Hinduism Under the Cultural / Religious Microscope

¶ … Hinduism view human nature and what is the human condition?

The Vedas view of human nature is that humans have an "eternal self (atman)" that is tucked into numerous "bodily layers (kosas)" such as: intellect, breath, body and mind (Coward, 2012). These layers that Coward describes are believed by Hindus to be made of "karma" that has been created by a person's "free choice in this and previous lives" (190). In order for humans to approach perfection the purging of one's karma was be conducted; "…it is karma that causes one to be reborn" (Coward, 190). Humans are expected to make a spiritual quest, and that, Coward explains in his book, is that goal that "each one must realize" (190).

The human condition according to Swami Brahmeshananda is that man is "less governed by his instincts than other animals" and that if humans didn't have dharma, they are "no better than beasts" (Brahmeshananda, 2008). However, like animals, humans eat, sleep, are fearful and engage in sexual activities, but because of dharma humans are "restrained by moral rules" (Brahmeshananda).

What prevents humans from realizing moksha? Moksha alludes to the "liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth," as well as the suffering and pain associated with "worldly existence" (psychology.wikia.com). Other than God, no one can fully embrace moksha, because moksha entails ultimate peace, ultimate knowledge, ultimate enlightenment and ultimate paradise (psychology.wikia.com). How does Hinduism view the self (atman)? The conscious soul (the real human) -- or the atman -- consists of three separate bodies. Those are a) the "gross physical body"; b) the "subtle mental body"; and c) the "casual body which is made up of pure ignorance" (psychology.wikia.com). There comes a time when many humans are weary of "the acquisition of wealth" and other "sense-enjoyments" and hence humans seek "an ever pure, ever free, ever perfect and every conscious spiritual entity…called atman" (Brahmeshananda).

TWO: Explain the four aims of life -- Kama, Artha, Dharma and Moksha. Kama.

Dharma has to do with a believer conducting duties related to religious activities and religious duties. If you are following your Dharma responsibilities, you are then considered to be living a moral life. One goal of Hindus is to "acquire merit" because by acquiring merit the Hindu believer is helping himself to obtain "a good rebirth" (Smith, et al., 2003). Hindus believe that what the person is reincarnated as depends on how moral a life he or she has lived.

Artha is the second most critical aim of Hindus. It boils down to having a job, earning a living and achieving some form of successful career as well as making a contribution to society (Smith). This aim rests on the "assumption that -- with the exclusion of the exceptional few who can proceed directly to the final aim of moksha, or spiritual release from life -- material well-being" is a very fundamental necessity of one's effort to be stable and successful (Britannica). Also, artha is linked to the need to prevent "anarchy," and is closely identified with the activities of "statecraft" (the basic social order) (Britannica).

Kama is the third aim and it involves pleasure; success in employment and in a career is important, as is following religious duties. But Hindus are also supposed to have healthy and fulfilled life through pleasurable experiences. This means "enjoyment of the senses and sexual pleasure" (Smith). This need for sexual pleasure does not imply that believers can "do what they want" at any time; they must impose personal limits on their pleasurable activities (Smith). Moksha (discussed earlier in this paper) means liberation from the cycle of samsara.