Chapter 4 Hinduism

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Chapter 4Hinduism
There is only one God, but endless are his
aspects and endless are his names. Call him by
any name and worship him in any aspect that
pleases you, you are sure to see him. Shri
Ramakrishna
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Agni the god of fire the link between gods and
humans Artha material success and social
prestige, one of the four goals of life. Ahimsa
the doctrine of non-violence toward all living
creatures. Arya Samaj movement a reformed
version of Hinduism that rejects the worship of
images and the caste system founded in 1875 by
Swami Dayanand Saraswati. Ascetic one who
renounces physical pleasures and worldly
attachments for the sake of spiritual
advancement common in Hinduism and many other
religious traditions, most notably
Jainism. Atman the human soul part of our
innermost self that is identical to Brahman, the
universal soul. The eternal self/soul that is
reincarnated from one body to the next.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Avatar an incarnation, or manifestation, of a
deity in earthly form. Generally of Vishnu, who
is sent to earth to accomplish a divine purpose
Krishna and Rama are the most popular
avatars. Bhakti intense devotion to a
particular deity often expressed through
music. Brahma a deity who is considered the
creator of the universe part of the Hindu
Trinity. Brahman the universal soul and
supreme being the eternal spirit form which all
things originate and to which they return.
Brahmin the highest of the four castes, made
up of priests. Caste System The organization
of Hindu society into four groups, each with its
own duties and expectations. The four main
classes are brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, and
shudra. Each caste contains subcastes resulting
in more than three thousand categories.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Dharma Religious or moral duty. Ethical duty
based on the divine order of reality one of the
four goals in life. Diwali the Hindu festival
of lights that takes place at the end of October
or beginning of November celebrates the triumph
of good over evil. Guru a spiritual teacher or
guide who can help one achieve moksha, or
salvation. Hindu Trinity a concept that unites
the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva into one
entity. Homa a ritual that involves the
burning of offerings in a fire that has been
blessed by a priest. Kama pleasure, especially
of sensual love one of the four goals of life.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Karma the totality of ones actions their
accumulation of good or bad karma determines
ones birth in his or her next life
(reincarnation). The moral law of cause and
effect of actions. Krishna the eighth
incarnation of the god Vishnu Kshatriya the
second of the four castes made up of warriors and
administrators. Maya illusion brought about by
divine creative power. Moksha liberation or
release of the individual self, atman, from the
bondage of samsara salvation of the four goals
in life. Mahabharata a Hindu epic poem
comprising about 100 000 verses, probably
compiled between 400 BCE and 400 CE. It tells
the story of the struggle between two forces
the Pandavas and the Kauravas.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Monism the doctrine that reality is ultimately
made up of only one substance and that all things
share a common essence. Meditation deep
contemplation that leads to a trance-like state
in which the individual tries to become one with
the Brahman. Om a sacred syllable that invokes
the essence of Brahman when chanted. It is
believed to be the sound of all reality. Path of
Devotion the most popular of the three Hindu
paths to salvation, emphasizes loving devotion to
ones chosen god or goddess. Path of Knowledge
One of three Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizes
knowing the true nature of reality through
learning and meditation. Path of Works One of
three Hindu paths to salvation emphasizes doing
right actions according to dharma.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Parvati a mother goddess who represents female
energy. Prasad a practice that involves
redistributing to devotees food that has been
offered to the deities. Puja a common
thanksgiving ritual that involves offerings of
flowers, food and other articles of the
deities. Rama the seventh incarnation of God
Vishnu the hero in the Hindu epic the
Ramayana. Ramayana a Hindu epic of about 24
000 verses, composed around 200 BCE. Rig Veda
Hinduisms oldest sacred text. It is a
collection of 1017 Sanskrit hymns composed about
1500 BCE or earlier. Samadhi a trance-like
state in which self-consciousness is lost, and
the Mind is absorbed into the ultimate reality
culmination of 8 steps of Yoga.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Samsara the endless cycle or rebirth or
reincarnation. Sankhya a system of Hindu
philosophy and one approach within the Path of
Knowledge, which asserts that reality is composed
of two distinct categories matter and eternal
selves. Sannyasin a wandering ascetic who has
advanced to the fourth and highest stage of life.
Shakti the generic name for all
manifestations of female energy, which may be
represented as gentle or fierce. Shiva a deity
who is considered the destroyer and restorer of
the universe part of the Hindu Trinity. Shivism
a sect of Hinduism whose followers worship the
god Shiva. Sati the traditional practice of
burning a widowed wife on her husbands Funeral
pyre outlawed in 1829, though still occurs
rarely.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Sudra the lowest of the four castes, made up of
servants and labourers. Shruti knowledge that
is revealed to, or discovered by, the wise men
of Hinduism, eg., the content of the
Vedas. Swami the holy men of
Hinduism. Upanishads trans. sitting near a
teacher, it is a collection of over two hundred
texts composed between 900 and 200 BCE that
provided philosophical commentary on the
Vedas. Vaishya the third of the four castes,
made up of producers, such as farmers, merchants
and artisans. Vaishnavism is a sect of
Hinduism whose followers worship the god Vishnu.
It is practice predominantly in Northern India.
Vishnu a deity who is considered the
preserver of the universe Trinity.
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Chapter 4Hinduism
Vendanta a system of Hindu philosophy and one
approach within the Path of Knowledge, which
holds that all reality is essentially Brahman,
most notable advocate is the medieval Hindu
philosopher Shankara. Yoga a practice or
discipline combining philosophy with physical
exercises and meditation union with god. A
system of Hindu philosophy and approach within
the Path of Knowledge which seeks to free the
eternal self from the bondage of personhood,
culminating in the experience of samadhi. When
the word yoga is lowercased, it refers generally
to physical and psychological techniques for
spiritual advancement. Yogi a spiritually
evolved individual who practices meditation.
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Introduction to Hinduism
Hinduism is the oldest of the major world
religions. Its sources go back at least 5,000
years. It started among people who settled in the
valley of the Indus River. The Indus River rises
in the Himalayas and runs westwards into the
Indian Ocean across Northern India. The Ganges, a
river of great significance to the Hindus, also
rises in the Himalayas and runs Eastwards into
the Indian Ocean
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Introduction to Hinduism
The Hindus Concept of God Polytheistic (belief in
more than one god) and Monotheistic (belief in
only one god). While the early hymns of the
Rig-Veda (Hindus earliest text 1200 900 BCE)
praise the spirits of the natural forces such as
Fire, Thunder, Dawn, Water, Earth and the Sun,
the Vedic sages believed that they represented
different manifestations of the same supreme
being. Hindus worship more than 330 million
gods. The Hindu Trinity The Rig-Veda introduced
the foremost of the Hindu gods Brahma (the
Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver), Shiva (the
Destroyer).

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The Hindu Trinity
Brahma the creator of the universe. Brahma is
considered the mystical creator, the supreme
presence, or God. Many Hindus believe that all
other gods originate from Brahma. His Four faces
stand for the four corners of the universe. He
holds a sacrificial ladle, the four Vedas, a jar
of holy water from the Ganges, and a necklace of
prayer beads. Like all Hindu gods, he sits upon
a lotus throne.

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The Hindu Trinity
Whenever the Sacred Law fails, and evil raises
its head, I (Vishnu) take embodied birth. To
guard the righteous, to root out sinners, and to
establish Sacred Law. I am born from age to
age. Vishnu Followers of Vishnu worship him as
the preserver, greatest of the gods. His role is
to maintain a balance between good and evil
powers in the universe. In order to do this,
Vishnu returns to earth in different forms, both
animal and human. Tradition holds that there are
ten avatars, (incarnations) linked to Vishnu.
However, only Rama and Krishna remain the focus
of worship among Hindus.

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The Hindu Trinity
Shiva - the Destroyer Shiva is worshipped as
the destroyer or purifier of the universe. Like
Vishnu, Shiva appears in many different forms
throughout Hindu legends. However, the most
widely known is that of Shiva Nataraja, the Lord
of the Dance where Shiva dances in a halo of
fire, representing the cycle of birth and death.
As he dances, he crushes the dwarf, the demon of
ignorance. In his right hand, he keeps rhythm
beating a drum, while in his left hand he holds
the flame of destruction, purification and
renewal. His other hands are in a position of
blessing or refuge. Around his arms and neck he
wars deadly snakes. The snakes symbolize Shivas
power over evil forces, while its ability to shed
its skin makes it a symbol of fertility as well.
Finally, Shiva Nataraja is a symbol of sexual
power and union. This is demonstrated by the
female earring on his left ear and the male on
his right.

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Introduction to Hinduism

• The ten AVATARS or incarnations of Vishnu and the
  task each performed
• Matsya (Fish) As a giant fish, Vishnu warned
  the world of a great flood, rescuing both a
  famous sage and the Vedas from the flood.
• Durma (Tortoise) After the flood, Vishnu, in
  the form of a huge tortoise, retrieved the gods
  elixir of immortality, which was lost in the
  depths of the ocean.
• Varah (Boar) After the demon Hiranyakasipu
  plunged the earth into the ocean, Vishnu, in the
  form of boar, hoisted the world above the water.
• Narasimha (Man-Lion) In order to destroy
  another demon, Vishnu became half-man, half-lion.
  This was because the demon, Hiranyakasipu could
  be killed by neither animal nor man alone.
• Vamana (Dwarf) When Vishnu first came as a
  human avatar, he did so to outwit the ruling
  demon-King Bali. As a dwarf, he convinced Bali
  to give him as much land as he could cover in
  three steps. Immediately, Vishnu transformed
  himself into a giant striding across the
  universe.
• Parashurama (Rama with an axe) Vishnu returned
  as Rama with an axe to defeat the ruling warrior
  class and restore the Brahmins to power.
• Rama (Prince) As prince of Ayodya, Rama is the
  hero of the epic poem, the Ramayana. He is often
  revered as the supreme deity.

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Introduction to Hinduism
The ten incarnations of Vishnu and the task each
performed 8. Krishna (Young hero and lover)
considered by many Hindus to be the most
important avatar. Fleeing the King (his evil
uncle), he was raised in a forest where he slayed
many demons. Eventually, he killed his uncle and
restored his kingdom. When he returned to the
forest to battle demons, he was accidentally
slain by the arrow of a follower. Krishnas
charm and power are the subject of many stories
in Hindu mythology. 9. The Buddha The story of
Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the founder of
Buddhism. 10. Kalki Yet to come, some Hindus
believe Kalki will appear upon a white horse,
yielding a flaming sword, at the end of time.

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Hindu Goddesses
The worship of the goddess in Hinduism has its
roots in the Indus Valley civilization where the
mother was revered as the renewer of life and as
a symbol of fertility and strength. Like their
male counterparts, each goddess possesses
particular attributes, and worshipers adopt each
for the personal qualities she brings. Three of
the principal goddesses are directly related to
the gods of the Hindu Trinity Sarasvati,
daughter of Brahma, Lakshmi, wife of Vishnu, and
Mahadevi Shakti, wife of Shiva. For many,
Mahadevi Shakti, like Brahma, is the ultimate
reality. She is the great goddess from whom
all the goddesses are born. She is the central
figure of goddess worship.

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Hindu Goddesses
Pavarti wife of Shiva A mother goddess whom
Hindus worship as Shakti or female energy. Like
many Hindu gods, she takes on many forms, some of
which are very different in nature including
Durga, the warrior goddess. Like her husband,
Shiva, her role can either be forceful or
self-sacrificing. One of her most popular and
feared manifestations is that of Kali, the
Goddess of Destruction. Kali is commonly
depicted wearing a necklace of human skulls while
wielding a sword in one hand and the decapitated
head of a giant dripping blood in the other. Her
tongue hangs out and a third eye watched from her
forehead. Because death cannot touch her, she
stands on a corpse. She is the ultimate symbol
of death and pain. Many Hindus revere Kali
believing that going beyond her will bring
enlightenment. She violently destroys her
enemies and show steadfast care and affection
towards her followers. Lakshmi she is the
goddess of wealth, happiness, and good fortune.
Lakshmi blesses her worshippers with wealth and
liberation. She is often shown rewarding
worshippers with gold. Saraswati daughter of
Brahma, she is the goddess of learning and the
arts, which is why she is depicted holding a book
and a musical instrument called a veena. Her
vehicle is a peacock or a swan.

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Hinduism and the Soul
He atmas is not born, nor does he die at any
time nor having once come to be will he again
come not to be. He is unborn, eternal,
permanent, and primevil he is not slain when the
body is slain Just as man, having cast off old
garments, puts on other new ones, even so does
the embodied one, having cast off old bodies,
take on other new ones. Hindu Scriptures

In Hindu thought, the physical world in which we
live is temporary, ever-changing, and artificial.
This imperfect world is referred to as maya, and
life in it is considered meaningless. Hindus
believe that the universe moves through endless
cycles of millions of years, subject to the
constant themes of creation and destruction. All
life is caught up in the cycle of birth, death
and rebirth. The goal of Hindus is to achieve
moksha or liberation from the endless cycle of
birth reuniting the atman with the Brahman. To
achieve salvation, Hindus must work their way up
the ladder of existence a caste system. Karma
determines where one will be place. Karma is the
totality of ones actions in life, and it
determines the form that the individual will take
when he or she is reborn. Bad karma will result
in rebirth at a lower form of live, such as an
animal. Good karma will result in rebirth at a
higher station in life which is closer to
attaining salvation.
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Hinduism and the Soul
He atmas is not born, nor does he die at any
time nor having once come to be will he again
come not to be. He is unborn, eternal,
permanent, and primevil he is not slain when the
body is slain Just as man, having cast off old
garments, puts on other new ones, even so does
the embodied one, having cast off old bodies,
take on other new ones. Hindu Scriptures

Atman the human soul or spirit. It is part of
our innermost self that is identical to Brahman,
the universal soul. The Hindus goal in life is
to reunite the atman with the Brahman. Atman and
Brahman are inseparable. The atman is eternal
and immortal when one dies, the atman lives on,
shedding the lifeless body to enter a new one.
Reincarnation Hindus believe that the does
not die along with the body but enters another
body to carry on its existence. This endless
cycle of rebirth, or reincarnation is called
samsara. In Hindu thought, the physical world in
which we live is temporary, ever-changing, and
artificial. This imperfect world is referred to
as maya, and life in it is considered
meaningless. Hindus believe that the universe
moves through endless cycles of millions of
years, subject to the constant themes of creation
and destruction. All life is caught up in the
cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The goal of
Hindus is to achieve moksha or liberation from
the endless cycle of birth.
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Hinduism - Introduction

• Highly tolerant of other religions
• Earliest text is the Rig Veda
• Salvation or moksha is the ultimate goal but
  cannot be achieved in this lifetime
• Moksha means liberation or release an escape
  from the cycle of life (reincarnation) and a
  union forever with Brahman, the sacred source.
• Hindus believe in monism or the belief that all
  reality is essentially one God, the universe,
  human beings and all else.
• Everything shares a common essence or source
  which Hindus call Brahma. Brahma is beyond human
  perception and understanding. It cannot be
  described. When referring to the essence of
  things, this ultimate reality is called Brahman.
  
• Atman is the ultimate reality achieved through
  inward contemplation of the self. Brahman is
  Atman all reality is one.
• The Upanishads are the ancient texts which form
  the basis of Hindu doctrines.
• While the divine is thought to be one essence
  (Monotheism Brahman), Hindus regard some 330
  million gods as extensions of this one ultimate
  reality (Polytheism).
• Hindus freely worship whichever god or goddesses
  they like because they believe they are all
  points of contact with the divine.

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Hinduism - Introduction

• Hindu cosmology or view of the universe differs
  greatly from the Western view. For the West,
  time is linear it had a beginning (the creation
  of the universe) and it will come to an end. The
  Hindu view is that time is cyclical it follows
  cycles that repeat endlessly. The universe goes
  through patterns of creation and destruction
  which follow a rhythmic pattern that repeats
  itself over and over again.
• Reincarnation means that each person is being
  recreated. Samsara or the wheel of rebirth
  means that every soul or atman is reborn into
  another life form over and over until it is
  released from this endless cycle of life, death
  and rebirth to be finally reunited with Brahman
  (moksha).
• Karma means actions or deeds. It is the moral
  law of cause and effect.

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Hinduism Purpose of Life

• Hindu reasons for living
• Dharma a persons duties in life according to
  their caste
• Artha the pursuit of political and material
  wealth
• Kama the pursuit of artistic, recreational, and
  sensual pleasure
• Moksha the pursuit of liberation from the cycle
  of rebirth through the path of devotion,
• works, knowledge
• Finding out an individuals identity
• Karma the moral law of cause and effect. It
  means people are accountable for their actions.
  It is related to samsara because it determines
  the life form in which one is reborn.
• Dharma ethical duty, which in turn is
  determined by gender, caste, stage of life. It
  is the complete rule of life, the ethical duty
  based on the divine order of reality.
• Hindus seek guidance about dharma from four
  sources
• Divine revelation the sacred scriptures
• Sacred traditions as passed from generation to
  generation
• Example set by the wisest members of society
• Conscience

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Hinduism Purpose of Life

• Dharma ethical duty, which in turn is
  determined by gender, caste, stage of life. It
  is the complete rule of life, the ethical duty
  based on the divine order of reality. For every
  activity, there is a way of acting that conforms
  to dharma. Karma is based on dharma (the moral
  law of cause and effect based on ethical duty).
  Dharma is in turn related to social order
  gender, caste, stage of life. Eg. The dharma of
  women emphasizes obedience to men first to ones
  father, then to ones husband and finally to
  ones male children. A womans primary role is
  the welfare and wellbeing of her family. The
  dharma for men is separate.
• The four stages of Life in Hindu Society
• Ones duty or dharma is related to age
  especially for males.
• Student begins with an initiation rite at
  puberty. Includes intensive study of the Vedas.
  This stage lasts until one gets married.
• Householder a career is pursued and a family is
  raised. Women are involved in this stage.
• Forest Dweller begins with the birth of the
  first grandchild. At this stage, the man
  attempts to retreat from worldly bonds
  (isolation). A man may ask his wife to be with
  him.
• Sannyasin wondering ascetic. Individuals
  (forest dwellers) may choose to return to society
  but will attempt to remain detached from the
  activities of social life. They are engaged in
  the world but not attached to it. If a woman
  joins her husband at this stage, they live
  detached from each other.

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The Caste System

• rigidly based on heredity, one is born into a
  lifelong caste identity determined by ones karma
  from a pervious life
• one cannot move to another caste during their
  lifetime nor can they earn their way out.
• only in death can the soul (atman) be reborn
  into another form
• ones duty (dharma) is to remain faithful to
  ones inherited caste and willingly accept all of
  the required duties of that caste.
• rituals are determined by ones caste ones
  social status, occupation, eating habits, mate,
  dress and religious practices
• each caste is independent of all other castes
  they do not associate with one another
• to achieve union with Brahman, one must be
  reborn into the highest caste, Brahmins, and only
  then achieve moksha or release from the wheel of
  rebirth.
• There are four distinct classes in Hindu society
  - The Caste System. They are based on strictly
  regulated social divisions.
• Brahmin priests
• Kshatriya warriors and admin
• Vaishya producers, farmers, merchants,
  artisans
• Shudra servants and labourers
• Outcastes outside of society or untouchables.
  Gandhi renamed them Harijan Gods children.

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Hinduism Purpose of Life

• Four stages of Life
• Males Only
• Brahmancarin - Initiation at time of Puberty -
  study of the Vedas, scared scriptures
• Grihastha - Householder Stage Marriage and being
  a provider for a family (Women included at this
  stage)
• Vanaprastha Forest dweller Stage birth of
  first grandchild (women may join the man) retreat
  on a spirit quest
• Sannyasin or wandering ascetic graduating from
  the third stage and returning to society in a way
  that one does not desire earthly wants and needs,
  same goes for the woman, one who neither hates
  nor desires
• Four Goals of life
• Liberation from samsara is the only perfect form
  of salvation. Moksha is the ultimate goal of
  life.
• Each goal is in sequence when one is fulfilled
  you must move onto the next one.
• Sensual Pleasure (Pleasure or Kama), is okay as
  along as the lovers remain within the limits of
  dharma
• Material Success the desire for Artha when
  kama has been fulfilled. Material success and
  social prestige are seen as natural human
  yearnings. However, artha is only temporary.
• Harmony with Dharma it is no longer merely a
  duty done because it has to be, it becomes the
  goal in life. It gives great joy but only
  temporarily.
• The Bliss of Moksha the point of Hindus is to
  eventually seek the bliss of Moksha, to be one
  with all. It is the desire to free oneself from
  samsara or the cycle of rebirth.

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The Caste System

• rigidly based on heredity, one is born into a
  lifelong caste identity determined by ones karma
  from a pervious life
• one cannot move to another caste during their
  lifetime nor can they earn their way out.
• only in death can the soul (atman) be reborn
  into another form
• ones duty (dharma) is to remain faithful to
  ones inherited caste and willingly accept all of
  the required duties of that caste.
• rituals are determined by ones caste ones
  social status, occupation, eating habits, mate,
  dress and religious practices
• each caste is independent of all other castes
  they do not associate with one another
• to achieve union with Brahman, one must be
  reborn into the highest caste, Brahmins, and only
  then achieve moksha or release from the wheel of
  rebirth.

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Paths to Salvation
In the search for the bliss of Moksha, Hindus
embrace four possible Yogas or paths to achieve
Moksha i.e. liberation and salvation. Hinduism
believes that all people are different and
therefore provide its followers with four paths
to achieve the bliss of Moksha when the time is
right. The following four paths can be used
individually or in succession of each other they
can be used in whatever means necessary to
achieve Moksha.

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Four Paths to Salvation
The Path of Devotion Bhakti Yoga (for the
emotional) - Those who choose this path worship
a deity through selflessness. It directs
spiritual energy outward in worship of the deity
devotion to God. In Hinduism, deities reward
their devotees, and look down on them with
favour, answering their prayers. This path
allows oneself to reach liberation by focusing
ones attention on the deity and away from the
finite self. This results in the reduction of
individuality that binds the self to samsara (the
endless cycle of rebirths). The Path of Wisdom
Jnana Yoga an extremely difficult path. One
requires a guru or teacher. Followers of this
path to salvation seek an understanding of the
relationship between th Brahman and atman as well
as the nature of the universe. One gains the
insight needed to achieve salvation through
meditation (holy scriptures) and following the
gurus teachings. This path requires much
devotion to learning and meditation, practical
for those of the brahmin caste, the attainment of
knowledge over ignorance that binds the self to
samsara, within the path of knowledge the Hindu
that chooses this path must follow a particular
school of knowledge. One attempts to
differentiate and separate oneself from the
real/eternal world (Brahman) and the
unreal/temporal world (maya).

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Paths to Salvation
The Path of Action Karma Yoga Good deeds and
thoughts will lead to an accumulation of good
karma. These good deeds are done because they
are identified as morally right and ones duty.
Karma yoga focuses on the adherence to duty
(dharma) while remaining detached from the
reward. It states that one can attain Moksha
(salvation) or love of God (bhakti) by performing
their duties in an unselfish manner for the
pleasure of the Supreme. The Path of
Meditation Raja Yoga One achieves salvation
through meditation, or deep contemplation on
Brahman (the universal soul and supreme being).
Intense mediation Raja yoga is concerned
principally with the cultivation of the mind
using meditation to further one's acquaintance
with reality and finally achieve liberation.
Because it requires strict physical and spiritual
disciple, it is a very difficult path to
salvation.

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Symbolism

• Swastika
• Its name comes the Sanskrit word svasti (sv
  well asti is), meaning good fortune, luck and
  well-being. The right-hand swastika is one of the
  108 symbols of the god Vishnu as well as a symbol
  of the sun and of the sun god Surya. The symbol
  imitates in the rotation of its arms the course
  taken daily by the sun, which appears in the
  Northern Hemisphere to pass from east, then
  south, to west.

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Symbolism

• OM
• A Hindu sound considered the greatest among
  mantras. It mystically embodies the essence of
  the entire universe and it continues to hold the
  universe together. The syllable Om is composed of
  the three sounds a-u-m. and the symbol's
  threefold nature is central to its meaning. It
  represent several important triads
• the three worlds - earth, atmosphere, and heaven
• the three major Hindu gods - Brahma, Vishnu, and
  Siva
• the three sacred Vedic scriptures - Rg, Yajur,
  and Sama

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Symbolism

• Bindi
• Traditionally, the bindi is worn on the
  forehead of married Hindu women. It symbolizes
  female energy and is believed to protect women
  and their husbands. Bindis are traditionally a
  simple mark made with the paste of coloured
  sandalwood, sindoor or turmeric. The bindi is
  most commonly a red dot made with vermilion.

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Symbolism

• Tilak
• A mark made on a Hindu's forehead to indicate
  the diety they worship. The signs are worn on the
  forehead, between the eyebrows, to symbolize the
  third eye of wisdom. On a man, the tilak takes
  the form of a line or lines and usually indicates
  his sectarian affiliation. The tilak is worn
  every day by sadhus and pious householders, and
  on special occasions like weddings and religious
  rituals. A tilak is also applied by a priest
  during a visit to the temple as a sign of the
  deity's blessing

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Symbolism

• Lotus
• In Hinduism, the lotus (Sanskrit padma)
  primarily represents beauty and non-attachment.
  The lotus is rooted in the mud, but floats on the
  water without becoming wet or muddy. This
  symbolizes how one should live in the world in
  order to gain release from rebirth without
  attachment to one's surroundings.
• "One who performs his duty without attachment,
  surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord,
  is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus leaf
  is untouched by water."-- Bhagavad Gita 5.10

38
Yoga

39
Yoga
Vedanta - based on Shankaras understanding of
reality, that the basic monism in Hinduism is
All reality is essentially one Atman is
Brahman. All else is an illusion (MAYA) - the
world and all finite beings, i.e. everything you
see and touch is maya or a cosmic illusion -
individuality prevents one from seeing past maya
(the cosmic illusions) that surrounds us - the
school of Vedanta is studied to attain the
knowledge to see through and passed the cosmic
illusion, and individuality, so one may return to
Brahmin, the ocean.

40
Yoga
Yoga deals with the self and the make up of the
human body. Its objective is to release the self
from the confines of the human body, basically to
come to the realization that the human body is
the prison of the self. Yoga is its escape. The
8 steps to Yoga 1. Moral preparation by
abstaining from 5 acts Harming living
things Lying Stealing Acting unchastely Being
greedy 2. Moral preparation by observing 5
virtues Cleanliness Calmness Self-control Studiou
sness Prayerfulness

41
Yoga

• Yoga deals with the self and the make up of the
  human body. Its objective is to release the self
  from the confines of the human body, basically to
  come to the realization that the human body is
  the prison of the self. Yoga is its escape
• The 8 steps to Yoga continued
• Sitting in a number of different postures that
  promote comfort while discouraging
  drowsiness. There are 84 to choose from.
• Proper breathing to create a stable rhythmic
  pattern within the body.
• Closing the doors of perception not allowing
  the senses to be in contact with any objects
• Emptying the mind of though by only concentrating
  on one thing
• Meditation to bring about Samadhi
• The final step is reaching Samadhi - a trance
  like state in which self-consciousness is lost,
  and the mind is absorbed into the ultimate
  reality, in Samadhi the knower becomes that which
  is known. By achieving Samadhi the Yogi, can be
  transformed and reach liberation.

42
Yoga

• Sankhya Unlike Hinduisms predominant monism
  (the belief that all reality is essentially one),
  this school of thought asserts that reality is
  composed of two distinct categories matter and
  an infinite number of eternal selves. Its is
  said the for some reason, eternal selves become
  entwined with matter and therefore become bound
  to the world of samsara. As in Yoga, the basic
  goal of Sankhya is to separate the self from the
  matter, to separate the eternal self from the
  bondage of personality.

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Aspects of Daily Devotion

• Village rituals and worship at local temples with
  ceremonies led by a priest Shrines in the home
  honouring favourite deity
• Sacred fires are kept
• Ritual bathing pilgrims take ritual baths for
  purification and scatter the ashes of the dead in
  the river Ganges.
• On shrines there are clay figures that can be
  seen as being idol worship Village, school
  festival celebrations occur towards deities
• Pilgrimages to holy places or to the site of a
  great festival Eg. The Ganges River which is
  sacred water to purify all sins.
• Involve pilgrimages to places or things in nature
• Cow veneration the cow represents life
• Ex. Gandhi referred to the protection of cows as
  the central fact of Hinduism
• Festivals and Temples
• the Hindus go to worship in a place called the
  Mandir
• the two major festivals are known as
• Divali festival of lights in the autumn
• Holi the festival of colours which takes place
  in the spring

44
Hinduism Today

• Religious Leaders
• Brahmins
• Upanishads
• Sannyasins
• Mohandas K. Gandhi, a.k.a. Mahatma
• Religion meets Secularization
• The Casts System discrimination
• Women in the Hindu System sati
• Hindus and Muslims
• Been in contact since the 8th century
• 1947 the division of India into India and
  Pakistan Hindus and Muslims
• 1992 a Mosque stood on the birthplace of an
  Avatar named Rama, this lead to blood shed as 300
  000 Hindus stormed the Mosque