Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
SDMCNYS UJIRE 4
At the scholarly level, the revival of Hinduism
took the form of Vedanta: the attempt to unify
and systematize the teachings of the Vedas and
the spiritual practices rooted in the insights of
the Vedic scriptural heritage of India.
Vedanta focuses on the prasthana-traya, the
three-fold scriptural canon:
The Upanishads (600-300 BCE)
Bhagavad Gita (circa 200 BCE)
Brahma Sutras (circa 200-100 BCE)
RRuuddhhaa
HHaam
mssaa SSaammpprraaddaayyaa CCaaititaannyyaa
SSaammpprraaddaayyaa SSaammpprraaddaayyaa
SDMCNYS UJIRE 12
Six Primary Concepts of
the Upanishads
I.
BRAHMAN
The Upanishads emphasize the
impermanence of the empirical world,
physical reality as we experience it
through our senses.
Maya
SDMCNYS UJIRE 15
Beyond Maya, there is an
unchanging reality called
Brahman
(lit. “to expand”)
SDMCNYS UJIRE 16
Four Claims about Brahman
• Brahman is the fundamental principle of
the universe. (Kena Upanishad IV and V)
• Brahman is the reality in all, and all things
are in Brahman. (Svetasvatara Upanishad,
IV. 2–4)
• Brahman is the state of non-duality.
(Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, IV.v.14–15)
• Brahman is Ineffable. (Kena Upanishad,
I.5-9)
Brahman as the Impersonal
Absolute
These central claims of the Upanishads about
Brahman suggest that Brahman is not a personal
being, not a being with attributes that
characterize “persons” (e.g., self-awareness,
perspectival experience, deliberative rationality,
and being the subject of intentional states).
SDMCNYS UJIRE 22
II.
ATMAN
The True Self (Atman)
SDMCNYS UJIRE
Rebirth is not restricted to rebirth as a
human being, but it extends to the animal
world and other realms of existence.
Spiritual Practice
Consists in . . .
Observing Moral Laws
(aimed at renunciation of
material attachments)
and Meditation
Meditation
Having heard and reflected
on the word of Brahman in
the scriptures, one must
practice concentration on
the truth of Brahman and
the Self, repeating mantras
such as OM (which
signifies the cosmic power
of Brahman) or
Aham Brahmasmi
(I am Brahman).
UJIRE 43
The Ultimate State (Moksha)
Spiritual practice leads to Moksha
(liberation)
SDMCNYS UJIRE 46
Review: Six Primary Concepts
in the Upanishads
Brahman Atman
Avidya
Karma Samsara
Moksha
SDMCNYS UJIRE
Beyond the Upanishads
SDMCNYS UJIRE
The Gita likely reflects the existence of Vishnu-
Krishna worship (Vaishnavism) in India at the
time of its composition, but the text became a
centerpiece in the spread and eventual
ascendency of Vaishnavism in India in the
common era.
Srimad Bhagavatam
(4th – 6th centuries CE):
Krishna is presented as the
Supreme Being who descends to
earth to destroy demons and
protect the righteous, but his
madhurya (sweetness) qualities
are also emphasized, i.e., his
attractive human qualities that
engender intimacy and hence
are essential to the cultivation of
various moods of bhakti (loving
Krishna as the flute playing cow
herder attracting the gopis devotion to God).
(milkmaids) of Vrindavana.
The Bhakti Renaissance
Between the 6thand 9th centuries CE devotion to
Vishnu-Krishna grew in intensity in South
India among many poets and mystics.
SDMCNYS UJIRE 56
The Alvars
• The mystics of South India were called Alvars (alvar,
Tamil, one who rules the world by his love of God).
They were instrumental in the Renaissance of the
bhakti teachings of the Gita and Bhagavata Purana.