RG ST 3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Artha, Upanishads
Indian Ethics
Antinomian: one who rejects socially established morality
Rejects the idea of sin
□
Merit is not derived from liberality, abstinence, and
honesty
□
§
Fatalist: one's actions cannot affect one's fate
Part of Ajivikas religion that died out in 500BCE
□
There is no deed someone can do that can affect one's
destiny in this life
□
No such thing as karma
□
Samsara cannot be altered, increased, or lessened
□
Predetermination of life's fate
□
§
Materialist: there is no merit in almsgiving, sacrifice, or
offering
Entirely against Vedic rituals/sacrifices
□
No belief in afterlife or passing from this world to the
next
□
When man dies, he will return to the earth as the four
elements he was made of (earth, water, fire, air)
□
"they are fools who preach almsgiving"
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Body and soul do not survive after death
□
§
Skeptic: believes that there could or could not be another
world
Doesn’t say there is another world, but also doesn't say
there is not another world
□
Questionable of the existence of meaning of life and
existence afterlife
□
§
Vedic religion: belief in making sacrifices to gods for a fruitful
time on earth and pleasant afterlife
Uphold cosmic order (rita)□
All actions should be designed to uphold that order□
Order is significant (we see in the caste systems)□
Ethic is designed by Brahman priests□
§
Upanishads: focus on self as a part of Absolute Reality
(Brahman) through meditation, yoga, eventually renunciation
Emphasis on knowledge of self/soul/Atman from guru
teachings
□
Vedanta = end of the veda□
§
Bhakti (Devotion): building relationships with god
Straying from knowledge and rituals□
§
Aims and Stages of Human Life (Lecture 5)
Dharma□
Kama□
Artha□
Moksha□
§
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Jainism
Huge problem with violence
Should not move throughout life violently because there are
jivas/souls in all things in life
i.e. grass blades, air particles, etc.□
§
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Ahimsa: nonviolence, non-harming
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Karma = physical matter
Negative karma becomes a stain or dirty covering on the soul
§
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Souls have the qualities of bliss and infinite knowledge
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5 Types of Living Beings
5/6 Senses = Highest organism
§
4 Senses
§
3 Senses
§
2 Senses: something like ants
§
1 Sense
§
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"one should know what binds the soul, and knowing, break free
from bondage"
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"he who grasps even at a little… will never be freed from sorrow"
To be freed from sorrow is to be liberated and cleansed of the
stains of sin
Burning away karma□
§
Avoid attachment
§
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"all his wealth and relations cannot save him from sorrow"
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"only if he knows the nature of life, will he get rid of karma"
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Mahavira - founder/Hero of Jainism
6th Century BCE -- a little before the Buddha
§
Not truly considered the founder within the religion because
there were others, not documented
He was the 24th and final Jina/Tirthankara□
§
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Section 4 Notes
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
10:03 AM
Document Summary
Merit is not derived from liberality, abstinence, and honesty. Part of ajivikas religion that died out in 500bce. There is no deed someone can do that can affect one"s destiny in this life. Materialist: there is no merit in almsgiving, sacrifice, or offering. No belief in afterlife or passing from this world to the next. When man dies, he will return to the earth as the four elements he was made of (earth, water, fire, air) Body and soul do not survive after death. Skeptic: believes that there could or could not be another world. Doesn"t say there is another world, but also doesn"t say there is not another world. Questionable of the existence of meaning of life and existence afterlife. Vedic religion: belief in making sacrifices to gods for a fruitful time on earth and pleasant afterlife time on earth and pleasant afterlife. All actions should be designed to uphold that order.
