the hindu scriptures - karma2grace.orgkarma2grace.org/docs/docs_notes_paul_hindu_scriptures.pdf ·...

THE HINDU SCRIPTURES

SimpleChristians have the BibleHindus have the Vedas

The truth is much more complicated…

TIMELINE (written)*

(BC) 1500 800 400 0 400 800 1200 1600 (AD)Note: dates for the Vedas(samhitas) can vary more than 1,000 years

VEDAS

BRAHMANAS

ARANYAKAS

UPANISHADS

MAHABHARATA

& RAMAYANA

PURANAS

TANTRAS

DARSHANAS

SRUTI SMRITI

*some were orally transmitted prior to this

TWO TYPES OF SCRIPTURES

SHRUTI (“heard”) heard by the rishisdirect from God

…The VedasSamhitas, Brahmanas, Arayakas, Upanishads

SMRITI (“remembered”)-Itihãsas (History or Epics) -Purãnas (Mythology) -Dharma Shãstras- Law Codes -Ãgamas & Tantras- Sectarian

Scriptures. -Darshanas- Manuals of

Philosophy

*

Hindu religious literature, the most ancient writings in the world, is of two types:

primary scriptures (Sruti) and secondary scriptures (Smriti). The Sruti scriptures

are of divine origin, whose truths were directly revealed to ancient rishis (sages)

in their deep meditations. The Smriti scriptures are of human origin and were

written to explain the Sruti writings and make them understandable and

meaningful to the general population. Sruti scriptures include the four Vedas

(Rig, Yajur, Sãma and Atharva) and the Bhagavad Gîtã, and constitute the

highest religious authority in Hindu religion. Smriti scriptures include five distinct

groups of writings :

Itihãsas (History or Epics)

Purãnas (Mythology)

Dharma Shãstras- Law Codes

Ãgamas & Tantras- Sectarian Scriptures.

Darshanas- Manuals of Philosophy

THE *VEDAS*Note: “Veda” is used in multiple ways:1. Referring to the oldest hymn portions

(Samhitas)2. Referring to the collection of samhitas,

brahmanas, aranyakas, and upanishads3. Shaivites and Vaishnavites often include the

Agamas by this term4. Many also include the Gita by this term

THE VEDAS (Samhitas)

The Rig Veda 10,552 hymns

The Sama Veda 1,875 hymns--mostly Rig Veda repeated

The Yajur Veda Vedic sacrificial manuals

The Atharva Veda Incantations, spells, mystical poetry

*stack a comparison of Bible and Vedas (1 v. 4)

Searching for the VEDASYou want a copy of the Vedas?

-you won’t find it in the library-you won’t find it in the bookstores-you might find a concise, edited version-when you find it…

When were they written?Nobody knows exactly…-The oldest Veda (Rig) reached its final stage of

compilation about 1000 B.C.

-Different dates givenTilak: 6000 B.C.Jacobi: 4500 B.C.Mueller: 1200 B.C.

The Rig VedaRig Veda

Book 3 Hymn 101. Thee Agni, God, Imperial Lord of all mankind, do mortal menWith understanding kindle at the sacrifice.2 They laud thee in their solemn rites, Agni, as Minister and Priest, shine forth in thine own home as guardian of the Law.3 He, verily, who honours thee with fuel, Knower of all life,He, Agni! wins heroic might, he prospers well. …

The Sama Veda“sama” means “song” or “hymn”Rig Veda rearranged for ritual useUsually sung from high to low pitch, never moving between pitches, lulling the mind 1875 mantras making 4000 hymns

“The god Savita is the creator of all beings. May Savita grant you foodgrains.

May he grant you strength. O men! You are the breath of life. May the great

creator guide you on the path to superior action. O men! Forge ahead. May you

not kill others living beings. May you set aside a share for Indra at sacrifices. May

you have children and may you be free of ill health and tuberculosis.” (Debroy,

121)

The Yajur VedaFormulae and verses for sacrifices“Yaj” means “sacrifice”The ‘white’ and ‘black’ Yajur Vedas:two different schools of the Yajur emerged:1) Tattitiya Samhita (Krishna/black)

more prevalent in southern India2) Vajasaneyi Samhita (Shukla/white)

clearly demarcates samhita and brahmanas

*statement: “So there you have the Hindu Scriptures…” (and sit down…only to

stand up and add…)

A little more complicated…Four recensions of Krishna (black) Yajurveda:

-taittirīya saṃhita-maitrayani saṃhita-caraka-katha saṃhita-kapiṣṭhala-katha saṃhita

Two recensions of the (white) Shukla:-Vajasaneyi Madhyandiniya-Vajasaneyi Kanva

Add four books to the side to represent the Krishna/black Yajur

Even more complicated…Each recension has its own version of:Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads

E.g. The Taittiriya Shakha (branch):Taittiriya Samhita, Taittiriya BrahmanaTaittiriya Aaranyaka, Taittiriya Upanishad and the Mahaanaarayana Upanishad.

+ add five more to represent additional 6 rescensions (in each pile)

+ add 16 more to represent the versions each of these has with Brahamanas,

Aranyakas, and Upanishads

Yajur Veda 6.1.1 (Taittiriya Samhita)[6]. Indra slew Vrtra, he died upon the waters. Of the waters what

was fit for sacrifice, pure, and divine, that went out of the waters, and became Darbha grass. In that he purifies (the sacrificer) with bunches of Darbha grass, verily he purifies him with the waters which are fit for sacrifice, pure, and divine. He purifies (him) with two (stalks); verily he purifies him by daysand nights. He purifies (him) with three (stalks); three are these worlds; verily he purifies him by these worlds. He purifies (him) with five stalks [7]; the Pankti has five syllables, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he purifies him by the sacrifice. He purifies (him) with six (stalks); six are the seasons; verily he purifies him by the seasons. He purifies (him) with seven (stalks); seven are the metres; verily he purifies him by the metres. He purifies (him) with nine (stalks); nine are the breaths in man; verily hepurifies him along with his breaths. He purifies (him) with twenty-one (stalks); there are ten fingers and ten toes, and the body is the twenty first; he thus completely purifies the man.

The Atharva Veda

Incantations, charms and spells to counteract evil; marriages and funerals. 20 books or kandas; 750 hymns, 6,000 verses

Atharvan is said to be the first man to rub to pieces of sticks together and to

make fire. He could vanquish evil demons.

Revealed to three ancient families:

1) Atharvan 2) Angirasa 3) Bhrigus

SAMPLE: Atharva VedaI, 23. Leprosy cured by a dark plant.1. Born by night art thou, O plant, dark, black, sable. Do thou, that art rich in colour, stain this leprosy, and the gray spots!2. The leprosy and the gray spots drive away from here--may thy native colour settle upon thee--the white spots cause to fly away!3. Sable is thy hiding-place, sable thy dwelling-place, sable art thou, O plant: drive away from here the speckled spots!4. The leprosy which has originated in the bones, and that which has originated in the body and upon the skin, the white mark begotten of corruption, I have destroyed with my charm.

*

* So there you have it the Vedas. That’s the basics of it all...

The VedangasThough not shruti, they are important for the study of the

Veda

Siksa- pronunciationKalpa- details of ritualVyakarana- grammarNirukta- etymology of rare wordsChanda- explain and practice verse meterJyotisa- planetary astrology

The memorization of the Vedas was very precise: memorization of them in multiple ways (e.g. forward and backward), recited in a particular pitch, along with precise movements of the arm and fingers.

Add 6 large books to represent the Vedangas (behind of Shruti pile)

Vedic Gods

IndraAgniVaruna

Vedic GodsSurya Soma

THE VEDAS (entire)

In addition to the oldest portion, the hymns, there are three other portions:

(The Samhitas)

The Brahmanas

The Aranyakas

The Upanishads

The BrahmanasCirca 600-200 B.C.

Details of ritual and sacrificial rites and duties; commentaries on rituals and prayers on the four vedas (Samhitas)

The BrahmanasRig Brahmanas

Sama Brahmanas

Yajur Brahmanas

Atharva Brahmanas

The Aitareya Brahmana

Kaushitaki or Sankhayana Brahmana

8 Brahamanas

Shatapatha Brahmana (white)100 lectures

Taittiriya Brahmana (black)

Gopatha Brahmana

Add 14 more books

The Aranyakas

Circa 400-200 B.C.,

Spiritual/mystical interpretations of rituals and ceremonies.

Called “forest texts” as they were from ascetics of the forest

The Aranyakas

Each Aranyakas is associated with a Brahmana, sometimes having more than one; the Atharva has none.

add 14 more books

The Upanishads

“Those who sit near”- the teachings of gurus to their students

Doctrines of caste, karma, and reincarnation are more fully developed in these writings

Upanishad means the inner or mystic teaching. The term Upanishad is derived

from upa (near), ni (down) and s(h)ad (to sit), i.e., sitting down near. Groups of

pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him the secret doctrine. In the quietude

of the forest hermitages the Upanishad thinkers pondered on the problems of

deepest concerns and communicated their knowledge to fit pupils near them.

Samkara derives the word Upanishad as a substitute from the root sad, 'to

loosen.,' 'to reach' or 'to destroy' with Upa and ni as prefixes and kvip as

termination. If this determination is accepted, upanishad means brahma-

knowledge by which ignorance is loosened or destroyed. The treatises that deal

with brahma-knowledge are called the Upanishads and so pass for the Vedanta.

The different derivations together make out that the Upanishads give us both

spiritual vision and philosophical argument. There is a core of certainty which is

essentially incommunicable except by a way of life. It is by a strictly personal

effort that one can reach the truth. The Upanishads more clearly set forth the

prime Vedic doctrines like Self-realization, yoga and meditation, karma and

reincarnation, which were hidden or kept veiled under the symbols of the older

mystery religion. The older Upanishads are usually affixed to a particularly Veda,

through a Brahmana or Aranyaka. The more recent ones are not. The

Upanishads became prevalent some centuries before the time of Krishna and

Buddha.

The main figure in the Upanishads, though not present in many of them, is the

sage Yajnavalkya. Most of the great teachings of later Hindu and Buddhist

philosophy derive from him. He taught the great doctrine of "neti-neti", the view

that truth can be found only through the negation of all thoughts about it. Other

important Upanishadic sages are Uddalaka Aruni, Shwetaketu, Shandilya,

Aitareya, Pippalada, Sanat Kumara. Many earlier Vedic teachers like Manu,

Brihaspati, Ayasya and Narada are also found in the Upanishads.

In the Upanishads the spiritual meanings of the Vedic texts are brought out and

emphasized in their own right.

UPANISHADSOlder portions of Vedas (Samhitas) were part of the path of knowledge, “karma kanda.”Upanishads (and Aryanyakas) are part of a different type of literature in the broader Vedas: “jnana kanda”Inversion of Influence- older texts of the Veda are not as influential as the later philosophical portions (the Upanishads)

Upanishad BasicsWhen?? 400-200 B.C. is the most likely range; some in recent centuriesWho?No one knows. Sages who taught.“Upanishad” = “one who sits near”How Many?12 are most important (acc. to Sankara, 8th century)108 importantmany more-- 240?

+ 108? No let’s just add 12 for the most popular

UpanishadsTopics:

-states of consciousness-dreams, meditation-the world within the mind and soul-self-realization (that you are divine)-the unity of all things

The Four Great Vedic (Upanishad) Statements

1. TAT TVAM ASI (You are *that).(Sama Veda – Chandogy Upanishad)

2. AHAM BRAHMASMI (I am Brahman). (Yajur Veda – Brhadaranyak Upanishad

3. AYAM ATMA BRAHMAN (This Self is Brahman). (Atharva Veda – Manduky Upanishad)

4. PRAGNANAM BRAHMAN (Brahman is consciouness).(Rig Veda - Aitarey Upanishad)

* “that” is the Upanishadic way of referring to the ultimate, yet indescribable Reality

SAMPLE: UpanishadThe Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 11

(4.5)

A wife loves her husband not for his own sake, dear, but because the Self lives within him.

A husband loves his wife not for her own sake, dear, but because the Self lives within her…

This self has to be realized. Hear about this self and meditate upon Him…

SAMPLE: UpanishadChandogya Upanishad

*

“After years away at school, Shvetaketu returned home to his father, Uddalaka. Uddalaka could

tell from Shvetaketu’s boasting about how much he had learned that he hadn’t learned anything

at all. Or at least not anything worth knowing.

“Did your teacher teach you how to hear that which can’t be heard or know what can’t be known?”

Uddalaka asked.

“Oh-Oh. That wasn’t in the curriculum.”

“Go outside and get me a fruit from the banyan tree.” Shvetaketu ran outside for the fruit.

“Now cut it in half,” his father instructed. “What do you see?”

“I see the seeds, dad.”

“Cut one of those in half.” This wasn’t easy—banyan seeds are extremely small. Finally

Shvetaketu managed to slice one evenly. “What do you see?” Uddalaka asked.

“The boy was baffled. “What do you mean, dad? There’s nothing there.”

“Uddalaka looked his son in the eye. “from that ‘nothing’ an enormous tree arises. When you

understand what that ‘nothing’ is, you will understand yourself. The nothing tyou can’ see is the

very essence of the reality of the tree. The unperceivable essence of being is also what you are.

You are that, Shvetaketu.”

(Linda Johnsen, Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism. p.55)

* So that’s it!... Oh I forgot the Smriti!

Shruti Smriti

DARSHANAS

Exhibitions or philosophical systems developed out of the Vedas by various teachers or schools.

SIX FAMOUS SCHOOLS:

Nyaya Vaiseshika

Sankhya Yoga

Mimansa Vedanta

+Six more books to our stack in the rear

PURANAS

A.D. 400-1500

18 major books and at 18 minor books relating to the Trimurti- Brahma, Vishnu, & Shiva

Popular mythology that is well-known by the common people of India

…POPULAR HINDUISM TODAY

SAMPLE: PuranasSummary from the Siva Purana

Parvati, Siva’s consort, was surprised while bathing and decided she should

have a servant of her own to guard her door while she bathed. She fashioned

from dirt a young man who was handsome, and strong and called him her son.

She appointed him to guard her door and to use force if necessary, and made

him the chief of her ganas (servants).

She then went in to bathe. At that moment, Siva came to the door. Parvati’s

gana or son did not know this was the lord Siva and told Siva he could not enter.

Siva rebuked him, but he still would not let him enter. Ganesha struck Siva with

his stick. Siva then mustered his own ganas, who warned him. But since

Ganesha showed no fear, then attacked him. Ganesha waged war with Siva’s

army and was a formidable foe.

Visnu came and helped Siva sage war against Ganesha. Finally, Siva used his

trident and cut off Ganesha’s head.

Siva was sorry he had cut off Ganesha’s head.

Parvati was furious and fashioned hundreds of thousands of saktis or powers,

and Parvati commanded them to attack the gods.

A millions gods were annihilated and the gods consulted what to do.

Narada (god of the seers) then came and beseeched Parvati to stop her

devastation.

Parvati then said that if they could revive Ganesha and make him overseer of

everything, then there would be peace. Narada went back to the other gods and

told them.

Siva then said to go north and cut off the head of whomever you first see.. So

they brought the body of Ganesha and then went out to look, to the north. The

first thing they met was an elephant with a single tusk. They took its head and

fastened it to the body of Ganesha. Through repeating Vedic mantras and

sprinkleing holy water on the boy he rose up as though from sleep.

(Dimmitt. P. 179ff.)

AGAMAS: BasicsTexts of the Trimurti

-Siva Agamas (28)-Vishnu Agamas (108)-Devi Agamas (Tantras) (77)

Shiva Vishnu Parvati

Make the point of asking for 213 more books

TANTRAS

A.D. 500-1100

Numerous writings (mainly in dialogue form) between Shiva and his consort, Parvati (Durga)

Belief that true power resides in the feminine aspect of deity, worship of the mother goddess, from which ‘Shakti’ or power comes.

TANTRAS

Two forms of tantrism:

right-handed (symbolic)

left-handed (literal/sexual)

Three schools:

Kaula (taboo breaking)

Mishra (external and internal mixed)

Samaya (meditative)

Let’s just add 9 more books-- 3 schools x 3 volumes to the back pile

EPICS

1. MAHABHARATA

(Gita)

MahabharataMythology of the war between two families

(cousins), Pandavas v. Kauravas

The longest epic poem

Contains the Bhagavad Gita…perhaps the most popular scripture

Let’s add four more volumes to the back pile

EPICS

2. Ramayana

RamayanaThe life of a noble king, Ram

while in exile, his wife, Sita is abducted by the evil king, Ravana. Hanuman (the monkey god) and other cohorts help Ram rescue Sita.

written by Valmiki in 3rd century B.C. in Sanskritother language translations exist with variations

add another book to back pile, and one to side pile as there are several alternate

versions

Dharma ShastrasCode of ManuOther law codes (Arth, Niti, etc.)

add four more to the back pile

the hindu scriptures - karma2grace.orgkarma2grace.org/docs/docs_notes_paul_hindu_scriptures.pdf ·...

Documents