Author: D. Sader

Upanishads: The Chariot

The Upanishads are part of the Hindu scriptures. They include many metaphors and analogies. In one, a rider sits in a chariot, driven by a charioteer. The chariot represents the human body. The road the chariot travels on represents things that we perceive with our senses. The horses that pull the chariot represent the senses. The reins represent the mind, which controls the senses. The chariot driver represents the human mind or intuition. The owner of the chariot has full authority over the chariot, but does not need to do anything to direct it.

In this analogy, what do you think is represented by the owner of the chariot?

The Yogi and the Scorpion

Many religions use teaching stories. This story is sometimes used to teach about Hinduism.

A yogi was sitting by a river when he saw a scorpion fall into the water. The yogi scooped the scorpion up in his hand. The scorpion promptly stung him.

A minute later, the scorpion fell into the river again. Again, the yogi rescued it. And again, the scorpion stung the yogi.

For a third time, the scorpion fell into the river. And for a third time the yogi moved to rescue it. But another man had watched the whole thing, and stopped him. “Why do you keep rescuing the scorpion?” he asked. “The ungrateful creature keeps stinging you. Why don’t you just let it drown?”

The yogi answered, “It is the nature of a scorpion to sting. It is the nature of a yogi to show compassion.” And he scooped the scorpion out of the water again.

What idea do you think the story is trying to present?

The Sage and the Snake

Many religions use stories in order to convey a particular moral belief. The following story is sometimes used to teach about Hinduism.

A wandering sage arrived in a village. As he entered, he saw a huge, menacing snake. The villagers told the sage that the snake terrorized them and made their life difficult. The sage spoke to the snake and taught him about nonviolence, or ahimsa. The snake heard the sage’s words and took them to heart.

The next year, the sage again came to the village. The once-magnificent snake was now thin and bruised. The sage said, “My friend, what has happened to you?” The snake replied, “Your words showed me the error of my ways, so I not longer acted with violence toward the village. Now they mock me. The children throw stones at me when I try to get food.”

The sage looked at the snake, shaking his head. “My foolish friend,” he said, “I told you not to bite the people. I never told you not to hiss.”

Explain what you think is the message of the story.

The Caste System

Indian society has traditionally been organized into groups called castes. People are born into the caste of their family. The caste system includes a strict hierarchy and rules for social interaction. Each caste also had certain rights and responsibilities.

Advocates of the caste system say that is it not discriminatory but makes life easier for members of all castes. According to the, them, the caste system just acknowledges that people are different. Some are natural administrators; some are better at working with their hands. Under the caste system, those who are good at routine work do not compete for jobs with strategic thinkers; they compete with their equals.

Opponents of the system say that this theory is fine, but in actuality, skills like leadership or manual dexterity are not hereditary traits. A person born in a low caste might be a gifted leader but would not be allowed to develop those gifts.

Based on your knowledge of people, do you think a system like the caste system would tend to level the playing field for all? Would it tend to give certain people more privileges than others?

A Multiplicity of Forms

We speak of Hinduism, as one religion, which suggests that Hinduism is the same everywhere. This is not the case. India is a land of great variety. Even today, there are sixteen official languages in India and about 1,600 dialects. Geographically, rivers and mountains break the country into a number of distinct regions. The religion we call Hinduism developed over thousands of years, among hundreds of different groups of people. The religious traditions of all these different groups are included in Hinduism. Even today, Hinduism is changing. It is not one firm, fixed belief system, but a fluid system that includes many different beliefs.

How does an inclusive, ever-changing belief system compare to other major world belief systems? Choose another major world religion and compare it to Hinduism.

The Way of Tao

Taoism is one of the traditional religions of China. The word Tao (pronounced “dow”) means “way” or “path.” The “way” of Taoism is the way of the universe. Taoism advocates living simply and not interfering with the course of natural events.

In what ways do people often interfere with the course of natural events? List as many ways as you can. What is the effect of this interference?

Lao Tzu

The legendary founder of Taoism was a philosopher named Lao Tzu who lived in China around 600 B.C.E. (His name is also sometimes spelled Laotse.) Once story about Lao Tzu says that Confucius, another Chinese philosopher, once visited him. Asked about the visit, Confucius said:

Of birds I know they have wings to fly with,
of fish they have fins to swim with,
of wild beasts that they have feet to run with.
For feet there are traps, for fins nets, for wings arrows.
But who knows how dragons surmount wind and clouds into heaven?
This day I have seen Lao Tzu and he is a dragon.

What do you think Confucius meant by this?

The Tao Te Ching

When he was 160, Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, left China so that he could pursue a natural life somewhere else. He mounted a water buffalo and rode toward the boundaries of China.

A warden at the boundary had dreamed that a sage would come. When Lao Tzu arrived, he recognized him as the sage from his dream. The warden begged him to write down the principles of his philosophy.

Lao Tzu sat down and composed the Tao Te Ching (pronounced “dow dir jing”). He then remounted his water buffalo and rode off. No one ever heard of him again. Translated as “The Way and its Power,” the Tao Te Ching is the central scripture of Taoism.

No one knows whether or not this story of the Tao Te Ching is true. If it happened at all, it was about 2,500 years ago. Do you think it matters whether or not the story of writing the Tao Te Ching is true?

Lao Tzu as Founder

The philosopher Lao Tzu is considered the founder of Taoism. Nobody is sure, though, whether or not he actually existed. We don’t even know what his real name was; Lao Tzu means “The Old Man” or “The Grand Old Master.”

Lao Tzu didn’t try to organize a religion. He didn’t preach. He only wrote his ideas down because a border patrolman asked him to. Having written the Tao Te Ching, the central scripture of Taoism, Lao Tzu rode off and was never heard of again.

Does this description fit with your idea of the type of person who would found a religion? Why or why not?

The Authentic Life

According to the philosopher Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, most people do not live an authentic life. They live in a way that society suggests they live. People tend not to do things for themselves or to find out what they truly want. Instead they often do the things others want them to do.

What does it mean to be authentic? What would it mean to live an authentic life?