Hindu Ethics

Hindu Ethics is Mainly Subjective or Personal
Hindu ethics is mainly subjective or personal, its purpose being to eliminate such mental impurities as
greed and egoism, for the ultimate attainment of the highest good. Why Hindu ethics stresses the
subjective or personal value of action will be discussed later. Objective ethics, which deals with social
welfare, has also been considered by Hindu thinkers. It is based upon the Hindu conception of
Dharma, or duty, related to a man’s position in society and his stage in life. Objective ethics,
according to the Hindu view, is a means to an end, its purpose being to help the members of society
to rid themselves of self-centredness, cruelty, greed, and other vices, and thus to create an
environment helpful to the pursuit of the highest good, which transcends society. Hinduism further
speaks of certain universal ethical principles which apply to all human beings irrespective of their
position in society or stage in life.
Social welfare
The ethical doctrines of the Hindus are based upon the teachings of the Upanishads and of certain
secondary scriptures, which derive their authority from the Vedas. But though their emphasis is
mainly subjective, the Upanishads do not deny the value of social ethics. For instance, we read: "As
the scent is wafted afar from a tree laden with flowers, so also is wafted afar the scent of a good
deed." Among the social virtues are included ‘hospitality, courtesy, and duties to wife, children, and
grandchildren.’ In one of the Upanishads, a king, in answer to a question by a Rishi regarding the
state of affairs in his country, says: "In my kingdom there is no thief, no miser, no drunkard, no man
without an altar in his home, no ignorant person, no adulterer, much less an adulteress."
Ethical actions calculated to promote social welfare is enjoined upon all who are identified with the
world and conscious of their social responsibilities. Without ethical restraint there follows social
chaos, which is detrimental to the development of spiritual virtues. According to the Upanishads, the
gods, who are the custodians of society, place obstacles in the path of those who seek liberation from
samsara, or the relative world, without previously discharging their social duties. As a person realizes
the unreality of the world and the psycho-physical entity called the individual, his social duties
gradually fall away; but they must not be forcibly given up. If the scab is removed before the wound is
healed, a new sore forms. Every normal person endowed with social consciousness has a threefold
debt to discharge: his debt to the gods, to the Rishis, and to the ancestors. The debt to the gods, who
favour us with rain, sun, wind, and other natural amenities, is paid through worship and prayer. The
debt to the Rishis, from whom we inherit our spiritual culture, is paid through regular study of the
scriptures. The debt to the ancestors, from whom we have received our physical bodies, is paid
through the procreation of children, ensuring the preservation of the line.
With the blessings of the gods, the Rishis, and the ancestors, one can cheerfully practise disciplines
for the realization of the highest good, in which all worldly values find fulfillment.
The observance of social ethics, in a large measure, preserved Hindu society when various outside
forces threatened to destroy it. The neglect of social ethics, on the other hand, has undermined its
vitality.
How, by suitable ethical disciplines, the brutish man may become a decent man, a decent man an
aristocrat, and the aristocrat a spiritual person, has been explained by a story in one of the
Upanishads.
Once a god, a man, and a demon – the three offspring of the Creator – sought his advice for self-
improvement. To them the Creator said: "Da." As the syllable ‘Da’ is the first letter of three Sanskrit
words, meaning, respectively, self-control, charity, and compassion, the Creator was in effect asking
the god to practise self-control, the man to practise charity, and the demon to practise compassion.
In human society there exists aristocrats, average men, and demoniacal men. The aristocrat, in spite
of his education, refinement, generosity, and gentleness, may lack in self-control and go the excess in
certain matters like eating, drinking, or gambling. Hence he needs self-control to improve his
character further.
The average man, in spite of his many human qualities, is often greedy; he wants to take what
belongs to others. Liberality or charity is his discipline for self-improvement. The demoniacal person
takes delight in treating others with cruelty and ruthlessness, which can be suppressed through the
practice of compassion.
The Upanishads say that the Creator, even today, gives the same moral advice to different types of
human beings through the voice of the thunderclap, which makes the reverbrating sound ‘Da-da-da.’
The caste system in Hinduism is intimately connected with the social aspect of Hindu ethics,
demonstrating the importance of renunciation and self-denial as cardinal virtues. The origin of this
system is found in the Vedas, though it later underwent much transformation in the hands of the
Hindu lawgivers. The Bhagavad Gita says that the Lord Himself divided human beings into four
groups, determined by their actions and virtues. Traditions other than Hinduism support similar
divisions.
Plato divided the state into three classes, castes, or professions, namely, philosopher-rulers, warriors,
and the masses. Nietzsche says that every healthy society contains three mutually conditioning types
and that it is Nature, not Manu (the Hindu law giver), which separates one from another; the mainly
intellectual, those mainly endowed with muscular and temperamental strength, and those who are
distinguished neither for the one nor for the other, the mediocre third class. The first group contains
select individuals, and the last, the great majority.
According to the Hindu scriptures, a normal society consists of the Brahmins, who are men of
knowledge, of science, literature, thought, and learning; the Kshatriyas, who are men of action and
valour; the Vaisyas, who are men of desires, possessiveness, and acquisitive enterprise; and lastly
the Sudras, who are men of little intelligence, who cannot be educated beyond certain low limits, who
are incapable of dealing with abstract ideas, and who are fit only for manual labour. Each of them, in
the words of Nietzsche, has its own hygiene, its own domain of labour, its own sentiment of
perfection, and its own special superiority. In the Vedas the four castes are described as four
important parts of the body of the Cosmic Person: the head, the arms, the thighs (or the stomach),
and the feet. This analogy suggests the interdependence of the four castes for the common welfare of
all; it also suggests that the exploitation of one by another undermines the strength of the whole of
society. The rules regarding the four castes sum up the experience, sagacity, and experimental
morals of long centuries of Hindu thinkers.
The Bhagavad Gita describes the virtues of the four castes, and their duties. The qualities of a
Brahmin are control of the mind and the senses, austerity, cleanliness, forbearance, uprightness,
scholarship, insight, and faith. He possesses a minimum of worldly assets, accepts voluntary poverty,
and is satisfied with simple living and high thinking. Both a priest and a teacher, he is the leader of
society and an adviser to king and commoner. A custodian of the culture of the race, he occupies his
high position in society by virtue of his spirituality, and not by the power of arms or wealth.
The qualities of a Kshatriya are heroism, high spirit, firmness, resourcefulness, dauntlessness in
battle, generosity, and sovereignty.
Agriculture, cattle rearing, and trade are the duties of a Vaisya. The main duty of a Sudra is action
entailing physical labour.
The hierarchy in the caste system is determined by the degree of voluntary renunciation, poverty, and
self-control, and also by the degree of intellectual and spiritual attainments. A Brahmin has to
suppress many impulses for physical enjoyment. A Kshatriya, no doubt, enjoys power and pleasure,
but he is ready at any time to lay down his life for the protection of the country from external
aggression or internal chaos. A Vaisya, whose moral code and intellectual attainments are not so
rigorous or high as those of the two upper castes, amasses wealth, both for his own enjoyment and
for the welfare of society. One does not expect from a Sudra very much of spiritual, intellectual, or
moral perfection. The higher is one’s position in the caste system, the greater is one’s obligation to
members of the lower castes, and the more stern is the renunciation of personal comforts. Noblesse
oblige. The caste system was designed to promote the harmonious working of society, the weak
being assured of protection from the strong. "It is a law of spiritual economics," said Mahatma
Gandhi; "it has nothing to do with superiority or inferiority." When a person belonging to a lower caste
becomes a saint, he is honoured even by the Brahmins. The disciplines for spiritual development are
not withheld from anyone.


Hinduism - Hindu Ethics
Hindu Ethics
Probably the most important core value of Hinduism is that of the sanctity of life. It is called ahimsa, meaning
‗not to hurt, harm or kill through word, thought or deed‘. This forms the basis of moral behaviour. This guides
the behaviour of Hindus towards everyone and everything. Living for others through self sacrifice becomes the
core teaching. Living in a family unit for example requires the means to put this teaching into practice. The
practice should be broadened to take into account the needs of those who are less fortunate. The theory requires
Hindus to play an active role in helping to alleviate the suffering of others. Gandhi‘s use of ahimsa or non-
violence as a religious tool has successfully resolved many political issues in a non-violent method. This idea
has been successfully used by many groups to resolve serious issues without waging war.
ETHICAL TEACHINGS OF HINDUISM
Ethics, which concerns itself with the study of conduct, is derived, in Hinduism, from certain spiritual concepts;
it forms the steel-frame foundation of the spiritual life. Though right conduct is generally considered to belong
to legalistic ethics, it has a spiritual value as well. Hindu ethics differs from modern scientific ethics, which is
largely influenced by biology; for according to this latter, whatever is conducive to the continuous survival of a
particular individual or species is good for it. It also differs from utilitarian ethics, whose purpose is to secure
the maximum utility for a society by eliminating friction and guaranteeing for its members a harmonious
existence. Hindu ethics prescribes the disciplines for a spiritual life, which are to be observed consciously or
unconsciously as long as man lives.
Hindu ethics is mainly subjective or personal, its purpose being to eliminate such mental impurities as greed and egoism,
for the ultimate attainment of the highest good. Why Hindu ethics stresses the subjective or personal value of action will
be discussed later. Hindu thinkers have also considered objective ethics, which deals with social welfare. It is based upon
the Hindu conception of Dharma, or duty, related to a man’s position in society and his stage in life. Objective ethics,
according to the Hindu view, is a means to an end, its purpose being to help the members of society to rid themselves of
selfcenteredness, cruelty, greed, and other vices, and thus to create an environment helpful to the pursuit of the highest
good, which transcends society. Hinduism further speaks of certain universal ethical principles that apply to all human
beings irrespective of their position in society or stage in life.





Ethics of Hinduism
by Dr. Neria H. Hebbar
inShare
Image (c) Gettyimages.com
Three documents, namely the
Upanishads, Bhagavad-Gita and
Brahma Sutra form the basis of Vedanta
(calledPrasthana-traya). From these
scriptures are drawn Hindu ethics that
help in guiding the Hindu through his
daily as well as spiritual journey.
Though Vedanta currently is the
favorite of English-speaking Hindu
intellectuals, it was from the wisdom of the Upanishads and Bhagavad-Gita that the ancient
Hindus set forth their ethics in a practical way, expected to be followed by all Hindus. The
Laws of Manu (Dharmashastra or Manuva Shastra) gave details of societal rules and Artha-
shastra of Kautilya detailed the politics and economics.

Ethics of Upanishads

Upanishad means 'to sit down near' because they were explained to the students, who sat at the
feet of their teachers. In general Upanishads proclaim salvation by knowledge and realization,
rather than by faith and works. Selfish desires are obstacles to the seekers of Truth (the
Higher- Self, also called as Brahman). A seeker of true Divinity will attain salvation when he
realizes the Truth, the all-pervasive Brahman. The universe came into existence because of a
primeval desire of Brahman. Now it is the duty of the humans to restore it to the state of things
before creation. This can be done by sacrifice, benevolence, study and even ascetism, which in
turn will permit the seeker of truth to attain bliss. Honesty is especially extolled. He who has
not denounced evil will never obtain Brahman. The worldly perceptions of smell, taste, touch,
hearing and sight makes one separate from the True Self. When one can transcend these
perceptions there is no consciousness of anything other than Self. This is immortality.

There are six great sayings (Mahavakyas) from the Upanishads that give the basic insight into
its philosophy. They are as follows with a brief analysis of each:

Aham Brahmasmi

'I am Brahman': Vedic knowledge teaches that our own 'Self' is the true Divinity. The Truth is
within us, in our own heart. This states the identity of the inner most consciousness of the
individual with the supreme Divine.

Ayam Atma Brahma

'The Self is Brahman': This states that not only individual soul is Divine but all beings are
identified with the Absolute Truth.

Tat Tvam Asi

'That art thou': Whatever we see or think about, we are That. We are the ultimate Thou and I in
all.

Prajnanam Brahma

'Knowledge is Brahman': Supreme intelligence is present inherently within us and is capable
of returning us to the Divine. Our understanding of the truth is the Truth itself.

Sarvam Kalvidam Brahma

'The whole universe is Brahman': Not only the consciousness in you and I but also the
'principle of being' are all Divine. The entire universe is Divine, which includes our Self.

So 'ham

'Here am I': This identifies the Divinity in our Self in something that happens naturally like
breathing. 'So' is inhalation and 'Ham' is the natural sound of exhalation.

These are the six statements of the identity of individual consciousness with the Divine reality.
They all merge into and derive from the word 'Om (Aum)' or the Divine word 'I Am All'. All
of these statements point to the fact that whatever or however we worship, be it an image,
book, an idea or even a God, it is the knowledge that the Truth is within ourselves that will
ultimately lead to self-realization. Self is the true Divinity. This is the essence of Upanishads.

The Bhagavad-Gita

Gita is the highest expression of philosophical Hinduism. It is a chapter of the immense Indian
epic, the Mahabharata, the saga of the war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas. Arjuna,
hero of the Pandavas, is about to confront the army of the Kauravas on the battlefield of
Kuruksetra. Among the opposing army are his friends and relatives. Convinced that it would
be wrong to kill his own kinsmen, Arjuna is overcome by despair. He lays down his bow and
declares that he will not fight. God Vishnu, incarnated as the charioteer Krishna, explains that
Arjuna should do his duty (Dharma) and do battle. The human soul, which is part of the
universal soul, is immortal - therefore no one is actually slain. If people perform the duties
appropriate to their station, without attachment to success or failure, then they cannot be
stained by action. The rest of the poem provides the full philosophy underlying this insight.
The essence of karma yoga and of self-abnegation through yoga of renunciation as well as
yoga of meditation, mysticism and devotion are discussed in eighteen chapters as conversation
between Arjuna and Krishna. Detached action along with the fruits of this action is
consecrated to God and this forms the basis of karma yoga. Bhagavad-Gita teaches the
causation and the effects of karma and how to deal with its manifestations. It also teaches that
the human being has a free will that permits him to make intelligent choices, which in turn
may alter the manifestation of the karma. The ultimate goal of every Hindu is to reduce the
bad karma that he may have to carry with him into his next cycle of birth.

The Gita is variously dated between the third century B.C.E. and the fourth century C.E. The
reason for uncertainty is that the Gita is not always consistent and may be the work of several
hands. A follower of the philosophy expressed in the Upanishads probably wrote one strand, in
which Brahman is the highest unity underlying reality. A devotee of the supreme god Vishnu
may have added another strand, focused on a more personal deity, later. The Gita may
originally have been written as a separate document and later incorporated into the
Mahabharata.

God is in all things, and all things are in God. But the visible universe springs from only a
fraction of Vishnu's glory. There is also a hidden part of God, which extends beyond the
universe.

Nevertheless, the Gita contains probably the most powerful and thoroughgoing expression of
pantheism in world scripture. The one God is the pinnacle of all things ' the radiant sun of
lights, the thought organ of sense organs, the intellect of beings, the ocean of waters, the
Himalayas of mountain ranges, the Ganges of rivers. He is also the inherent essence of
everything - including evil. He is the gambling of rogues, the courage of the courageous, the
rod of disciplinarians, and the statecraft of politicians, the Knowledge of the knowing.

Hindu Ethics and Conduct

Elaboration of the social code is found in the Mahabharata. There are four great aims of
human life (purusharthas), namely dharma or righteousness, artha or wealth,kama or
enjoyment and moksha or spiritual liberation; the four stages of life, the student
or brahmacharya, the householder or grahasthya, the forest-dweller orvanaprastha and the
wandering ascetic or sanyasa: and the four castes, the priest-teacher or Brahmin, the warrior
or kshatriya, the trader or vaishya and the worker orshudra.

The Manuva-shastra (codes of Manu) gives details of social rules and practices.
Kautilya's Artha-shastra discusses economics and politics. A Hindu finds the ethics of
Hinduism in the poems of Bhagavad-Gita. These were written at a time when there was attack
on the establishment by reformers in order to maintain the order of the society. Gita teaches
that by fulfilling his class function to the best of his ability, with devotion to God and without
personal ambition, a man can find salvation, whatever his class. The teachings of the
Bhagavad-Gita are summed up in the maxim 'your business is with deed and not with the
result'.

Other texts that that give insight into Hindu ethics also shaped the life of a Hindu. There is the
Manasollasa written by 12th Century Deccan king Someshvara III Chalukya that illustrates
Hindu morals. Hospitality, charity and honesty are extolled. Piety, performance of religious
worship and pilgrimage are also important. Eight virtues of the soul were mentioned in the law
book of Gautama, namely compassion, patience, contentedness, purity, earnest endeavor, pure
thoughts, freedom from greed, and freedom from envy. Tamil texts of Tiukkural and Naladiyar
also stress on the moral codes.

Earnest kindliness and tolerance to all human relations along with non-violence had real effect
on Hindu life. Desire for the well being of all beings and benevolence in the form of
almsgiving were encouraged especially when done with no expectation of rewards at least in
this life. The duties also changed according to the ages and classes of people. The ascetic
should set his mind on unworldly things but a layman was encouraged to strike a harmony
between religion, profession and material pleasures. Similarly students, householders, elderly
and the aged had different functions and duties to fulfill. Especially the orthodox classes also
followed taboos like not coming in contact with an untouchable, eating forbidden meat as well
as left over food. However the more intelligent teachers realized that mere outward observance
was not meritorious as inner goodness. Rules were not rigid and there was always a way to
circumvent the most stringent of the rules.

A Hindu is advised to contain and restrain all the emotions that may lead to a sinful existence.
Thus he is asked to control such emotions as Kama (lust), Krodha(anger), Mada (ego, pride)
and Matsara (jealousy). The moral codes of various texts repeatedly emphasize the importance
of being aware of these ordinary but strong human emotions that lead to the disruptions of a
harmonious society.

There are nine basic requirements that a Hindu should be aware of and follow. Personal
discipline, good conduct, self-inquiry and meditation are important. Here briefly are the nine
beliefs of Hinduism.
(Source: From 'Dancing with Siva', by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami)
1. Belief in the divinity of Vedas.
2. The Supreme Being is both immanent and transcendent, thus both a Creator and Un-
manifest Reality.
3. The universe is in an endless cycle of creation, preservation and dissolution.
4. One creates his own destiny by his thoughts, deeds and words. This law of cause and
effect is called the Karma.
5. Every soul evolves through a series of births and deaths (janma and punar-janma) until
all karmas have been resolved. The cycle of many births (samsara) is the opportunity to
shed the effects of karma in order to attain liberation (moksha) form the eternal cycle. Not
a single soul is deprived of this destiny.
6. Belief in the existence of divine beings in unseen worlds. Temple worship, rituals,
sacraments as well as personal devotions create a communion with the devas and God.
7. A master or a guru is essential to follow the right path to know the Transcendent
Absolute.
8. All forms of life are sacred and are to be loved and revered. All must follow the practice
of 'non-injury' or ahimsa.
9. No one particular religion teaches the 'only pathway' to salvation. All genuine religious
paths are facets of God's Light and Love, deserving tolerance and understanding.




















Hindu ethics
Hindu ethics are related to reincarnation, which is a way of expressing the need for reciprocity, as one may end
up in someone else's shoes in their next incarnation. Intention is seen as very important, and thus selfless action
for the benefit of others without thought for oneself is an important rule in Hinduism, known as the doctrine of
karma yoga. This aspect of service is combined with an understanding that someone else's unfortunate situation,
while of their own doing, is one's own situation since the soul within is the soul shared by all. The greeting
namaskar is founded on the principle that one salutes the spark of the divine in the other. Kindness and
hospitality are key Hindu values.
More emphasis is placed on empathy than in other traditions, and women are sometimes upheld not only as
great moral examples but also as great gurus. Beyond that, the Mother is a Divine Figure, the Devi, and the
aspect of the creative female energy plays a major role in the Hindu ethos. Vande Mataram, the Indian national
song (not anthem) is based on the Divine mother as embodied by 'Mother India' paralleled to 'Ma Durga'. An
emphasis on domestic life and the joys of the household and village may make Hindu ethics a bit more
conservative than others on matters of sex and family.
Of all religions, Hinduism is among the most compatible with the view of approaching truth through various
forms of art: its temples are often garishly decorated, and the idea of a guru who is both entrancing entertainer
and spiritual guide, or who simply practices some unique devotion (such as holding up his arm right for his
whole life, or rolling on the ground for years on a pilgrimage), is simply accepted as a legitimate choice in life.
Ethical traditions in Hinduism have been influenced by caste norms. In the mid-20th century Mohandas Gandhi,
a Vaishnava, undertook to reform these and emphasize traditions shared in all the Indian faiths:
 vegetarianism and an ideology of harms reduction leading ultimately to nonviolence
 active creation of truth through courage and his 'satyagraha'
 rejection of cowardice and concern with pain or indeed bodily harm
After his profound achievement of forcing the British Empire from India, these views spread widely and
influence much modern thinking on ethics today, especially in the peace movement, ecology movement, and
those devoted to social activism.





Hindu Ethics
Posted on December 10, 2011 by admin
Dr. V.K. Maheshwari, Former Principal
K.L.D.A.V(P.G) College, Roorkee, India


This is the sum of duty: Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. (Mahabharata
5:1517)
Ethical behavior is generally taken to mean behavior that conforms to some code of conduct which is held to be
authoritative in matters of right and wrong. The set of principles that define what is right and wrong being
called ‗morality‘ or ‗ethics‘.
Ethics refers to the concept of human which pertain to matters of good and evil —also referred to as ―right or
wrong‖, used within three contexts: individual conscience, systems of principles and judgments — sometimes
called moral values —shared within a cultural, religious, secular, Humanist, or philosophical community; and
codes of behavior or conduct derived from these systems.
Religion clearly plays an important part in many Hindu‘s ethical decisions, and for those with a religious faith
ethical behavior is often seen as being necessary, both as an act of obedience to God‘s wishes and as a
requirement for spiritual development
Ethics, which concerns itself with the study of conduct, is derived, in Hinduism, from certain spiritual concepts;
it forms the steel-frame foundation of the spiritual life. Though right conduct is generally considered to belong
to legalistic ethics, it has a spiritual value as well. . Hindu ethics prescribes the disciplines for a spiritual life,
which are to be observed consciously or unconsciously as long as man lives.
Hindu ethics are taught by guidance from leaders and teachers ( guru), wandering holy men (sadhus), and sages
(rishis). Some gurus are venerated, and may work miracles. Sacred scriptures also give guidance. Morality is
taught through Hindu scriptures, for example the Ramayana. The scriptures prohibit murder, theft, adultery, and
consuming alcohol, and promote kindness to others, respect for all life (ahimsa), vegetarianism, and respect for
elders. There is no centralized religious authority, and the religion is held together by the duties of family and
caste
Hindu ethics philosophy has been evolving 4000 years. it sources are the Vedas the oldest known literature in
the world. Hindu Ethics differ from much of western ethics in perceiving a direct link between social and
spiritual life. Greek philosophy is a ―persuit of truth for its own sake‖. based on reason and intellect in which
the wise, the law maker, direct people to create a moral socially. Hindu ethics is primarily concerned with the
right action as a means to religious fulfillment.
Hindu ethics is mainly subjective or personal, its purpose being to eliminate such mental impurities as greed and
egoism, for the ultimate attainment of the highest good.. Objective ethics, which deals with social welfare, has
also been considered by Hindu thinkers. It is based upon the Hindu conception of Dharma, or duty, related to a
man‘s position in society and his stage in life. Objective ethics, according to the Hindu view, is a means to an
end, its purpose being to help the members of society to rid themselves of self-centeredness, cruelty, greed, and
other vices, and thus to create an environment helpful to the pursuit of the highest good, which transcends
society. Hinduism further speaks of certain universal ethical principles which apply to all human beings
irrespective of their position in society or stage in life.
Among the social virtues are included ‗hospitality, courtesy, and duties to wife, children, and grandchildren.‘ In
one of the Upanishads, a king, in answer to a question by a Rishi regarding the state of affairs in his country,
says: ―In my kingdom there is no thief, no miser, no drunkard, no man without an altar in his home, no ignorant
person, no adulterer, much less an adulterous.‖
Hindu ethics postulates that moral virtue is ultimately rewarded by libration from a cycle of repeated
reincarnations and the achievement of a paradise beyond the mundane world. it sees personal and spiritual well
being as fundamentally independent.
Hindu ethics is based on the premise that ethical life is the means to spiritual freedom. Hinduism has behind it a
philosophy that is not only a religious doctrine but also a complex web of moral principles. For Hindus, there
are four goals in life: love or pleasure (kama), material wealth (artha), the path (dharma), and release
from reincarnation (moksha). Dharma is based on sympathy, fairness, and restraint. Sin is to act selfishly
instead of following dharma. Hindus aspire to equanimity and a sense of calmness (shama). Asceticism, the
renunciation of physical pleasure, is a path taken by only a very small minority of Hindus. Some Hindus make
daily worship and offerings to humankind, the needy, and to guests. Unexpected guests must be welcomed and
fed.
It offer practical guidance, rites, prayers, festival and social structure , all aimed at securing social harmony and
God realization. Since God is the embodiment of truth and justice right action is the means to experience God
realization.
The Vedas are hymns and rites that glorify the Vedic gods, who are representative of the Devine power of the
supreme God. They deal with personal issues universal concerns and theories of creation. Hinduism teaches the
reading or listening to the Vedas enlivens the connection between individual and the creator Vedic writings are
fundamental to Hinduism
The Rg Veda and Atharva Veda, the hymns of the Vedas, are quite specific about action that can be seen as
righteous and moral. Honesty, rectitude, friendship, charity, nonviolence, truthfulness, modesty, celibacy,
religious worship and purity of heart are all listed as desirable and necessary virtues. The Rg- veda also cities
bad intentions, swearing, falsehood, gambling, egoism, cruelty, adultery, theft and injury to life as sinful
actions.
The Manuva-shastra (codes of Manu) gives details of social rules and practices. Kautilya‘s Artha-shastra
discusses economics and politics.
The Bhagwat Gita, a central text of Hinduism gives very specific ethical advise. Lord Krishna states that the
correctness of the action should be the primary consideration when doing some thing. He advises Arjuna always
to act in accordance with dharma (the ethical living). Further more he says, if Arjuna could experiences the
Devine, his actions would spontaneously reflect absolute wisdom and purity and therefore all dilemmas would
evaporable. In this instance the right course of action is to fight. A Hindu finds the ethics of Hinduism in the
poems of Bhagavad-Gita. These were written at a time when there was attack on the establishment by reformers
in order to maintain the order of the society. Gita teaches that by fulfilling his class function to the best of his
ability, with devotion to God and without personal ambition, a man can find salvation, whatever his class. The
teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita are summed up in the maxim ‗your business is with deed and not with the
result‘.
Other texts that that give insight into Hindu ethics also shaped the life of a Hindu. There is the Manasollasa
written by 12th Century Deccan king Someshvara III Chalukya that illustrates Hindu morals. Hospitality,
charity and honesty are extolled. Piety, performance of religious worship and pilgrimage are also important.
Eight virtues of the soul were mentioned in the law book of Gautama, namely compassion, patience,
contentedness, purity, earnest endeavor, pure thoughts, freedom from greed, and freedom from envy. Tamil
texts of Tiukkural and Naladiyar also stress on the moral codes.
There are many stories in Hindu literature about morality and how best to behave. Deities advise and guide. in
the Ramayana, Ram is embodiment of dharma teaching the values of obedience respect and duty. the later
writings of the Purana specifies to Shiva and Vishnu, advocate worship and devotion as means to libration.
The Upanishads embrace the concept of God as the impersonal supreme being the ‗Braham‘. the verse state the
divinity is everywhere that individual is indeed ‘Brahma‘ itself – Aham Brahmasmi (I ,am the totality ) the
Upanishad reaffirm that Moksha (Libration) is the goal of life. to achieve libration, it is necessary to follow a
strict code of ethical and spiritual discipline. austerity chastely silence, and solitude lead the soul forward while
self restraint, self sacrifice and compassion free one from greed and anger.
According to Hinduism morality is a societal phenomenon and, since man creates societies, all morality is a
concept created by man. It follows, that morality is relative to our environment and does not apply to all persons
at all times. Morality can only be relative and subjective; instead of objective, universal and absolute.
A Hindu is advised to contain and restrain all the emotions that may lead to a sinful existence. Thus he is asked
to control such emotions as Kama (lust), Krodha(anger), Mada (ego, pride) and Matsara (jealousy). The moral
codes of various texts repeatedly emphasize the importance of being aware of these ordinary but strong human
emotions that lead to the disruptions of a harmonious society.
Hinduism asserts that just as there is order in the universe, human life can be equally harmonious and orderly.
Human society should express the Devine purpose. All people belong to social caste determined by character,
natural inclination and function in society. these castes consists of brahman (the wise) Khastriy (the warrior)
vaish (the merchant) sudre ( the laborer) within each caste the individual can achieve perfection and the whole
system promotes spiritual progress.
Elaboration of the social code is found in the Mahabharata. There are four great aims of human life
(purusharthas), namely dharma or righteousness, artha or wealth,kama or enjoyment and moksha or spiritual
liberation; the four stages of life, the student or brahmacharya, the householder or grahasthya, the forest-
dweller orvanaprastha and the wandering ascetic or sanyasa:
Hindu thought divide life into 25 years stages, giving specific ethical advise for each. the first stage is for
learning, the second is the time for the house holder, the third is a time for meditation and study of scriptures
and the final stage is one of renunciation of the outer life. the sequence should ultimately end in libration, the
goal of life. Members of family should always follow their duty children should respect and obey their parent
wishes, husbands and wives ought to be loving and respectful advising their families and teaching moral values.
Many Hindu practices derives from the belief the Brahma the Devine is all-pervading. If Divinity is
everywhere then everything must be respected. Nature is not separate from Humanity therefore animals are
revered particularly cows. Actually it is practical application of the belief of oneness and therefore the
sacredness of life.
Hinduism asserts that all living organisms, including bacteria, fish and human beings have developed from
inanimate matter through the process of evolution. Evolution, and life itself, is due to the ability of a complex
chemical compound to sense a threat to its continued existence and to react upon such impulse with an attempt
to negate any incipient threat. We know this instinctive, automatic interaction with the environment as the
survival instinct.
The importance given to spiritual life in India creates the interdependence between the mystical and the
practical. Ethics is central to Hinduism, improving the present and ultimately freeing the individual from the
cycle of birth and death. Hinduism with all its complexity has unity at the heart of its diversity. its goals are to
raise the quality of life ensure spiritual awaking and fulfill humanity‘s destiny.
Earnest kindliness and tolerance to all human relations along with non-violence had real effect on Hindu life. Desire for
the well being of all beings and benevolence in the form of almsgiving were encouraged especially when done with no
expectation of rewards at least in this life. The duties also changed according to the ages and classes of people. The
ascetic should set his mind on unworldly things but a layman was encouraged to strike a harmony between religion,
profession and material pleasures. Similarly students, householders, elderly and the aged had different functions and
duties to fulfill. Especially the orthodox classes also followed taboos like not coming in contact with an untouchable,
eating forbidden meat as well as left over food. However the more intelligent teachers realized that mere outward
observance was not meritorious as inner goodness. Rules were not rigid and there was always a way to circumvent the
most stringent of the rules.
There are some basic requirements that a Hindu should be aware of and follow. Personal discipline, good
conduct, self-inquiry and meditation are important
The highest good is the perfection of the self, or self-realization. It may also have its social frame of reference,
envisioning and ideal social order as the ultimate objective of society. Thus the purpose of Hindu ethics
appear to have three answers :
1. To lead people to behave in accordance with the wishes of a divine authority.
2. To lead people to behave in a way that benefits society at large rather than their own narrow self interest.
3. To lead people to control their desires and aversions in the belief that this will result in a more satisfying,
rewarding and contented way of life.