1 / 22

Hinduism: Taking Stock, Moving Forward

Hinduism: Taking Stock, Moving Forward. Rta to Hindu Gods Introduction to Moksha. Recall, the dual focus of this unit. 2 basic areas to cover: 1. Hindu concept of God 2. Hindu spiritual goal: Moksha. Recall, what you (should) already understand….

finna
Télécharger la présentation

Hinduism: Taking Stock, Moving Forward

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. Hinduism:Taking Stock, Moving Forward Rta to Hindu Gods Introduction to Moksha

  2. Recall, the dual focus of this unit • 2 basic areas to cover: • 1. Hindu concept of God • 2. Hindu spiritual goal: Moksha.

  3. Recall, what you (should) already understand… • Sanatana Dharma. Foundationhttp://www.swamij.com/sanatana-dharma-what-is.htm • Cosmic Ecosystem, Cyclic Time, Micro and Macro-Cosmic Order ☺ • Cosmic Ecosystem as basis for plural religious practices in ancient India, Vedic and non-Vedic. ☺ • Rta as the conceptual term used by Vedic rishis to express their understanding of the Cosmic Ecosystem ☺

  4. Rta as the basis of Vedic religion. • Shruti Spiritual Insight Vedic hymns • Yagna Sacrifice. To uphold, influence Cosmic order. To link earthly order, with Cosmic Order • Kalpa Ritual Science. Right ritual. Right thought. Right energy. • Agni Sacrifice performed in front of fire. Agni. Chief witness to the sacrifice, the link between Micro and Macro Cosmos.

  5. Vedic to Upanishadic Hinduism:Brahman • Vedas the oldest oral/literary collection • Upanishads, the literary/oral tradition that soon followed the Vedic tradition. What do the Upanishads do?? • Speculate, reflect on Vedic kalpa– but most of all, yagna. • What were the thoughts expressed in the Upanishads?

  6. Monism All of Creation is but one energy– without attribute or appendage) All of the Manifested world is an illusion of difference. In fact, all reflects a unified energy Pluralism All of creation is infinitely manifested So all of creation isn’t an illusion—rather it is real and contains the essence of the creative energy of the universe Remember—Monism and pluralism

  7. Brahman • Brahman is the energy underlying Rta. • It is the energy flowing through, all things, Micro & Macro Cosmic. • There is nothing beyond Brahman. • Brahman is. Period. • 2 modes, or contexts to describe Brahman. • Nirguna Brahman: Brahman without qualities. Ineffible • Saguna Brahman: Brahman with qualities. Infinite.

  8. Nirguna • Nir = without • Guna = Qualities • Brahman is so vast, absolute, ineffible… • That it cannot be manifested, or concretely described • Precise because it is the source of all life, creation, existence, reality

  9. How does Brahman relate to the individual? • Every individual, is not a separate creation. • Nothing about them is permanent, so nothing about them is real…..except… • The Atman, which is the energy within them. • Atman is the true self. Atman is actually the energy within us, that is Brahman. • Atman, therefore, is the spirit/energy that is our true nature.

  10. “Wise men, know that their true self is not the body, but the atman” (BG, Ch 2) • This is Mystical knowledge, not factual knowledge. Gnosis, not knowledge. • Underscores following key ideas in Hinduism at this time: • End of animal sacrifice. • Vegetarianism. • Meditation, self-transformation, and rituals to realize the unity between self and cosmos.

  11. Saguna Brahman • So, Saguna Brahman as another understanding of Reality. • Infinity of Brahman, described infinitely, concretely, within the world. Connection to Hindu Gods? • “Gods” (Devas) within Hindu Cosmology, describe and represent the infinite attributes of Brahman”

  12. Saguna Brahman • #1: Why so many forms? Well, infinity is quite vast. • #2: But also– no two people experience the Divine in the same way. • #3: So– are Gods symbolic or ‘real’ to devotional Hindus. • Both. Each God has a Nirgunic emphasis (reflection on infinity of Brahman). • But, each God is also personalized, to channel human emotion, desire, angst for focused concentration, and self-transformation

  13. Saguna Brahman • Self-transformation? To what end? To understand that the only thing that is real, is Brahman. That all else, is temporary (maya—illusion) • So, Sagunic representation through Gods, and idols helps channel spiritual energy of every person. Personal connection important. • In this sense, ‘Hinduism” embraces pluralism as a necessary feature of religion. Without diversity, then people won’t have access to a divine connection that is meaningful to them

  14. Saguna Brahman • “Whenever a devotee wishes, with unwavering faith, to worship me in a particular form, I take that form” –Bhagvad Gita, 4.1 • Ultimately, all Gods reflect Saguna Brahman. • Ancient Vedic Gods. • Local Gods from Ancient non-Vedic religions. • Newer Gods. • By the height of the Upanisads, these Sagunic ideas distilled into the concept of : Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva….and Shakti

  15. Saguna Brahman Creation Brahma Rta Vishnu Shiva Preservation Destruction Within this framework, all Sagunic representations (i.e. Gods) of Brahman can be linked with one or more of Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti (Mother Goddess), the female energy, which appears as the compliment to each of Brahma (Saraswati), Vishnu (Lakshmi) and Shiva (Parvati). Notice how all are still based on foundation of Rta.

  16. Lets continue our tour of the Sagunic Representation of the Brahman • Vishnu Again. Blue= infinite as sky Spinning discus. Universe. Slicing enemies of good. Golden Baton. Flatten our egos Om. Primordial Sound of creation. Also comes from Conch shell. Lotus (unseen here). Beauty, rooted (literally) in the depth of spiritual illumination.

  17. Shiva Nakedness= unfiltered reality. Pure consciousness. Meditation = path to pure consciousness Ashes = symbol of the aftermath of destruction. Of ego. Evil. Inevitability of death, within the cycle of life.

  18. Ganesha

  19. Symbolizes devotion, strength to achieve goodness, loyalty, miracles due to faith Connected with epic, Ramayana Hanuman, literally, saves the female manifestation of Shakti (Sita) , from the clutches of Ravana, the evil demon (symbolizing ignorance). Hanuman

  20. Questions • Use your understanding of Rta, to explain why some Hindus need to ‘see’ depictions of God when they pray. • Use “electricity” as a metaphor, to explain why Hindus use idols in their daily worship. • What is the “devil” in Hinduism

  21. What does the textbook mean, that Brahman has two modes: nirguna and saguna? • What is the relationship between Nirguna Brahman and the sound “Om”? • What does immortality mean, in the Nirgunic context? • Why do Hindu’s worship, or revere, idols? Use the explanation of Saguna Brahman, to explain why idols are a feature of Hinduism

More Related