Hinduism

Hinduism – 900 Million Believers – a form of polytheistic monotheism (Vedanta, Shaivism, Vaisnava, Tantric, Sakta, Smartism) 

1400 BC – Hinduism officially begins with the creation of the Vedic Texts that define Dharma, Karma, Samsara, Moksha and God(s).

Belief - Two Basic Dharmas – Paths in life

Grihastha Dharma – Domestic Religion has four goals in life: Kāma – sensual pleasure, Artha – purpose – wealth and prosperity, Dharma – right action – the laws of life, Moksha – liberation from the cycle of births

Sannyasin Dharma – Ascetic Religion has one goal in life (Siddha, Yogi): Moksha – is the one and only ultimate goal.

Two Major Hindu Philosophies: Vedanta – is the original philosophy of Hinduism and focuses on the Vedas. Advaita Vedanta – teaches through direct knowledge one could realize Brahman. 

Three main features of the God/Brahman: Brahman – residing everywhere, Antaryami – residing within, Bhagavan – residing outside, beyond

Four Prominent beliefs and traditions

    Dharma – ethics and duties. Ordained duty, as the soul remains unchanged throughout life, it continues after death. This soul is carried within the astral body to its next destination. The precise nature of the new body is determined by the state of mind at death and is specifically influenced by the person’s desires, and his karma.

    Samsara – rebirth, the wheel of life. Impelled by lust, greed, anger, etc., he undergoes samasara (cycle of repeated birth and death).

    Karma – right action. Each soul creates its unique destiny according to karma (the universal law of action and reaction).

    Moksha – liberation from the cycle of Samsara. The goal of most Hindus is moksha (liberation) from this perpetual cycle. Through re-identification with the eternal brahman (Supreme). Hinduism accepts different paths (yogas) towards this common goal (union with God)

Brahman is the Creator God of the trimurti (Brahman – creator, Vishnu – preserver, Shiva – destroyer) of which all things become manifest. All other Gods and Goddesses are aspects of Brahman that reflect all aspects of being. Sarasvati is the female aspect of Brahman as Goddess of wisdom, art, poetry, music. Vishnu the Preserver God is also the God of the Avatars. Lakshmi as the female aspect of Vishnu is the Goddess of wealth and fortune. Shiva the Destroyer God is the God of the Yogis, Sudras and Ascetics. The feminine aspect of Shiva is represented by several Goddesses. Parvarti is the Goddess of centeredness Mother Goddess to Ganesha. Kali is Goddess of destruction, the Black Earth Mother, Goddess of fertility, death and regeneration. Dark Mother, Hindu triple Goddess of creation, preservation and destruction. Durga is the Goddess of stabilizing evil. Shakti is the Goddess is pure cosmic energy.

Reincarnation is a basic belief in Hinduism. After each life, a soul is reborn into a new material form. A particular soul’s new form depends upon the virtuousness of its previous behavior. The soul is present in all, its potential is exhibited to different degrees. In aquatics and plants it is most covered, practically asleep, whereas in humans it is most alert. This progression of consciousness is present in six broad classes of life: aquatics, plants, reptiles and insects, birds, animals and humans, including the residents of heaven. 

Symbol - is the visual of the mantra AUM consisting of three curves, one semicircle, and a dot. The large lower curve symbolizes the waking state (jagrat), in this state the consciousness is turned outwards through the gates of the senses. The larger size signifies that this is the most common (‘majority’) state of the human consciousness. The upper curve denotes the state of deep sleep (sushupti) or the unconscious state. This is a state where the sleeper desires nothing nor beholds any dream. The middle curve  (which lies between deep sleep and the waking state) signifies the dream state (swapna). In this state the consciousness of the individual is turned inwards, and the dreaming self beholds a view of the world behind the lids of the eyes. These are the three states of an individual’s consciousness, these three curves therefore represent the entire physical phenomenon. The dot signifies the fourth state of consciousness, known in Sanskrit as turiya. In this state the consciousness looks neither outwards nor inwards, nor the two together. It signifies the coming to rest of all differentiated, relative existence. This quiet, peaceful and blissful state is the ultimate aim of all spiritual activity. This Absolute (non-relative) state illuminates the other three states. Finally, the semi circle symbolizes maya and separates the dot from the other three curves. Thus it is the illusion of maya that prevents us from the realization of this highest state of bliss. The semi circle is open at the top, and when ideally drawn does not touch the dot. This means that this highest state is not affected by maya. Maya only affects the manifested phenomenon. In this manner, the form of AUM represents both the unmanifest and the manifest.

Sacred Text -Rigveda, Samaveda, Yajurveda, Atharveda. Aranyakas Forest Books, Upanishads, Puranas, Mahabharata, Ramayana, Bagavad Gita.

Ten disciplines: Satya – Truth, Ahimsa – Non-violence, Brahmacharya – Celibacy, non-adultery, Asteya – No desire to possess or steal, Aparighara – Non-corrupt, Shaucha – Cleanliness, Santosh – Contentment, Swadhyaya – Reading of scriptures, Tapas – Austerity, perseverance, penance, Ishwarpranidhan – Regular prayers

Hindu Sects

    Vaishnavas – worship Vishnu – usually as Krishna or Rama. Vaishnavas favor the path of bhakti-yoga. The largest sect, Vaishnavas are divided into many smaller divisions, often focusing on one form or avatar (descent) of Vishnu.The bhakti traditions broke through caste barriers and attracted millions of followers. Among the many bhakti saints are a number of notable women. There are four main branches of Vaishnavism and the various sampradayas (branches of Vaishnava – Lakshmi, Brahma, Kumra, Rudra) often claim orthodoxy on the basis of belonging to one of these.

Avatars -  incarnations of Vishnu (a partial list)

Matsya –The fish who saved humanity and the Vedic texts from the flood

Kurma – The turtle who help create the world by supporting it on his back

Varaba – The boar who raised the earth out of the water with his tusks

Narasimba –Half man, half lion who destroyed a tryrant demon king

Pavashurama –The Brahmin who destroyed the warrior caste

Dhanvantari – The God of Ayurvedic Medicine “science of life”

Rama – The supreme protector. Embodies love and innocence with wife Sita*

Krishna –The lover who told the epic poem the Bhagavad Gita to the warrior Arjuna

Buddha –The enlightened one

Kalki –the horse, yet to come to earth, suspected to come near 2012 which will mark the end of the Kali Yuga year which began in 3000 BC

* Hanuman – The mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces, described in the epic Ramayana, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu pantheon. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva, Hanuman is worshipped as a symbol of physical strength, perseverance and devotion. In times of trouble, it is a common faith among Hindus to chant the name of Hanuman or sing his hymn – “Hanuman Chalisa”. Hanuman temples are among the most common public shrines found in India.

    Shaivas – worship Shiva – Rudra (in a fierce and angry mood), Nataraja (the King of Dance), and the Linga. Shiva’s followers often consider him the Supreme deity, above all others. It is the second largest religious community in cotemporary India. Shaivas have tendencies towards jnana and astanga yoga. It has several distinct and important branches, and is commonly associated with asceticism. Lord Shiva himself is often depicted as a yogi sitting in meditation in the Himalayas. Shaivism includes the principle of the avatar, but the concept is less developed than in Vaishnavism.

Ganesha – is the most popular Hindu God. The son of Shiva and Parvati, Ganesha is depicted has having a curved trunk and big ears, and a huge pot-bellied body of a human being. He is the lord of success and destroyer of evils and obstacles. He is also worshipped as the god of knowledge, wisdom and wealth.

    Virashaivism – Closely associated with the twelfth-century reformer, Basava. It opposed caste differences. Followers wear a small Shiva-linga round the neck.

    Shaiva Asceticism – Shaiva has long been connected with rigorous asceticism. Well known are the naked Nagas. Many yogis are Shaivites.

    Shaktas/Trantra – worship Shakti, also known as Devi or Parvati, Durga, Kali. Shakta tend to focuses on the benefits of karma-yoga and draws largely on Shaivism. Tantra Shaktism focuses on the goddess Devi. She is worshipped most often as the consort of Shiva, but has also been raised to the status of the Supreme. Since Shiva embodies the male principle and Shakti embodies the female, the two principles of Shaivism and Shaktism are complementary. Shakti doctrine tends to emphasize the non-difference between matter and spirit, and looks to the creative impetus of matter. For this reason, Shaktas worship for material benefit as well as final liberation. It is in the Tantras that she appears to take the role of the Supreme. Not surprisingly Devi in her fiercer forms has become the patron deity of women’s liberation movements.

    Smartas – worship Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesha, and Surya. Smartism, is a monotheist religion that understands different deities as representing various aspects and principles of one supreme entity, Brahman or parabrahman. Smarta is the fourth mainstream Hindu community. It is the Smarta view that dominates the view of Hinduism in the West. Brahman is seen as the universal spirit. Brahman is the ultimate, both transcendent and immanent the absolute infinite existence, the sum total of all that ever is, was, or ever shall be. Many Hindus such as those of Smarta tradition are free to accept various manifestations of the divine as their chosen deity for worship.

Hindu calendar – the universe is said to exist for a lifetime of Brahma, the creator. His one day is 1,000 maha-yugas (great ages). Each maha-yuga consists of four yugas (ages), each progressively shorter and more degraded. They are the golden, silver, copper, and iron ages. According to tradition, we are now 5,000 years into Kali­yuga (the iron age, or the age of quarrel and hypocrisy)and the year 2000 marks the beginning of a new Golden Age of awaakening.

The day is naturally cyclical, based on the Earth’s rotation. The Hindu week is seven days, and based on the same seven planets (Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus and Saturn) as in the West. The Hindu calendar is based on real months and the phases of the moon. The year is based on the cycles of the Earth round the Sun.

Hindu texts mention greater natural cycles of 12 years, 60 years, etc. up to many millions of years. This may be compared to the familiar concept of recurring ice ages.