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59 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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East =
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India
Asia China |
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Indian Philosophy:
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most sophisticated form of religious rationalization
God and soul are directly known things capable of all of humanity to experience |
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A soul =
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immortality
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key difference in thought between east and west
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east = immediate perception
west= abstract reasoning |
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easts look on evil =
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evil simply exists..deal with it!
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Asian/Indian religion focuses on...
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psychology of consciousness
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Ultimate Consciousness must pass two tests:
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1) Must be beyond ordinary perception/truths and yet understandable
2)The revealed truth must not contradict other truths |
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Indian Philosophy is often critiqued as..... by western philosophers:
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passive and pessimistic (since they accept evil)
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Indian Philosophy seeks a remedy for...
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the ills of life through release
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MOKSHA:
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the supreme aspiration of Indian philosophy. The liberation from all life itself
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Psychology in indian religion =
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about the "thinking self"
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Indian ethics =
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both the outer life (others) as well as inner life (one's self)
really one should seek to rise above mere ethics or moral codes. think have i done right BEFORE the act. |
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Indian philosophy not just a way to think but...
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a way of life, a path to the truth
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SAMSARA=
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the cycle of rebirths
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ATMAN=
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eternal soul
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KARMA=
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your actions that affect what you come back as.
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samsara forms =
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divinity, titan, human, ghost, animal, hell
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Many different paths to obtain MOKSHA =
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absence of all ignorance, freedom from rebirth
ATMAN is united with God can be obtained during life or moment of death selfish desire disappear disappearance of existence |
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don't think of existence as...
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a chronological time line
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Hindu born in..
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south Asia
original word = sindus (sanskrit) muslims and british changed it to HINDU for indus river valley |
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How many people today practice Hinduism=
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800 million people
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___ is the heart of Hinduism
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India
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besides India, what is the other Hindu state?
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Nepal
Pakistan and Bangladesh also have followers |
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Why does Hinduism seem paradoxical?
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330 million possible deities, but there is one God
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BRAHMAN =
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one reality
everything returns back to it it is everywhere! |
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History or of Hinduism =
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Aryans, indo-european invaders - invaded Indus river valley in 1700 BCE. very crude, but brought with them sanskrit texts = VEDAS
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The VEDAS =
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'knowledge'
group of texts aryans brought with them contains hymns or prayer and praises believed to be divine and existed before creation |
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esposito notes that early vedic religion was linked to...
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fire sacrifices via priests called BRAHMINS.
'TAPAS' - heat was a central principle. |
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Three kinds of Vedic Gods:
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1) Celestial (planets)
2) Terrestrial (earth) 3) Atmospheric (thunder) |
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central text of the Vedas =
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Rig Veda = "big veda"
represents development and order for the many gods over the centuries introduced Indian culture |
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Development the Rig Veda introduced =
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from..naturalistic polytheism (many gods in human form)
tp..monothesim = Varuna as chief god to...monism = god is abstract principle:brahman. |
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from 600s to 800s =
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600s monism =abstract
800s wisdom and knowledge are important and goal was now escape from ignorance and desire Brahman. Asceticism now introduced |
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Upanishads
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"sit up close to the feet" represents religious change in philosophy when Hinduism now becoming a religion
- last of vedic era texts - self reflection |
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After 500s...
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investigation of self now leads to focus on personal experience - YOGA which is a legit path to moksha.
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about 500-700 years ago
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karma, samsara and moksha first being discussed and atman=soul ego conciousness
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Hinduism has been on the scene for -
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4500 years
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Social Castes
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distinguishes hinduism from all other religions, developed around Upanishads
1)priests 2) warriors (gov, politics, rulers) 3) merchants (business ppl) 4) servants (manual labor) 5) untouchables (throwaways) |
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First three classes (priests, warriors and merchants) considered....
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twice born, had access to vedas, only educated ones
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religious justification for humans not being equal in hinduism =
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every soul must progress through samsara, so we all go through castes.
individual freedom sacrificed for harmony. |
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The Four Stages of Life:
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apply to the three top social castes, males only.
1)Student - age of 8 2) Householder - marriage 3) Forest Dweller - 'go gray, run away' 4) Asceteic |
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stage of life: student to age 8=
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rigorous training with teacher
treated equally regardless of social castes expected to beg for your own food. |
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stage of life: householder - marriage =
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for proper living must know all rules, 3 Ideals for social living in household:
1)religious duties 2) accumulation of wealth 3)pleasure |
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stage of life: Forest dweller - 'go gray run away'
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having grandchildren
time for extended retreat from society for reflection |
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stage of life: Ascetic
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when you're ready you go off alone and devote yourself to religious study
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DHARMA =
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"what men ought to do" in social castes, goal is moksha via karma
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4 Aims of Life =
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1) Dharma = do what is appropriate
2) Artha= material stuff (but don't get obsessed) 3) Kama = passion (sex life career) 4) Moksha = ultimate, begotten by action and wisdom |
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Wisdom Meditation - Yoga
another path to moksha |
attempt to unify and focus for the purpose of realizing true spiritual essence.
uniquely Indian not Aryan burns up bad Karma bridges gap between atman and brahman focus on higher consciousness |
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Karma
another path to moksha |
action
managing karma through proper ethical action |
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Bhakti
another path to moksha |
devotion
"communion" or "sharing" Bhagavad Gita = instrumental text in practicing bhakti -ceremonial offerings |
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Esposito notes on the Gita:
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"the Gita states salvation is possible only through dedicating all karma to Krishna.
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Krishna =
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god involved in bhakti
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Trimurti =
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three forms:
Brahma (creator) Shiva (destroyer) Vishnu (preserver) |
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Most popular god of all =
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Ganesh = the remover of obstacles. new ventures require a prayer or gift to him
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Cosmology:
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when the world ends, no final judgment
amidst clouds and rain, the cosmos will be absorbed into vishnu. |
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Worship
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cows = symbol of life
food represents emotion, very meaningful prayer done in home shrines |
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Duwali
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most famous festival
"festival of lights" |
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Role of women =
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-contradictory in Hindu literature
-fidelity breed power miracle and authority. |
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Widows were considered:
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a bad omen, some jumped on funeral pyers, but this was banned in 1829
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Tij
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Hindu festival for women in remembrance of a God who wanted to marry shiva.
gives hope to single women and hope for long marriae |
