Hinduism: The One and the Many

1. The idea of “Hinduism”

a. Hindus = 80% of India’s 1 billion; 15% of the world’s population; emerging world power (economically and militarily); 815k US, 850k UK, 1033k S.Africa

b. “Hinduism” = religion of the Hindus. So named by early incomers (esp. Persians and Turks) – Indus valley & beyond, “people of” (initially no religious meaning), later “religion of” the people of the subcontinent

2. The prominent role of the eyes in apprehending the sacred in Hinduism

a. Darsan

b. The eyes of God

3. How do we look at Hinduism?

a. Overwhelmingly visual; vast diversity of images. Multitude of aspects (arms, objects, number of gods, perspectives)

b. How to grasp underlying unity in this diversity?

4. The One and the Many

a. The Hindu world is “radically polytheistic” Differs from traditions of the West this way.

b. Western monotheism: one God, book, Son, church

c. Hindu traditions stress diversity of all creation/ultimate unity at the same time

i. many ways to the ultimate; many viewpoints

d. The One and the Many: Hindu monism

Terms:

1. darsan
2. “Hinduism”
3. Monism
4. Monotheism

Questions:

1. How is the issue of “the one and the many” significant within the Hindu traditions

2. What are the inherent problems in the term “Hinduism”? What are the implications for the study of “Hinduism”?

3. Describe the importance of the visual in Hindu religion.

4. How do to Hindu traditions compare in their monistic emphasis on “the one” to the monotheistic religions of the West?