7 dimensions of Hinduism

1
7 dimensions of Hinduism

• Karma and Samsara
• Transmigration
• Moksha

2
Aryan-Greek/Roman Polytheism

• Aryan
• Henotheistic
• One of many Gods is raised to highest rank
• Mother goddess and fertility ideas
• Law of Karma-reincarnation
• Brahman-unitary principle of the universe
• Atman-inner life or soul
• Brahmin-Vishnu-ShivaTrinity have consorts

• Greek-Roman
• Polytheism of many gods/goddesses
• One life
• Appeasement of Gods/goddesses

3
Principles in the world

• Karma-action or deeds
• Dharma- ethical rules of right conduct
• Samsara-wheel of rebirth
• Moksha-liberation from this rebirth

4
Society

• Caste system
• Brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, shudra
• Priest, warriors and admin., producers, laborers
  and servants
• 4 stages of life
• Student, householder, forest dweller, sannyasin
• 4 goals of life
• Kama, sensual pleasure artha, material success
• Dharma, right conduct moksha, liberation
• 3 paths to liberation
• Karma marga-works, right conduct
• Jnana Marga-knowledge, Vedanta, Sankhya, Yoga
• Bhakti Marga-devotion, rituals, pilgrimages,
  sacred cows

5
3 paths of liberation

• Karma Marga
• Right conduct according to Dharma
• Jnana Marga
• Vedanta, maya-cosmic illusion, monism
• Sankhya, matter and many selfs-free from bondage
  of personality
• Yoga, physical and psychological way, 8 steps,
  get to samadhi-transcendent state
• Bhakti Marga
• Gods and goddesses, pilgrimages, cow veneration

6
Periods of Hindu Historical development

• Indus Valley Civilization 3-2 BCE
• Aryan invasions, incorporated into India
• A Vedic Age 2-1 BCE
• Vedas intuited by Brahmin, Sanskrit, oral
  tradition
• Agni-fire, life maintaining
• Soma-plant, life transcending
• Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Arthaveda
• Rigveda, hymnal to all the deities
• Yajurveda manual of sacrifices and mantras
• Samaveda index to melodies of SOMA sacrifices
• Athaveda domestic rituals and religious concerns
  of popular culture

7
Epic Age

• Verse Dramas-smriti, traditions
• Mahabharata
• Ramayana
• Dharma Sutras, instructions on proper conduct
• Dharma Shastras, laws of conduct
• Code of Manu-series of laws
• Beginning of Classical Hinduism codification of
  beliefs
• 3 debts Gods, Ancestors, and
• Puranas-collections of old stories
• Dharma, samsara, karma, and moksha
• Shakti-feminine cosmic energy
• Bhakta-yogin ways, ritual ways of 5 Ms

8
Upanishads

• Gave all Hindus ability to perform household
  rituals
• World of rituals
• Atman-Brahman understanding emerges
• Samsara-distinction of separation is illusion,
  continue to transmigration until TRUTH
  understood-Moksha, release follows.
• Bhagavad Gita first of these texts

9
Purusha

• Cosmic Body of Purusha
• Gods self sacrifice brings world into being.
• Life body of social body
• Humanity reflects this in our life
• Cosmic Body
• All are one, and will be reunited as one
• Monism-all is ultimately one

10
Gods and Goddesses

• Shiva-god of dance
• Vishnu-great deity
• Avatars-decents of Vishnu
• Krishna, Rama, Narasimha
• Devi-goddess
• Durga, Kali, Parvati