Ho Chi Minh University, Philosophy

Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy

Prof. Dr. Anto CheramthuruthyDean of Studies, PhilosophyMarymatha Major seminaryInstitute of Philosophy and ReligionTrichur, Kerala, [email protected]


Department of Philosophy, May 12, 2010.


HINDUISM : SOME PRELIMINARY REMARKSOne can look at Hinduism from various points of view.Hinduism as a Religion: Religious PluralismIndias uniqueness consists in its mystical and spiritual traditions.

**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


ContdHinduism as a Culture: India has the confluence of many cultures predominantly a Hindu cultureToday there is a tendency to view Indian culture through the narrow prisom of Hindutva. Hindutva is the political ideology



Contd

Hinduism as a Philosophical system: Intellectual pluralismIndia has the tradition of argumentative cultureRationality and argumentation are important here. The west often says that there is no rationality here, only spirituality which is not true.This presentation takes a Synnthetic view which integrates all the three perspective



The Hindu Concept of GodFaith in the existence of one spiritual reality (personal god), belief in the law of karma and the transmigration of souls are the most important elements in the religious thought of a Hindu. They believe in polytheism. The supreme Being is always indicated as Brahman or AUMThe supreme being is described as beyond the measure of all attributes. The Hindu belief that the divine is both immanent and transcendent.



ContdThe supreme being is known as the inner controller (Inner Controller)There are 33 crores of gods (pantheon). There are god of the upper heaven, there are gods of the interspace, the gods of the earth.



The Doctrine of TrimurtiIt is the Trinitarian structure of GodThe god Brahma, Vishnu and SivaThey have three separate functions: creation, maintenance and dissolution



ContdIt is the three forms of the Godhead namely Brahma, Visnu and Siva. . It is the same God who performs the three separate functions of creation, maintenance and destruction. The idea of God as the creator, preserver and destroyer is well asserted in this doctrine.



The Idea of Avatara (Incarnation).Avatara means Descent.It is the descent of God into the world of menThey come to establish dharma or moral order on this earthThey can be human and sub-human avatarasGenerally accepted 10 avataras.**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


The Hindu concept of ManAccording to Indian thinkers from the philosophical point of view man cannot be regarded as standing apart from the universe. He does not enjoy any place of special privilege. They look upon man as just one of the many forms in which the Supreme Being is manifested in this universe. The Upanishads say that the essential self or the vital essence in man is the same as that in an ant, the same as that in an elephant.



ContdOne of the important teachings of Upanishads is that to know thyself.The philosophical implication of this teaching is that the essential or real self(atman) is different from the empirical self (jiva). The essential self is not identical with either the body or the mind and is free from all the limitations. The self is neither the subject nor the object. The self is seen always in terms of the absolute self.



ContdAccording to the most representative Hindu view, there are three kinds of body namely, physical body (made up of panchabhutas), the subtle body and the causal body. The presence of the causal body indicated in the condition of deep sleep when both the physical and subtle bodies cease to function temporarily.



THE FOUR STATES OF THE SOULWaking consciousness (jagrat)Dream Objects (swapna)Deep sleep (susupti)Turiya: it is the state of liberation**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE HUMAN SOULAnnamayakosa (the cover of matter)Pranamaya kosa (the cover of Life)Anandamaya kosa (the cover of Bliss)Vijnana maya Kosa (the cover of Knowledge)Manomaya kosa (the cover of mind)

*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*


Belief in Rebirth (Transmigration)It is common to several ancient religions of the world. But the distinctive contribution of Hinduism is that it has attempted to give a metaphysical and ethical interpretation of that belief. There are 4 main principles involved in the Hindu theory of rebirth: the permanence of the essential self, the operation of original ignorance (avidya), the possibility of union with the supreme Being (Moksha), the doctrine of Karma.



The Concept of MokshaThe Hindu scriptures teach that the ultimate end of human life is liberation (moksha) from the finite human consciousness of ours, which makes us see all things as separate from one another and not as part of a whole. Liberation can be of two types: jivanmukti and videha mukti. The first refers to liberation during ones own life and the latter means liberation after death.



The Hindu Concept of the UniverseThe Hindu scriptures identify God with the universe, the natural world of multiplicity and differentiation. There is the belief that Brahman transforms himself into the ever blossoming of the external world. The supreme being is the whole universe., animate and inanimate.



Believing in the identity of the supreme Being is the whole universe, the Hindus see Him in everything and everything in Him and worship Him as abiding in all kinds of created things. There are certain systems believe that the world is an illusion (maya). God created the world just like a spider creates the web. It is the material cause and the efficient cause.*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Contd


Indian Schools of PhilosophyThe philosophical systems are different ways of shaping practical lives.Philsophy in India is called Darsana.It means visionIt is the vision of reality as a wholeIt is an insight into the nature of realityIt is an inquiry and not mere theorezingIt aims at the realization of the highest perfection.Darsana contains spiritual experience



The Heterodox Systems(Nastika)These systems reject the vedic authorityThey oppose the vedic culture, the vedic authorityThey are Three in numberBuddhism, Jainism and Carvaka (Indian Materialism)



THE ORTHODOX SYSTEMS:They accept the Vedic authority (astika)They showed allegiance to the Vedic thoughts.The Vedas are the earliest records of Indian literature and thought.These systems are six in number



Presentation of Arguments1.PurvaPakasha (earlier position)2.Khandana (Refutation)3.Uttarapaksha (later position)



The Six Orthodox SystemsSamkyaYogaNyaya Vaisesika MimamsaVedanta**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


Samkhya systemIt is the most ancient philosophical systemKapila is the founderThe earliest available book of this system is Samkyakarika This system is notable for its theory of evolutionIt is described as a metaphysic of dualistic realism



It presumes that there are two ultimate principles; Prakrti and Purusha both of them are essentially oposed.Prakrti is constituted of three gunas (qualities), sattva, rajas and tamas. Purusha does not have any gunas. Prakrti is unconscious, but purusha is conscious. Prakrti is the fundamental substance out of which the world evolves. Prakrti is essentially dynamic.

*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Samkhyan Metaphysics


Prakrti evolves the world of objects when it comes into contact with Purusha. But there is a problem since both of them are diametrically opposed. In fact, there is no contact except that there is a nearness. It is like the blind amn and the lame man and how they co-operate in order to get out of a forest. *Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Contd


Samkyan EpistemologyThere are three sources of valid knowledgePerceptionInferenceScriptural testimony*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*


*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Yoga System (2nd century BC)It is founded by PatanjaliYoga aceepts the Samkyan metaphysics and grafts the concept of God in it.

Yoga is defined as Citta Vrtti NirodhaIt is the restraining of the mental modifications and thereby to calm down the mind and get realization.It provides both the theory and practice for ultimate realization.

Astanga Yoga (8fold path) is the means for this.Yama (contol), Niyama (observances), Asana (posture), Pranayama (Breath controlPratyahara (withdrawl of the senses), Dharana (fixation), Dhyana (Meditation), Samadhi( Concentration).


*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Yoga EthicsYoga ethics is altruistic; it is not egoisticYoga advocates asceticismIn Yoga , all emotions are intellectual disorders.The summum bonum (the highest goal) of life is the perfect knowledge of the self as transcendental consciousness.


*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Nyaya System (Indian Logic)Gautama is the founder of Nyaya schoolNyaya deals with the sources of correct knowledge namely, perception, inference, comparison, testimony.In Nyaya syllogism, there are 5 premises.They are pratijna (proposition), hetu (reason), udaharana (example,( upanaya (application), Nigamana (conclusion)The Aristotelean syllogism is only deductive and formal, while Nyaya syllogism is deductive-inductive and formal.


Kananda is the founder of this school (330BC)It emphasizes the significance of particulars or individuals.He speaks of different categoris like substance, quality, quatity etc. It is pluralistic. All physical objects are produced by the combination of atoms.There are atoms of the earth, water, fire and air which are eternal.These atoms are inactive and motionless in themselvesMotion is produced in the atoms by the unseen agencies.

*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Vaisesika: The Theory of Atomism


. The vaisesika atomism and Greek atomism are different. Gor Greeks, atoms are similar in quality, but they differ in respect of quantity. For the Vaisesikas, they differ both in quantity and qualityThe Greek atomism holds that atoms are by their nature dynamic, but Vaisesika beleives that they are static in nature. According to Greek view, souls are composed of these atoms, but for the Vaisesikas, souls and atoms are different and both are individually but equally eternal and independent*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Contd


Contd. The Concept of GodKanada originally does not refer to a Supreme GodBut he believes in spiritualism and makes the physical world subservient to the moral order.But later writers say that it is theistic.God is considered to be the efficient cause of the universe.*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*


Mimamsa System (400 BC)Jaimini is the founder of this school.The term mimamsa etymologically menas solution of some problem by reflection and critical examination.This system concentrates on the ritualistic aspect of the vedic culture (Karma Kanda)It gives a methodology of interpretation of the ritualsIt provides a philosophical justification for the beliefs on which ritualism depends.



Religion and Ethics in MimamsaReligion is Dharma and Dharma can be revealed by vedic prescriptions only.Dharma is non-temporal and supersensous Duty of Moral Law.All that contributes to the attainment of the good is dharmaA ritual is performed not as a worship, but because the vedas command us to perform it.The performance of the sacrifices as prescribed by vedas is instrumental in bringing about the happiness of the self.



The whole world is conceived as a universal sacrifice.There are three types of ritualistic actions1. Obligatory actions2. Optional actions3. prohibited actions

*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Contd


Vedanta PhilosophyVedanta is the culmination of the whole vedic thought. In fact, upanishad is called vedanta.There was the need for systematizing the upanishads which are many in number.Badarayana took up this work and it is called Brahma sutra Bhasya.There were differnt commentaries written by differnt people.Thus we have the schools of Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva etc.Among these, the advaita vedanta of Sankara is important.



What is advaita VedantaAdvaita is non-dualismIt takes up the problem of One and Many and tries to give a solution with adavaita perspectiveThe key point: Brahman is the only ontological reality; the world is false; the jiva and Brahman are not different (Brahma Satyam, Jagat Mithya, Jivo brahmaiva naparah).



Sankara gives the hierarchical differentiation of existence.Thrrere are three grades of existence1. The transcendental level (Paramartika)2. The empirical (Vyavaharika)3. The Phenomenal (Pratibhasika)

*Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy*Contd


World in AdvaitaThe world is maya (illusion)Sankara gives priority to the Ultimate reality to the extent of making the world as an illusion.Maya is the inherent potency of BrahmanMaya is the source of names and forms (namarupa)



Modern & Contemporary Indian ThoughtThere was aperiod of stagnation after the classical period.We see new thinkers emerging during the 18th century like, Vivekananda, Dr. S Radhakrishnan, Ambedkar, Krishnamoorthi, Gandhiji.There is new way of interpretation of Hinduism**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


Current Religious MovementsThere are Bhakti MovementsRevival MovementsMovements by Hindu Fundamentalist groupsHinduism is being politically interpretedAs a result, the religious tolerance is being affected sometimes



ConclusionWe have been just making a survey on the diffferent philosophical schools of India.These systems present diverse metaphysical views and that is the beauty of Indian philosophy.All the systems stress on the need for knowledgeIt is very much related to ones ultimate salvation.So there is a relationship between religion and philosophy here.It is difficult to distinguish between what is religious and what is philosophical.**Dr. Anto Cheranthuruthy


THANK YOU for listening meProf. Dr. Anto CheramthuruthyDean of Studies, PhilosophyMarymatha Major seminaryInstitute of Philosophy and ReligionTrichur, Kerala, [email protected]

*Prof. Dr. Anto *


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Ho Chi Minh University, Philosophy