Wk01 Monday, Mar 28 26 Required Text #1 1
Required Texts, #2 & #3 Summer Reading 2
The Course Title examined: Intro to Indian Philosophical Literature Intro Indian Philosophical Literature Indian vs. Hindu Sanskrit Sindhu = river or ocean. Persian hindū = inhabitant of Hind, country through which the river Sindhu (Indus) flows = non-muslims living in the Indus Valley 3
Some Course Housekeeping Get Acquainted Signup Sheet Reading Feedback via Canvas Short response on assigned readings For each reading, in brief (1 pg max, total) What did you like / dislike (why ) Topics for further discussion, elaboration Due by 11:30am of every lecture (MW) 10 pts, 8 = ~B, pts off missing sections, late Housekeeping, cont d Weekly Reflection via Canvas 2-3 sections, each 10 pts, 1.5 pg max Reflection questions to be kept in mind as one reads Due by Sat 11am Thursday Section YOUR time for discussions, unanswered questions 15% Class Participation grade 4
Housekeeping, cont d Be sure to check both websites: 1. http://tiny.cc/asian225 2. Canvas Course Page Don t hesitate to ask questions! prem@uw.edu In person: GWN 231 Outside of Office Hrs, M-F 8-9, F 11:30-12:30, right after we meet MW 3:30-, Th 1:30- Ṛg Veda, Upaniṣad, Gītā or Rig Veda, Upanishad, Gita? Diacritics what & why? Sanskrit phonology 14 vowels 33 consonants Importance of sound Bottom line Survival Guide 5
Survival Guide to Pronunciation Sounds like Sounds like a u in but, a in chamaleon j hard, as in just ā father jh lodge-hut ai as in aisle k as kart au as in loud ṃ nasalization of preceding vowel bh club-hut ṅ ~ n c church ṇ ~ n ch birch-hut ñ like Spanish niña ḍ ~ d o as in go ḍh ~ mud-hut ṛ as in river e say, longer Spanish e ś shun g hard, as in get, go ṣ ~ shun gh log-hut ṭ ~ t ḥ echo of preceding vowel ṭh ~ ant-hill i pin u pull ī machine ū rūle Origins of Vedic Culture? Sanātana dharma, eternal dharma Dharma = religion, law, morality, order, justice, ethics, merit, duty Considered anādī, beginning-less Revealed to ṛṣi-s, seers Some historical evidence however 6
2600-1600 BCE Indus Valley Civilization Hints of Early Religion? Harappan Priest Proto Shiva? 7
Aryan Invasion/Immigration Theory 1500-500 BCE. Vedic corpus composed śruti Veda from vid, to know Maintenance of cosmic order sacrifice to Agni, fire god transports offerings to other gods. Brāhmins Date controversy 8
Vedas 4 Vedas: ṚgVeda collection of hymns sung during rituals SāmaVeda chants sung during Soma ritual YajurVeda prose formulas, mantras AtharvaVeda collection of charms & spells for every purpose (health, wealth, sorcery) Vedic corpus Brāhmaṇas theological textbooks explaining all aspects of Vedic rituals Āraṇyakas wilderness texts discussing more secret & dangerous rituals Upaniṣads 600 BCE beg. CE secret teachings, beginnings of philosophical speculations: where do we come from, why are we here, where do we go after death? 9
500 BCE - 400 CE: Challenges 450-370 BCE: The Buddha, Siddārtha Gautama Heterodox challenges to Vedic system Weakens Hinduism 6 Schools of Philosophy develop in response 400 BCE-200 CE: Development of the Rāmāyaṇa epic 10
400 BCE-400 CE: Development of the Mahābhārata epic 200 BCE-100 CE: Bhagavad Gītā, Song of the Lord More than the Vedas, this is the text studied by the average Hindu smṛti (as opposed to śruti) confirmation of śruti, Vedic dharma, Upaniṣads Message of Kṛṣṇa, reconciling the conflict between doing one s duty and following one s desires 11
At the same time 200 BCE-400 CE: Dharma-śāstras texts prescribing authoritative code of ethics for all of society 1-200 CE: Yoga Sūtras of Pātañjali text on meditation 8 limbs: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, samādhi Philosophical Schools 6 orthodox schools, ~200 BCE Nyāya & Vaiśeṣika logic, atomism Sāṃkhya & Yoga inert matter, spirit and their admixture Mīmāṃsā & Vedānta Vedic exegesis, Upaniṣadic thought Today, only Vedānta and Nyāya schools survive, rest absorbed 12
Bhakti, devotion & surrender Seeds in MB, Gītā Purāṇas Starts to come to the fore around 7 th cent. 13