Third trimester school year 2020-2021

hinduism

I. Brief Historical Background

In the second millennium BCE, along the banks of the Indus River, Hinduism began with the dynamic encounter
of two very different peoples. The darker-skinned inhabitants (Dravidians) of well-developed cities of the Indus were
overwhelmed by the lighter skinned inhabitants of well-developed cities of the Indus were overwhelmed by the lighter
skinned Aryans (Indo-Europeans who entered the Indus Valley prior to 1000 BCE. They expressed their evolving religion
in the hymns of the Rig-Veda) who were nomads from the area of Persia, and areas to the west. A priestly caste develop to
tend the sacrificial fires that sent pleasant aromas to the heavens. Worshipers sang hymns, performed rituals, and
established distinctions between sacred and profane. Over time, after the sacred sound and actions had become engrained
in society, inspired people gave them written form and permanent status as the Veda, the required guide of every Hindu.
*Notes:
 Aryans had religious practices and called their gods DEVAS- evil as the ASHURAS
 Offering sacrifices through burning animals to send burning aromas go the heavens.
 Over time, after the sacred sound and actions had become engrained in society, inspired people gave
them written form and permanent status as the Veda, the required guide of every Hindu.
 As these Aryans mixed with the native people, they shared customs, traditions, rites, symbols, and myths.
Each contributed and each received.
 The earliest hymns of Hinduism reveal worship that retained many Aryan practices.
 Later worship of Shiva reflects traditions of Dravidians. Although scholars cannot say exactly when
Hinduism began, they believe it developed in an early period of interaction between Aryan and
Dravidians.
II. What is HINDUISM?
Hinduism- the term was introduced by Persians in the 9th century BCE to refer to people residing near and
beyond eastern side of SINDU (or Indus) River. British colonial refer rulers continued using the term “Hindu” to refer to
the populations in India who were neither Christians or Muslims.
Sanatan Dharma- believers usually refer to the Sanatana Dharma or the Eternal Religion when they refer to
Hinduism which is believed to be one of the oldest religion in the world. It dates back as far as 1500 BCE among the indo
speaking people of Indo-European now south East Asia- now India.
III. Hinduism as Vedic Religion
Like any religious system, Hinduism was able to preserve important teachings in sacred writings that contain
foundational elements of doctrine, morality, and worship. These sacred writings are called Vedas, for which reason
Hinduism is also referred to as Vaidika Dharma or Religion of The Vedas. The term “Veda”in Sanskrit means
“Knowledge” and has already committed to memory by sages and passed on to disciples before it was recorded in writing.
An initial look of the Vedas will reveal its diverse collection of writings. The Vedas are not contained in a single volume
unlike other scriptures of other religions. The earliest Vedic literature a s a collection of hymns to the gods, while the later
chapters and volumes includes dialogues, stories and sagely advice from ascetics and religious masters.
The Four Vedas

 RIG-VEDA
o Best known of the vedas
 SAMA-VEDA
o Repeats some of the hymns of the Rig-Veda in its
collections of chants to be used by the priests in some
sacrifices
 YAJUR-VEDA
o Collection of litanies, prayers and prose dedications used
in devotions
 ATHARVA-VEDA
o Reflects the concerns of people who have to wrestle day
by day with the emotions of jealousy, lust, hatred and
fear
Sub-division of the 4 Vedas
Each of the four Vedas are further subdivided into four types of religious literature:
(a) Samhitas, hymns dedicated to gods and goddesses
(b) Brahmanas, explications of the samhitas and other ritual acts performed by priests
(c) Aranyakas, philosophical interpretations of ritual acts.
(d) Upanishads, explanations of general philosophical knowledge

2 types of Scriptures in Hindu Tradition

1. Shruti- that which is heard- contains fundamental elements of Hindu philosophy and morality contains the four Vedas
and are considered to be of divine origin revealed to sages (RISHIS) who received these truths through deep meditation.
2. Smriti - that which is remembered- this are considered “secondary scriptures” and mostly contains stories and advice
from sages. It is considered to be human origin, although they are important because they expound on the Vedas. It also
gives ordinary people access to the teachings of the Vedas. The Smriti Scriptures include the following:
a) Mahabharata- an epic poem that is 15 times longer than the bible, narrates the story of the ongoing war among
family members. It highlights the importance of virtues and devotion to the gods particularly to Krishna.
b) Ramayana- a shorter epic poem about kingship and royal virtues, tells us the story of the battles that Rama had to
fight in order to save his wife Sita from the demon Ravana. It is one of the epics that depicts the battle between
good and evil.
c) Dharma Shastras- legal treatises that emphasize the importance of practicing virtue
d) Bhagavad Gita- means “song of the Lord”. It is actually one of the books in Mahabharata. It is considered by
many Hindus as an important religious text that extols the power and benevolence of Krishna and his instructions
to Arjuna.
e) Puranas- There are multiple creation stories, legends, and war stories by the different Hindu sects.
IV. Many Gods, One Principle
In Hinduism, there is a belief in three highest deities who fulfill different functions in the universe. They are
called the TRIMURTHI: Brahma- the creator, Vishnu- the preserver, Shiva- the destroyer. The Hindu Trimurthi is not
fun in the Vedic writings but is believed to be a later addition in order to provide a systematization of the functions of
different deities.
Despite the multiplicity of the deities in Hindu belief, the Vedas say that all deities or gods are ultimately
manifestations of one divine principle. According to the Upanishads, this divine principle is referred to as the
BRAHMAN, or the Absolute. The Brahman is eternal, uncreated and all-pervasive reality that has no form and keeps the
universe in existence. In the Vedas, the Brahman is impersonal, although some passages refer to its persona attributes.
Because it is mostly impersonal, Brahman is not seen by Hindus as a direct object of worship, although it is seen as the
most supreme of all beings. Ultimately, the notion of Brahman demonstrates Hinduism’s belief in a single absolute reality
although this oneness of Divine principle is interpreted differently compared to traditional monotheistic religions.
Atman, Samsara, Karma, and Moksha
Atman — The Hindu concept of the individual self or soul.
Samsara: The Sanskrit term for reincarnation, a worldly cycle of birth, death and rebirth until a soul achieves
enlightenment and embraces the sacred reality of the Absolute.
Karma: An impartial force or principle of cause and effect that accounts for each person’s good and bad actions
and determines their position of rebirth based upon each person’s actions in their previous lifetime.
Moksha: the release from the cycle of life. The release will only happen if one has done his duty and
responsibility as a part of the society. Moksha is the aim of serious spiritual practitioners to achieve
moksha within their lifetime. If moksha is achieved, the atman does not look for a material receptacle
to reside on and unites with the Brahman.
TRIMURTHI

BRAHMA THE CREATOR VISHNU THE PRESERVER BRAHMA THE CREATOR:

BRAHMA THE CREATOR:
 Brahma is the least worshipped of the three main gods.
 He has four heads and he recites the Vedas continually.
 The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism.
 At his own command, he can divide himself into any type of new life. He can populate the world after Shiva has
destroyed it ready for new creation.
 4 heads = knowledge
 The Vedas (R – The Holy Book of Hinduism. Shows that he is in charge of how the world is created.

4 heads = knowledge
Lotus flower (left hand) – Very important in Hinduism. Symbol of wisdom
Water pot (Left Hand) – to carry the water needed for life.
The Vedas( Right Hand)– The Holy Book of Hinduism. Shows that he is in
charge of how the world is created.
4 Arms: represent 4 directions; north, east, south, and west

VISHNU THE PRESERVER:

 Vishnu is worshipped under several names. This is because he has different
appearances.
 Hindus believe that when there is a time of danger for the earth, Vishnu comes to
protect it.
 They believe he has come to the earth in 9 bodies. The most famous are Krishna
and Rama.

SHIVA THE DESTROYER

 Shiva is worshipped by about a quarter of all Hindus. He is the god who destroys so he controls death (and even
life).
 Although he can be frightening he is also thought of being kind and easy to please.
 He has at least 4 hands to show that he holds life and death and good and evil.
-3rd eye represents knowledge of the world.
-Trident – this shows he is able to destroy evil.
-Tiger Skin – shows that he has great energy.
-Coiled Snake – 3 coils represent the past, present and future. Snake protects
him from harm.
-River Ganges – the sacred river to Hindus. Means purity.

V. Main School of Thoughts

1. Samkhya- atheistic philosophy that is based on the writings of the
SAMKHYAKARIKAS, which was written by Ishvarakhrishna in the 3rd century BCE. It is atheistic because it
does not mention any deity and does not rely on their power in explaining the workings of the universe.
2 fundamental principles in the universe
a. Parusha (person)
b. Prakriti (nature)
Types of prakriti
-sattva- oriented to the good
-raja- directed towards passion
-tama- geared towards decay
*observance of the sattva of a parusha(person) can lead to the liberation of the soul from the cycle
of life.
2. Yoga- the main purpose of yoga is to achieve sattvic state, which is characterized by spiritual calmness, virtue,
and joy. Yoga enables an individual to activate his/ her sattvic qualities and escape the influence of raja and tama,
which are lower qualities.
Kinds of Yoga
a. Raja Yoga- the path of physical and psychic practice. The purpose of the exercise is to facilitate the flow
of psychic energy to the different chakras of the body. It is also meant to purify the body and achieve
physical balance.
b. Jnana Yoga- the path of the rational mind and concentration. It consists of doing meditative practices
that aim to clear the mind of impurities and attain rational and calm disposition. Ignorance hinders a
person in cultivating an insight. The ultimate goal of Jnana yoga is to acquire a spiritual insight.
c. Karma Yoga- The path of action in the world. Karma yoga appeals to people who have strong desire to
work for the betterment of the society. It aims to seek good deeds without expecting anything in return.
3. Bhakti Yoga- The path of devotion. It is the most popular from of yoga practiced among Hindus in India. It is the
practice of deep devotion and love toward the divine, and is mainly expressed through ritual acts such as
Puja(offering) A yogi engaged in this type is called BHAKTA, and the ultimate wish of a bhakta is divine
manifestation/revelation.
4. Mimamsa- a school of Hinduism that is concerned with the proper interpretation of righteous action as it is
believed to be part of the Vedas themselves. It focuses on the interpretative dimension of the Vedas and provides
useful method in making sense of the Vedic texts.
5. Vaisheshika- this school believes that the foundational ingredients that make up the universe are nine: This
includes the five elements, and then space, time, mind, and the self. These are the basic blocks of the world and a
combination of any of these produces an entirely new being that is not reducible to its parts. This is called the
principle of causality or asatkaryavada.
6. Nyaya- this school is most concerned with logic and the establishment of proof, for which reason it is accepted
by all indian philosophical traditions. They believe that all human beings are capable in arriving at conclusions
based on evidence through perception, inference, analogy, and authoritative testimony. Through this ways they
can also achieve liberation from samsara.
7. Vedanta- it is the last established Hindu thought. The term “Vedanta” means “the end of Vedas”. This school
gives emphasis to the Upanishads, which is the last book to be considered in the Shruti scriptures.

Activity 6:
 A. ESSAY: Answer the following essay and include your sources.
1. Hinduism is criticized on the basis of some past and current social customs. Research on the following customs
and explain why it is one of the point(s) for criticism against Hinduism.
-Dowry System (5pts)
-Sati/Suttee (5pts)
-Caste System (5pts)
2. Hinduism is also popularly known as “One Ocean, Many names”. Explain. (5pts)

REFERENCES:
Calano, M., Cornelio, J., Sapitula, M. (2016). Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems. Rex Book Store, Inc.
Mabaquiao, N. Jr. (2016). Introduction to World Religions and Belief Systems. Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.
Stefon, M. (2012 ). Christianity: History, Belief, and Practice. Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
Mattews, M. (2007). World Religions. Thompson Higher Education.