South Asia
The Vedas:
What kinds of writings are contained in the Vedas? What is the historical background for them?
Looking at the selections we read, what human situations do these hymns and poems speak to?
Creation stories:
What are two examples of the natural world explained by these stories?
The Upanishads:
Can you trace the evolution of spiritual thought from the earliest sacrifices, to the Vedic sacrifice, to the realization of the Upanishads?
What are Atman, Brahman, Karma, and Dharma?
How is and understanding of the use of sound, especially of "performative utterances", crucial to understanding the development of Hindu spiritual thought?
From the selections of the Upanishads we read, what are some of the metaphors used to explain the teachings?
The Bhagavad-Gita:
What is the greater work in which the story surrounding the Bhagavad-Gita is found? In that work what is the situation of Arjuna, the hero that leads to the telling of the Gita?
Where does the Gita stand in relationship to the Vedas and the later Bhakti (Devotional) literature of South Asia?
The second section of the Gita is concerned with the practice of Yoga. There are eight "limbs" of Yoga practice, can you name them in English and comment on the program of self-understanding and realization that they outline?
What statements from the Gita, in either translation, did you find particularly effective or moving?
Buddhism:
Who was the Buddha and what is the story behind the philosophical system he founded?
What are: The Four Noble Truths; The Eightfold Path?
How do Buddhism and Hinduism differ?
From the readings we did of Theravada Buddhism, what are some of the teachings found here? What sorts of metaphors are used to get the teachings across and were there any you found especially striking?
We also read stories about the Buddha, what lessons could be learned from them?
In what context might you have found these stories used?
The Ramayana:
Who are the main characters of the Ramayana and what might each stand for if one looks at the epic in a metaphorical or allegorical way?
What sorts of words are used to describe each of the characters? What do these tell you about standards of beauty, ugliness, and evil in this culture?
Discuss some of the interactions among the characters in various scenes and comment on them.
From the notes and introduction, how has the Ramayana changed since it was first told?
The Ramayana has been redone in every imaginable form from India to Southeast Asia; what themes can you find in the text that might make the story so enduringly popular?
Questions for each chapter:
The Arrival of Shurpanaka – what is the description of Shurpanaka and of Rama, how do they contrast?
The Mutilation of Shurpanaka – how do you see this situation and judge the two brothers?
Shurpanaka Upbraids Ravana – how is Ravana portrayed, what is the main metaphor for him? How does Shurpanaka begin her argument?
Shrupanaka’s Words with Ravana and Shurpanaka Urges Ravana – what arguments does she use? What is her final argument?
Ravana Approaches Sita – look for metaphors of him and her, of the situation. How does she react?
The Conversation of Ravana and Sita – what are his demands and her replies? What are the arguments?
Sita Defies Ravana and Abduction– to whom is she compared? What about the description of Ravana in his real form?
Fights – images, use of weapons?
Lakshmana’s Recovery – what is the description of Hannuman here, what kind of character?
Death of Ravana – how does he die?
Poems of Love and War and The Gatha Saptashati
These poems represent a sampling of human life in circumstances domestic and
heroic, could you write a story around any one or several of them?
Bhakti Literature:
What does Bhakti mean? To whom are the poems of this literature addressed?
What idea of the relationship between the human and the divine is most celebrated here? Can there be others and if so, what are they?
How can the practice of Bhakti by its most dedicated followers often be contrary to the ordinary expectations of society? What are some examples from the poems we read?
What is the story of Krishna and the Gopies (milkmaids, cowgirls, village women)?
Who is Radha? The Gitagovinda is a song of Radha and Krishna what does it describe?
Gandhi:
What does Gandhi say is evidence for the existence of the practice of Passive Resistance throughout history?
What is his definition of Passive Resistance?
How does he view human laws? The rights of minorities? The use of force? The claims of the individual to being right or wrong (careful here, there is an important distinction between being right universally and being right in a particular instance; the consequences are of particular importance.)
What four requirements does Gandhi set for being a Passive Resister?
The Eight Steps of Patanjali’s Yoga
Restraint Yama: Non-violence (ahimsa), Truthfulness, Non-stealing, Continence, and Non-Possessiveness. This is modification of behavior toward virtue
Observances Niyama: Cleanliness (internal and external), Contentment, Practices that perfect the body and senses (tapas), Study of sacred texts, Surrender to the Ultimate. These are regulation of habits to progress in awareness.
Postures Asana: “Steady and easy” focusing attention on the body for the purpose of achieving awareness of the body as a model for awareness of emotions and thoughts.
Breath Control Pranayama: Consciously observing the connection between breathing and physical responses, leading to awareness of states of mind and body and their interactions.
Freedom from the Senses Pratyahara:
Concentration Dharana: Through attention, allowing the mind to rest in awareness, ready to engage: mindfulness.
Meditation Dhyana: Concentration on the sacred, a merging (some describe) with the direction of one’s thoughts in the sacred.
Samadhi: