Hindu Traditions

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Hindu Traditions

• Jeffrey L. Richey, Ph.D.
• REL 117Introduction to World Religions
• Berea College
• Spring 2005

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WHO IS A HINDU?

• Hindu from Persian Hind (India) originally
  ethnic, not religious, label
• Since medieval period, denotes person who is part
  of a broad set of devotional, philosophical, and
  scriptural traditions rooted in ancient India
• Hinduism
• commitment to dharma (moral duty) based on
• varna (ones social role) and
• ashrama (ones life stage)

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ANCIENT ROOTS OF HINDUISM

• Indus Valley civilization (c. 2500-1500 BCE)
  urban, agricultural, polytheistic, matriarchal?
• Aryan invasion (c. 1500 BCE) nomadic,
  pastoral, polytheistic, patriarchal
• Indo-Aryan (Vedic) society (c. 1200-200 BCE) --
  divided into 4 hereditary occupational divisions
  (varnas colors)
• Brahman (priests)
• Kshatriya/Rajanya (warrior-rulers)
• Vaisya (merchants and artisans)
• Sudra (peasants)

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KARMAMARGA THE VEDAS

• Brahman authors edit oral liturgical traditions,
  producing Vedas (knowledges), c. 1200-600 BCE
  concerned with proper action in ritual
• 4 collections (samhitas) of Vedas
• Rigveda (ric praise stanzas sung by priests in
  ritual)
• Samaveda (saman songs sung by priestly
  entourage)
• Yajurveda (yajus short incantations uttered by
  priests assistants in ritual)
• Atharvaveda (therapeutic spells and hymns used by
  atharvans healers)

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JÑANAMARGA THE UPANISHADS

• Later Vedic texts (c. 1000-800 BCE) show interest
  in inner truth underlying outer ritual
• Upanisads (sitting down close at hand, c. 600
  BCE) record master-disciple dialogues related to
  quest for inner knowledge
• Upanishadic goals
• Realize unity of Brahman (world-soul) and atman
• Avoid actions (karma) that promote selfishness
  and maximize selflessness
• Through knowledge of ones true self and positive
  karma, attain moksha (liberation from samsara
  cycle of rebirth and full union with Brahman)

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BHAKTIMARGA THE EPICS AND PURANAS

• Dissatisfaction with elite, intellectual,
  impersonal spirituality of Upanisads leads to
  renewed interest in popular, emotional, personal
  spirituality of bhakti (devotion) (c. 200 BCE-400
  CE)
• New gods appear in multiple avataras
  (incarnations)
• Vishnu (best known as King Rama and Lord Krishna
  associated with compassion, heroism, and
  mischief)
• Shiva (both creative and destructive associated
  with luck, death, fertility)
• Devi (Great Goddess, known in many forms
  associated with luck, death, and fertility)
• Goal of bhakti moksha through selfless
  performance of dharma and selfless devotion to
  deity

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330 MILLION GODS, 3 PATHS, 1 TRADITION

• Infinite number of deities, yet only one
  universal being
• Trimurti (triple form)
• Brahma the Creator
• Vishnu the Preserver
• Shiva the Destroyer
• Infinite number of ways to salvation, yet three
  basic paths
• Karmamarga (action)
• Jñanamarga (knowledge)
• Bhaktimarga (devotion)
• Infinite number of sources of truth, yet two
  basic scriptural categories
• Shruti (that which is heard directly from the
  gods Vedas, Upanisads, Brahmanas)
• Smriti (that which is remembered from human
  sages Puranas, epics)

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CLASSICAL HINDU GOALS FOR LIVING

• Ashramas (stages of life) for males of of
  three upper varnas
• Student (Vedic study with guru or master)
• Householder (marriage, family, career)
• Retiree (partial withdrawal from social life)
• Renunciant (complete isolation from society,
  devotion to spiritual life)

• For men and women of all varnas
• Obedience to dharma (varna-appropriate career and
  marriage)
• Avoidance of negative karma (altruism,
  vegetarianism, eventual celibacy)
• Liberation from samsara (through purification of
  karma, development of jñana, or bhakti
  relationship with deity)

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