Should Aim For to have a Good Life
6 Temptations Hindus should Avoid
Sects
1. Vaishnavas - Worship Vishnu
Caste System
People are born into different classes: priests/nobility, warriors, traders, and laborers, (and the untouchables). These initially were to be descriptive of different people’s abilities and functions, but came to be a hard and fast class system that you were born into (and could not get out of).
Reincarnation reinforces the caste system because karma comes back to you. As you follow your dharma and do good, you will have good karma. As you violate your dharma (and give into the temptations listed above), you create bad karma. So you end up moving up and down the caste according to your karma. You are reborn according to your karma in a new state. If you reach the top caste, you can possibly reach moksha and be released from the cycles of birth and death, becoming one with Brahman.
Today the class system has experienced some breakdown and is not observed by everyone.
Critiques
Developed on the outskirts of Persia along the Sindhu River (now Indus River). It is sometimes hailed as the world’s oldest religion (approx. 3000 BC)
Hinduism has various sects, all of which have some very different expressions. The important thing to note is that the Hinduism of today is not the Hinduism of 5000 years ago.
Sacred Writings
The Hindus have no prophets or a savior, but they do have sacred writings (a. lot. of. them!).
1. The Vedas - The most basic of these writings are the 4 Vedas.
- Rig Veda - A collection of songs and writings that discuss things like truth, reality, and the universe, as well as war, weddings, and rituals.
- Yajur Veda - This collection of writings covers mostly sacrificial rites and rituals.
- Sama Veda - Songs that are set to music which offer praise to the different gods.
- Atharva Veda - Contains curses and spells (how to catch a wife, curse your neighbor, or banish pigeons from your presence).
- Upanishads
- These are philosophical books which discuss issues that come up in the Vedas. They aim to find the answers to life’s difficult questions and try to make sense of the Vedas.
- Other Writings
- Puranas - Something like an encyclopedia to all the different beliefs. Covers the cast system, taxation, yoga, hell, gods, etc.
- Bhagavad Gita - One of the most important texts. It takes place on a battle field where Arjuna refuses to fight. Krishna steps in to urge Arjuna to fight and fulfill his Dharma. The point is that everyone faces difficult choices, but they must act on them according to their Dharma, no matter how unpleasant.
- Ramayana - An epic story about Prince Rama and how you must follow your dharma
- Mahabharata - An epic poem (longest in the world) about battles, love, and the need to follow your Dharma.
Why are there so many different writings?
It is because no one person has the handle on the truth! There are no leaders, popes, prophets, or governing bodies. There are priests and gurus, but they are primarily people who pray, administer rites, and blessings.
Furthermore, you can question the writings. You are actually encouraged to question them because questioning the truth is supposed to deepen your understanding of the truth.
Hindu Beliefs
1. Belief in one universal soul - Brahman.
This is a formless, gender-less source of all reality. Brahman is the universe and is that which makes up the universe. It is also the goal of all things (Mokshu). Brahman is likened to the ocean and drops that emerge out of the ocean for a time. The drops are separate from the ocean, but essentially the same.
2. Belief in an immortal individual soul - Atman.
Your soul exists eternally and will be reincarnated (transmigration) after the death of this body. What you will be in the next life will be determined by karma.
3. Belief in Karma -
Karma is the universal law of cause and effect. The actions that we did in the past affect us today and will have an effect on our future, most especially when it comes to our reincarnation. Evil’s origin is in you and your “judgment” is how that Karma comes back upon you. The same for your good deeds; its “reward” will come to you. Think of dominoes: you knock one down, they go toppling over in a circle like fashion until the last one lands on your own head.
4. Belief in Moksha -
The goal of the Hindu life is to get back to Brahman. If a Hindu can achieve this, he is freed from the cycle of life and death. The release of the Atman (soul) from the body is called Moksha.
5. Belief in the Vedas -
6. Belief in cyclical time -
Hindus do not see history as Christians/Westerners. We tend to see history as linear. History is moving forward towards a climax (i.e. the return of Christ/ judgment/ salvation). Hindus see time as cyclical, which means that time basically repeats 4 stages.
At the end of an epoch, there will be a decline in human morality which will lead to the destruction of reality. Like reincarnation, the world will be reborn again and start over.
7. Belief in Dharma -
Perhaps the best way to think of it is as “proper behavior.” Dharma holds the universe in check. As long as people and animals follow their Dharma, the world will be fine. If they break from their Dharma the world will be destroyed.
Each living thing has its own Dharma. A lion’s dharma is to hunt antelope, a king’s dharma is to rule well, a human’s dharma is to follow what is required in his caste (i.e. do what is right for him)
Notice what is missing! You do not have to believe in a god or gods to be a Hindu. Hindus can be monotheistic, polytheistic, pantheistic, atheistic, agnostic, nontheistic (apathetic towards the gods) or humanist. Hinduism is often said to be a way of life and not a religion. It can encompass such a wide variety of “beliefs” because it does not believe in one absolute truth. You can arrive at your truth via your own path.
Gods
- Brahman - Ultimate reality and source of reality
- Pantheistic - God is in everything, everything is god.
- Monotheistic - Everything is ultimately an extension of Brahman. Reality isn’t altogether real. Brahman is one, but expresses itself in various ways; truth is one, but is expressed in many ways.
- Brahma
- The creator of the universe (not Brahman; that little “n” makes a diff!)
- The giver of the 4 Vedas
- Creator of the 4 epochs of time.
- Has 4 heads and rides a swan
- Vishnu
- Sustains the world that Brahma created until it is destroyed by Shiva
- Has various avatars, including Krishna & Rama, to defend Dharma.
- Has 4 arms & Rides a giant eagle.
- Has two consorts
- Shiva
- Destroyer of the universe.
- Has two ladies
- Has two sons:
- Ganesha - has an elephant head & is the remover of obstacles
- Murugan the warrior
- Avatars
- Avatars are the gods “descending” into the world to fix and save it when Dharma is not in balance.
- Some believe there are “330 million gods.” While this can be accepted, it likely comes from a misreading of a document which says that there are 33 koti (kinds of gods).
4 Goals Hindus Should Aim For to have a Good Life
- Dharma - Moral obligation that keeps pleasure in check.
- Artha - The pursuit of prosperity & good reputation. Its good to pursue prosperity.
- Kama - Pleasure in body and mind. Seek it/give it, but do not obsess about it.
- Moksha - the release of the Atman from the body and the cycles of rebirth
6 Temptations Hindus should Avoid
- Kama - Lust & materialism (this is not the Kama mentioned above)
- Krodha - Anger
- Lobha - Greed
- Moha - Inordinate attachment to things, people, & power
- Mada - Pride
- Matsakya - Jealousy
Sects
1. Vaishnavas - Worship Vishnu
- Shaivas - Worship Shiva
- Smartas - Worship 5 gods, including Ganesha (do not follow the Vedas)
- Shaktas - Worship the goddess Devi
Caste System
People are born into different classes: priests/nobility, warriors, traders, and laborers, (and the untouchables). These initially were to be descriptive of different people’s abilities and functions, but came to be a hard and fast class system that you were born into (and could not get out of).
Reincarnation reinforces the caste system because karma comes back to you. As you follow your dharma and do good, you will have good karma. As you violate your dharma (and give into the temptations listed above), you create bad karma. So you end up moving up and down the caste according to your karma. You are reborn according to your karma in a new state. If you reach the top caste, you can possibly reach moksha and be released from the cycles of birth and death, becoming one with Brahman.
Today the class system has experienced some breakdown and is not observed by everyone.
Critiques
- Everything is Brahman but the goal is to get back to Brahman? Why do I have to get back to that which I already am?
- Brahman gets kicked by his own Karma - I am Brahman, but I am also doing evil acts; evil finds its origin in me. That means that Brahman must be evil.
- ReinTarnation! - The Atman is your immortal soul. Your body will die and your Atman will transmigrate to another body. But if Brahman is everything and in everything, why is my body dying? Atman is living and seeking to unite with Brahman, but Brahman is dying millions of times over in the bodies that die.
- Kama - seek pleasure, but do not obsess about it. How about seek the pleasure of “murder, but don’t obsess about it.” Who’s to say what pleasure is wrong? There is no real absolute standard for understanding what constitutes proper Kama.
- Dharma - what is my dharma? Who determines what makes my dharma right? Reality is not fixed; so how can my dharma be fixed to any one thing? Who’s to say my dharma isn’t to exterminate half the population or help people reach moksha by releasing their atman?
- Hinduism is inherently irrational. They embrace contradictions and various paths to truth. Yet truth cannot be A and non A. Truth exists; truth doesn’t exist.
- “Hinduism welcomes all religions and adapts to all religions.” But you have to become a Hindu in order for you to attain mokshu.