Hinduism

3rd Hour: Torie, Jake, Kenzi, Janelle, Annelise

Hinduism-a body of religious and philosophical beliefs and cultural practices native to India and based on a caste system; it is characterized by a belief in reincarnation, and by a belief in a supreme being of many forms and natures.

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=The Life of Pi=



"The universe makes sense to me through Hindu eyes." (Pi, 48) - Beauty if in the eye of the beholder. The universe today is very complex, and many don't understand it. So we search our heart and search our minds when really its what we make it through our eyes. Pi has discovered that religion has made him understand the universe. Hinduism is what makes sense to Pi, what he lives by, and although others may come along to try to influence him other ways, his eyes hold the truth. He is a strong believer of Hinduism.



"Hindus, in their capacity for love, are indeed hairless Christians, just as Muslims, in the way they see God in everything, are bearded Hindus, and Christians, in their devotion to God, are hat-wearing Muslims." (Martel, 50) -This puts forth the idea that major religions like these have ostentatious similarities that demonstrate relation to each other, this symbolically creates a circle like representation. Also, related to the never ending aspects of the circle itself is how no religion has met a limited end because when one religion supplants another, some of the previous traditions are adopted.

 "If Hinduism flows placidly like the Ganges then Christianity bustles like Toronto at rush hour." (Pi, 57) -This shows how Pi truely feels about Christianity, he feels that it is chaos, and he feels that Hinduism flows peacefully. Everything makes sense to him in the Hindu faith and he thinks that people of the Christian faith really don't have all of the facts and it doesn't make sense at all.



“But religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for.” (Pi, 48) -Pi is describing the many attributes of Hinduism. He goes on to explain the essentials of that religion. He sees the world from a Hindu standpoint, but is concerned against fundamentalism. This points out again that it is not about the specifics of the religion, but about faith. Religion is not based on whether or not you understand every attribute of the story told for you to believe, but if you have faith you will never need to understand because the power of support and love into a certain thing will make it real to you, even if others don’t understand.



"Because I love God." (Pi, 72) -Pi has strong beliefs about his religions. He is very open to seeing other religions but knows exactly what he wants. Pi is happy he has God in his life and a religion to guide him along the path of life. If Pi didn't have religion, it's almost like he would be insane. Religion keeps him steady, keeps him happy, and keeps him wanting to discover everything possible about the world and other religions.



"To lose your father is to lose the one whose guidance and help you seek, who supports you like a tree trunk supports its branches." (Pi, 127) - Pi notices that losing someone you look up to is the worst thing ever. Although he is only talking about an aminal, you can relate it to human life and religion. I think Pi knows that with no greater being life is pointless, and that is why he looks up to so many Gods.



"Why can't I be a Hindu, a Christian, and a Muslim?"..."If there's only one nation in the sky, shouldn't all passports be valid for it?" (Pi, 93) - I think this quote says a lot about Pi as a person. He was born and raised a Hindu boy but the comprehension he has of his religion leads him to want to know more. He is not satisfied with one religion, not because he isn't fulfilled but because he strives to understand the Hindu religion more. I think he firmly knows and believes in who he is. Therefore by him experiencing different religions it will only allow him to gain knowledge, it will not lead him away from his true belief. When he is having this conversation with his mother he is simply defending his right to practice whatever religion his heart desires. She talks about passports and how only one is accepted but Pi believe he can have as many "passports" as he wants and they will all be accepted. I feel like he sees it as though if a Christian can get in with one Christian "passport" then why cant a Hindu that is discovering Christianity get it with both passports. They are all accepted by a higher power so it should not matter whether they are limited to one passport a person. Faith can only be limited by those who seek it.



"I believe the answer lies in something I mentioned earlier, that measure of madness that moves life in strange but saving ways."(Pi, 108) - What better example of this is there then religion? Pi illustrates that your beliefs are the basis of everything in life. Almost everything that can be encountered in life can be tied back into religion. There are so many things to believe and no one can put a limit on that. No matter what you talking about or referencing you can always find the answer within your religion. There is no direst answer on how what we believe can affect our lives. It is something so discrete that we as humans don't even notice it. We cannot see how it shapes us into who we are but everyday that we live it it becomes part of us. In the end it saves us from our biggest threat, ourselves.

“But religion is more than rite and ritual. There is what the rite and ritual stand for.” (Pi, 48) - Pi is describing the many attributes of Hinduism. He goes on to explain the essentials of that religion. He sees the world from a Hindu standpoint, but is concerned against fundamentalism. This points out again that it is not about the specifics of the religion, but about faith. Religion is not based on whether or not you understand every attribute of the story told for you to believe, but if you have faith you will never need to understand because the power of support and love into a certain thing will make it real to you, even if others don’t understand.

"There are always those who take it upon themselves to defend God, as if Ultimate Reality, as if the sustaining frame of existence, were something weak and helpless. These people walk by a widow deformed by leprosy begging for a few paise, walk by children dressed in rags living in the street, and they think, "Business as usual." But if they perceive a slight against God, it is a different story. Their faces go red, their chests heave mightily, they sputter angry words. The degree of their indignation is astonishing. Their resolve is frightening. These people fail to realize that it is on the inside that God must be defended, not on the outside. They should direct their anger at themselves. For evil in the open is but evil from within that has been let out. The main battlefield for good is not the open ground of the public arena but the small clearing of each heart. Meanwhile, the lot of widows and homeless children is very hard, and it is to their defense, not God's, that the self-righteous should rush." -In this discussion of religion, Pi points out what he believes to be a major misstep by some believers. While God doesn't need their defense, those who do need their protection, the marginalized and poor, are ignored. It's true God must be defended, but that place is in your heart. Think ahead to Pi's ordeal on the Pacific Ocean and his recovery in Mexico.

__**Existentialism**__ Existentialism is "a philosophy concerned with human existence, finding self, and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. The belief that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook without the help of laws, ethnic rules, or traditions." (Kenzi) This photo demonstrates existentialism because is shows the world being folded. This is a mindset that can individually be seen seperately. We eash view the world through our own eyes, this in itself makes it unique.(Kenzi)

** existentialism ** n. A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe. It’s what its like to exist in the world today, the belief in whatever you want.(Janelle)

"Good art wounds as well as delights. It must, because our defenses against the truth are wound so tightly around us. But as art chips away at our defenses, it also opens us to healing potentialities that transcend intellectual games and ego-preserving strategies." ~ Rollo May, 1985, //[|My Quest for Beauty]//, p. 172

"...the individual is defined only by his relationship to the world and to other individuals; he exists only by transcending himself, and his freedom can be achieved only through the freedom of others. He justifies his existence by a movement which, like freedom, springs from his heart but which leads outside of himself." ~ Simone de Beauvoir, 1948, [|//The Ethics Of Ambiguity//], p. 156

"Words are but symbols for the relations of things to one another and to us; nowhere do they touch upon absolute truth.... Through words and concepts we shall never reach beyond the wall off relations, to some sort of fabulous primal ground of things." ~ Nietzsche, 1873/1962, //[|Philosophy in the Tragic Age of the Greeks] //, p. 83 (Janelle)

(Torie) = Existentialism - assumes that people are entirely free and thus responsible for what they make of themselves. = Existentialism allows for a lot of freedom in thinking that, to me, cannot be found in other philosophies. You can come up with your own conclusions, create your own answers. It is the belief in anything, and what you see through your eyes is whatever you make of it. I find this to define myself. I believe in many things that people question. My mind is very open to the world. Believe what you want and let it guide you through life.

(Annelise) Existentialism: is the term applied to the work of a number of [|19th-] and [|20th-century philosophers] who, despite profound doctrinal differences, generally held that the focus of philosophical thought should be to deal with the conditions of existence of the individual person and his or her emotions, actions, responsibilities, and thoughts. Song that relate to existentialism: “Dear God" by XTC

"Closer (to God)" by Nine Inch Nails

"American Pie" by Don McLean

"Garden of Allah" by Don Henley

"End of the Innocence" by Don Henley

"When the Music's Over" by The Doors

"The End" by The Doors

"Existentialism On Prom Night” by Straylight Run

Quotes about Existentialism: "[People] cannot endure [their] own littleness unless [they] can translate it into meaningfulness on the largest possible level." ~ Ernest Becker, 1973, // [|The Denial of Death] //, p. 196 "Obviously, all religions fall far short of their own ideals..." ~ Ernest Becker, 1973, // [|The Denial of Death] //, p. 204 "Today, however, we are having a hard time living because we are so bent on outwitting death." ~ Simone de Beauvoir, 1948,, p. 120

(Jake) Existentialism: A philosophy. People are free, and will make their own choices.



2nd Hour: Saryn, Kaitlyn, Katie, Amanda Hinduism started in India...It is one of the oldest known organized religions—its sacred writings date as far back as 1400 to 1500 B.C. It is also one of the most diverse andcomplex, having millions of gods. Hindus have a wide variety of core beliefs and exist in many different sects. Although it is the third largest religion in the world, Hinduism exists primarily in India and Nepal. media type="youtube" key="XpkIKbfjE8o?fs=1" height="385" width="480"

"Piscine was born a Hindu, lives a Hindu and will die a Hindu!" Life of Pi. pg. 66 -All Pi has ever known is being a Hindu. His family is very religious and aren't okay with his curiosity of other religions. Pi will continue to live as a Hindu and die a Hindu because of his family's unaccepting of other cultures outside their own. This shows people are creature of habits; only sticking to what they know and not going outside the box. "The universe makes sense to me through Hindu eyes." Life of Pi. pg. 48 -Pi feels comfortable with Hinduism. He understands it. Unlike Christianity and the Muslim religion, Pi is used to the being a Hindu.

"I owe to Hinduism the original landscape of my religious imagination, those towns and rivers, battlefields and forests, holy mountains and deep seas where gods, saints, villains and ordinary people rub shoulders, and, in doing so, define who and why we are." (Life of Pi,50) - Hinduism is the foundation of Pi's religious being. Pi builds his love of God with other religions, but he his baseline of faith is Hinduism, because he grew up imagining a religious world where the landscape was Hinduism.   “’Religion will save us,’ I said. Since when I could remember, religion had been very close to my heart. ‘Religion?’ Mr. Kumar grinned broadly. ‘I don’t believe in religion. Religion is darkness.’ Darkness? I was puzzled. I thought, Darkness is the last thing that religion is. Religion is light. Was he testing me? Was he saying ‘Religion is darkness,’ the way he sometimes said in class things like ‘Mammals lay eggs,’ to see if someone would correct him?” pg 27

-Everyone needs to have their faith tested at some point, even though Mr. Kumar is an outright atheist I think he understands the value of faith and to test those who claim they have faith. That’s why faith is called faith isn’t it? Because you still believe it even when others doubt you. "Things didn't turn out the way they were supposed to, but what can you do? You must take life the way it comes at you and make the best of it." (Pg. 91) - This is a very positive way to look at life. Pi's outlook is a way to achive moska, which is the main goal of hinduism. Pi is an optimistic person, he believes that faith will guide him in the right direction, even through ups and downs.

"Why can't I be a Hindu, a Christian, and a Muslim?" (Pg. 73) -It's interesting because Pi knows what he wants, but is still confused. He knows he wants to love God, but he's confused about the way to do it. He hasn't grown up with very religious parents, but it seems as though religion is the most important thing in his life. He says he wants to practice all three religions, but it's hard to do that when the religions are so different from one another. Will he stick with all three, choose one, or decide not to practice a religion at all?

"Listen,my darling, if you're going to be religious, you must be either a Hindu, a Christian or a Muslim." (Pg. 73) -Pi's mom believes that Pi has to choose one religion to practice. if he's practicing all three, he's not even considered religious.

"...that measure of madness that moves life in strange but saving ways."(Pg. 85) -Proves yet again that Pi believes in something intangible, something greater. He recognizes that something is driving everyone and sometimes it isn't always obvious where that driving force is headed. He knows that there is some greater good that is working to save all of us.

"After a thorough investigation, i made a complete list:... 1 lifeboat, 1 ocean, 1 God." (Pg. 143) - Shows Pi still has strong faith in God, he makes a list of all the things he found in the emergency kit. And even though all of that stuff could have kept him alive on its own, he still would rather be kept alive with God by his side too.  = Existentialism = ====A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one's acts. ====

Existentialism is a philosophy concerned with finding self and the meaning of life through free will, choice, and personal responsibility. The belief is that people are searching to find out who and what they are throughout life as they make choices based on their experiences, beliefs, and outlook. Existentialism takes into consideration the underlying concepts: "Self-awareness or self-consciousness can lead to the enlarging of consciousness. It can lead to the expansion of control of one's life. Self-awareness involves the capacity of not only looking back, but also looking ahead. Self-awareness is not only a gift, but it is a responsibility." ~ Mufti James Hannush
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Human free will
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Human nature is chosen through life choices
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">A person is best when struggling against their individual nature, fighting for life
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Decisions are not without stress and consequences
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">There are things that are not rational
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Personal responsibility and discipline is crucial
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Society is unnatural and its traditional religious and secular rules are arbitrary
 * <span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt; line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">Worldly desire is futile

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