HINDUISM

If you require additional information or links please click on any of the words which have been underlined and this will take you to additional resources. Brahma creating the sound of OM at the beginning of the world Click on any of the underlined to take you straight to that part of the document, Size & Location, Origins, Holy Texts, What does a Hindu believe, Practices, The Gods, Worship, The Organisation INTRODUCTION Hinduism is a name that Westerners gave to the part of the Indian sub-continent. It was therefore defined by geography (and then came to represent to the West a set of traditions, beliefs and practices). The Hindu way of life, is more often called by Hindus ‘Sanatana Dharma’ (the eternal way of life). SIZE AND LOCATION This is the largest religion in Asia and the world's third largest, in terms of numbers of followers with approximately 806 million worldwide. About 400,000 – 555,000 followers are based in the UK. These tend to be descendants of Hindu immigrants. It is the main religion of India, where it began. From there it spread, about 1000 years ago, east along the trade routes to other lands. In some places other religions later became more important In others, like Sri Lanka and Malaysia, it is still the main religion. Back to top ORIGINS Hinduism has no single founder, no central authority or fixed creed. It is the world's oldest existing religion. Some aspects of Hinduism (such as the worship of natural forms e.g. rivers as gods) can be traced back 3,500 years to the peoples who moved into India from central Asia. By 400 BC Hinduism had developed most of its present features. However since then, there have been important changes in its beliefs and practices. Back to top HOLY TEXTS Hinduism has no one statement of beliefs (a creed.) A number of texts are however sacred. The basis of Hindu philosophy is found in the four Vedas. These are a collection of hymns, which had been passed on orally up until 1200BCE which is when the Vedas began to be written although they took hundreds of years to complete. The Rg Veda is the earliest and holiest (about 800BC). The Upanishads (about 600BC.) These consider the nature of the individual soul (Atman) and the universal soul (Brahman.) One of the Upanishads contains the earliest reference to the reincarnation of the soul in different bodies (transmigration) of the soul. The Mahabharata is an epic poem. It tells the story of a war between two branches of a family. The Bhagavad-Gita forms part of this and means "The Song of God." In it Vishnu relates his philosophy through Krishna. Krishna has come down in human form to the earth to help; he is an avartar of Vishnu i.e.. At the end of the Gita, Arjuna, who Krishna is talking to about his duty realises that he is Vishnu. This sets out rules for daily life that are still major sources of reference for Hindus today. One of the most famous Hindu epics is the Ramayana. This was probably based on the Mahabharata. It tells the story of the god Rama's battle with Ravana( the demon King.) One reason why it is so respected can be found in the introduction. This states: " He who reads and repeats this holy life giving Ramayana is liberated from all his sins and exalted with all his posterity to the highest heaven " Other important sacred books – Smriti (‘tradition) are the Laws of Manu (250 BC) and the Puranas (ancient tales) written at about the same time. Hindus revere all these works, as expressions of a shared belief, but do not follow all of the practices to which they refer, such as animal and even human sacrifice. Back to top WHAT DOES A HINDU BELIEVE? Despite the fact that Hinduism is not one belief or practice there are common ideas that run through it. Reincarnation One feature is a belief in reincarnation- the transmigration (the movement of the soul from one body to another ) of the soul( samsara.) A person's soul lives on and on through a continuous cycle of birth death and rebirth. This belief in the rebirth of the soul may have encouraged the further doctrine of non injury/violence (ahimsa.) If you thought that your life continued beyond the present one you might consider very carefully the warning contained in an inscription that reads that anyone who interfered with certain rights would: " suffer rebirth for 8,000 years as a worm in dung" A way of life not a theory. S. Radhakrishnan( a former President of India and a philosopher) said that for a Hindu, religion: "is not an idea but a power , not an intellectual proposition but a life conviction. Religion is consciousness of ultimate reality not a theory about God. " For many Hindus there are four goals in human life (purusharthas); 1 Moksha This is the ultimate goal. It means the release of the soul from the cycle of rebirth. The individual soul (Atman) unites with Brahman the universal soul. There are different ways to Moksha. There is the spiritual. This involves acquiring spiritual knowledge through yoga and meditation. The second way is by devotion to god and the third is by working selflessly for the good of society. 2 Dharma This is the code for leading one's life. What one's duties are depends on ones age and position. Respect for elders is considered important and many consider marriage as a son's religious duty. This requires three sorts of order/ harmony. One at a spiritual level with the universe. A second that requires order/ harmony in society and revolves around the caste system and a third which requires order/harmony of the individual by obedience to a moral code. The 10 embodiments of Dharma are listed in the Mahabharata. 3 Artha This is the pursuit of material gain by lawful means. 4 Karma This is a sort of snakes and ladders. Through pure acts, knowledge and devotion, you can reincarnate to a higher level. The opposite achieves the contrary result. There are four different paths to achieve Moksha which a Hindu can take. The Hindu can choose one or all four of the paths they are: 1 The path of knowledge - Jnana-Yoga Spiritual knowledge -leading to the knowledge of the relationship between the soul (atman) and God (Brahman) 2 The path of meditation - Bhakti-yoga The idea is to concentrate so you can reach the real self within you and become one with Brahman 3 The Path of Devotion - Bhakti-yoga Choosing a particular god or goddess and worshipping them throughout your life in actions, words and deeds. 4 The path of good works - Karma-yoga This involves doing all your duties correctly throughout your life. Back to top PRACTICES There are three basic practices: 1 Worship This is an integral part of the faith. Offerings (puja) are usually made to representations of the gods. 2 Cremation The dead are burnt not buried 3 Compliance with the rules of the caste system The caste system is a complicated division of society into different groups. Each group has rules of conduct to be obeyed. Caste is a matter of birth. You cannot apply to become a member of another caste and a change of job won't affect it. Change can only come about by re birth and the caste into which you are born depends on the acts committed in your previous life. The caste system is known as the Varnas, there are four varnas and they consist of: · Brahmins – the priests and intelligentsia · Kshatriyas – the administrators and military · Vaishyas – shop keepers, traders, farmers · Sudras – labourers and service workers Another group known as the ‘untouchables’ were below the other four groups. They would do all the dirtiest jobs. The Hindu leader Mahatma Gandhi in the early part of the 20th century worked tirelessly to try and integrate them into Hindu society. He called them ‘Harijans’ – the children of God. They preferred to be known now as Dalit – oppressed. The Varnas are then broken down into Jatis which are subsections of the main Varna such as: · Rarhi Brahmins - traditionally priests · Baidyas – traditionally doctors · Patidars – traditionally traders Elaborate taboos evolved around everyday matters such as diet or travel. It was once the case that if a high caste Brahmin worshipped at the same temple as a Dalit he would have to go through various rituals afterwards, to cleanse himself. Many of these rules disappeared after Indian Independence as the government sought to remove discrimination on the basis of caste. Now it is impossible to tell caste by a person's occupation. A poor peasant may well be from the Brahmin caste. It remains however an important aspect of the social culture. Many marriage arrangements are dictated by caste rules. Back to top THE GODS For many, but not all Hindus their religion is monotheistic.( They believe in one God only.) They believe in one ultimate truth that encompasses all reality ( Brahman.) At first glance it seems hard to reconcile this belief with the Knowledge that there are said to be as many as 330,000,000 Hindu gods and demons. This apparent contradiction can be explained on the basis that they are all manifestations of Brahman, the creative force. In early texts Brahman (the elemental creative spirit) was impersonal. It was not a god but something beyond god, it was " the unproduced producer of all that exists." No image of Brahman exists, as it has no form. It is an eternal presence. Reference to Brahma (the masculine of the neuter Brahman), (a manifestation of Brahman) as the creator god, started to appear later. By the 4th /5th century AD Brahma was one of a trinity of gods (the three gods are known as the Trimurti), in one of the creation myths Brahma emerges from a lotus flower which Vishnu is holding whilst resting on the back of the cosmic serpent in the primeval waters. The Trimurti is represented by Brahma (the creator) Vishnu (the preserver) and Shiva (the destroyer). They comprise the three main physical representations of Brahman, who together are all powerful. Brahma is the creator god. Images tend to show him with 4 heads and 4 arms. In these he holds a variety of objects. These usually include a drinking pot, a sceptre and the Vedas. Vishnu is the preserver. He protects what is good in the world, and appears whenever evil threatens to overwhelm it. He is shown wearing a high crown and smiling. His symbols are the conch, the lotus, the club and the discus. He has already had 9 incarnations and is expected to have another on the final destruction of this world. His incarnations have taken animal and human form. As a human he was incarnated as Rama and Krishna (and also as the Buddha). Shiva is the destroyer but as, in Hinduism, there can be no rebirth without death he is also the creator. Images show him with 1 or 5 faces, sometimes with a third eye and with 4 arms. These may hold his symbols of fire, a drum, a horn, and a trident or take up positions of action or protection. Often an arch of flame surrounds him (a common image is the dancing Shiva. He is also often represented by the lingam, a phallus. A follower of Vishnu is a Vaishnavite and a follower of Shiva is a Shaivite. Numerically Vaishnavites form the largest sect. The gods appear in different forms male, female, animal such as Ganesha the Elephant god. Other popular gods are Indra (god of rain), Chandra (moon god), Yama (god of death), Surya (sun god), Lakshmi (goddess of wealth), Hanuman (the devotee of Rama), Sarasvati (goddess of learning). The gods are important as they are regarded as channels through which the godhead can work . They provide an opportunity for darshan. This means the sight of the god, but also the insight that can be obtained through worship. Back to top WORSHIP Purpose This is often a normal part of daily life designed to meet daily needs e.g. requests for good health. It may also precede important events. Before new buildings are opened or new enterprises begun puja (ritual worship) is usually made to Ganesha (the elephant god) the bringer of prosperity and the clearer of obstacles. Places of worship Hindu Temples (Mandhirs), which are dedicated to different gods, are the focus of religious life. There is neither however any strong tradition of communal worship nor any obligation to worship in a Temple. There are simple shrines in streets and villages and most Hindu homes have their own where they undertake Puja at home, they will make offerings to their chosen god in the morning and the evening as a minimum. The shrine may be no more than a corner of a room, with a picture or statue of one or more gods. There is no obligation on a Hindu to go on pilgrimage, but many do. There are many places sacred to Hindus. These cover mountains, rivers and towns. Many Hindus try to bathe in the River Ganges, as it is said to wash away sins. Seven cities are considered particularly holy. These are known as tirthas. They are centres of pilgrimage. They include Ayodha, the birthplace of Rama, and Varanasi. They are looked upon as good places to die plus to be cremated as they are believed to link the world of earthly suffering to the divine plane. Forms of worship Any Hindu can worship but a priest normally carries out the more important acts. Worship may take several forms such as meditation, performing yoga (exercises aimed at controlling mind and body), reading holy texts or use of prayer beads Alternatively Puja may be performed. This must comply with forms laid down in holy texts (e.g. the Shastras and Agamas). Usually it involves an offering to the image of a god. It usually commences with the purification of the shrine. This is done by singing hymns and mantras (sacred psalms or words or phrases designed to aid concentration. These include the "om " creation symbol. The god is then awoken by the use of cymbals or bells. Rituals, which follow those of daily or yearly life cycles, may then be carried out. These can include washing or dressing the image. Finally gifts of money food or flowers are given and silent prayers offered. If performed in a Temple the Priest will mark the worshipper's forehead with red paste (a tika) as a sign of blessing. At the end of the ceremony the food which has been offered to the god is given out to those attending, this is called Prasad (Holy food). In special cases worship may include a procession. Each Temple will have a special festival. Festivals can range from simple village affairs to those that draw millions. There are also ceremonies that mark important life events. Back to top ORGANISATION Hinduism has no one organisation with the ability to define belief and dictate practice. Widely respected spiritual leaders and philosophers have however developed despite the lack of formal structure. Hindu life is structured so that people understand their personal and social roles, the four ASHRAMAS are seen as the ideal stages of life which a person should go through – it is not lived exactly as listed but they remain a powerful influence still today on a Hindu’s life – they are: · Brahmacharin – Student stage · Grihastha – Householder stage · Vanaprastha – Retiring / Retreating from society · Sannyasin – Holy man no ties with society SAMSKARAS - The Hindu Rites of Passage For Hindus they represent the important stages in a person's development. There are 16 samskaras and they are found in the law books of Manu (one of the Hindus sacred books). The 16 stages are: 1. Conception of a child 2. Special rituals performed during pregnancy 3. Special rituals performed during pregnancy 4. Birth ceremony 5. Naming ceremony 6. Child’s first outing at 4 months 7. Child’s first solid food 8. Child’s first haircut (1-3 years old) 9. Child’s ear pierced 10. Sacred thread ceremony 11. Start of formal education 12. Graduation from studies 13. Marriage 14. Retirement at around 60 15. Withdrawing from worldly concerns at around 75 to become a Sanyasa – Holy man. 16. Death rites