The nature of human life in Hinduism
The teachings of Hinduism include an understanding of the aims of human life and the personal virtues of a practising Hindu. Understanding the nature of human life also involves an awareness of the cycle of birth and death.
Atman
Atman is a Hindu word that means ‘soul or spirit’. Essentially, it refers to the real person inside an individual. It is made of part of the spirit of Brahman, who Hindus believe is the one true ultimate God. Therefore, it is not something that can be seen or touched, but it is eternal and everlasting.
This is different from the physical body, or matter, which can be seen and touched. A key Hindu belief is the idea that when a person dies the atman will move on into the body of another being. This process is called samara. Hindus believe that the atman is about accumulating knowledge. When the atman moves on to another life, it is as if it is letting go of the ego and gaining true knowledge.
Hindus believe that the physical and material worlds are different. Whereas the physical self exists in this world, the spiritual self exists in the spiritual world.
In one of the Hindu scriptures, the Upanishads, there is a story that is used by Hindus to explain the idea of the atman. The story explains that, just like salt in water, you know it is there but cannot see it. The atman, or part of Brahman, is there even though you cannot see it.
‘Be it so, my child’, the father replied; and he said, ‘Place this salt in water, and come to me tomorrow morning.’ The son did as he was told. Next morning the father said, ‘Bring me the salt you put in the water.’ The son looked for it, but could not find it, for the salt, of course, had dissolved. The father said, ‘Taste some of the water from the surface of the vessel. How is it?’ ‘Salty.’ ‘Taste some from the middle. How is it?’ ‘Salty.’ ‘Taste some from the bottom. How is it?’ ‘Salty.’ The father said, ‘Throw the water away and then come back to me again.’ The son did so; but the salt was not lost, for the salt existed forever. Then the father said, ‘Here likewise in this body of yours, my son, you do not perceive the True; but there, in fact, it is. In that which is the subtle essence, all that exists has its self (atman). That is the True, that is the atman, and thou, Svetaketu, art that.’Chandogya Upanishad 6.12
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Dharma
Dharma is the duties a Hindu should follow in their life. There are various types of dharma for a Hindu. Some are personal duties and some are eternal duties, meaning that they are for everyone. Dharma or duties are expected of all Hindus, and Hindus should live their lives with these in mind. Dharma is one of the four main aims in a Hindu’s life. The four aims are:
| Aim | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Dharma | The duty a Hindu should perform in their life | If a Hindu is in the final stage of their life, they should give up their possessions and travel to temples to learn the scriptures. |
| Kama | Enjoying the pleasures of life | Enjoying food, music, arts and sexuality. This is also a way of respecting other living beings, as all living beings have a piece of Brahman within them. |
| Artha | Gaining wealth in a lawful way | Having a job that is legal and not working in a job that is illegal. Working to gain wealth to support the family. |
| Moksha | Freedom from samsara so that the atman joins up with Brahman | Gaining good karma by being morally good so as to try to break free from the cycle of rebirth. |
Sanatana dharma
Sanatana dharma is an important dharma that means eternal truth. It is universal, which means it applies to all people at all times. Many Hindus would refer to their religion as sanatana dharma rather than Hinduism as they believe it sums up their beliefs better.
For Hindus, following sanatana dharma means living their lives in such a way that they are always considering their moral choices and making the best decisions they can.
- They should also worship and pray so that they are thinking about God. They should read and learn the scriptures so that they can understand their religion and its teachings better.
- They should live their lives with the ultimate aim of achieving freedom from samsara, or moksha.
- Hindus should also care for all other living beings, such as plants, trees and animals. This means treating them with respect and looking after the environment.
- Hindus should also consider how they are treating people who are in need of help and support, and they should look after them in the best way they can.
Varnashrama dharma
Another important dharma is varnashrama dharma, which is more of a personal duty. Varnashrama dharma means the duties a Hindu should follow depending on their stage in life and their caste. Some Hindu societies are organised according to caste. There are four main traditional castes and thousands of subgroups, called jat or jati, within these. The group a Hindu is born into can decide what jobs they may get and what their duties are in life. Some aspects of this concept are controversial because they raise human rights issues about fairness and equality in Hindu societies today.
The Rig Veda describes the whole of society as if it were a human body:
- The teachers and priests are like the head. These are regarded as those closest to achieving moksha.
- The warriors and leaders are like the upper body.
- The merchants, traders and farmers are like the strong legs.
- The manual workers and labourers are like the feet.
The Dalits are a large group in Hindu society, making up over 15% of India’s population. The word ‘Dalit’ means ‘the broken’ or ‘the oppressed’. It is a name that Dalits choose for themselves. It replaces older, very negative terms such as ‘untouchables’ and ‘outcastes’. The Dalits are excluded from the caste system, and they have experienced persecution. It is illegal in India to discriminate against anyone in employment, but caste groupings can still keep society unequal and unfair in some ways.
A Hindu has to complete their dharma based on their caste but also based on what stage of life they are in. There are four stages of life, called ashramas, and a Hindu goes through all of these in their lifetime. The stage of life a Hindu is in decides what their dharma is.
| Stage in life | Meaning | Duties (dharmas) |
|---|---|---|
| Brahmacharya | The student stage | Go to school and learn the scriptures and duties. |
| Grihastha | The householder stage | Marry and have children. Work and earn money to support the family. |
| Vanaprastha | The retirement stage | Concentrate on reading the scriptures, meditating, worship, visiting the temple and going on pilgrimages. |
| Sannyasa | The sacred pilgrim stage | Move away from material possessions and be a wandering holy person who teaches others about the scriptures and spends time in prayer. |
