Hinduism Complex

HINDUISM
IT MAY BE MORE
COMPLEX
THAN
YOU
IS
THINK
Different kinds of
classifications
Different kinds of
classifications
1. Pre-Aryan Religion
2. Indo-European Religion
3. Indo-Aryan Religion
4. Axial Age Developments
Different kinds of
classifications
Way of Works
Way of Knowledge
Way of Devotion
Different kinds of
classifications
Purva-Mimamsa
Samkhya
Vedanta
Yoga
Nyana
Vaishishika
Different kinds of
classifications
Vaishnavite
Shaivite
Shaktite
Historical Developments 1
• Pre-Aryan Religion
• Indus Valley:
Mohenjodaro,
Harrapas
• Agricultural,
fertility
Historical Developments 2
• Indo-European Religion
• Based on linguistic homologies
• Gods, sacrifices, priesthood
• Two kinds of beings:
“asr”
• “Divs”—devas,
“div”
and
divinities, deus;
• Dyaus Pitar; Zeus; Jupiter; Tius
• “Asrs”—asuras,
aesirs
Historical Developments 3
• Indo-Aryan Religion
• Found in both Iran and India
• Best exemplified in Rig Veda
• Animal sacrifices, priesthood
(Brahmins)
• Devas: Dyaus Pitar, Indra, Agni
• Asuras: Varuna
• Pre-Aryan: Rudra-Shiva
Historical Developments 4
• Axial Age Developments
• Karma-Samsara
• Off-shoot religions: Buddhism,
Jainism
• Upanishads, Vedantic Hinduism
• Bhakti Hinduism
MOKSHA
RELEASE
ESCAPE
FROM THE
CYCLE
FINDING YOUR
IDENTITY - - -.ppt
1—The Way of Works
Karmamarga
2—The Way of Knowledge
Jňanamarga
3—The Way of Devotion
Bhaktimarga
1—The Way of Works
Observance
of all the
rituals and
rules.
2—The Way of Knowledge
Attainment of
oneness of Atman
and Brahman
VEDANTIC MONISM
ATMAN = BRAHMAN
TAT
TVAM ASI
ATMAN
SELF
ATMAN =
BRAHMAN
BRAHMAN
THE
INFINITE
FINDING YOUR
IDENTITY - - -.ppt
3—The Way of Devotion
(Bhakti)
Trusting your
special god or
goddess to
provide release.
PRINCIPLES OF
BHAKTI
• After attaining Me,
the great souls do
not incur rebirth in
this miserable
transitory world,
because they have
attained the highest
perfection. (BG 8.15)
Samkhya
DUALISM
PURUSHA
PLURALISM
IMMOVABLE
Yoga
SAMKHYA PLUS
THE GOD ISHAVARA
=YOGA
The Yogin
attains moksha
by immitating
the god.
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
The 8 Limbs of Yoga
330,000,000 gods
• VAISHNAVITE—
FOCUSES ON VISHNU
AND HIS AVATARS
• SHAIVITE—SHIVA AND
HIS CONSORTS
• SHAKTITE—FOCUSES ON
A GODDESS
Vaishnavite Schools
Ramanuja
Focuses on Vishnu/Lakshmi and avatars
Rama and Sita
Salvation from Rama
•Vadakalai(Desika)— •Tenkalai (Pillai
Monkey
School
Lokacharya)—cat school
monkey school
A baby monkey clings
to his mother; so we
must cling to Rama.
A cat carries her
kittens without the
kittens’ help; so Rama
saves us apart from
our works.
Krishna and Radha
“Radhakrishna”
Gautya Vaishnava
• Chaitanya—ca. A.D.
1500
• Benagali Movement
• Focuses on Krishna as
Supreme Godhead
• Became ISKCON under
A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Prabhupada
Salvation by chanting the Mahamantra
Shaivite Schools
• Kashmir Shaivism—
monistic
• Vira Shaivism—multiple
modes
• Shaiva Siddhanta—
mostly southern-theistic
Shiva Nataraya
“Lord of the Dance”
Shaktite Schools
• Devotion to the
goddess
• devi
• Shakti = “Power”
• The Shakti empowers
her god
Durga
• Goddess of Death
• Defeating buffaloshaped demon
• 8 or 10 arms
• Long spear
• Riding on lion
Kali
• Pictured with
tongue, sagging
breasts, skulls
• Rides on tiger
• Kills a demon or
Shiva
ALTERNATIVE
COME TO
ME, ALL
YOU WHO
ARE WEARY
AND
BURDENED
AND I WILL
GIVE YOU
REST.
JESUS