Lessons - Hinduism and Christianity

Lesson Objectives

To understand concepts within a belief system – Hinduism

To express abstract concepts in a non-literal way.

To identify concepts within a text.

To evaluate the relationship between beliefs and action.

To compare theories - evil

Activities

Read through text pausing for discussion about Hindu concepts. (pp. 188-189, 200-202)

Listen to Alan Watts explain Hinduism as a concept 



Use a PMI strategy to make comments about Hindusim and suffering, afterlife and death at this: PADLET

Create a metaphor that acts as a conceptual tool for the process of a Hindu reaching moksha. Include parts of the metaphor to incorporate Brahman, Atman, Maya, Karma, Ahimsa, Moksha. Plot interrelationships between the terms before designing the metaphor. Ask the students to draw the metaphor and label the diagram.

Use this resource to help you understand concepts: Hindu concepts

Annotate the diagram with implicit meanings of each of the Hindu beliefs.

Read the Katha Upanishad text on this PADLET. Download the text and highlight the major Hindu teachings about evil, identity, suffering and the afterlife in this reading.

Then, using an extent barometer strategy to compile relevant evidence for writing, answer one of the following questions:

To what extent do Hinduism teachings about the afterlife affect Hindus? 

To what extent do Hindu teachings explain the origin of evil or human suffering?

Post your response in PEEL format below:

Read the document entitled Theodicies: the problem of evil. Draw a flowchart documenting how Christian explanations of evil have evolved over time. 

Evaluate the satisfactoriness of Buddhist, Hindu and Christian explanations of evil. What criteria are needed to assess the nature of these explanations? 

Extension activities:

Activity One

Define the concept of Ahimsa from the Divine Life Society in India  AHIMSA

Compare and contrast the definitition of ahimsa from SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA with the definition provided by Kino MacGregor - a well-known American Yoga instructor:

What similarities and differences are evident in their understanding of Ahimsa?

Activity Two

Read the following Hindu scriptures about Ahimsa from Wikipedia:

Quotes from Manusmṛti

Those who permit slaying of animals; those who bring animals for slaughter; those who slaughter; those who sell meat; those who purchase meat; those who prepare dish out of it; those who serve that meat and those who eat are all murderers. -Manusmṛti 5.51

Alcohol-drinking, Fish, Meat eating, aasava consumption – these are not present in Vedas. These have been propagated by fraud people. They have fraudulently added these uncontrolled, reckless, atheist descriptions in our texts. -Mahabharata, Shantiparva 265.9.4

Further, the Mahabharata states, "How can you expect compassion from a meat-eater?"

Quotes from Ramayana:

Saint Valmiki was going to the river Ganga for his daily ablutions. A disciple by the name Bharadwaja was carrying his clothes. On the way, they came across the Tamasa Stream. Looking at the stream, Valmiki said to his disciple, "Look, how clear is this water, like the mind of a good man! I will bathe here today." When he was looking for a suitable place to step into the stream, he heard the sweet chirping of birds. Looking up, he saw two birds flying together. Valmiki felt very pleased on seeing the happy bird couple. Suddenly, one of the birds fell down, hit by an arrow; it was the male bird. Seeing the wounded one, its mate screamed in agony. Valmiki's heart melted at this pitiful sight. He looked around to find out who had shot the bird. He saw a hunter with a bow and arrows, nearby. Valmiki became very angry. His lips opened and he uttered the following words:

/*ॐ माँ निषाद प्रतिष्ठा त्वमगमः शास्वती समः यत् क्रोच मिथुनादेवकमवधी काममोहितं*/

"You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity,

For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting."

What does the text suggest about meat eater? What is the morality behind the concept of Ahimsa? What does this suggest about the nature of suffering from a Hindu perspective?

Activity Three

Divergent texts on Ahimsa:

Read the following Hindu scripture about Ahimsa from Wikipedia:

Those who eat flesh uncooked, and those who eat the bleeding flesh of men,

Feeders on babes unborn, long-haired, far from this place we banish these.  Atharva Veda (8.6.23)[15]

What does this scripture forbid and what does it implicitly allow?

— Atharva Veda (8.6.23)[15]

Activity Four

Go to http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crime_in_India. Analyse the statistics of violent crime in India and complete an extent barometer in relation to the following question:

To what extent do Hindus in India follow the practice of ahimsa? What does this suggest about the nature of belief and practice?