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2 Maninthe moviehat. Blue jasmine

3 Hinduism Hinduism is more than a religion, is a way of life, a dharma or in other words, Sanatana Dharma, which means Eternal Religion. A Hindu is an individual who accepts and lives by the religious guidance of the Vedic scriptures Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. The main Hindu Texts are the Vedas. Veda means Knowledge in Sanskrit. These scriptures discuss dharma, which can be rendered as 'code of conduct', 'law', or 'duty.

4 Sanskrit word for Ethics is Dharma, which means to hold. It is the principle that holds together all beings in a harmonious order. Dharma is activity and mobility. By contrast, adharma is stoppage and unnatural. Dharma incorporates metaphysical and practical wisdom of the hindus. Hindu ethics is a systematic progression from objective level to the subjective level. The first stage is social ethics and second is personal ethics.

5 Objective level : Social Ethics Deals with Social Welfare. Based upon the hindu concept of Dharma, or duty, related to a man s position in society and his stage in life. Hindu dharma is tridimensional. Social duties are classified as : Asrama Dharma Varna dharma Sadharana Dharma

6 Asrama Dharma Ethical organization of individual Approaches the life from the side of nurture (srama) training it through successive stages. Persons are conceived as naturally craving sex, and feeling the need for property and public good. Four stages of Life: Artha ( Success ) born of energy (Rajas guna) Kama ( Passion ) born of inertia (Tamas guna) Dharma (Virtue) purity ( Sattva guna) Moksha (Self Perfection)

7 Before a person qualifies for moksha, it is obligatory to pay off vital debts These are debts to one s teacher (Rishi rna) To one s anscestors (Pitri rna) To one s deities (deva rna ) These debts are Repaid through - study - Begetting offspring - Ritual performances

8 Hindu ethics recommend five things to strive for : Niyamas : Purity in body, speech and mind Santosha : Contentment, Acceptance of circumstances with optimism Tapas : Meditation Swadhyaya : Lifelong Learning Pranidhan : Right attitude

9 After exploring the four stages of life, three springs of social obligation, we pass to ethical organization in which Purusarthas are realized and the debts redeemed. Four stages each individual pass through in the quest for his true self : Student (brahmachari) Householder (grhasthya) Forest dweller (Vanaprastha) Hermit (Sannyasin)

10 Varna Dharma Ethical organization of Society Approaches the life from the side of nature (guna) Define the role of the individual in society by virtue of natural tendencies and innate dispositions. Sanskrit word varna literally means color. Devised to promote a functional harmony between the various segments of society.

11 Four Varnas : Brahmins : Priest or Scholars (Prevalence of Sattva guna) considered pure and intellect. Ksatriyas : Warrior Kings (Prevalence of rajas guna) Vaisyas : traders and craftsman (Dominance of tamas guna) Sudras : Manual laborers or Service Providers

12 Sadharana Dharma Samanya or Generic duties Common duties as they are independent of varna and stages of life. Few universal duties are listed below: Steadfastness (Dhairya) Forgiveness( Kshama) Cleanliness (Swocha) Repression of sexual appetites(indriya nigraha) Wisdom (dhyan) Learning(Vidya) Truthfulness (Satya) Restraint of anger (akrodha) Refrain from injury to living beings (Ahimsa) Seeking the good of all creatures (Bhutahitatva )

13 Niyamas - Moral and Ethical Ideals of Hindus : 1. Ahimsã (non-injury) Don't harm others by word, deed or thought. 2. Satya (truthfulness) Refrain from lying and betraying promises. 3. Asteya (nonstealing) Don't steal, or enter into debt. 4. Brahmachãrya(controlling sex) Observe celibacy when single, and faithfulness in marriage. 5. Kshamã (forgiveness) Restrain from intolerance and ill will.

14 6. Dhriti (firmness) Overcome fear, indecision, and fickleness. 7. Dayã (compassion) Conquer cold and insensitive feelings. 8. Ãrjava (honesty) Renounce fraud, cheating and stealing. 9. Mitãhãra Refrain from overeating and consuming meat. 10. Shaucha (purity) Observe purity of the body, mind and intellect

15 11. Hrî (remorse) Be modest and show remorse for misconduct. 12. Santosha(contentment) Don't be a slave to the senses. Seek joy and serenity in the Self. 13. Dãna () Give generously without thought of reward. The more you give, the more you get. 14. Ãstikya (faith) Have unwavering faith in God's grace. 15. Pûjana (worship) Perform daily worship and meditation.

16 16. Shravana (hearing of scriptures) Study scriptures, listen to the teachings of the wise, and faithfully follow guru's advice. 17. Mati (cognition) Sharpen the intellect with guru's guidance. 18. Vrata (sacred vows) Observe scriptural injunctions faithfully. 19. Japa (chanting) Chant God's names and sacred mantras daily. 20. Tapas (austerity) Perform sãdhana (spiritual discipline) as outlined by the guru.

17 Subjective Level :Personal Ethics Known as CHITTASUDDHI or Purification of mind. On this level, the purifies mind internalizes the rules of objective morality, and transforms duty into virtue. Acc. To Vatsyayana, Virtue has three forms : Virtue of the body-charity, helping the needy, Social Service Virtue of Speech- Truthfulness, gentleness, Benevolence Virtue of Mind Kindness, Unworldliness, holiness

18 Like Virtue, Vice is also threefold: Vices of the body Cruelty, theft, Sexual indulgence Vices of the speech Falsehood, harshness, Scandal Vices of the mind Hatred, Unbelief Ethics is called nitisastra in ancient texts of Hinduism. Ethics consist of dharmic life that is moral, ethical evolve in Veda and Upanishads. An ethical life is Hinduism is essential for a liberated life, one without craving, one that is content, attained through knowledge abstaining from evil.

19 Thank You.