HINDUISM: OVERVIEWJames Santucci

Department of Comparative ReligionCalifornia State University

Fullerton, CA

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

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.

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.

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-

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

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)

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.

• The means to “liberation” or “salvation” is knowledge (jna-)

• How knowledge is interpreted is based upon an analysis of the Upaniad-s.

Salvationism

• 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

• 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)

• 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

• 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

• That which is “not soul” consists of:– Matter (pudgala)– Space (ka)– Motion (dharma)– Rest (adharma)– Time (kla)

Jainism: Ajva

• 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

• 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

• 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

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.

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)

• 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

• 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

• Progress toward liberation is not affected by– human effort – divine grace

The jvika Movement (2)

The jvika Movement (3)

• Moral conduct and asceticism indicate the level of evolution;

• These two do not affect the process of evolution