Hinduism: Human Concerns

Question 1

What are the yamas?

Answer 1

Hindu moral duties - the five things every Hindu should do:

• Ahimsa
• Satya
• Asteya
• Brahmanchoria
• Aparisraha

Question 2

What is Ahimsa?

Answer 2

• Non-action; not doing something if you don’t have to
• However the more modern view, such as held by the Hare Krishna movement and Swaminarayan sect, is that Ahimsa is non-violence
• If you see someone getting, attacked:
  1) Traditional: Ahimsa means non-action; don’t interfere as it is their karma
  2) Hare Krishna: Ahimsa means protecting people; interfere peacefully to stop the violence
  3) Ghandi: Ahimsa means non-violence; use some violence if necessary, to reduce the overall violence happening

Question 3

What is Satya?

Answer 3

• Truth

- If you don’t think about it, just tell the truth immediately, you get no karma

Question 4

What is Asteya?

Answer 4

• Non-stealing

Question 5

What is Brahmanchoria?

Answer 5

• Self-control over the body through meditation

- Ashrama (last two stages of life)

Question 6

What is Aparisraha?

Answer 6

• Only have the possessions you need

- Ashrama (last two stages of life)

Question 7

What are the more modern versions of the yamas?

Answer 7

• Ahimsa (non-violence)
• Daya (compassion)
• Dama (self control)
• Dana (giving)

Question 8

How does Daya conflict with traditional Hindu views?

Answer 8

• Compassion suggests attachment
• Traditional: compassion would mean that Arjuna fought his cousins honourably
• Modern: compassion is caring about people

Question 9

How does Dana conflict with traditional Hindu views?

Answer 9

• Traditional: poor people are poor because of their karma, so wealthy people don’t give to charity or they would give them more bad karma
• Modern: you should give to charity to purge your good karma

Question 10

What is the Hindu view on free will?

Answer 10

Most Hindus believe in free will, as all their ethical theories require it. You get karma by making decisions.

Question 11

What is the Hindu view on suffering?

Answer 11

• Suffering (dukha) arises from Samsara
• Attachment to the material world causes a desire for things to be different, which results in suffering
• Suffering may also arise from bad karma
• Hindus may choose to undergo suffering to purge their karma