1 / 7

The Bhagavad Gita I

The Bhagavad Gita I. Asian Religions Berger. The Status of the Bhagavad Gita. 6 th chapter of the epic Mahabharata Two Divisions of Scriptural Texts sruti (“heard’): direct perception of divine truth smrti (“remembered”): handed on through tradition

maeve
Télécharger la présentation

The Bhagavad Gita I

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. The Bhagavad Gita I Asian Religions Berger

  2. The Status of the Bhagavad Gita • 6th chapter of the epic Mahabharata • Two Divisions of Scriptural Texts • sruti (“heard’): direct perception of divine truth • smrti (“remembered”): handed on through tradition • Gita predominantly considered smrti text, but is accorded sruti status by some groups such as the Krishna Consciousness movement of Bengal (16th century)

  3. Synthetic Tendencies of Gita • Gita’s Attempt to Harmonize Stands of Religion • Ancient Brahminism and new Devotionalism (bhakti) • Upanisadic doctrines with new theism • Ideals of caste society and renunciation Gita’s form of theism -- henotheism (istadeva): preferred divinity -- brings together brahman and personhood

  4. Genealogy of the Epic War • Prasara / Satyavati – Vyasa (author of narrative) • Vyasa / daughters of Santanu • Dhritarastra – Duryodana (Kauravas: “bad guys”) • Pandu – Yudhisthira, Arjuna (Pandavas: “good guys)\ • Krishna (incarnation of Vishnu) assists Kauravas but advises Pandavas

  5. Arjuna’s Arguments against War • Duties to the Family (p.35) • Intimacy and laws of kula-dharma • Destruction of Society (p.35) • Destroying family will destroy castes and society • Arjuna’s Moral Standards • Consequences that will result from actions are the basis upon which acts are judged moral or immoral

  6. Krishna’s Arguments for War I • The Immortality of the Soul (pp. 36, 43, 44) • The need to distinguish body from true self • The Responsibility of Castes (pp. 37, 39, 40) • The superiority of caste to family duty • Non-attachment to consequences (pp. 37, 38-39) • Karma accrues based on intention, not “fruits” • Krishna’s Moral Standards • Correct mystical/metaphysical knowledge • Intentional, not consequential, standards of moral judgement

  7. Reading for Next Class • Yoga (pp. 51-52, 59-68)

More Related