review Hindu Indus-River people in Northern India that developed Hinduism Aryan discovered these people; means Noble one; light-skinned; from Iraq/Iran/Irelandish Agne: God of fire Indra: big daddy god Perusha: Story tells about the castes Soma: drink to alter consciousness Brahmins - priests Kyshatrias - warrior Vashtyas - business Shudras - peasant Untouchables - without caste ->considered by Mohatma Gandhi Rig Veda: Oldest, all hymns Four parts and each part has four parts -Last part is the Upanishads ->Develop existential wisdom understanding of how things are ->Gods and Goddesses that you appease through sacrifice and ritual Brahman is divine reality ->indescribable ->If you had infinite joy, knowledge and compassion, you would be beginning to describe Brahman Word for self is Atman Awareness of Atman and Brahman is how to achieve moksha from samsara -Moksha: freedom from the wheel of life -Samsara: Wheel of life -Karma: Engine that drives the wheel of life ->Consequence or reward of your Karma actions yoga: Action yoga: Derived from Bhagavad Gita; Do actions appropriate to your job without concern for the outcome Bhakti Yoga: Loving a god or goddess with a pure heart and the right intention Jnana Yoga: Knowledge yoga: People who by studying find great spiritual fulfillment Raja Yoga: Royal yoga: This is where Hatha Yoga is from; called the Royal Road Twice born male is through to go through four stages of life -Student: Young adolescent through adolescence; starting to learn scriptures -Householder: 25-50; Keep a job; Have kids; When kids have kids, you can retire -Retirement: 50-75; Can go back to study -Sannyasi: 75-death; Can leave your home and renounce everything
Laws of Manu: Describe the rules/guidelines for the life of the householder Doesn't try to convert people ever Monism: States that Brahman and Atman are not the divine reality, but that they are the ONLY reality Hindu name is attached to the people from the outside ->Related to the fact that they're from the Indus-River Valley