Transcript EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT HINDUISM

Eastern Religions and
Philosophies
A Presentation for SOAR (Sep. 21, 2012)
Rajiv Narula
Eastern Religions
• Variety of beliefs
and practices
• Oldest organized
thought processes
• Based on the laws
Hinduism,
of nature, karma,
Buddhism,
spirituality and
Jainism & Sikhism
righteousness
All schools of thought accepted &
respected
• Theistic – Formless God
- Incarnate/ Personal God
• Non Theistic
• Agnostic
• Atheistic
• Belief in self
Hinduism: Guiding Principles
• No founding figure,
Inspiration from
many books
• 4 Vedas: Rig Ved,
Yajur Ved, Saama
Ved, Atharva Ved
• Upanishads
• 18 Purans
• 2 epics, Ramayan and
Mahabharat
A system tailored to your needs
• Not stagnant but
ever evolving
• No rules set in stone
• Flexibility in beliefs
and customs
– Bhakti Yog
– Karma Yog
– Gyan Yog
Guiding Principles
• Yama(s)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Ahimsa : Non Harming
Satya : Truthfulness
Asteya : Non stealing
Brahmacharya : Having
Ethical Conduct like God
5. Aparigraha : Non
Clinging/Non attachment
Guiding Principles
•
Niyama(s)
1. Shaucha : Purity
2. Santosh :
Contentment
3. Tapas : Self
Discipline
4. Swadhyaya : Study
of the Self
5. Ishvar Praanidhaan :
Devotion to the
higher Self/God
Central tenets
• Karma
Bliss-Nirvana-Self realization
• Free is that One who wants nothing, yet
enjoys! What comes - enjoys, what comes
not - enjoys, never mind!
SIMPLE MATH
Happiness =
Desires
fulfilled/
Desires
harbored
Infinite
happiness =
Bliss =
Desires
fulfilled/0
Fearlessness
Hinduism: A Way of Life
• Most Common
Greeting
Namaste
~ I bow
to the Divinity in You
"I honor the place in you in
which the entire Universe
dwells, I honor the place in
you which is of Love, of
Integrity, of Wisdom and
of Peace. When you are in
that place in you, and I am
in that place in me, we are
One."
Various forms of Worship
LuniSolar Calendar
Festivals
• Diwali
Festivals
• Holi
Festivals
• Navratri
Divinity in All Forms
• Mountains
• Rivers
Divinity in All Forms
• Heavenly bodies
• Motherland
Divinity in All Forms
• Plants
• Animals
Gender of GOD ?
• A religion where
GOD is not
necessarily
Masculine
– Saraswati
– Lakshmi
– Durga
A most loving religion
Symbolism in Hinduism
• Ganesh- The Remover of Obstacles
Symbolism in Hinduism
• Vishnu in an Ocean of Milk
Symbolism in Hinduism
• The ten avatars of Vishnu
Darwin’s theory of Evolution
The ten avatars of Vishnu
The ten avatars of Vishnu
Symbolism in Hinduism
• Shiv’s family
Symbolism in Hinduism
• Gods and
Goddesses with
many hands
Symbolism in Hinduism
• The TOTAL Package
Wealth, Knowledge
and Wisdom…
Common Myths
• Many Gods
& Goddesses?
Not a Polytheistic Religion?
Common Myths
• Many Gods and
Goddesses?
One in All, All in One !
Common Myths
• Caste System
Varnaashram Dharm
Not assigned by
birth but by
inherent nature &
deeds
Equality for all.
Hinduism’s contribution to
Science and Technology
 The World’s first university was established in Takshila in 700
BC. Students from all over the World studied more than 60
subjects.
 Hindus invented the Number System. Zero was invented by
Aryabhatta. The place value system, the decimal system was
developed in Aryavarta(India) in 100 BC.
• The Surya Siddhanta
• A textbook on astronomy of ancient India, last compiled in 1000
BC, believed to be handed down from 3000 BC by aid of complex
mnemonic recital methods still known today.
• Showed the Earth’s diameter to be 7,840 miles, compared to
modern measurements of 7,926.7 miles.
• Showed the distance between the Earth and the Moon as
253,000 miles, compared to modern measurements of 252,710
miles.
Hinduism’s contribution to
Science and Technology
 Sanskrit is considered the mother of all higher
languages. Sanskrit is the most precise, and
therefore suitable language for computer software –
a report in Forbes magazine, July 1987.
 Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to
humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated
Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
 Maharshi Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600
years ago he and health scientists of his time
conducted complicated surgeries like caesareans,
cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones
and even plastic surgery.
 Detailed knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology,
embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and
immunity is also found in many texts.
Buddhism
• Breaking away from
ritualistic Hinduism
• Realization of the Self
• Means for sentient beings
to end suffering (dukkha)
through eliminating
ignorance & attachment,
by way of understanding
and seeing the fruits of
action (karma) and thus
attain the highest
happiness (nirvana).
Jainism
• Non-violence
(Ahimsa) is the
highest virtue
• Any soul that has
conquered its own
inner enemies and
achieved the state of
supreme being is
called jina
("conqueror" or
"victor").
Very austere to
follow
Sikhism
• Sikhs are ordained to
follow the teachings of
the ten gurus, or
enlightened leaders, as
well as the holy
scripture entitled
the Gurū Granth Sāhib,
which, along with the
writings of Sikh Gurus,
includes selected
works of many
devotees from diverse
socio-economic and
religious backgrounds
The Universal Prayer for Peace
Om dyauh shaantih Antariksham shaantih
Prithivee shaantih Aapah shaantih
Oshadhayah shaantih Vanaspatayah shaantih
Vishvedevaah shaantih Brahma shaantih
Sarvam shaantih Shaantireva shaantih
Saamaa shaantiredhih Om shaantih, shaantih, shaantih!
O Supreme Lord, Thy celestial regions are full of peace and harmony;
peace reigns on Thy earth and Thy waters. Thy herbs and trees
are full of peace. All Thy forces of nature are full of peace and
harmony. There is peace and perfection in Thy eternal knowledge;
everything in the universe is peaceful, and peace pervades
everywhere. O Lord, may that peace come to me!
May peace radiate there in the whole sky as well as in the vast
ethereal space everywhere. May peace reign all over this earth, in
water and in all herbs, trees and creepers. May peace flow over
the whole universe. May peace be in the Supreme Being Brahman.
And may there always exist in all peace and peace alone.
Om peace, peace and peace to us and all beings!
II Namaste II