Law of Karma: A Crash Course (Simply Hindu Book 1)
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Based on this idea Ferro-Luzzi has developed a 'Prototype Theory approach' to the definition of Hinduism. Hinduism has been described as a tradition having a "complex, organic, multileveled and sometimes internally inconsistent nature". Unlike other religions in the World, the Hindu religion does not claim any one Prophet, it does not worship any one God, it does not believe in any one philosophic concept, it does not follow any one act of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not satisfy the traditional features of a religion or creed. It is a way of life and nothing more".
Part of the problem with a single definition of the term Hinduism is the fact that Hinduism does not have a founder. Theism is also difficult to use as a unifying doctrine for Hinduism, because while some Hindu philosophies postulate a theistic ontology of creation, other Hindus are or have been atheists. Despite the differences, there is also a sense of unity. Halbfass states that, although Shaivism and Vaishaism may be regarded as "self-contained religious constellations", [] there is a degree of interaction and reference between the "theoreticians and literary representatives" [] of each tradition which indicates the presence of "a wider sense of identity, a sense of coherence in a shared context and of inclusion in a common framework and horizon".
The notion of common denominators for several religions and traditions of India further developed from the 12th century CE on. By late 1st-millennium CE, the concept of a belief and tradition distinct from Buddhism and Jainism had emerged. Moderates then, and most orthoprax scholars later, agreed that though there are some variations, the foundation of their beliefs, the ritual grammar, the spiritual premises and the soteriologies were same.
According to Nicholson, already between the 12th and the 16th centuries "certain thinkers began to treat as a single whole the diverse philosophical teachings of the Upanishads, epics, Puranas, and the schools known retrospectively as the 'six systems' saddarsana of mainstream Hindu philosophy. As a counteraction to Islamic supremacy and as part of the continuing process of regionalization, two religious innovations developed in the Hindu religions: The Brahmins also produced increasingly historical texts, especially eulogies and chronicles of sacred sites Mahatmyas , or developed a reflexive passion for collecting and compiling extensive collections of quotations on various subjects.
This inclusivism [] was further developed in the 19th and 20th centuries by Hindu reform movements and Neo-Vedanta , [] and has become characteristic of modern Hinduism. The notion and reports on "Hinduism" as a "single world religious tradition" [] was popularised by 19th-century proselytizing missionaries and European Indologists, roles sometimes served by the same person, who relied on texts preserved by Brahmins priests for their information of Indian religions, and animist observations which the missionary Orientalists presumed was Hinduism.
Classical Hindu thought accepts four proper goals or aims of human life: Dharma , Artha , Kama and Moksha. Dharma is considered the foremost goal of a human being in Hinduism. It is, states Van Buitenen, the pursuit and execution of one's nature and true calling, thus playing one's role in cosmic concert. Nothing is higher than Dharma. The weak overcomes the stronger by Dharma, as over a king. In the Mahabharata , Krishna defines dharma as upholding both this-worldly and other-worldly affairs.
Artha is objective and virtuous pursuit of wealth for livelihood, obligations and economic prosperity. It is inclusive of political life, diplomacy and material well-being. The Artha concept includes all "means of life", activities and resources that enables one to be in a state one wants to be in, wealth, career and financial security. A release from this eschatological cycle, in after life, particularly in theistic schools of Hinduism is called moksha.
Karma translates literally as action , work , or deed , [] and also refers to a Vedic theory of "moral law of cause and effect".
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These actions may be those in a person's current life, or, in some schools of Hinduism, possibly actions in their past lives; furthermore, the consequences may result in current life, or a person's future lives. Liberation from samsara through moksha is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace. The ultimate goal of life, referred to as moksha , nirvana or samadhi , is understood in several different ways: Such realization liberates one from samsara, thereby ending the cycle of rebirth, sorrow and suffering. The meaning of moksha differs among the various Hindu schools of thought.
For example, Advaita Vedanta holds that after attaining moksha a person knows their "soul, self" and identifies it as one with Brahman and everyone in all respects. To theistic schools of Hinduism, moksha is liberation from samsara, while for other schools such as the monistic school, moksha is possible in current life and is a psychological concept. According to Deutsche, moksha is transcendental consciousness to the latter, the perfect state of being, of self-realization, of freedom and of "realizing the whole universe as the Self".
Moksha is more than liberation from life-rebirth cycle of suffering samsara ; Vedantic school separates this into two: Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism , polytheism , panentheism , pantheism , pandeism , monism , and atheism among others; [] [] [web 3] and its concept of God is complex and depends upon each individual and the tradition and philosophy followed. It is sometimes referred to as henotheistic i. The Nasadiya Sukta Creation Hymn of the Rig Veda is one of the earliest texts [] which "demonstrates a sense of metaphysical speculation" about what created the universe, the concept of god s and The One, and whether even The One knows how the universe came into being.
The "One Truth" of Vedic literature, in modern era scholarship, has been interpreted as monotheism, monism, as well as a deified Hidden Principles behind the great happenings and processes of nature. Hindus believe that all living creatures have a soul. The soul is believed to be eternal. God is called Ishvara , Bhagavan , Parameshwara , Deva or Devi , and these terms have different meanings in different schools of Hinduism.
Hindu texts accept a polytheistic framework, but this is generally conceptualized as the divine essence or luminosity that gives vitality and animation to the inanimate natural substances. It is observable in offerings to rivers, trees, tools of one's work, animals and birds, rising sun, friends and guests, teachers and parents.
This seeing divinity in everything, state Buttimer and Wallin, makes the Vedic foundations of Hinduism quite distinct from Animism. The Vedic view does not see this competition, rather sees a unifying divinity that connects everyone and everything. The word avatar does not appear in the Vedic literature, [] but appears in verb forms in post-Vedic literature, and as a noun particularly in the Puranic literature after the 6th century CE.
In the goddess-based Shaktism tradition of Hinduism, avatars of the Devi are found and all goddesses are considered to be different aspects of the same metaphysical Brahman [] and Shakti energy. Both theistic and atheistic ideas, for epistemological and metaphysical reasons, are profuse in different schools of Hinduism.
According to Graham Schweig , Hinduism has the strongest presence of the divine feminine in world religion from ancient times to the present. Authority and eternal truths play an important role in Hinduism. The Hindus believe that this deepens the understanding of the eternal truths and further develops the tradition. Authority "was mediated through [ Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and many practising Hindus do not claim to belong to any particular denomination or tradition. Vaishnavism , Shaivism , Shaktism and Smartism. Vaishnavism is the devotional religious tradition that worships Vishnu [] and his avatars, particularly Krishna and Rama.
Shaivism is the tradition that focuses on Shiva. Shaivas are more attracted to ascetic individualism, and it has several sub-schools. Shaivism is related to Shaktism, wherein Shakti is seen as spouse of Shiva. Shaktism focuses on goddess worship of Shakti or Devi as cosmic mother, [] and it is particularly common in northeastern and eastern states of India such as Assam and Bengal. Devi is depicted as in gentler forms like Parvati , the consort of Shiva; or, as fierce warrior goddesses like Kali and Durga. Followers of Shaktism recognize Shakti as the power that underlies the male principle.
Shaktism is also associated with Tantra practices. Smartism centers its worship simultaneously on all the major Hindu deities: The ancient scriptures of Hinduism are in Sanskrit.
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These texts are classified into two: Hindu scriptures were composed, memorized and transmitted verbally, across generations, for many centuries before they were written down. Each Veda has been subclassified into four major text types — the Samhitas mantras and benedictions , the Aranyakas text on rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices and symbolic-sacrifices , the Brahmanas commentaries on rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices , and the Upanishads text discussing meditation, philosophy and spiritual knowledge.
The Upanishads are the foundation of Hindu philosophical thought, and have profoundly influenced diverse traditions. The most notable of the Smritis "remembered" are the Hindu epics and the Puranas. The epics consist of the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Bhagavad Gita is an integral part of the Mahabharata and one of the most popular sacred texts of Hinduism.
The Yoga Sutras is a classical text for the Hindu Yoga tradition, which gained a renewed popularity in the 20th century. Since the 19th-century Indian modernists have re-asserted the 'Aryan origins' of Hinduism, "purifying" Hinduism from its Tantric elements [83] and elevating the Vedic elements. Hindu modernists like Vivekananda see the Vedas as the laws of the spiritual world, which would still exist even if they were not revealed to the sages.
Most Hindus observe religious rituals at home. They are not mandatory in Hinduism.
The nature and place of rituals is an individual's choice. Some devout Hindus perform daily rituals such as worshiping at dawn after bathing usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foodstuffs before the images of deities , recitation from religious scripts, singing devotional hymns , yoga, meditation , chanting mantras and others. Vedic rituals of fire-oblation yajna and chanting of Vedic hymns are observed on special occasions, such as a Hindu wedding.
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The major traditional rites of passage in Hinduism include [] Garbhadhana pregnancy , Pumsavana rite before the fetus begins moving and kicking in womb , Simantonnayana parting of pregnant woman's hair, baby shower , Jatakarman rite celebrating the new born baby , Namakarana naming the child , Nishkramana baby's first outing from home into the world , Annaprashana baby's first feeding of solid food , Chudakarana baby's first haircut, tonsure , Karnavedha ear piercing , Vidyarambha baby's start with knowledge , Upanayana entry into a school rite , [] [] Keshanta and Ritusuddhi first shave for boys, menarche for girls , Samavartana graduation ceremony , Vivaha wedding , Vratas fasting, spiritual studies and Antyeshti cremation for an adult, burial for a child.
Bhakti refers to devotion, participation in and the love of a personal god or a representational god by a devotee. Bhakti is practiced in a number of ways, ranging from reciting mantras , japas incantations , to individual private prayers within one's home shrine, [] or in a temple or near a river bank, sometimes in the presence of an idol or image of a deity. The devotee uses this space for daily prayers or meditation, either before breakfast or after day's work. Bhakti is sometimes private inside household shrines and sometimes practiced as a community.
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It may include Puja , Aarti , [] musical Kirtan or singing Bhajan , where devotional verses and hymns are read or poems are sung by a group of devotees. Bhakti marga, states Pechelis, is more than ritual devotionalism, it includes practices and spiritual activities aimed at refining one's state of mind, knowing god, participating in god, and internalizing god. The festivals typically celebrate events from Hinduism, connoting spiritual themes and celebrating aspects of human relationships such as the Sister-Brother bond over the Raksha Bandhan or Bhai Dooj festival.
Many adherents undertake pilgrimages , which have historically been an important part of Hinduism and remain so today. Jangam Tirtha is to a place movable of a sadhu , a rishi , a guru ; Sthawar Tirtha is to a place immovable, like Benaras, Hardwar, Mount Kailash, holy rivers; while Manas Tirtha is to a place of mind of truth, charity, patience, compassion, soft speech, soul.
Jacobsen, anything that has a salvific value to a Hindu, and includes pilgrimage sites such as mountains or forests or seashore or rivers or ponds, as well as virtues, actions, studies or state of mind. Pilgrimage sites of Hinduism are mentioned in the epic Mahabharata and the Puranas. This pilgrimage rotates at a gap of three years among four sites: Allahabad at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers, Hardwar near source of the Ganges , Ujjain on the Shipra river and Nasik on the bank of the Godavari river.
Some pilgrimages are part of a Vrata vow , which a Hindu may make for a number of reasons. The journey to a Tirtha, assert some Hindu texts, helps one overcome the sorrow of the loss. Other reasons for a Tirtha in Hinduism is to rejuvenate or gain spiritual merit by traveling to famed temples or bathe in rivers such as the Ganges.
Hindu society has been categorised into four classes, called varnas. They are the Brahmins: Vedic teachers and priests; the Kshatriyas: Some mobility and flexibility within the varnas challenge allegations of social discrimination in the caste system, as has been pointed out by several sociologists, [] [] although some other scholars disagree. A renunciant man of knowledge is usually called Varnatita or "beyond all varnas" in Vedantic works. The bhiksu is advised to not bother about the caste of the family from which he begs his food.
Scholars like Adi Sankara affirm that not only is Brahman beyond all varnas, the man who is identified with Him also transcends the distinctions and limitations of caste. In whatever way a Hindu defines the goal of life, there are several methods yogas that sages have taught for reaching that goal. Yoga is a Hindu discipline which trains the body, mind and consciousness for health, tranquility and spiritual insight.
This is done through a system of postures and exercises to practise control of the body and mind. Yoga is means, and the four major marga paths discussed in Hinduism are: Practice of one yoga does not exclude others. Hinduism has a developed system of symbolism and iconography to represent the sacred in art, architecture, literature and worship.
These symbols gain their meaning from the scriptures or cultural traditions. The syllable Om which represents the Brahman and Atman has grown to represent Hinduism itself, while other markings such as the Swastika sign represent auspiciousness, [] and Tilaka literally, seed on forehead — considered to be the location of spiritual third eye, [] marks ceremonious welcome, blessing or one's participation in a ritual or rite of passage.
Flowers, birds, animals, instruments, symmetric mandala drawings, objects, idols are all part of symbolic iconography in Hinduism. The cow in Hindu society is traditionally identified as a caretaker and a maternal figure, [] and Hindu society honours the cow as a symbol of unselfish giving. There are many Hindu groups that have continued to abide by a strict vegetarian diet in modern times. Some adhere to a diet that is devoid of meat, eggs, and seafood. The Bhagavad Gita links body and mind to food one consumes in verses Some Hindus such as those belonging to the Shaktism tradition, [] and Hindus in regions such as Bali and Nepal [] [] practise animal sacrifice.
A Hindu temple is a house of god s. Hindu temples come in many styles, diverse locations, deploy different construction methods and are adapted to different deities and regional beliefs. Many temples feature one or more idols murtis. The idol and Grabhgriya in the Brahma-pada the center of the temple , under the main spire, serves as a focal point darsana , a sight in a Hindu temple.
Brahmacharya student , Grihastha householder , Vanaprastha retired and Sannyasa renunciation.
The law of karma acts like a fever. Scholars like Adi Sankara affirm that not only is Brahman beyond all varnas, the man who is identified with Him also transcends the distinctions and limitations of caste. Colonial states — Portuguese India. It is estimated that around 30 million Americans and 5 million Europeans regularly practice some form of Hatha Yoga. Popular Goddess Worship in West Bengal. Both theistic and atheistic ideas, for epistemological and metaphysical reasons, are profuse in different schools of Hinduism. Part of the problem with a single definition of the term Hinduism is the fact that Hinduism does not have a founder.
Brahmacharya represents the bachelor student stage of life. Grihastha refers to the individual's married life, with the duties of maintaining a household, raising a family, educating one's children, and leading a family-centred and a dharmic social life. The Ashramas system has been one facet of the Dharma concept in Hinduism. Renunciates receive high respect in Hindu society because of their simple ahimsa -driven lifestyle and dedication to spiritual liberation moksha — believed to be the ultimate goal of life in Hinduism. James Mill — , in his The History of British India , [] distinguished three phases in the history of India, namely Hindu, Muslim and British civilisations.
Hinduism is a fusion [] [note 3] or synthesis [10] [note 4] of various Indian cultures and traditions. The earliest prehistoric religion in India that may have left its traces in Hinduism comes from mesolithic as observed in the sites such as the rock paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters dating to a period of 30, BCE or older, [note 25] as well as neolithic times. Several tribal religions still exist, though their practices may not resemble those of prehistoric religions.
According to anthropologist Possehl , the Indus Valley Civilization "provides a logical, if somewhat arbitrary, starting point for some aspects of the later Hindu tradition". However these links of deities and practices of the Indus religion to later-day Hinduism are subject to both political contention and scholarly dispute. The Vedic period, named after the Vedic religion of the Indo-Aryans , [] [note 27] lasted from c. During the early Vedic period c. The Indo-Aryans brought with them their language [] and religion. The Vedic religion history is unclear and "heavily contested", states Samuel.
The composition of the Vedic literature began in the 2nd millennium BCE. The first half of the 1st millennium BCE was a period of great intellectual and social-cultural ferment in ancient India. Increasing urbanisation of India between and BCE, and possibly the spread of urban diseases, contributed to the rise of ascetic movements and of new ideas which challenged the orthodox Brahmanism.
In this culture, kashtriyas were placed higher than Brahmins, and it rejected Vedic authority and rituals. The ascetic tradition of Vedic period in part created the foundational theories of samsara and of moksha liberation from samsara , which became characteristic for Hinduism, along with Buddhism and Jainism.
These ascetic concepts were adopted by schools of Hinduism as well as other major Indian religions, but key differences between their premises defined their further development. Hinduism, for example, developed its ideas with the premise that every human being has a soul atman , self , while Buddhism developed with the premise that there is no soul or self. The chronology of these religious concepts is unclear, and scholars contest which religion affected the other as well as the chronological sequence of the ancient texts.
The "Hindu synthesis" or "Brahmanical synthesis" [10] [11] incorporated Sramanic and Buddhist influences [11] [] [ which? These indigenous religions "eventually found a place under the broad mantle of the Vedic religion". The acceptance of the ideas in the Vedas and Upanishads became a central criterium for defining Hinduism, while the heterodox movements rejected those ideas. The major Sanskrit epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata , which belong to the Smriti, were compiled over a protracted period during the late centuries BCE and the early centuries CE.
The Bhagavad Gita was composed in this period and consolidated diverse philosophies and soteriological ideas. During this period, the foundational texts of several schools of Hindu philosophy were formally written down, including Samkhya , Yoga, Nyaya , Vaisheshika , Purva-Mimamsa and Vedanta. This, state Patrick Olivelle and other scholars, is likely because the monasteries of Advaita tradition of Hinduism had become well established in ancient times. During the Gupta period , the first stone and cave Hindu temples dedicated to Hindu deities were built, some of which have survived into the modern era.
The first version of early Puranas, likely composed between and CE, show continuities with the Vedic religion, but also an expanded mythology of Vishnu, Shiva and Devi goddess. After the end of the Gupta Empire, power became decentralised in India. The disintegration of central power also led to regionalisation of religiosity, and religious rivalry.
Srauta rituals declined in India and were replaced with Buddhist and Hindu initiatory rituals for royal courts. The first edition of many Puranas were composed in this period. Examples include Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana with legends of Krishna, [] while Padma Purana and Kurma Purana expressed reverence for Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti with equal enthusiasm; [] all of them included topics such as Yoga practice and pilgrimage tour guides to Hindu holy sites.
Bhakti ideas centered around loving devotion to Vishnu and Shiva with songs and music, were pioneered in this period by the Alvars and Nayanars of South India. The Islamic rule period witnessed Hindu-Muslim confrontation and violence, [] [] but "violence did not normally characterize the relations of Muslim and Hindu.
Though Islam came to Indian subcontinent in the early 7th century with the advent of Arab traders, it started impacting Indian religions after the 10th century, and particularly after the 12th century with the establishment and then expansion of Islamic rule. According to Hardy, the Muslim rulers were not concerned with the number of converts, since the stability and continuity of their regime did not depend on the number of Muslims. Between the 14th and 18th century, Hinduism was revived in certain provinces of India under two powerful states, viz. In the 14th and 15th centuries Southern India saw the rise of the Hindu Vijayanagar Empire , which served as a barrier against invasion by the Muslim sultanates of the north, and it fostered the reconstruction of Hindu life and administration.
Hinduism underwent profound changes, aided in part by teachers such as Ramanuja , Madhva , and Chaitanya. With the onset of the British Raj , the colonization of India by the British, there also started a Hindu renaissance in the 19th century, which profoundly changed the understanding of Hinduism in both India and the west.
Western orientalist searched for the "essence" of the Indian religions, discerning this in the Vedas, [] and meanwhile creating the notion of "Hinduism" as a unified body of religious praxis [] and the popular picture of 'mystical India'. Influential 20th-century Hindus were Ramana Maharshi , B. Hindu practices such as Yoga, Ayurvedic health, Tantric sexuality through Neotantra and the Kama Sutra have spread beyond Hindu communities and have been accepted by several non-Hindus:. Hinduism is attracting Western adherents through the affiliated practice of yoga.
Yoga centers in the West—which generally advocate vegetarianism—attract young, well-educated Westerners who are drawn by yoga's benefits for the physical and emotional health; there they are introduced to the Hindu philosophical system taught by most yoga teachers, known as Vedanta. It is estimated that around 30 million Americans and 5 million Europeans regularly practice some form of Hatha Yoga.
In the 20th century, Hinduism also gained prominence as a political force and a source for national identity in India. With origins traced back to the establishment of the Hindu Mahasabha in the s, the movement grew with the formulation and development of the Hindutva ideology in the following decades; the establishment of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh RSS in ; and the entry, and later success, of RSS offshoots Jana Sangha and Bharatiya Janata Party BJP in electoral politics in post-independence India.
Hinduism is a major religion in India. Hinduism was followed by around Demographically, Hinduism is the world's third largest religion , after Christianity and Islam. In the modern era, religious conversion from and to Hinduism has been a controversial subject. Some state the concept of missionary conversion, either way, is anathema to the precepts of Hinduism.
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Religious conversion to Hinduism has a long history outside India. Merchants and traders of India, particularly from the Indian peninsula, carried their religious ideas, which led to religious conversions to Hinduism in southeast Asia. The apraarabdha karma, kuta, bija and praarabdha karma can be destroyed through Bhakti to Vishnu.
Only a rare person who has adopted complete, unalloyed Bhakti Yoga to Sri Krishna can uproot the weeds of karma with no possibility that they will revive. Such a person can do this simply by discharging bhakti, just as the sun can immediately dissipate fog by its rays. Everybody — from the heavenly king Indra down to the insect Indragopa — is bound by the laws of karma. But one who is wholeheartedly engaged in Bhakti Yoga to Govinda is an exception. Bhakti yoga is a practice that takes us beyond karma and frees us from both manifest reactions and those lying in seed.
Bhakti is based on living true to oneself, in harmony with nature and her source, and reconnects us to the current of grace, allowing the endless cycle of karmic action and reaction to, in time, finally come to an end. Words and deeds offered in devotional service produce no karma at all, but nourish the seed of pure love. Coming to these realisations is a gradual process. In the beginning stages, we receive a dose of grace- enough to open the heart and awaken us to loving devotion.
To the degree that we are attached to these things, we may feel some pain. The more the soul shines through, the more we will see through the eyes of grace. With a grateful heart, we will take whatever life gives us and use it to serve our Beloved. If life takes something away, we will see the hand of our Beloved.
Underneath we will find the benevolent arms of grace waiting to embrace us and welcome us home. The law of karma acts like a fever. Karmic reactions purge what is unhealthy in the world, just as a fever in the body burns up harmful bacteria. If you want to understand the law of karma, you have to look beneath the surface of how the world operates. What feels like punishment is actually for our ultimate benefit.
The philosophy of karma is not meant to induce depression or an unhealthy guilt;it is provided to help us grow emotionally and spiritually in whatever our situation is by taking responsibility for our choices and then gaining wisdom from whatever ensues. Think of karma as an aspect of the universe that realigns itself in response to how we live in the universe. That is, for every action, there will be corresponding reaction. Because life is a long continuum of action and reactions, our results include both joy and suffering.
Both can bring wisdom if we open ourselves up to our responsibility for our actions and we desire that wisdom. Making wise choices in our personal behavior, especially in how we treat others, is often a good place to start when thinking of how to apply this concept of karma to better ourselves. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Law of Karma as the name suggests explains in a nutshell workings of the Law of Karma - one of the main tenets of Hinduism. Read more Read less. English Similar books to Law of Karma: Customers who viewed this item also viewed. Page 1 of 1 Start over Page 1 of 1. Kindle Edition File Size: Share your thoughts with other customers. Write a product review.
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later. Kindle Edition Verified Purchase. This book explains Law of Karma in a very simple way. Very useful for beginners as well as a crash course for others.