REL 101 Class notes, Week 2, Lecture 1

I. Rig Veda (continued)

1500-1000 BCE: Development of early Vedas (incl Rig Veda)

Creation Narrative

1. "Gods" come after the initial creation and thus are not the source of creation
2. The Source of creation is expressed in both impersonal and personal terms, as "it" and "he."
3. Comparison and Contrast with Genesis from the Hebrew Bible

Form of Logic and Use of Language

1. Reflects four-step logic of Catus-koti, in particular, the first line of Rig Veda's creation narrative reflects the last of the four steps, "neither existent nor non-existent"
2. Questioning is as much of a part of this narrative as straightforward description.
3. Use of Paradox.

II. Upanishads

600-200 BCE: Development of Upanishads

Relation between Essence and Appearance (Atman-Brahman)

1. Use of Metaphors
2. Asceticism and Meditation - Yoga, Yogi
3. karma, samsara (cycle of life and death), rebirth, and moksa (liberation)

III. Bhagavad-Gita

400-100 BCE: Development of Bhagavad Gita - Part of a great epic known as the Mahabharata.

1. Story of the warrior Arjuna and the Demigod Krishna - duty versus holy life
2. Karma, attachment, detachment, non-attachment

IV. Dance of the Gopis

300-800 CE: Development of Puranas, popular literature, of which the Dance of the Gopis is a part

1. Four kinds of religious life: Brahman-Priest (Sacrifice); Yogi-Ascetic; Lay-Duty; Krishna-Transgression
2. Passion and Devotion
3. Again, attachment, detachment, non-attachment
4. Four types of attachment