FIRST ENCOUNTER Plane landing at Varanasi (India) airport Come for spirituality? Pg .

. 75-76 PERSONAL EXPERIENCE: CREMATION IN BALI pg. 106-108

A Describe possible origins of Hinduism and key features of Vedic and Upanishadic Periods B Discuss Concepts of Karma, Rebirth and Liberation C Discuss social and personal life caste, stages of life, Four goals D Explain practices, goals of Yoga paths E Recall the Names and characteristics of Hindu most popular modern gods F Describe features of devotional Hinduism practiced by majority of Hindus

A B C D E F

PART A PART A PART B PART B PART B PART B

pgs 9-15 pgs 36-40 pgs 8-11 pgs 14-15,18-19,21 pgs 25-36 pgs 19,22

* MAP pg 77 references BODIES OF WATER west Arabian Sea East Bay of Bengal combined in the South- Indian Ocean the third largest ocean on the earth RIVERS Indus River in the west running thru Pakistan and northern most India where Aryan civilization began Ganges River Ganga Ma (Mother Ganges) sacred bathing, running north to southeast thru Allahabad and Benares India in rainy season so wide you cannot see across it in places MOUNTAINS North western boundary with Pakistan and Himalayan chain of mts in the Northeastern are the tallest mts in the world

GANGES

INDUS

BRAHMAPUTRA

Hinduism unites the worship of many gods with a belief in the single divine reality (Brahman). In fact, the name Hinduism can be misleading , Hinduism is NOT a single, unified religion; it is more like a family of beliefs. Hinduism teaches that the ultimate is both personal and impersonal. One feature contributing to the rich development of Hinduism was Indias isolation from other countries.

Indus River used to be the northwestern boundary of India before Pakistan was established in 1947. The words India and Hindu are derived from Indus. (River Valley) 2000 BCE there was one of the earliest known cultures in the world called the Harappa culture. *note this at the top of Timeline 3.1 It was an advanced culture with running water and drains with coins and means to trade and build a disposal system for living in homes.

It is likely that many of the religious views and practices of the Indus valley civilization were preserved by the Aryans in the Vedic period. Ashram is the development of a spiritual community.

2000 BCE Harappa culture Indus River Valley 2000-500 Earliest Vedic religion pre-Hinduism 1500 Creation earliest scripture Vedas 800 developed the Upanishads teachings 1200 BCE Muslim influence in northern India 1750-1948 British trade /shipping from India 1947 Acquisition of Indian political independ. 1998 BJP Hindu nationalist party wins natl elections

2000-500 BCE long period of Vedic influences Vedic religion was patriarchal and polytheistic In 18th century scholars recognized that Sanskirt (language of Vedas) is actually related to Greek and Latin. Similar gods were worshipped there just under different names in Sanskirt. Aryan invasion theory peoples from southern Russia carried their religion into India bringing with them their male gods. Dyatis Pitr (Father of the Aryan gods) is probably the same as Roman Jupiter/Greek Zeus

INDRA storm god and of war AGNI fire, ignites carries sacrifices upward USHAS female deity, dawn and renewal RUDRA brought winds VARUNA god of sky and justice VISHNU god of cosmic order SURYA major sun god SOMA altered states of mind, consciousness YAMA ruled afterlife Puranas composed to affirm and facilitate polytheistic worship.

Earliest sacred writings in Hinduism Vedas - knowledge or sacred lore Four basic sacred text: 1- Rig Veda hymn knowledge 1000 hymns 2- Yajur Veda ceremonial Krecite at sacrifices 3- Sama Veda chant K handbk Vedic chants 4- Atharva Veda K from the teacher prayers Vedic scriptures are almost entirely hymns and rituals written for priestly purposes.

Oldest and most important collection of Vedic Origins of the universe creation story Universe comes from the division of a cosmic superperson called PURUSHA *this huge person split limbs and parts became continents and bodies of oceans Brahmanas name for the priests who used Vedic scriptures and chants Aranyakas forest books these were used by the Saminayas (forest dwellers) for spiritual growth

Around 600 BCE it seemed like everything was changing in India thus the name Axis Age The long practiced Vedic religious practices were now being questioned for their value Example What would be the proper way to mediate? There were many options and the mixture of these options were all lumped together. Acceptance of many ways to meditate was the final outcome.

Upanishads comprise about hundred written works (sanskirt) recording insights into external and internal reality. Upanishads teach that all beings are but expressions of Brahman and that peoples real problem was ignorance Encourages meditation to understand the essence of reality Ill. - Student relationship to his teacher sitting near and learning special truths Upanishads indicate the emergence of a speculative, philosophical strand in the Vedic These were believed to be written between 600-500 BCE

MUST KNOW THESE Brahman, Atman, Maya, Karma, Samsara and Moksha BRAHMAN in Upanishads came to mean an divine reality at the heart of things Ill. Of the Brahman (Supreme being) Father teaching his son - Fill a pitcher with water place a pinch of salt in it sits overnight-then next morning - ask the son to taste the water from the Top, Bottom and Side of the pitcher Conclusion: You cannot see the salt, yet it is there perminating all the water. You cannot see the Spirit, but in truth He is here. Essence of the Spirit of the whole universe (Brahman) that is Reality and Truth.

The presence of Islam in India beginning in the 8th century CE created immense strife, but also many movements stressing the need for tolerance and mutual understanding.

SHAKARA NONDUALIST VEDANTA SCHOOL Insistence on the non-dual character of reality: there is only Brahman, the ground of being, without qualities, unchanging. Brahman is identical with the eternal, unchanging atman (soul) Moksha means knowledge that ones atman is the eternal Brahman itself.

Trimurti - (Hindu Trinity) These are the supreme gods worshipped today in most Hindu temples 1- Brahma 4- Paravati 2- Vishnu 5- Ganesha 3- Shiva 6- Krishna

BRAHMA- (not Brahman) makes the creation of new ages possible. The Creator God Has four faces is able to look all directions Four arms point to the four N-S-E-W point String of beads time, tool for sacrifice world, book -knowledge pot water life Sits on a swan = wisdom

VISHNU - Preserver and Protector Defender of the World his four hands enable him to be everywhere in the world Carries a lotus for the beautiful world Conch shell = which sounds like OM Club shows his power over time Wheel symbolizing the wheel of life Wears a crown symbolizes his kingship

SHIVA Destroyer Lord of the Dance Destroys the evil world makes a new one Creates the energy that flows in the world Stands on the head of a dwarf ignorance Surrounded by a circle of flames time Drum beats out the rhythm of his dance Third eye middle of forehead Looks inward = wisdom for all gods

PARAVATI Gentle Wife of Shiva One of the most worshipped goddesses Can be mean and take from of Durga warrior Or Kali ugly goddesses who destroys evil through war, strife and disease Is not a goddesses to play around with but rather be serious about your devotion

GANESHA -Remover of Obstacles/Differences Son of Shiva and Paravati Elephant head Worshipped by business Hindus who are attempting to change their circumstances overcome obstacles, receive blessings in life Elephant ears hears their prayers Pot belly shows his prosperity/ fruitful

Krishna atop Temple

KRISHNA - Young handsome male Blue Plays a flute one of the modern hippie gods Loving god who accepts all gifts of love Hare Krishna Society supports him People worship Krishna in public places -tents Tend to be strict vegetarians follow him Hare means God who forgives your wrongdoings John Lennon song-My Sweet Lord

Upanishads insist that Brahman is something that can be known not simply believed in. I know that Spirit whose infinity is in all, who is ever one beyond time. Brahman = Divine Spirit, is so real that it may be known directly, knowledge of it can be as immediate as tasting the flavor of salt.

Brahman is the God who appears in forms infinite Brahman is also referred to by three words that help describe its nature as perceived by the knower: Brahman is SAT, reality itself, CHIT, pure consciousness and ANANDA, bliss. Upanishads say that experiencing the timelessness of Brahman can bring an end to everyday suffering and to the fear of death.

Atman is sometimes revealed asself or soul Upanishads is different from an individual soul Translated as deepest self subtle self Hindu beliefs include each person has an soul (jiva) soul confers uniqueness and personality What really am I? (at the deepest level) Upanishads say I am a divine reality, divine spirit, that everything shares. Ok to say, I am God because everything is God.

Both are divine, holy and timeless. BRAHMAN experience of the sacred within nature and the external universe ATMAN refers to the experience of the sacred within oneself. However, the same divine nature simply has two names, and both terms may be used interchangably.

Upanishads speak of the everyday world as illusion/Maya. Maya contains both the idea of magic and matter Ill- humans view the world as consisting of individual things/people all separate. In Reality, world is one basic holy reality that takes on different forms. People also assume the world is solid and permanent. In Reality, the outside world is more like the inside world of thoughts and dreams it shifts and changes also.

Upanishads teach since 500 BCE reincarnation PUJA offerings and rituals in honor of a deity Individuals are all manifestations of the Divine Spirit, which does not end when the individual dies. They are also the continuation of earlier forms of life which simply take new forms. Everything living has its own life force and that every life force, when it loses one form, is reborn into another. Reincarnation

Notion of rebirth assumes that human beings have one time existed as lowerform animal Humans can obtain higher forms such as super-humans and demigods Rebirth can move in either direction What determines the direction of rebirth? KARMA the moral law of cause /effect Every action has a moral consequence pos/neg Karma to do action the way things work

What is the concept of Samsara? SAMSARA def. is the everyday world of change and suffering leading to rebirth. Often times envisioned as a CYCLE

All humans are running in the race of life attempting to get free from this CYCLE

CYCLE OF SAMSARA
MOKSHA

BIRTH

LIBERATION

ATMAN
REBIRTH
DEATH
DHARMA

KARMA

Samsara = the wheel of life, circle of constant rebirth, birth, death, rebirth everyday world is full of struggles ,suffering and changes Doctrines of Samsara and Karma suggest a more pessimistic view of life than found in the earlier books of the Vedic scriptures

Moksha = freedom, liberation to be released from the cycle of death and rebirth. Moksha is the ultimate human goal Maya is illusion what keeps us from seeing reality correctly, world, viewed inadequately SAMADHI is a state of complete inner peace resulting from meditation Premise as one becomes freer, one looks at life less from a selfish and egotistic point of view and more from a perspective that embraces the whole. i.e. - Kindness to all i.e. Detaching oneself from pleasure and pain