Krishna's World View
Duncan Guarino
James Joiner
PHI150
Mar 26, 2013
Krishna's World View
The Bhagavad Gita uses the conversation between Pandava Prince Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna to portray Hinduism world view and Krishna’s view on the different fundamental questions. When he’s facing a war, Arjuna is guided by Krishna to be a selfless leader, and dedication to the cause.
Origin, this fundamental question focuses on why is there something rather than nothing. One important aspect of the Krishna world view is that, there is one ultimate reality in which everything was already in existence. The Brahman, as the ultimate reality is known, is what manifested anything that has been created. Thus, as it is stated in Rigveda, that “existence was born from nonexistence” (10.72), and gods are a manifestation of the Brahman. * It is also stated that Brahman is “the vast being hidden in the bodies of all creatures. He alone envelops everything as the Lord. …The whole universe is filled by this Person, to whom there is nothing superior, from whom there is nothing different.” (Bahagavad Gita 10.129) In other words, the Brahman is behind all changing appearances, and there is nothing superior or inferior. * Furthermore, in Ibid, the Upanishad described that Brahman is the group of all being, whether material or spiritual, in the form of man, beasts, or gods, heaven, earth, or hell, is an all-inclusive unitary reality, beyond sense-apprehension, ultimate in substance, infinite in essence and self-sufficient; it is the only really existent entity. (129)
Condition, this fundamental question calls for the consideration on what is wrong with humanity. The Hinduism world view seems to be addressing on these several issues of ignorance of identity, the attachment toward reality and the knowledge required achieving true nirvana.
First, there is the issue of the identity ignorance. * In Upanishad there are two paragraphs of conversations between the father Uddalaka and his
James Joiner
PHI150
Mar 26, 2013
Krishna's World View
The Bhagavad Gita uses the conversation between Pandava Prince Arjuna and his guide Lord Krishna to portray Hinduism world view and Krishna’s view on the different fundamental questions. When he’s facing a war, Arjuna is guided by Krishna to be a selfless leader, and dedication to the cause.
Origin, this fundamental question focuses on why is there something rather than nothing. One important aspect of the Krishna world view is that, there is one ultimate reality in which everything was already in existence. The Brahman, as the ultimate reality is known, is what manifested anything that has been created. Thus, as it is stated in Rigveda, that “existence was born from nonexistence” (10.72), and gods are a manifestation of the Brahman. * It is also stated that Brahman is “the vast being hidden in the bodies of all creatures. He alone envelops everything as the Lord. …The whole universe is filled by this Person, to whom there is nothing superior, from whom there is nothing different.” (Bahagavad Gita 10.129) In other words, the Brahman is behind all changing appearances, and there is nothing superior or inferior. * Furthermore, in Ibid, the Upanishad described that Brahman is the group of all being, whether material or spiritual, in the form of man, beasts, or gods, heaven, earth, or hell, is an all-inclusive unitary reality, beyond sense-apprehension, ultimate in substance, infinite in essence and self-sufficient; it is the only really existent entity. (129)
Condition, this fundamental question calls for the consideration on what is wrong with humanity. The Hinduism world view seems to be addressing on these several issues of ignorance of identity, the attachment toward reality and the knowledge required achieving true nirvana.
First, there is the issue of the identity ignorance. * In Upanishad there are two paragraphs of conversations between the father Uddalaka and his
Bibliography: Anthology of World Scriptures: Eastern Religions by Robert E. Van Voorst The Bhagavad Gita Translation by Shri Purohit Swami J. Robert Oppenheimer on the Trinity test (1965) by The Atomic Archive http://www.atomicarchive.com/Movies/Movie8.shtml Manusmriti Translation by George Bühler