a set of beliefs that include stories of paradigmatic events or myths that are believed to be true, formal doctrines that are generalized stories about the way the world operates, and a set of practices that include rituals designed to bring about certain objectives and ethical guidelines for human behavior. 

Hinduism has been compared to a Banyan tree because it has many different aspects and no one know which is the original aspect, just as one cannot tell where the trunk of a Banyan tree starts. 

The Vedic tradition is based on a series of texts called the Vedas, which are a collection of hymns to the gods. The oldest text, the Rig Veda, can be dated back to 1200 BC. Other texts include Sama, Yajur, and Atharva. The Vedic tradition revolves around the fire sacrifice

Problem: human life ends

Solution: establish relationship with gods so they can help us

method: fire sacrifice.

the theory that a group of light skinned nomadic people who valued horses and cows came to Northern India. The Rig Veda describes these people but the theory has no historical proof. On a side note the Nazi are bastards who perverted this idea and to say that a blonde haired blue eyed superior race of people invaded Northern India to took over. 

Creation Hymns/Golden Embryo

The Rig Veda has many hymns that address the question of the origin of the universe. In the 4^th hymn, the golden egg, which splits to form the sky, earth, and the Sun, is identified as the origin or singularity of the universe. In order to make sacrifices to this egg, it was personified as Prajapati.

The fire sacrifice is the central practice of Vedic Culture. Its purpose is to establish a reciprocal relationship with the gods so they can provide protection, progeny, and prosperity for mankind. Fire is representative of the cycle of creation. Only Brahmin priests can perform the fire sacrifice. Only male Brahmin priests could perform these sacrifices. 

0.Indra- the god of warfare is invoked for success on the battle field

0.Agni- the god of fire is a messenger between the Brahmin priests and the gods; he is an embodiment of fire.

0.Soma- is the personification of a hallucinogenic mushroom; people no longer take this

0.Varuna- the god of the sky is invoked for protection from disease and good weather.

Upanishadic Culture

-The Upanishadic tradition is counter to Vedic tradition. It can be traced back to 700 BC. The Sanskrit term literally means “sitting at the foot of”. It is centered on the problem of the endless cycle of creation and destruction that is caused by desire. If one gives up desire he will realize Brahman.

Problem: samsara the cycle of rebirth and destruction.

Cause: Maya, delusion, the cycle of desire and the impermanence of material things. desire leads to conflict because it can not bring permanent pleasure.

Solution: renounce samsara and realize the connection between self and the cosmos. achieve moksha, realize brahman.

Means: Yoga-discipline of body and mind, strip away that wich is not real.

“That art thou” 

literally means “heat”. Practitioners of Upanishadic tradition practice yoga to store this; similar to the way Shiva stores heat to end the known universe.

The three parts of moksha, Sat-pure being, beginning of cosmos; Chit- pure mind/ consciousness, a state of awareness w/o distinction; Ananda- pure bliss, liberation from fear of dying & desire and samsara.

the cycle of creation and destruction. In the Upanishadic tradition this is the cycle between desire and impermanence. Desire = the nature of the self. Impermanence = is the nature of the cosmos. An illusion from ultimate reality. Individual human beings go through rebirth & re-dying constantly.

literally means “delusion”. The Upanishadic culture identified this as the cause of human suffering because desire cannot bring permanent pleasure, thus resulting in conflict.

Yoga

Discipline of the body and the mind. Similar to the word yoke- to tie up and control, w/o distinction. A purification of the self. Renunciation of society, prosperity, material pleasure. To strip everything away that is false: social rolls & identities, celibacy, food, material objects, water. The purification of the mind is based on control of the lightest breathing form. The control of the life force: internal-based on control of breathing, means control of body & mental self mastery- to see through reality. False consciousness- everything you believe to be yourself to have the purification of the mind.

Dharma Shastras

The Dharma Shastras were created in 400 BC to unify Vedic and Upanishadic culture. It outlined an ideal sacred order for society to follow by way of a caste system. The four castes are Brahmins priests who teach the Vedic hymns to children, Warriors who’s duty it is to protect society, Merchants and farmers who produce material goods for society, and the servants who are required to serve others so they can carry out their respective duties. The Dharma system only works if everyone performs his sacred duty

Dharma literally means “sacred order”. When people carry out their sacred duty there is no ahdarma that literally means “chaos”.

Varna is the caste one is born into and Jati is the sub-caste to which he belongs. This concept exemplifies the idea that the Dharma system is an ideal system that cannot exist in reality.

Four Stages of Life

These are student-hood, when one is meant to learn, house-holder, when one is meant to seek artha(wealth) and produce offspring, hermit, when one is meant to remove himself from the center of social order and renounce maya, and finally the renuncient when one is completely removed from society fully renouncing maya and seeking moksha.

1. Dharma- social duty; 2. Artha- social duty and wealth; 3. Karma- sense desire (of the flesh); 4. Moksha- freedom from desire and conflict. Each goal is meant to be sought out at each respective stage in life.

- This is a creation myth about a man who was sacrificed at the beginning of time to create the universe. His body formed the social structure outlined in the Dharma Shastras; his mouth became the Brahmin caste, his arms became the warrior caste, his loins became the merchant/farmer caste, and his feet became the servant caste. The idea of this myth is that society should strive to perfectly resemble the sacred order of the universe.

the fire sacrifice is separate because of sub-castes & impurities. 

Bhagavad-Gita

Between 400BC and 400AD, the Mahabharata was composed. The Gita is a small part of this epic. Krishna is the lord in this excerpt, he is the embodiment of Brahman and teaches the prince Arjuna how he can carry out his sacred duty with detachment.

Problem: dharma vs. Adharma, order vs order

Cause: rejecting ones duty, in the gita arjuna refusing to kill his cousins although it is his duty.

Solution: one must carry out his duty. In the Gita krishna says this and that the atman cant die. 

Method: yoga

An avatar of Vishnu, who is known as Shima, which means the dark one, since he is depicted in the color range of blue to black. A deity/ the embodiment of Brahman. By offering sacrifices and devoting everything to Krishna one will be free of maya and realize the unchanging reality of Brahman.

Jnana: same as the Upanishads, discipline of knowledge, but says the seeking of Moksha must be done in society, seeking/finding knowledge of purification of the mind. 2. Karma: Action burns away Karma. The discipline of action, by being detached from praise or blame. Be attached from the fruits of action; do not be attached to in-action for that has results/consequences too. Do not be motivated by praise or blame. 3. Bhakti: The highest form of yoga, the yoga of devotion, anyone can practice it no matter gender or caste.

Bhakti Tradition

- The highest form of yoga as outlined in the Gita, anyone can practice it, it is the yoga of devotion. You give everything to Krishna- thoughts, food, prayers, actions, etc. You give till you have nothing left, except your autman. Even violent criminals can attain Moksha, by having the capacity to love Krishna. Also, having devotion and discipline to control desire. 

Bhagavata Purana

Traditions of the lord, 500A.D./C.E. - 900A.D./C.E. (Krishna). His birth-> generated from a divine conception. His youth-> very naughty, love butter, but loveable, had a strong bond with his mother. His adolescence-> cow herder, and master flute player. His adulthood (maturity) -> very handsome, master flute player. His lifetime is called vrindaban.

Problem: seperation from brahman

Cause: maya/samsara:delusion

Solution: increase desire and direct desire towards that which is divine to attain moksha.

Means: HAIL KRISHNA!!!!!!!

Five relationships

(to Krishna)

A women poet, who became a saint for writing poems about Krishna, and spent her life in worship and devotion to him. She neglected the typical woman roles, which was learning housekeeping skills, getting married, and having sons.

(A domestic religion)- a religious vow or oath to the gods, made by a woman, she makes a promise and in exchange asks for a blessing, like a contract or a bond between the woman and the god. Made for the sake of her family. The promise she makes is usually to pray to that god more, make more offerings, go on a pilgrimage for that god, etc

(Mother Kali/goddess/ Kali = Brahman/ a fickle mother)- Side of violence, disorder, destruction, the dark side of samsara. She takes only fresh blood offerings. Violence is everywhere in samsara. It comes from internal forces- uncontrolled/ human violent nature, and external forces- ambiguous- violence is not good or evil, b/c it is in dharma and adharma, and nature is unpredictable. Kali is invoked for protection, plague, earthquakes, and nature; also, invoked for violence and destruction, so you give fresh blood offerings. But she is uncontrollable; she could turn on the invoker, and that is the mystery of samsara, because you never now when.

to see & be seen. To see an image of god and have god looking back. This is why the eyes on icons are open, because people form relationships with eye contact. The icon is a living image, it is not an icon, symbol, image, it is the god. (The god’s identity/ spirit is infused in the icon.).

(icons)- Judeo-Christian, Islamic beliefs say that god does not have form and is the worship of idols and images is prohibited. In Hindu traditions, the gods are embodied in idols and those idols are considered manifestations of the gods, and are treated as such. “Good night Krishna”

Saraswati, Ganesh, Laxmi: are used for everyday life, anyone can worship, and not large or complex offerings are made, ex.: tea, incense, fruit, & flowers, etc. Saraswati- known as the goddess of the arts: the protector & blesser of the one who does arts or teachers, promonent in schools, artists, musicans, & teachers, etc. Schools have small festivals before the school year. Ganesh/a- elephant patron deity- the remover of obsticales, provides blessing/ protection when you start out on a new journey, popular w. Taxi Drivers. Delightful b/c he loves sweets. People make offerings of sweets. Everyone worships Ganesh, even devotes of other gods. Laxmi- She provides wealth & material gains, popular w/ merchants, business people, etc. Their arms refer to their divine powers, and difference from mortals, but the number of arms has no significance. Don’t know if these deities are embodiments of Brahman b/c there is not one bible in Hinduism. (Except Ganesh is sometimes worshiped as the embodiment of Brahman).

Classical Theology

This is a way academics attempt to classify the millions of deities in relation to Brahman.

(tri-murti: 3 faces/aspects of ultimate reality)- Brahma- creator of samara. Vishnu- Sustainer of the cosmos; avatars- Krishna & Ramai. Shiva- the destroyer of the cosmos. He lives in the Himalayas. He is the lord of yoga, he stores up his tapas, when samsara goes through destruction, then Vishnu destroys the cosmos through sacred dance. He uses a double-sided drum, which he beats, which engulfs the universe into flames. This cycle of creation-> sustaining-> destruction, goes on forever.

goddess- divine female shape: Kali, Durga, Saraswati, Laxmi, Radha.

Problem: society is disorderly. Adarma (chaos)

Cause: Samsara(desire and impermanence,) and maya.

Solution: ending conflict by means of the caste system. the caste reduces harmony.

Means: in order for everyone to do their sacred duty they must go through the 4 stages of life and seek the 4 goals of life. goals and stages go together.