Topics in Hinduism
The goal of the spiritually minded Hindu
The spiritually minded Hindu has got several goals to achieve in his life. It is their belief that the human soul undergoes a successive life cycle depending on how the former life was. This process goes on until the final stage where they become one with Brahma (creator). It is therefore their goal to live their current life in the best possible way to avoid the misfortunes of tomorrow in their reincarnated lives. While living in their current status in the best way possible, their main goal is to ensure that thy reach their destiny of being united or made one with Brahma (Flesher, 1996).This is the state of freedom intended to be achieved by each Hindu and it is popularly known to them as Moksha. A liberated soul they believe posses good qualities such as being omnipotent just as their god Brahma. He is the only god who exists according to their belief.
Another goal of the Hindu is to keenly observe and live as per the law (Dharma) which guides both the social and individual daily undertakings (Occhiogrosso, 2009). The reason for observing all this is for the sake of righteousness and goodness of all and while doing it, no one is expected to receive or to expect anything in return for the keen observance of the laws. While observing these rules, they aim at living all the four stages associated with it in the best possible manner. The first stage involves living and studying with their guru followed by the marriage stage which succeeds the retirees phase. This is when the child upbringing and working duties are done and finally the last phase of life which occurs when the rest of ones life is spent in meditation (Barrow, 1999).
Moreover, it is the aim of every Hindu to gain wealth and other material possessions in a legal and acceptable manner. The spiritual Hindu other than being a faithful member of the religion has to work hard in order to be successful in the issues of life (Flesher, 1996). Therefore the spiritual Hindu will not only have his goals set on the moksha alone but also on improvement of their living status.
They are also devoted towards the attainment of knowledge and devotion to their gods. Their goal to attainment of knowledge is aimed purely on the idea of being reborn on a higher status than ones current position in life. This means depending on ones action and devotedness to all one pursues will determine how ones life shall be at the next level of life. This keeps the Hindu at his toes to ensure that there is no time to waste in idling and being involved in other non-meaningful businesses (Flesher, 1996).
Means to achieve the goals
One of the means to achieving the goals such as the moksha is through yoga meditation. Yoga is a means defined by the Hindu to achieve the goals stated in ones life. The word yoga is a traditional meditation practice which is found is Asia and involves mental and physical disciplines. These practices are used to achieve the moksha and are applied in four different ways. One may choose one of the yoga paths or several from the four existing paths namely, the path of knowledge, meditation, good works and devotion (Occhiogrosso, 2009).
Another way to achieve the goals is through working selflessly for the good of the society. One can also achieve his goals through seeking awareness of god and his blessings (Barrow, 2010). This is achieved either at home or at the temple. At home, they can set up shrines where they can worship and have their meditations as the same happens at the temple. This involves having some gods and other artistic works from which they bow down to worship. They believe that these gods will hear them and get their prayers and request answered. Once a child is born, they believe that offering sacrifices for the child will help in molding him to a better person while at the same time giving him a good start to life than the one it had in the other life (Barrow, 2010).
Involving oneself in some rituals and other practices may also be a means towards the attainment of goals. Some of the daily chores performed include the sacrificing at the temple or shrines, bathing at certain times of the day and also offering worship at the family shrine. Also, recitation of poems or some sacred scripts is taken as a means of achieving ones goals in life.
Other practices such as pilgrimage are also taken as means of devotion and commitment and are taken to be paths to the achievement of ones goals in life. Fasting or the abstinence from some certain meals or totally taking no food and drinks is another way seen as to help the Hindus in realizing and achieving their goals in life (Barrow, 2010)
The four stages of life for the upper-caste Hindu
In the Hindu culture, there are four stages that one should undergo between his birth and death. These stages are student stage (brahmacharya), householder stage, hermit (forest retirement) stage, and sannyasin (forest dweller or wandering mendicant).
The student (brahnacharya) stage this is the first stage in the life of a male after initiation. The age normally varies between the castes but mostly it is between the ages of 8 to 12. this period takes not less than 12 years of training and the student is believed to be at the mercy of the teacher who imparts knowledge to the child as he so wishes depending on whether the behavior of the child pleases him or not. During this stage in some castes, the boy is not expected to visit his home. He is placed in probation or a certain kind of training whereby he is to put full concentration on his studies (Kumar, 2009).
Householder stage (Grihastaashrama) After a successful period of training and completion of his studies, the boy goes home full on knowledge and secrets of the Hindu religion. He is expected to have matured and developed the ability to take up responsibilities by himself. This usually takes the period between 24-48 years of age. This stage in life is taken more serious as a means of gaining more in the spiritual realms other than being a means for one to satisfy his body desires because, the man is expected to marry and provide for his immediate family and relatives (Rishi, 2010). In this stage therefore, the man supports others and sustains them while raising his on children and providing for them. It is taken as the best among the four stages in life.
Hermit (Forest retirement Vanaprasta Ashram) this is the third stage in life of the Hindu and it usually begins after the first grandchild arrival. The man at this stage is taken and should be an advisor or an elder having great wealth of wisdom to advice the juniors and others who are in need. The stage normally lies between the age of 48 and 72 years where the man retires from his householder duties and stays with or without his wife. He is actually taken as a forest dweller. This period is characterized by great withdrawal and detachments from all attractions and also distractions of the worldly pleasures (Jayaram, 2010). They are expected at this stage to entrust all their possessions to their children and live their live meditating on more insights on the spiritual things for a better understanding. It is the most hardest and stressful life full of suffering.
Sannyasin (Forest Dweller or wandering mendicant) the final stage in the Hindu culture begins at the age of 72 years but no one wishes to get to that stage. This is because it is characterized by total detachment from all the world pleasures and in this stage there is completely no need for recognition. In this stage, the man is expected to think more seriously about his eternity than anything else while living purely as a merchant. He is advised to reduce on activities such as food taking in preparation for the next level in life. Worries and anxieties are not to be part of him and them that are in this stage are encouraged to find means and ways of overcoming the dualities that come up in ones life such as pain and pleasure (Kumar, 2010).
Obligations associated with each
In each stage, there are obligations which are entitled to the persons undergoing such stages. For instance
The student (brahnacharya) stage at the student stage, the boy is expected to practice celibacy and exercise self restraint in all ways acceptable and he should sleep alone and not waste his manhood. All energy should be preserved for the future. The boy while undergoing the training is expected to follow the rule laid down in the highest virtue possible. He is to respect his teacher as his god because he is at the mercies of the teacher. While at the training, the student is not expected to cook for himself and so it is the responsibility of the student to go begging for food but not to everybody. He should only beg from people of known reputation. In matters that appertain to worship, he is to exercise bathing on a daily basis so as to keep himself pure while reciting the law and the Vedas. Offering libations to gods is not an exception to him but a duty. He is expected to cultivate virtues and not vices by exercising what is called self control. On the matters of education, he is expected to master the subjects and lead a disciplined life (Jayaram, 2010)
Householder stage (Grihastaashrama) in this stage, there are several obligations which are entitled to the man. He is expected to carry out both family and religious obligations. Among the family obligation include, marry and have children and raise them, support others and take care of his wife keeping her happy while the wife gives him moral support and helps in taking care of the children. He is expected to work hard and accumulate wealth but with as little strain as possible (Kumar, 2009). He is to keep off from sensuality and all manner of pleasure which are forbidden. He should not exercise vices such as getting involved in some of the forbidden exercises like participation into eating and drinking forbidden foods. On the religious obligations, the man is entitled to a daily sacrifice five times, a monthly and annual sacrifice while teaching and reciting the Vedas as well as studying them. He is to offer sacrifice to the gods and participate in the family shrine worship (Kumar, 2009).
Hermit (Forest retirement Vanaprasta Ashram) in this stage, the man is to offer five daily sacrifices and live in alienation wearing tatters or a skin over his body. He is expected to show hospitality to those who come to visit him by getting them some water or some food to eat as well as giving some alms. Reciting the Vedas is no exceptional to them. They are supposed to eat vegetables which grow on the dry land so as to aid them in maintaining and exercising physical and mental training (Flesher, 2010).
Sannyasin (Forest Dweller or wandering mendicant) in this final stage, the expectations are that the man reduces on food intake and thinks more about his eternity than anything else. He is expected to leave behind all possessions except his staff and the begging bowl (Jayaram, 2010)
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