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61 Cards in this Set

  • Front
  • Back
Dravidian/Indus River Valley Culture
•One of the four places of early human civilization, which means they had writing
• Twin capitals are Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
o Walled cities with 35,000 to 45,000 people
o No religious edifices, but proto-shiva meditating clay figures
• Evidence of violent destruction (possibly by Aryans) around 1500 BCE
Aryans
• "People of noble birth"
• Replaced Dravidians in Indus River Valley
• Excellent nomadic warriors—male dominated, militaristic culture
o Nomadic religion was similar to Persian mythology, but with opposite gods and demons
• Religious texts were Vedas
• Viewed themselves as at the mercy of gods
Vedas/Aryan Religion
• Vedas (wisdom) revealed to the priests by gods
• Priests had to perfectly memorize them, as not to anger gods
• Most important were the Rig Vedas, meant to placate the gods
•Aryans would have fire ceremonies, where a priest would carefully sing the Rig Veda and make sacrifices to placate the gods.
• Agni was the fire god, transported sacrifices to gods
• Indra was the god that was the self projection of the Aryans; loved to eat, drink, and fight
o Varuna – closest thing to a central deity, made sure everything worked as it should, people apologized to him when they fucked up
o Gods divided into spheres:
• Celestial – planets, sun, stars
• Atmospheric gods – wind, sky, thunder
• Terrestrial – mountains, rivers, fire
• Rituals were henotheistic, only one god worshipped at a time
• Goal in life was to be wealthy, have kids, and go to heaven for as long as possible
Progression of Aryan Religion
o Gods are all important→ Rituals placating the gods become all important → Priests performing the rituals become more important
o The ritual is about the actions, not intention→the knowledge and understanding of the ritual is more important→outward ritual not important, what goes on in inner state of mind important (meditation)
• Some priests gave up on rituals and money, focusing only on meditation
Upanishads
• Last of the Vedic texts, from 900 to 400 BCE; Literally means “to sit at the feet of the teaching master”
• Not a ritual text, rather a wisdom
o There is a transfer of focus from the gods to meditation, with controlled breathing
Moksha (Upanishad)
Liberation, the primary religious goal Goal is to understand that Atman=Brahman and feel the spiritual bond between everyone and everything.
•Don’t worship a divine being, but recognize it in ourselves and ourselves as part of it
Atman (Upanishad)
The immortal, true self. Deep philosophical and religious connection. Similar to a soul.
Brahman (Upanishad)
The ultimate reality underlying everything, the spiritual energy of the universe.
Caste System
• Varna (color)
o Subordination based on race
o 4 Castes (various subcastes)
• Brahmin – highest, priestly caste
• All justifiable in terms of Karma and reincarnation
Advaita Vendanta
• Literally (non-duality) + (end of the Vedas)
• Shankara (788-820) founded and systemized it
o Son of a guru; child prodigy, wrote commentaries on the Upanishads at age 12
• Attempts to organize the Vedas into a coherent belief system
• All of reality is one thing, it is non-dual
o There is only Brahman and you are only a part of it, to be aware of it is pure bliss.
• Meditation and study to reach it
Two Forms of Brahman (Advaita Vedanta)
Nirguna - Brahman without characteristics, pure reality
Saguna - Brahman with the characteristics projected onto it by humans, the only one we can understand now
Three Characteristics Projected onto Saguna Brahman
o Sat – pure being
o Cit – pure consciousness
o Ananda – pure bliss
Three Levels of Being (Advaita Vedanta)
o Being itself – Brahman
o Appearance
• Symbolic – individual thing with a symbolic power to the underlying
• Ordinary – the way things appear to us in everyday life
• Illusory – things we think exist, but quickly realize do not
o Unreality – that which can’t exist, like a 4-sided triangle
o Sublate – going up the levels, ultimately everything we see is an illusion, we move up levels to experience Brahman
Maya
• Maya is the relationship between reality and Brahman
o The failure to realize the oneness of reality is due to Maya
o We superimpose our own views on reality
Atman
The true, ultimate self
o When you realize that Atman=Brahman, you achieve Moksha and are liberated from the Jiva.
Jiva
The individual, finite, embodied self that takes part in the world as we know it
Karma and Reincarnation (Advaita Vedanta)
o Under Advaita Vendata are ultimately an illusion, because it requires an individual, where as there is only the cosmos-wide, inclusive Brahman
Jivanmukti
Person liberated from Jiva. Has acheived moksha.
Yogas
Ways to reach enlightenment
Jnana Yoga
• Way to liberation is through understanding
• Most direct route to liberation
• Goal=destroy ignorance/illusion, see directly to Atman
Bhakti Yoga
Devotional
• Personal relationship to a deity, submit to will of god
• Focus=love, must love and submit to god
Karma Yoga
• Life is work, do every aspect of your life in a liberating way
• Discipline of action - Do the right thing with no thought of reward. Devotion to god/kindness to others is motivation.
• Do dharma (duty) with perfection
Raja Yoga
• Introspective, use of meditation to achieve enlightenment
• Direct awareness of the divine within ourselves
Bhagavad-Gita
Review summary
1st Synthesis of religion and philosophy
Cult of Krishna (from Bhagavad-Gita)
o He is the ultimate deity; if you see/know this and devote yourself to him, you go to “heaven” aren’t reborn
• Krishna worship is most important (devotional/Bhakti)
• Other deities are ok to worship, but they are only a part of Krishna – only one real God
• Only devotion can bring you closer to Krishna
• Since Krishna is everything, recognize it and devote you self to him in all your actions
• Krishna will give you the strength to worship and act with devotion
• Krishna is everything at once
Triad of Gods (from Bhagavad-Gita)
o Shiva – the second most worshipped god, god of death and destruction.
o Bhrama – creator god
o Vishnu – the preserver god
• Abstract, no form, not visible
• Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, the visible embodiment of Vishnu
Bhakti Theism
•Basics: devotional, includes faith, love, and surrender to a deity
o Theistic religion
o Idea of Bhakti: Jiva is trapped in maya, only through devotion to a deity can one escape, normally with the help of a guru and love
o Prayer is central
Shiva Bhakti
Shaivites
 Fierce, inspires fear
 Rhythm of Shiva’s dance supports the universe
 Strong ascetics
Krishna Bahkti
Vaishnavites
• Much more loving than Shiva Bahkti, Krishna is adult, god-like being, avatar who teaches
o Vishnu Purana – Childhood of Krishna; must take on evil king
• Radha is his consort
5 Ways to Worship Krishna
All involve discipline/devotion
• Standard deity – like in Bhagavad-Gita
• As a baby – meant for parents
• Servant of Krishna – to as Krishna commands
• Friend – Confidant, boys hung out with him
• Lover and beloved – similar to nuns
Lower Bahkti
Devotion to a deity retains an ulterior motive (you need something)
Higher Bahkti
Full, selfless devotion to a god, out of love
Puja
o Traditionally a ritualistic feast for priests who would go to a house for ceremonies
o Now just a daily ritual for people to people to honor a deity in their house
Northern School (Monkey)
Dispensation of Grace
• Monkey carries young on back, young must hold on
• God will save you, but you have to take initiative
Southern School (Cat)
Dispensation of Grace
• Cat carries young in mouth
• Total grace of god, god will save you, but nothing you can do
Modern Hinduism
Began with British Empire in India, provoked Hindu Renaissance among those who didn't like British Rule
Ramakrishna
o Regarded as saint as a young man, tried many different religions
• Found all religions to be different paths up the same mountain, though Hinduism is unique because it can recognize this
o Vivekanda – Western educated disciple of Ramakrishna
• In a Chicago religious convention, he was the focus
Theosophical Society
Western Association of aristocrats who were impressed by Vivekanda and wanted to convert to Hinduism
Gandhi
Born 1869, died 1948
Swaraj
• Self rule, both in the sense of independence of India, and ruling the self/discipline
• Must renounce all forms of violence and self seeking
• Complete self-restraint
Ahimsa
Non-violence – not only non-injury, but a state of universal love. Don’t even think harm to your enemies.
Satyagraha
(truth force) show people the power of truth, philosophy of non-violent resistance
• Relentless quest for the truth
• Goal of Satyagraha is moshka, a liberated society, not only from the british, but from desire, anger, etc.
Mohammed
Founder of Islam, born in Mecca
Night of Prayer and Excellence
o Goes out to pray often; goes to cave, and after the night of prayer and excellence, results in vision of Gabriel
• Religious visions, feels he must preach new religion
Major Concepts of Islam
o Monotheism, no worship of idols, more social justice, preached Allah=1 true God
• On the day of judgment, one must turn to Allah
Medina and Mecca
Mohammed and his followers go to Medina to escape persecution.
Mohammed solved religious conflict there, brings everyone to ISLAM
624 - Medina fights Mecca, Medina wins, Mecca becomes religious center of Islam
Quran
Means "recitation"
o Written in Arabic, “untranslatable”, a miracle of clarity, prophetic, critique of false religion
• Mohammad illiterate, believed to be the word of God as dictated to Muhammad by the archangel Gabriel
o Chanted/recited in Mosques, no instruments
o Humans must submit to Allah and Quran, become instrument of God
• Islam means submission
o Mohammed puts together rules of Islam in Medina
o Summit of Scripture - Christian and Jewish scripture also accepted as word of God, prophets also legitimate
 Mohammad is the last of the prophets, because everything humans need to live is in the scriptures
Articles of Faith
• No god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet - Greatest sin is polytheism
• Mohammed – last and greatest messenger of Allah, God spoke through him
 No new prophets
 Supreme authority
• Angels (Gabriel) and the Devil (tempter)
• Last Judgment (Apocalyspe)
Heaven and hell, eternal
• Ethical Demands - Must live moral life: no lying, stealing, murder, etc.
5 Pillars of Faith
o Repetition of Basic Creed (No god but Allah, and Mohammad is his prophet)
o Ritual Prayer, 5 times a day
o Almsgiving – freewill offering, a “loan” to Allah to feed impoverished and maintain Mosques
o Fasting during Ramadan
o Hajj – pilgrimage to Mecca, must be done at least once
Sunnis
• Commonly described as orthodox, and differing from Shia in its understanding of the Sunna (strict Muslim law) and in its acceptance of the first three caliphs.
• Imam is only a prayer leader
• Predestination
Shities
• Followed esp. in Iran and Iraq, that rejects the first three Sunni caliphs and regards Ali, the fourth caliph, as Muhammad's first true successor
• Persecuted minority, find hidden/symbolic meaning
• Imam is infallible authority
• Free will
Muslims in India
o Moved in mostly by military conquest
o Different Islamic groups attempting to assert control over northern India
• Mughals (Muslims) and Turkish Sultans (Muslims) ruled for a long time
 Harsh rulers, oppressed Hindus because they were seen as a lesser, polytheistic faiths
Sikhism
Sikh teaching centers on spiritual liberation and social justice and harmony, though the community took on a militant aspect during early conflicts. The last guru, Gobind Singh (1666–1708), passed his authority to the scripture, the Adi Granth, and to the Khalsa, the body of initiated Sikhs.
Guru Nanak
• Funder of Sikhism in the 1400s
o Born Hindu, taught in Muslim school
o Used music for teaching, companion Mardana was a musician
o Meditated on the bottom of a lake for three days, emerged speaking Jupji, the first Sikh scriptures
Mul Mantra
Core concept within religious texts
o One god, reached by speaking the truth
o Without fear, without hate – as Sikhs should be
One Universal Creator God, The Name Is Truth, Creative Being Personified, No Fear, No Hatred, Image Of The Timeless One, Beyond Birth, Self-Existent, By Guru's Grace.
Practices
Meditate all day
Pray 5 times a day
Everyone equal, no caste system
Gurdwana (Temple) on sundays
Protect those in need
Reincarnation, karma, liberation
Vegetarianism
Baptisim by choice
Gurus
First 10 religious leaders
•Servants to God
• Sikhs pray to god through the teaching of the Gurus
• Last Guru proclaimed there would be no more gurus
Siri Guro Granth Sahib
Holy Scriptures
o Majority written by 5th guru, Guru Arjan
o Writings from a variety of people/sources, from mystics and kings to commoners
Golden Temple
Based in Amistar, India
Vatican of Sikhism
Identifying Characteristics
Turbans, beards, uncut hair
Wear "bana" — traditional Indian clothing
Kirpan - tiny sword worn, defensive Ahmisa, actively preventing violence
Semi-Blend of Hinduism and Islam
o A religion that hoped to bridge the divide between the two conflicting groups, to bring the best of both
• Muslim: one god, equality
• Hindu: Maya, Karma, reincarnation