By Chiko Nakamura & Shakeel Daswani
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Hinduism By Chiko Nakamura & Shakeel Daswani Practices and Rituals ● Practices ○ Namaste ■ Respectful greeting in Hindu way. ■ "The Spirit within me honors and respects the Spirit within you." ○ Puja ■ An essential part of puja for the Hindu devotee is making a spiritual connection with the divine. ○ Yoga ■ The aim of yoga is the transformation of human beings from their natural form to a perfected form. ● Rituals ○ Weddings ■ Kanyadaan - the giving away of daughter by the father ■ Panigrahana - a ritual in presence of fire, where the groom takes the bride's hand as a sign of their union ■ Saptapadi - divine witness to the marriage ○ Funerals ■ Many families celebrate the departed life on the twelfth or thirteenth day after the funeral. How To Have a Puja At Home Yoga Shakeel’s Cousin’s Wedding Funeral Experiential and Emotional ● Believe in divine beings existing in worlds not seen. ● Create a communion with devas/gods through: ○ Temple Worship ○ Rituals ○ Sacraments (things of mysterious and sacred significance; a religious symbol) ○ Personal Devotionals ● Satguru (enlightened master) is vital to know the Transcendent Absolute ● Personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation, and surrender in God are also very important to understand ● Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding ● Dharma: Each person’s role in life/society. Defined by birth and caste. ● Undergo samsara: The cycle of repeated birth and death through reincarnation (higher level) based on karma. ● Want to establish moksha(union with God) - breaking from the cycle of samsara. Narrative and Mythic 1. 5. Ok, Vishnu 2. 3. Create the world, Brahma. 4. 6. skies heavens earth 7. Hindu Creation Story Doctrinal or Philosophical 1. Brahman – everywhere 2. Antaryami – residing within 3. Bhagavan – residing outside, beyond a. Like the sun, sunshine, and the sun’s reflection. ● Humans have an atman - the non-material self which never changes (basically the eternal soul). ● Also have a paramatman, which is one with God. ● A temporary body made from matter (prakriti). ● The atman is trapped by maya (illusion) and that is why there is lust, anger, greed etc. Ethical or Legal ● Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury through thoughts, words, and actions. ● Good Karma (action) and Bad Karma ● Ahimsa involves ethics such as abortion. Do least harm to all involved: the mother and father, the foetus and society. ● Hindus should respect other's belief and their paths and also expect others to do the same to them. ● Hospitality (see social section). ● Tolerance – necessary in order to deal with inconveniences in the performance of one's dharma. ● Compassion – based on notions of atman, and the ability to feel for others as we feel for ourselves. ● Respect – for all living beings and for the sanctity of all life. ● Wisdom – Don’t be ignorant. ● Honesty – essential to build legitimate trust within relationships and to avoid self-deception. ● Cleanliness – includes external hygiene and inner purity; especially for brahmanas. Social or Institutional India’s caste system 4 main classes based originally on personality, profession, and birth ● Brahmana/Brahmin: Consist of those engaged in scriptural education and teaching, essential for the continuation of knowledge. ● Kshatriya: Take on all forms of public service, including administration, maintenance of law and order, and defense. ● Vaishya: Engage in commercial activity as businessmen. ● Shudra: Work as semi-skilled and unskilled laborers. ● Untouchables: All who fall outside of the above 4 castes. (“contaminating” jobs). i. Should be well-supported, but intimate connection with them should be avoided. ● Food: Great emphasis on the role of food. "The kitchen Religion." ○ Religious/public functions considered incomplete without food, especially prasada - food offered to the gods. ○ Important for worship. Prasad is thought to purify the body, mind and spirit. ○ Believe that the consciousness of the cook enters the food and influences the mind of the eater. Prasad cooked and offered with devotion helps with spirituality. ● Hospitality: Very important to Hindu culture ○ Providing food and shelter to strangers is a traditional duty of the house owner. ■ Three items: sweet words, a sitting place, and refreshment. ○ Treat visiting enemies very well, too. ● Family: Extended family (not common today). More broad terms than “uncle” and “aunt” used. Hindu god washing impoverished person’s foot. 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