Matter (AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062))

What is Matter?

• Hindus believe that there are two realities: spirit (purusa) and matter (prakriti)

  • Spirit is things that cannot be seen or touched whereas matter is things that can

  • Hindus have different ideas about the relationship between the two

  • Hindus believe that spirit is more important than matter because matter can be destroyed and spirit cannot

• Matter refers to everything within the universe that can be seen

• Due to the temporal nature of the world, Hindus should try to avoid attachment to material things (matter)

• When a soul reaches enlightenment, the world ceases to have matter (substance) and it is shown to be an illusion (maya)

  • Hindus believe that Maya is a veil that stops people from seeing the truth of everything around them

  • Hindus strive to reach enlightenment so that they can clear their minds of concern with material and temporary things

What are the Three Qualities

The Three Qualities

• Hindus believe that everything (matter) is created, remains in existence and then is destroyed

  • This links to the Trimurti, as Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver and Shiva is the destroyer

• Hindus believe that all matter will go through different stages, known as the Tri-guna which are:

  • Sattva – a state of harmony (also known as goodness)

  • Rajas – a state of energy, action, change and movement (also known as passion)

  • Tamas – darkness (also known as ignorance)

• Gunas literally means qualities and they are present in every part of maya

  • They can be seen in the day, seasons, food, thoughts, and action

  • In human life these are seen as passion, goodness and ignorance, and explain how humans behave

  • Everything and everyone will have these three qualities, living and non living

  • The behaviour of everyone is shaped by which of the qualities are most prominent at a given time

  • The three gunas affect everyone’s thoughts and actions, habits and activities and they make us who we are

• Prakriti is important as many Hindus believe that the soul’s preference for goodness, passion or ignorance will affect how that person is reincarnated

• People who are in the cycle of samsara need to be mindful of the gunas in order to attain moksha  and end the cycle of reincarnation

Illusion

The Distraction of Maya

• Hindus believe that all everything material is an illusion (maya) and that humans are constantly distracted by this

• Maya refers to the ways in which a person’s existence and self-centeredness stop them from seeing the truth

• Hindus believe that maya can exert a powerful influence on people

• Humans often feel that the most important things in life are relationships, family and what they own

• Many Hindus believe that these things are simply an illusion, or maya, that distracts from the spiritual truth:

One becomes attracted to his body, home, property, children, relatives and wealth. In this way one increases life’s illusions and thinks in terms of ‘I and mine’ (Bhagavata Purana 5.5.8)

The Aim of Hinduism

• Hindus believe that their task in this life is to seek reunion with Brahman instead of obsessing over material objects

• Hindu scripture teaches how Hindus can be freed from maya through spiritual practice and discipline:

Cosmology

Hindu Cosmology

• Cosmology refers to ideas about the nature of the universe and how it works

• There is not a single account of creation; instead, there are many interrelated stories

• Descriptions of the universe are often depicted as an infinite egg, referred to as Brahmanda

  • The cosmos exists within the egg and was forged by Brahman

• Hindus believe that the material world is not everything and that there is a spiritual reality that is bigger and more important than what can be seen, heard and touched

• Hindus believe that time is cyclical, meaning that the material world is repeatedly created

  • This is also known as the cosmic cycle or the cycle of Samsara

• The universe is one of many bubbles floating in space

• There are three tiers of our universe

  • The heavenly planets

  • The earthly realm

  • The lower worlds

Cosmology and Hindu Beliefs and Practice

• Hindu cosmology is marked by emphasis on dharma (duties) towards creation, forming the basis of the moral and ethical conduct prescribed in Hindu scriptures

• The concept of Karma revolves around the belief of cause and effect

  • It states that every action, thought, or deed has a consequence which could be in this life or in future lifetimes

• The ultimate aim as per Hindu cosmology is Moksha, or liberation from the cycle of Samsara

  • This is achieved through realisation of one’s oneness with Brahman, and marks the end of individual existence and one’s reunion with the divine Ultimate Reality

• The knowledge of cosmology is believed to arouse a consciousness about the temporal world and guide towards attaining Moksha