This series of eigth lectures offers a thematic and historical introduction to Hinduism for students of theology and religious studies. Focussing on the brahmanical tradition we will explore the textual sources, categories, practices and social institutions that formed that tradition. Primary texts in translation will provide the basis for reflection on both philosophical and social issues such as dharma, renunciation, caste, and concepts of deity. Not only presenting an account of the texts and traditions, the course will raise theological and cultural questions about the relation between reason and practice, person and world, and society and gender. The last two lectures will examine contemporary traditions in Kerala and we will conclude with a consideration of Hinduism and modernity. Lecture Schedule
Introduction: What is Hinduism?
The Vedas and Vedic traditions.
The Upanishads: the Chandogya and Svetashvatara
Dharma, society and gender
Theistic Traditions 1
Theistic Traditions 2
Local Traditions: Kerala
Hinduism and Modernity
Lecture tag: Hinduism
Graduate Seminars (Session Two) (HT 14)
Hinduism in Himachal Pradesh
Shriya Gautam, M.St. in Archaeology, Oxford
Hinduism is the main religion of Indian Subcontinent that combines the philosophies of various ancient religions with the various tenets prescribed in the four Vedas and other scared texts like Upnishads, Epics and the Puranas. In the larger part of the subcontinent, the religion has evolved from the historic pagan religion that worshipped various forces nature to a polytheistic religion with over 370 million gods and goddesses out of which Vishnu, the God of Preservation; Shiva, the God of Death and Devi, the Mother Goddess remain prominent. In Himachal Pradesh, however, a lot of local traditions combine with mainstream Hinduism to form a composite religion which worships Vedic Gods along with Puranic Gods. This paper attempts to examine the nature of Hinduism in Himachal Pradesh and study how it differs from Hinduism in the rest of subcontinent.
Arthaśāstric Fortifications in Early Historic to Early Medieval South Asia
Ken Ishikawa, Wolfson College, Oxford
The second urbanization of South Asia during the Early Historic period saw the emergence and development of fortified settlements predominantly concentrated in the Gangetic valley. F. R. Allchin (1995) approached the morphology of Early Historic fortifications with the aid of the normative text called the Arthaśāstra, that instructs the construction of fortifications. This paper follows his methodology by attesting further textual parallels, but also questions his unconditional acceptance of the Arthaśāstra as an ‘Early Historic’ text. Accordingly, both Early Historic fortifications with different morphological features and applicable texts are put into chronological and geographical contexts. My archaeological/literary investigation gives a new insight into the pre-Mauryan origin of the norms of fortification transmitted in the Arthaśāstra, despite the disputed date of its compilation ranging between Mauryan and Gupta periods. This tells us that the science of fortification in the Arthaśāstra was rather documentary than innovative. I further link Early Historic fortifications with the Solanki fortifications of Early Medieval Gujarat, that have been heavily influenced by the Arthaśāstra.
Hindu Views of the Self and its Goals – Four Theories (HT 14)
Drawing on Clifford Geertz’s understanding of religion as a ‘worldview’, the seminar series explore key themes in Hinduism and looks at the way in which crucial conceptual ‘translations’ are needed to understand Hindu culture properly from without, and asks whether it is possible to derive critical and hermeneutic ‘theory’ in religious studies from Indic material. One of the goals will be to challenge the hegemony of Western-derived ‘theories’ of religion, culture, and human nature.
Hinduism 2: Hindu Traditions (Paper 21): Week Four (HT 14)
Beginning with the early medieval period, this paper traces the development of Hinduism in devotional (bhakti) and tantric traditions. The paper examines the development of Śaiva, Śākta, and Vaiṣṇava traditions along with ideas about liberation, ritual, asceticism, yoga and devotion. There will be some exploration of Hinduism and Modernity and there may also be reference to major schools of Hindu philosophy such as Vedānta.
An Introduction to Vedantic Hermeneutics: Vedānta Deśika’s commentary on the Īśā Upaniṣad (Session Four) (HT 14)
Hindu theology, and particularly Vedānta, is grounded in the reading of sacred texts and has been largely developed in commentaries on those texts. This Sanskrit reading class will explore the way Vaiṣṇava Vedānta develops its theology through a careful reading of the Upaniṣads. We will read the commentary on the Īśā Upaniṣad by Vedānta Deśika (1269–1370), the most prominent Viśiṣṭādvaita theologian after Rāmānuja, paying particular attention to the way he formulates his theology and develops his hermeneutics. This reading class aims to introduce students with an intermediate knowledge of Sanskrit to the style and reasoning of Sanskrit commentaries as well as the fundamentals of Vaiṣṇava Vedānta.
Readings in Phenomenology and Religion (Session Three) (HT 14)
Phenomenology is one of the most important developments in philosophy in the twentieth century that has had a deep impact on Theology and Religious Studies. This reading group seeks to engage with developments in Phenomenology as they pertain to theology and religion. It is a continuation of the reading project begun several years ago. The overall concern is a reconceptualisation of phenomenology in the wake of both deconstruction and cognitivsm. This reconceptualisation has been inspired partly by the publication of the English translation of Heidegger’s Phenomenology of the Religious Life a few years ago, which reflected the philosopher’s earlier views. A second inspiration is the imperative for the academy to engage with other civilizations and the apparent proximity of some Indian philosophical thinking to Phenomenology. The overall theme of this reading group will be human practices. The particular texts that we read are fluid but we will begin with Peter Sloterdijk’s Your Must Change Your Life (Du musst dein Leben ändern) (2009).
Hinduism 2: Hindu Traditions (Paper 21): Week Three (HT 14)
Beginning with the early medieval period, this paper traces the development of Hinduism in devotional (bhakti) and tantric traditions. The paper examines the development of Śaiva, Śākta, and Vaiṣṇava traditions along with ideas about liberation, ritual, asceticism, yoga and devotion. There will be some exploration of Hinduism and Modernity and there may also be reference to major schools of Hindu philosophy such as Vedānta.
Communalism, Nationalism and the Limits of Secularism in India (HT 14)
This is an analysis of the influence that the Indian Constitution of 1950 has had on the sociopolitical situation in the Indian Republic. The Reason that informs the spirit of the Constitution is an extension of the rationality that the Enlightenment scientists and philosophers considered to be infallible. This view of Reason is at variance with the Vedic-Samkhyan notion of rationality. Similarly, the law as enshrined in the Constitution preserves the system imposed by British alien rule: it is not in harmony with the spirit of classical indigenous jurisprudence. The new legal vision consequently becomes a handicap in the hands of the ruling establishment whenever a religious or linguistic rift threatens the stability of the body politic. The need to integrate the vital elements of Hindu culture, in particular those elements that foster social harmony and peace, into the law and political management of the Republic becomes imperative.
Professor Sushil Mittal is a fellow philosophical traveler with Mahatma Gandhi, Sushil Mittal is (full) Professor of Religion in the Department of Philosophy and Religion and Founding Director of the Mahatma Gandhi Center for Global Nonviolence at James Madison University, a post he held for five years (2005–2010). Dr. Mittal joined JMU in Fall 2004.
He earned his B.A. from McGill University in Montreal, M.A. from Carleton University in Ottawa, and Ph.D. from University of Montreal. He has served on the faculties of the University of Florida in Gainesville and Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois.
His discipline by training is cultural anthropology, but he is located in a department of religion where he teaches Hinduism and Gandhian thought. He has conducted archival and field research in Canada, India, South Africa, and the United States at intervals during the last two decades. The recipient of numerous grants and fellowships, his book publications include Development and Change in India (1993), Surprising Bedfellows: Hindus and Muslims in Medieval and Early Modern India (2003), The Hindu World (2004), Religions of South Asia: An Introduction (2006), and Studying Hinduism: Key Concepts and Methods (2008).
His current work-in-progress includes The Living Hindu World, Encyclopedia of Hindu Studies, and The Gandhi Reader.
He is the (Founding) Editor of the International Journal of Hindu Studies (1997- ) and the International Journal of Gandhi Studies (2012- ).
Professor Mittal was born in Canada (his “janma-bhumi”) buthas now dedicated himself to working in the United States(his “karma-bhumi”) and he looks to India as the mainsource of his spiritual inspiration (his “dharma-bhumi”).