Hinduism Projects

PROJECT #1: On the proposal, "Established in union, perform action"

Hinduism | Buddhism | Judaism | Christianity | Islam

Your first project centers on the following line from the Bhagavad-Gita: "Established in union, perform action" (2.48). During this unit, you are to perform action in the light of your own highest understanding of the ideal--in dialogue with the teachings of Hinduism.

What does this mean? Established in union with what? In union with your true self. In the Gita this means in union with your eternal spirit self, the indwelling divine spirit gift of God. Of course, as always, you may agree (more or less) or disagree with this answer.

The teaching suggests that whether or not we are centered--"in union"--makes a difference in how we perform our action.

For the time of this project, you are to act in union (or harmony or accord) with your own true self.

There are various paths to that centering. One is the path of action, karma yoga. To perform action, in this context, means, for starters, to perform excellently the normal duties of your station in life. You are a son or a daughter, brother or sister, a parent? Then fulfill these roles very well. You are a student? Then do your best in your studies. You are an employee, a citizen? Then be an excellent worker, and exercise intelligent patriotism. See the page on karma yoga for a further discussion of this theme.

Normally we are primarily motivated by our desire for benefits that may come to us if we perform our duties excellently, "the fruits of action," or by fear of the bad consequences of failing in these duties. If things don't work out well we get angry or depressed; if things work out as we hoped, we feel triumphant. In either case we lose "the mind of perfect poise." During this experiment, try to find a deeper motivation. After you have done your best, try not to be so dependent on the consequences that are beyond your control. Try not to be so anxious about them, so affected by them. Rather, perform your actions on the basis of union with your eternal spirit self--or, if you do not believe in an indwelling divine spirit, in union with your true self as you conceive it.

Of course, as always, you are not obliged to practice anything you do not feel comfortable with. Here's how to do this phase of the project. Write down the aspects of your station in life and your principal duties. To whatever extent you agree with the Gita's ideal, practice that ideal. To whatever extent you disagree, bring to mind what this ideal would imply in the situations in which you find yourself. Imagine yourself going through life for a couple of weeks with an invisible Hindu companion who points out the Hindu way when your thinking or acting differs from his or hers.

There are two other paths, or aspects of the approach to--and the practice of--union. There is also the path of bhakti yoga, loving devotion to God. According to this path, we are to live in union with God, and we do so by a life of faith and worship. The eternal spirit self is a gift of a loving God. This is a path for the heart, and it envisages supreme reality as personal. According to the Gita, the highest motive for action is to act out of love for God. If you agree with this idea, then you can practice this ideal during the project. If you are a religionist, you are not being asked to experiment by giving up your own concept of God and using a Hindu concept of God in worship. You may wish, however, to consider whether Hindu thought offers anything that may expand your concept of God. Try to live in union with God. In addition, see what you can get out of the practice of certain aspects of karma yoga.

If you are not a religionist, select aspects of the path of karma yoga for your experimenting, and try to live in union with the deepest truth within yourself.

The last path mentioned here is the path of philosophic insight. As you consider the diverse and constantly changing aspects of your situation, including your own ego and that of others, ask yourself: Is this ultimate reality? I do not recommend intense focus on the path of philosophic knowledge for beginners. The insight into transcendent reality without any describable qualities is far too rare (and trance-like, spaced-out, erotic, dreamy, or blissfully peaceful moods are not the same as the realization called samadhi or pure consciousness).

To repeat, (1) If you agree with one of these central teachings, act on it as best you can. (2) If you have some disagreement but can adjust the theory to make it acceptable, then make the modification and act on that. (3) If you have a basic disagreement with even the best of what you find, then act in accord with your own theory or sense of what is right, but imagine a DIALOGUE with a representative of the Hindu ideal while you are conducting your moral and ethical life during this period of time.

WRITE a three-part paper. In the first page, describe an experience of acting in (approximate) accord with--or in dialogue with--the Gita's ideal of acting established in unity. Those doing the one-unit service-learning project must draw on their experience with their project (unless a conversation with the instructor indicates otherwise at this early date in the semester). For others, this experience should come from the experiment described above. Next, construct a one- or two- page Hindu commentary on your experience from the perspective of the Hindu writings we have read (include references to the Gita as chapter and verse indications in parentheses before the period ending the sentence). Finally, in a closing paragraph or page, respond to the Hindu perspective from your own point of view.

If you can meet with a Hindu person for dialogue, I will give up to one letter grade of extra credit (1 % of the course grade--half of 1% for an internet conversation--be careful about plunging into the middle of a chat room discussion). Write up your experience in an additional page appended to the end of your paper. You can ask what it's like to be a Hindu living in North America today. What are the aspects of Hinduism that are most meaningful to you? You can discuss your project.

Papers will be evaluated for the quality of written English 10% (and papers below C in English cannot receive a C or better overall); for the way in which the description of the experience sets up the following discussion (in other words--do not load up the description with chatty details that are not relevant to the commentary)(20%); for the Hindu commentary you construct (60%); and for your concluding evaluation (10%). Those doing a service learning project need to write a two-page description, a two-page commentary, and a full page of evaluation. The paper (typed in 12 point font, and proofread) is due at the beginning of class on the last day of the unit on Hinduism. Late papers will be reduced a letter grade.