Samenvatting Introduction to Hinduism
H1. Vedic Religion & Sanskrit Language
- The prevalence of male deities reveals a patriarchal social structure among Aryan
culture
- Feminine deities may have figured significantly in non-Aryan cultures, which
progressively influenced the dominating Aryan culture
- The close linguistic relationship between Western and Indo-European gods suggest
common socio-cultural origins
- Brahmanas are the priestly class performing vedic rituals (yajña) consisting of
offering, however rarely involving animals
H2. Karma, Time & Cosmology
- Hindus believe time moves in repetitive cycles, like the seasonal change
- the period of dissolution is known as pralaya
- Hindus use the solar calendar for birthdays and secretarial activities, and religious
rituals follow the lunar system
- karma originally referred to an act of any kind → developed into the idea that actions
have consequences for both this lifetime and future ones
- karma is also regarded as a responsible for misfortune
H3. Hindu Social Organization and Values
- Dharma developed in a notion of ways things should be if harmoniously aligned with
rta in relation to the cosmic order
- there is no firm correlation between socio-economic class and Varna
- the skin-complexion theory proposes that dvija classes were possibly the light
skinned Aryan colonizers of the subcontinent who were subordinated to the darker
skinned dravidians, relegating them into the servant class
- Jati mobility within the varna system is possible, however this principally does not
happen within one lifetime
- Jatis are relatively closed communities and thus define themselves in relationship to
other jatis (often based on a particular occupation)
- a change in occupation does not change one’s jati, so it is misleading to define them
along occupational lines
H5. Indian Philosophical Schools
- Jainism is characterized by its strong emphasis on non-violence and so has
influenced Hindu moral values in this area.
- Jains believe that each being has an eternal, omniscient soul (Jiva), whose
immaculate qualities are obscured by the effects of karma.
- Buddhism encouraged renunciation at any stage of life and accepted members of all
varnas
- Cãrvãka promotes a materialistic outlook on life and rejects the belief in karma and
reincarnations. It pursues happiness maximization.
- The Orthodox Systems
1. Sãnkhya: reality is composed of two entities, Purusa & Prakrti.
2. Yoga
H1. Vedic Religion & Sanskrit Language
- The prevalence of male deities reveals a patriarchal social structure among Aryan
culture
- Feminine deities may have figured significantly in non-Aryan cultures, which
progressively influenced the dominating Aryan culture
- The close linguistic relationship between Western and Indo-European gods suggest
common socio-cultural origins
- Brahmanas are the priestly class performing vedic rituals (yajña) consisting of
offering, however rarely involving animals
H2. Karma, Time & Cosmology
- Hindus believe time moves in repetitive cycles, like the seasonal change
- the period of dissolution is known as pralaya
- Hindus use the solar calendar for birthdays and secretarial activities, and religious
rituals follow the lunar system
- karma originally referred to an act of any kind → developed into the idea that actions
have consequences for both this lifetime and future ones
- karma is also regarded as a responsible for misfortune
H3. Hindu Social Organization and Values
- Dharma developed in a notion of ways things should be if harmoniously aligned with
rta in relation to the cosmic order
- there is no firm correlation between socio-economic class and Varna
- the skin-complexion theory proposes that dvija classes were possibly the light
skinned Aryan colonizers of the subcontinent who were subordinated to the darker
skinned dravidians, relegating them into the servant class
- Jati mobility within the varna system is possible, however this principally does not
happen within one lifetime
- Jatis are relatively closed communities and thus define themselves in relationship to
other jatis (often based on a particular occupation)
- a change in occupation does not change one’s jati, so it is misleading to define them
along occupational lines
H5. Indian Philosophical Schools
- Jainism is characterized by its strong emphasis on non-violence and so has
influenced Hindu moral values in this area.
- Jains believe that each being has an eternal, omniscient soul (Jiva), whose
immaculate qualities are obscured by the effects of karma.
- Buddhism encouraged renunciation at any stage of life and accepted members of all
varnas
- Cãrvãka promotes a materialistic outlook on life and rejects the belief in karma and
reincarnations. It pursues happiness maximization.
- The Orthodox Systems
1. Sãnkhya: reality is composed of two entities, Purusa & Prakrti.
2. Yoga
