The Role Of Cosmic Norms In Hinduism

Sharma, A. (1996). On the distinction between Karma and Rebirth in Hinduism. Asian Philosophy, 6(1), 29-35.

In the Hindu culture there is a variety of gods and ways of life, differing greatly from the Western monotheistic thought. Instead of just one god for all, there is a god for whomever this particular god appeals. However, the Hindu way of life is set inside a parameter of steps that eventually lead to a state liberation from Samsara, the cycle of life within karma. These steps relate to the age of the person and duties prescribed. These life station are Kama, Artha, Dharma and Moksha. Kama is the pursuit of pleasure, Artha is the pursuit of worldly success, Dharma is to seek righteousness and perform sacred duty and Moksha liberation from Samsara and the cycle of life. In each of these the ideas there is a “do what you want till your desire

Arjuna questions Krishna’s intent by stating “I see omens of chaos, Krishna; I see no good in killing my kinsmen in battle” (27). Through this statement, Arjuna once again challenges the will of Krishna by choosing to look past the action of fighting and focuses on the result of his kin dying—the fruits of action. Krishna, in his response to Arjuna, retains the idea that Arjuna must serve a greater good and that his dharma, his sacred duty, is to do this as well. Further, through the statement “A man cannot escape the force of action by abstaining from actions; he does not attain success just by renunciation. No one exists for even an instant without performing an action,” Krishna displays the concept that disobedience or abstaining from a cause harms society more than it benefits it (43). Rather, the mere act of abstaining demonstrates some sort of deed-- this deed, or renunciation of a cause, will not obtain success but rather prohibit success from transpiring. The Bhagavad-Gita thus implies that killing and destruction, no matter how evil they appear, do not truly reflect the end goal of a cause, and that disobedience does not truly exhibit rejection of what one considers wrong.

The beginning of this class consists of two sections, Hinduism and Buddhism, both of which we have learned a lot about. Within these religions we see some differences and some similarities that one could relate the two with, and one of those is the term Dharma. When examining Dharma in both Hinduism and Buddhism, people may notice that they are somewhat similar, but they will also see that there even more differences within this term. To better understand this term, we must first define it within the religion and then see what they have in common with one another, if anything at all, and finally notice where the big differences are between them.

The Bhagavad Gita opens on a literal and intellectual battlefield. Arjuna, a warrior by caste, faces the prospect of riding into battle against his own family. Unable to bear the thought of slaying his own family, he offers his objections to the Hindu god Krishna. Krishna, in turn, introduces the concepts of detachment and selflessness to Arjuna, arguing that while man must sometimes take action, he should not relish the fruits of his action. According to Krishna, every man has his own dharma, or duty, which he must seek to fulfill via selfless devotion. However, the Gita’s conception of selflessness does not preclude war, and the Gita also argues that mortal human lives, including those lost in battle, are ultimately insignificant. As a warrior, Arjuna’s duty is to fight, even when it means prioritizing his dharma over deep familial concerns (Flood x). On the whole, the Bhagavad Gita supports just war in the context of Hindu thought.

Hinduism is faced with a revolving wheel of life, death and rebirth called Samsara better known as reincarnation. They believe this life cycle is a direct relation to a person’s karma of deeds done. Karma “determines the kind of body, whether human, animal, or insect, into which he or she will be reincarnated in the next

This essay will focus on analyzing the ultimate truth while seeing how it coexists with the study and practice of Jhana Yoga. Each of the principles presented in this essay will have an in depth examination. The philosophical and religious as well as human natures are some of the most important themes that will be displayed in this essay. The idea of the materialistic values that is present in everyday life serve as the reason to why one cannot know the ultimate truth and how one can overcome this in order to find supreme peace. Karma yoga will be studied as Lord Krishna tells its importance to Arjuna, so he can follow the path of divine fulfillment. The universality of religion and selflessness serve as the two strengths one can achieve to be capable to have and live by the ultimate truth. The aspect of tradition and the origins of

Hinduism is a very broad term that encompasses a multitude of different backgrounds, traditions, beliefs, and practices. Hinduism, as we know it today, has gone through many changes. To fully understand how Hinduism became as it is currently, knowledge of its development over the course of history is essential. This paper will demonstrate the primary shifts of its central beliefs, practices, and goals between periods of Early Vedic, Late Vedic, and Classical Hinduism.

Different from other religions, Hinduism presses biology and the Divine are one (48, 51). This is expressed through the following and belief of Shiva and Shakti. Shiva, is an absolute cosmic being and the sheer life force. Shakti is the absolute power of the universe the whole of the cosmic their progeny (48). Hinduism has several variations that make this religion very complex to understand; to simplify this “way of life,” simply think Dharma; while it’s a broad term in Hinduism it is very important. Summed as the moral behavior of an individual and becomes known as, rita, when this behavior is in accordance with the cosmic order (49). By practicing dharma, one upholds the social order. In dharma, one is constantly reflecting and self-correcting in any areas of opportunity for improvement. So dharma can be viewed as the saying, you reap what you sow. This “leaping out” or “skimming to a different level,” leading us then to moksha, which is a final quest in the life path of Hinduism (49). According to the Laws of Manu, dharma and moksha, are just two of the four goals of life, listed here in order of

Hinduism is a religion which has been around for as long as five thousand years. No one knows when the religion was founded or who begun it but is believed to be many ideologies all from different areas put together to be one. This makes it so that Hinduism is not that of a set religion but one where individuals believe in their certain gods. This is the reason why key ideologies of Hinduism are the belief in reincarnation, karma, and dharma. These beliefs are what all Hindus believe in and what connects them together. The most popular ideology in Hinduism is reincarnation which is the belief in rebirth after death. This ideology co-exists with karma which is the actions done

In my essay I will describe what does samsara mean, what other concepts are connected to it, and my thoughts in regards to it as cosmological and ethical ideal. To begin with what does Hinduism mean, according to our Textbook “World Religions” until the nineteenth century the word “Hinduism” did not exist, but over the centuries the term “Indu” and “Hindu” had become a territorial, racial, social and cultural label for the people of India. One of the most common concepts, which connect all of the Hindu believers, is the law of karma, the existence of samsara, as well as the end of the cycle called “moksha”. The word samsara is a continuing cycle that may last more than centuries, depending on the person’s karma. It is a cycle of birth, death

Hinduism and Buddhism are both eastern traditions with much to say about the human condition as well as the reason human beings exist at all. In some ways they are different while also being similar in other ways. In this essay, those differences will be discussed and the similarities examined for their message. In conclusion, we will examine what these two faiths offer to the human beings of the twenty-first century.

The Hindu religion is the third largest religion in the world, with an expanding impact on virtually every facet of life. The wealthy, famous athletes, and political leaders seek advice from their spiritual leaders and gurus. Karma is a popular term in everyday conversations. In addition, the yoga craze has caught on and many Christians practice this exercise without understanding exactly what its purpose has traditionally been. Doctors use yoga to help patients with migraines, immunities, and blood flow. Health authorities are using the Indian model to see what Hindu methods might be helpful to our modern way of living. Reincarnation is now a popular belief among the Western cultures.

The Bhagavad Gita is a sacred Hindu text that serves to illustrate many of the morals and ethics of Hindu culture, by way of the exchange between Arjuna and Krishna. One of the things Krishna tells Arjuna is that the war he is fighting in is righteous. Is this to say that all wars are righteous, that those of the warrior caste will know if a war is righteous, or that they have to guess and then suffer the consequences if they’re wrong? The first two seem naïve and oversimplified from the modern perspective, and the third seems unjust because regardless of caste, Hindus are said to be capable of fulfilling their dharma. Krishna also assumes that people know their purpose in life, which may have been the case at the time the text was written, but is no longer true. While in Arjuna’s day people were born into certain castes, today people are descended from a combination of what would have been considered castes, and often switch between castes within a lifetime. Regardless, Krishna’s argument for why Arjuna should fight seems relatively sound in that specific situation, but can be twisted to condone what many consider to be evil actions in others. Nonetheless, Krishna seems confident in the fact that it is a universal truth for everyone to know his or her dharma, and that he or she needs to follow it to achieve moksha. Although Krishna makes a strong argument for Arjuna’s specific case, it can be seen to condone evil, raising the questions that if all wars are righteous, and

Growing up, most of us probably heard the old proverb “you reap what you sow.” This is the idea that how one lives their life and what choices they make ultimately have positive or negative consequences. This is similar to the ancient Indian dharma, the idea of dismissing one’s “natural obligations that come from caste, gender, and occupation” (Powell 224). By living a law-abiding life and being virtuous, one practiced good dharma and therefore received good karma. On the other hand, those who lived immoral lives exercised bad dharma and, subsequently, received bad karma for their wrongdoings. The concept of dharma is a prominent theme in the Ramayana, an ancient Indian myth starring Rama, the incarnation of Vishnu, and plays a role in many of the ethical dilemmas that arise in this text. Because of the Ramayana’s influence on contemporary culture, the characters’ execution of dharma offers insight on how Indians should apply this law to the different spheres of their own lives.