The Role of Religion in History – Lecture 2: Indian Religion
Nov 8, 2023
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This episode explores the main religions in Indian civilization, including Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism, and emphasizes Hinduism's essential role in Indian society. It discusses the historical development of Hinduism and the precursor civilization of the Indus Valley. The chapter also delves into the concept of release or moksha in Indian religion and explores the beliefs and practices of Jainism. It discusses the origins of Buddhism and the life of the Buddha, delving into his privileged life before renouncing possessions. Furthermore, it explores the extent to which Oriental mysticism is influenced by Indian philosophies and discusses the role of religion in revealing knowledge about God.
The podcast explores the development of Indian civilization over 2500 years, emphasizing the inseparability of Hinduism from Indian society.
The metaphysical concepts in Indian religions, such as the idea of an eternal universe and the aggregates that form the self, are discussed, along with the concepts of rebirth, karma, and enlightenment.
The formation and teachings of Buddhism are explored, including the Four Noble Truths and the concept of the Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism.
Deep dives
The Religions of Civilized Societies
This podcast episode explores the religions of civilized societies, focusing specifically on those in the Indian tradition. The three main religions discussed are Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism. Hinduism is emphasized as being inseparable from Indian civilization and its development over 2500 years. The speaker also delves into the ancient Indus Valley civilization and its contributions to Indian civilization, including elements like the caste system, the focus on bureaucracy, and the worship of animals. The Aryans' invasion of India and the subsequent development of the Aryan society, their religion, and their language are also discussed.
Metaphysics and Concepts of Self
The podcast delves into the metaphysical concepts presented in Indian religions. It explores the belief in an eternal universe without a creator god and the rejection of the idea of enduring physical entities or selves. The self is seen as an aggregate of physical forms, sensations, and habits, and the concept of rebirth and karma is explained in relation to this understanding. The formula of misery and the law of dependent origination, as well as the concept of enlightenment and the path to its attainment, are also discussed.
Buddhism and Jainism
The podcast focuses on the teachings of Buddha and the formation of Buddhism as a distinct religion. The Four Noble Truths, which highlight the existence of suffering, its origin in desire, its cessation through the cessation of desire, and the path to achieve this cessation, are explained. The concept of the Bodhisattva in Mahayana Buddhism, where individuals delay their own release from suffering until all living beings can be released, is also touched upon. Jainism is briefly explored as a religion that rejects the caste system, practices nonviolence, and seeks release through renouncing desire and accumulating good karma.
Indian Philosophy and Western Influences
The podcast briefly ponders the interconnectedness between Indian philosophy and Western philosophies, particularly in relation to concepts like mind-body dualism and dependent origination. It highlights the influence of Indian thought on Gnosticism and the potential connections between the two. The podcast concludes by discussing the uniqueness of Indian religion, which focuses on revelation as intuitive insight and the transmission of wisdom from teacher to student. It also touches on the prevalence of diverse schools and sub-schools within Indian religion and their tendency to coexist, often without concern for logical contradictions.
Postponed Discussions and Differences
The podcast ends by addressing further discussions on topics such as the Chinese and Indian cultural differences, the Sikh religion, and the connection between Oriental mysticism and Indian philosophies. It acknowledges the need for more detailed exploration and comparison of different religions before drawing definitive conclusions.
In the late 1980s, philosopher George Walsh gave this six-hour course on history’s most influential religions. With his characteristic erudition and humor, he covers so-called “primitive religion,” followed by Indian religion (Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism), Judaism and Christianity, and finally Islam.
Disclaimer: Please be aware the audio quality in this episode may not meet our usual standard due to damage to the age of source material before digitization.
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