Vedanta and Yoga - Essay Example

The Hinduism: 2. In What Ways did the Vedanta and Yoga Introduce a Revolutionary New Aspect to Hindu Religion? Introduction Hinduism remains the largest religion of the Indian region. The religion contains several traditions among which include srauta, vaishnavism and shaivism. Hinduism also comprises of prescriptions, philosophies, laws and practices based on societal norms, dharma and karma with regards to daily morals. Rather than a firm communal set of beliefs, the religion stays as a composite of diverse philosophical and intellectual viewpoints with no single founding pioneer. The smriti and sruti of Hindu texts encompass philosophy, temple building, theology and rituals amid other subjects of the Hindu religion. Agamas, Upanishads and Vedas constitute some of the leading scriptures of Hinduism. Hinduism stands in the third position after Christianity and Islam worldwide (Rinehart 2004, pp. 155-177). This paper seeks to outline ways in which the Vedanta and Yoga introduced a revolutionary new aspect to Hindu religion. Discussion Vedanta encompasses the theoretical foundation of classical Hinduism formed from Upanishads whereas Yoga entails the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali approaches in generic Hinduism. Attacks became launched by the Upanishads of age to increase the concentration on rituals. In this regard, the different monistic theories of the Upanishads became incorporated into a theistic context by the Bhagavad Gita, a sacred Hindu scripture. In the early centuries, several Hindu based philosophical schools became formally organized together with Vedanta and Yoga. Moreover, the development of Indian philosophies came along with the booming of both Buddhist and Hindu philosophies from the fifth to the ninth century. Vedanta emerged as the most solitary prevailing and influential philosophical school of thought. As a result, Sanskritic culture declined following the Gupta period. In addition, a religious convention became established among the pre-educated ethnic societies going through acculturation under the influence of the first medieval Purunas. Similarly, Dharmashastras and Brahmamic codes of Hinduism beliefs also experienced drastic transformations under the Purana authors. This resulted into the emergence of conventional Hinduism that in turn dominated over all formerly known traditions (Rinehart 2004, 179-202). Pujas based Hindu gods eventually replaced the Buddha royal spheres in the eighth century. In the same period, the Buddha royal spheres also became transformed into a Vishnu avatar. Additionally, the academic discipline of studying Indian culture on a European viewpoint came to be introduced in the nineteenth century. Certain societies endeavored to incorporate and bring together Dharmic and Abrahamic philosophies in establishing societal reforms. The same period also marked the emergence of very innovative movements founded on the teachings and personalities of individuals which remained deep-rooted in the aboriginal tradition of the religion. Moreover, prominent philosophers of Hinduism reframed, transformed and provided the religion’s introductory manuscripts for present-day audiences in new restatements in order to raise Vedanta and Yoga profiles in the West as well as attracting attention and followers (Sivananda 1999, n.p.). Vedanta indicates atman to be inarticulate from Brahman’s in the end, and that the objective of life would be to recognize that an individual’s atman stays indistinguishable from that of Brahman. According to the Upanishads, an individual completely conscious of atman as the personal significance of one’s own self comprehends a personality with Brahman and in so doing reaches moksha. Hence, moksha relies on God’s grace and love towards Him whereas atman relies on God. Traditional Vedanta considered pratyaksa and anumana to be valid but inferior while shabda pramana to be the most dependable wealth of knowledge. Also, Vedantic philosophies became systemized into a single coherent discourse. Vedanta’s appeals for the avoidance of rituals that favor Hindu’s pursuit for truth through reflection directed by secure and loving moral in the knowledge that unlimited pleasure lies in wait for the individual. Vedantic philosophers have also influenced directly or indirectly the entirely existing divisions of Hinduism. Hence, the religion obligates its continued existence considerably to the development of reasonably advanced and comprehensible organizations of Vedanta (Misra 2004, pp. 25-53). The Brahman remains the leading principle of Vedanta even though Vedantic schools of thought differ mostly in in what manner they categorize Brahman with God. In addition, Vedanta stays unrestricted to a single book and no solitary source for its related philosophies. The philosophy of Vedanta schools attributes reality solely to Brahma and that liberation could only be achieved through knowledge. Ignorance of Brahma, however, stands to be the cause of all worlds’ sufferings. Vedanta philosophy also occupies the leading rank of all philosophies for the entire ages and nations thus representative of a life of intellectual indifference and pure morality over the short-lived allures of the world. Vedanta emerged as the regeneration project for Hinduism during the Muslim rule. It consolidated Hinduism through drastic reorganization in shaping the personality of Hindu supporters. This regeneration also intended to include followers from other faiths in addition to encompassing political objectives (Knapp 2009, pp. 163-168). Vedanta also acted as a watchdog over the growth of other religions apart from Hindu and their impacts on the country’s political development. Through ongoing neutralization, Vedanta would eliminate the influence and power non-Hindu forces so as to reinstate the dominance of Hinduism as a benevolent hegemony over the whole country. Vedanta persistently attempted to incorporate Hindu chivalry and glory into areas of Islamic dominance while also opposing the use of violence in political and religious extension. At some point, Vedanta moved the Hindus to remain assertive as the first sign to the spiritual expansion of a revived national life of Indians. In the end, an overwhelming Vedantic spiritual ideal endangered the spiritual affiliation, identity and culture of several non-Hindu Indians. It nurtured pan-Indianism and also created unity through unifying Muslim and Hindu’s physical, theological, moral, spiritual and ethical ideals. It provided Hindus the advantage to delight in spiritual unity as well as impressing upon in them the spirit of violence from Islam (Misra 2004, pp. 53-76). Yoga entails the approaches through which an individual defines life’s objectives taught by sages in attaining these objectives. Yoga manuscripts include Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Yoga Sutras and Bhagavad Gita in addition to the Upanishads as the historical and philosophical foundation. It also entails approaches to attaining spiritual objectives of life, for instance moksha, such as jnana yoga, karma yoga, bhakti yoga and raja yoga. An individual Hindu may prefer a single or multiple yogas over the others in accordance to his or her understanding and disposition. However, the practice of a single yoga does not exclude the others. In several schools, it stays a belief that all the yogas support and balance naturally into other yogas. For the case in point, Hindus believe that jnana yoga inevitably leads to bhakti yoga and likewise. On a similar illustration, Hindus practicing raja yoga must directly or indirectly express the basic principles of bhakti yoga, jnana yoga and karma yoga. As Hindu discipline, yoga trains individuals about the consciousness for spiritual discernment, health and calmness. This usually occurs through the organization of exercises and postures aimed at practicing control of mind and body. Yoga, as an essence of tantric sexuality, enables individuals to enter different states devoid of withdrawing completely from the external world thereby leading to some unusual experiences. Yoga remains employed in Hindu rituals for the purposes of mystical, symbolic and regulation of vital energy flow in order to achieve psychic and profound spiritual significance. The spiritual implication of yoga on meditation practices led to the realization of sure and safe magical directions on the experience of three states namely unity, universality and decisiveness as well as interior consciousness. Yoga relaxation provides the precondition for obtaining access to conscious divine existence. As a result, the brain becomes flooded with spiritual extractions, the vital objective of all yoga practices (Michaels et al. 2006, pp. 1-30). The ability to discover how a direct experience regarding the state of mind, yoga or union could be achieved together with the divine remains the main challenge in yoga. However, humanistic psychology shaped the various kinds of attitudes that had arose in marital counseling and as a result therapist emphasized on the resolution phase of yoga. From yoga practices, women stay regarded as superior psychophysiological sexual creatures in that they possess the ability to go higher and advance faster. They also go beyond themselves and lose their ego more easily in sexual experiences. These factors have stood as sources of explanations for female superiority and thus the reason as to why most Vama Marga instructions focuses on men with significantly little writings about women. The focus on men would be attributed to their lack of an orgasmic potential similar to that of women. In this regard, the capability of women to achieve superior orgasmic potential became interpreted to a more powerful inherent spiritual positioning in women (Michaels et al. 2006, pp. 31-45). In addition, since women stay inherently sensitive, most spiritual energy throughout the world remains possessed by women. Tantra yoga as a spiritual path encompasses human sexuality as one approach to achieving mystical experiences and modifying consciousness as well. Present day couples faced with sexual problems would employ few approaches rather than seeking to initially resolve the sexual flat tire syndrome. New sexual experiences and techniques have their value though they do not address essential concerns. Moreover, the exploration for new techniques and experiences every so often leads to disappointment. Alternatively, people turn to psychotherapy so as to progress on their relationships as well as to advance their communication skills. Hence, couple counseling would lead more to graciously ending of a relationship instead of rescuing it. It would be observed that these approaches fail in ascertaining the deep rooted causes of problems. There exists no system of physical exercise in the whole world that compares to yoga and consequently several Americans and Europeans became Hindus in practice and faith of Vedanta and yoga event though they remain Christians by birth. Both Vedanta and yoga provide spiritual food and practices for all human kinds. Yoga suits all kinds of capacities, temperaments, condition of life, tastes and platforms of spiritual development. In addition, it prescribes ways of attaining the realization of God while undertaking one’s own ordinary occupation. The ability to control the senses and mind in addition to reaching self-realization or describing divinity remains attributable to the teachings of Vedanta and yoga on practical sadhana, refutation, tapas and self-discipline. The Hindu philosophies of religion have remained a way of life for Hindus over the years. This fact relates to Hindu’s persistent meditation, undertaking atma-vichara, reflection after srutis and reaching self-realization. As a result of Vedanta and yoga, only in India could men be found having knowledge of some philosophies unlike other part of the world. Religion also governs all the constituent parts of the Hindus’ life (Sivananda 1999, n.p.). Vedanta and yoga significantly contributed to the continued existence of Hindu religion by means of high spiritual purpose, deep humanity and tolerance by Hindus. Vedanta revolutionized Hinduism to become rigid and stern with regards to their religious fundamentals. It also made Hindu religion to turn into a tolerant and elastic religion as well as the capability to readjust to non-essentials and externals of the religion. The practice of Vedanta and yoga helps Hindus to live in harmony with their own family members, neighbors, friends and other fellow human beings. In this regard, good conducts would put an end to all evils and calamities while elongating life and establishing eternal happiness. Yoga approaches contribute to selflessness, generosity, celibacy or purity, humility and forgiveness. Additionally, the cultivation of a forgiving spirit, spirit of meekness, calm endurance and forbearance remains significant in yoga practices. With yoga, Hindus have learnt to work on their own jobs and abandon them in an inclination for other jobs. Regularity in concentration results from yoga thereby leading to success in any spiritual quest or strides of life. Similarly, concentration in yoga practices contributes considerably to self-awareness, independence and better conscious experiences (Sivananda 1999, n.p.). Conclusion All in all Vedanta enable Hindus to become ambassadors of social harmony, culture and honest Vedic standards. Vedanta emphasized the need for all Hindus to remain revolutionary in breaking the money-oriented social barriers among themselves. Hence, Hindus work for the development and elevation of all Indians which in turn guarantees their own elevation. In addition, Vedanta and yoga enables Hindus to remain willing in changing their society by initiating the changes from within themselves and their view about each other in present day Hinduism. The Vedanta system also recognizes all Hindus as spiritually equal and that every Hindu could endeavor towards pleasing God devoid of subjection to stigmatization and inflexible social classifications. As a result of the revolution, Hindus work in relation to their personal natural tendencies while devoting themselves to God. Moreover, Hindus assist each other, cooperate and get along in harmony towards their spiritual growth and social reform to date. To achieve harmonic balance in all the directions of a Hindu remains the ideal for Hindu religion. Hinduism exists as association of philosophies and a partnership of faiths providing a base for reflection by various philosophers worldwide. Vedanta and yoga also constitute the orthodox systems of Indian philosophies with regards to the pursuit of truth. Vedanta represents the fulfillment and strengthening of the sankhya and it stays as the most prevalent school in today’s Hinduism. By practicing Vedanta, Hindus reach the pinnacle of spirituality and gain an identity with the Supreme Being. Yoga concerns the disciplining of senses and mind, refinement of concentration and meditation as well as the control of thoughts. By the practice and study of yoga, Hindus acquire mastery of over senses and mind as well as attain self-control. Lastly, the achievement of salvation emanates from direct perception and devotion of the Lord through meditation as well as refutation. References Knapp, S 2009, Crimes against India: And the Need to Protect its Ancient Vedic Tradition 1000 Years of Attacks against Hinduism and What to do About It, iUniverse, Bloomington, IN, USA. Michaels, MA & Johnson, P 2006, The Essence of Tantric Sexuality, Llewellyn Worldwide, Woodbury, MN, USA. Misra, A 2004, Identify and Religion: Foundations of Anti-Islamism in India, SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd, New Delhi, India. Rinehart, R 2004, Contemporary Hinduism: Ritual, Culture, and Practice, ABC-CLIO Inc., Santa Barbara, California. Sivananda, SS 1999, All About Hinduism, Divine Life Trust Society, Himalayas, India, viewed 19 February 2013, . Read More