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HINDUISM: OVERVIEWJames Santucci
Department of Comparative ReligionCalifornia State University
Fullerton, CA
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HINDUISM: Five Major Developments
• Shift from ritualism to salvationism
• Introduction of devotionalism
• Hindu orthodox resurgence with the rise of akara and Vednta at the expense of Buddhism
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HINDUISM: Five Major Developments (2)
• Hindu Bhakti and Muslim f movements developing as bridges between Hinduism and Islam
• Influence of the West, the Indian response to the West and the resultant rise of Neo-Hinduism.
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Ritualism:The Earliest Manifestation of Hinduism
• This phase, which developed with the ryan migrants into India (1600 BCE), led to their greatest contribution: the Word as embodied in the sacred composition called the VEDA.
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Vedic Religion: Characteristics
• A form of polytheism in which many (primarily male) divinities were often worshipped in the form of “henotheism”
• Ritual action the primary means of religious activity. This is commonly known as karman-
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The Early Veda (1800- 800 BCE)
• This series of compositions is primarily composed of metrical hymns and chants to the divinities and other forces
• It is also composed of ritual texts
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Vedism or Brhmaism
• Early Hinduism may also be identified as the “Pre-Hindu” Religion
• It is also called “Vedism” after the compositions of that name (VEDA) or “Brhmaism” after the priests who performed ritual activity (brhmaa-s)
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Shift from Ritualism to Salvationism (800 - 900 BCE)
• A shift from an emphasis on the purely mechanical performance to more speculative and symbolic interpretations of the ritual appearing in the Brhmaa-s and rayaka-s
• This reinterpretation of ritual and mythology in terms of the macrocosm and microcosm in the Upaniad-s.
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• The means to “liberation” or “salvation” is knowledge (jna-)
• How knowledge is interpreted is based upon an analysis of the Upaniad-s.
Salvationism
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• The shift of emphasis from ritual action (karman-) to the performer of that action (tman-)
• The shift to an epistemological emphasis from the earlier ritual emphasis
• Emphasis on the attainment of “the Other World” rather than “This World”
The First Shift: Summary
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• The shift from the Way of Ritual Action (karma-mrga-) to the Way of Knowledge (or Gnosis: jna-mrga-) is embodied in the Vedic Upaniads and such early non- or anti-Vedic religio-philosophical movements as Jainism, jvikism, and Buddhism.
First Shift (2)
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• Origins may go back as far as 800 BCE to Prvantha, and, according to the Jains, to abhadeva (or abhantha).
• Vardhamana Mahvra (598-527 BCE) is the other main character in Jainism who either founded the movement or reformed it.
Jainism
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• An individual consists of soul (jva) enmeshed in matter (karma-pudgala)
• A duality is assumed by Jains to make up reality:– Jva– ajva
Jainism: Teachings
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• That which is “not soul” consists of:– Matter (pudgala)– Space (ka)– Motion (dharma)– Rest (adharma)– Time (kla)
Jainism: Ajva
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• Jva-s essence is consciousness, power, and bliss—qualities that are potentially infinite in each jva but are limited by the material body (karma-pudgala).
• Jva-s are multiple, finite, and formless
• No Creator since Jains assume that jva-s and ajva-s are eternal
Jainism: Jva
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• In its pure state, the jva is omniscient and mirrors the whole universe.
• Its omniscience is clouded and limited by layers of matter over it.
• This matter is increased by every thought, word, or action: in short, by Karma.
Jainism: Jva
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• Liberation involves getting rid of karma by stopping its influx and by eliminating the already acquired actions.
• The more the jva-s are free from the body, the more capable they can display their qualities.
Jainism: Liberation
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Jainism: Spiritual Development
• Spiritual development comes through a number of stages in which knowledge (jna) is developed to its highest degree:
= Kevala ‘isolation’
This ‘isolation’ is accompanied by freedom from knowledge obstructing karma-s.
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Process Leading to Liberation
• YOGA: referring to both physical and meditative discipline consisting of – the knowledge of reality as it is (jna);– faith (raddh) in the teachings of the great
teachers (trthakara-s);– cessation of performing “bad” action (critva)
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• Human action is important in Jainism, so ethics plays a larger role because of its role in helping to achieve liberation
• Finest expression of this is the practice of non-violence (ahis) to others (both psychologically and physically).
Ethical Action
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• Contemporary with the rise of Buddhism, this movement referred to the disciplinary system of Makkali Gisela (d. 493 BCE)
• The jvikas were fatalistic or deterministic in the strict sense.
• All was based upon ‘fate’ (niyati-)
The jvika Movement
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• Progress toward liberation is not affected by– human effort – divine grace
The jvika Movement (2)
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The jvika Movement (3)
• Moral conduct and asceticism indicate the level of evolution;
• These two do not affect the process of evolution