Hinduism Worldview: Hinduism Worldview

Andrew Martin

PHI 150

Professor Joiner

4/7/14

Part 1: Hinduism Worldview

Asking, “Why is there something rather than nothing?” the question is addressed by the Rig-Veda and states, “in the first age of the gods, existence was born of nonexistence.” (AWS 30) An interpretation of this is that everything in existence came from nothing. Or that everything that made up reality existed but didn’t make up anything. “Everything” is Brahman, who is the one absolute reality that is the composition of everything. Everything existed but at the same time didn’t. The creation happened when, “Desire came upon (Brahman) in the beginning; that was the first seed of mind.” (AWS 31) Brahman had such a great desire to exist that he produced the gods that then produced everything else. These gods made reality into parts, and these parts are the object we have interacted with throughout history. When looking at a bottle of water people may see a whole body of water, but it’s made up of billions of parts. Even though we see ourselves as separate, we are one being. In the Bri-Upanishad, Brahman is described as, “soul alone, in the shape of a person.” Humanity’s existence is also explained as “he (Brahman) has intercourse with (Yajnavalkya), and humans (are) born.” (AWS 31) Brahman was confined to him and grew lonely, so he separated himself into two parts, a man and woman, and they created all things.

Purpose:

Purpose asks, “what is the purpose of life and what brings life meaning?” To Hindus, the goal in life is to become one with Brahman and discover the Atman. The Atman is the spirit and the footprint of everything. To reach enlightenment, people must follow rules called Dharma to ensure that they stay in their correct caste so they can potentially...

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...s a desire. If knowing Brahman was not a desire, why would you put yourself through the strict life Hindus are suppose to follow. So in trying to know Brahman you would have to not want to know him to meet him.

Hinduism also does not have explanatory scope because it’s highly contained in India. To be in check with these beliefs, you have be born and raised in a Hindu society, or one must face the never-ending cycle of samsara. The only real attempt to explain this occurrence away is when Krishna tells Arjuna, “When devoted men sacrifice to other deities of faith, they sacrifice to me, Arjuna, however aberrant the rites.” (AWS 58) Krishna states that no whoever people worship, they are still worshipping Krishna, an extension of Brahman. That means that if someone is a Muslim, Mormon, or any other religion they are still praying to a different version of Krishna.