Knowledge and Understanding
Wisdom in the Hindu Tradition with a focus on the Bhagavad Gita
Wisdom is a word we hear and use so often, but what is it? What does it mean to have the wisdom to be wise? Our understanding of Wisdom is mainly dependent on the culture in which we live and the religion in which we believe. Every people group, culture, and religion worldwide have differing views on just what wisdom is. When trying to understand wisdom, we need to look at the fundamental questions of life that permeate the thoughts of all individuals. These questions can be summed up as, who am I? How should I live? What is reality? And is there something more significant than me in the universe? Every person throughout history asks themselves these questions, and it is in the answers that we can get a glimpse into what wisdom means for different groups of people.
Hinduism is in the top three most practiced religions in the world, but it differs from the other top religions. While Christianity and Islam heavily emphasize Orthodoxy, Hinduism is a religion of Orthopraxy. There is a much heavier emphasis on what you do in your life over what you believe. Hinduism is not a religion of set doctrines and foundational beliefs. There is not one deity that is worshiped, not one religious’ text, not one central place of worship. When you look at Hinduism, you see that it is a part of all aspects of life, and it’s ingrained in the life of its followers. That is why Hindus often refer to their religion as the “eternal way of life.” Additionally, universal acceptance and tolerance are heavily emphasized in Hinduism; they believe everyone should be able to make their own decisions and choices as they walk through life. Marga, the central element of Hinduism, “is the way or the path”[1] that a person is to follow. It is this component of Hinduism where wisdom comes into the conversation. Marga involves understanding the self and the world around oneself. It is the search for truth, wisdom, and understanding in the eternal way of life.
Studying wisdom in Hindu texts is interesting because there are so many examples of Wisdom Literature in the tradition to choose from. Because Hinduism is all about walking the right path in life, many of its texts deal with the right way of life and wisdom. For the purposes of my dive into wisdom in Hinduism, I have chosen to narrow the focus to primarily one text, the Bhagavad-Gita. The Bhagavad Gita (henceforth Gita) is translated as “The Song of God.”[2] The Gita was composed later than many of the other core Hindu texts and is often seen as a “continuation” and “supplementation” of the Vedas, another primary text for Hindus.[3] This supplementation is essential to note as we study the wisdom in the text of the Gita. While the Gita teaches the same principles of wisdom as the earlier texts, the primary change is an addition regarding the purpose of said wisdom. The earlier texts, like the Vedas, focus more on Wisdom for the individual, but the Gita adds a communal aspect to Wisdom. Balbir Sing calls this the “New Ethical Order.”[4] He writes, “The fundamental characteristic of the new ethical order is that it is based on the concept of the social, not of the individual good.”[5] In the text, we find the deity, Lord Krishna, teaching the student, Arjuna, the importance of Knowledge and wisdom. Their conversation takes place on a great battlefield where Arjuna is afraid to fight. It is in his instruction to Arjuna that the bulk of the Gita is found. Lord Krishna “outlines for him the path towards gaining flawless self-knowledge and self-mastery.”[6] The impact of wisdom of this text would have a profound impact on Eastern culture. Singh writes, “The Gita made its impact felt on almost every system or school that arose in course of time.”[7] The widespread impact of the wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita on Eastern culture should and can inform our view of wisdom today.
The main emphasis on wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita revolves around knowledge and understanding. Wisdom and Knowledge in Hinduism are very closely related; they believe that the more knowledge a person has about themself and the world around them, the wiser they are. This idea is important to remember as we examine wisdom in the Hindu tradition.
The main core of wisdom in the Gita surrounds the concept of knowledge, with a heavy emphasis on the knowledge of self. As one gains wisdom and knowledge, one sees themselves and the world more clearly. Chapter 15, verse 10 reads, “Whoso possesses wisdom’s eyes sees indeed.”[8] Knowledge leads to clarity of life, which is wisdom. Wisdom for all people is seeing and understanding the world correctly. For Hindus, the more a person understands themselves, the more wisdom they possess. Knowledge enables people to handle tragedy and suffering in ways it is meant to be approached. It focuses the person on the bigger picture of reality. It is “the ability to differentiate the perishable (worldly) from the imperishable (sublime) things.”[9] This knowledge is always focused on something more significant than the self; it is a person getting outside the ordinary and realizing truths about life and the universe.
Moksha is the elimination of ignorance in life and is the goal of Hinduism. Moksha is achieved when a person becomes united with Brahman, which is the divine essence of all that is. Moksha is the ultimate wisdom. It is supreme divine knowledge about the self and the universe. With Moksha comes liberation from the burden of ordinary life and ignorance. For Arjuna, it is freedom from the burdens he felt on the battlefield in the story of the Bhagavad Gita. When he has received all the wisdom from Krishna, “Arjuna becomes able to get beyond his grief.”[10] With his newfound wisdom, Arjuna is able to rise above his desires and fulfill his duty, to be a warrior in battle. Knowledge and wisdom lead to liberation, and Arjuna experienced that firsthand. On the concept of Moksha, Trinh Tung writes, “Liberation is a state of absolute freedom, incarnating with the absolute supreme absolute cosmic essence.”[11] Wisdom is gaining a new perspective. Not one focused on the trivial things of the here and now but on the bigger picture of the universe.
All people throughout history ask questions related to wisdom, and as followers of Jesus, we know that wisdom begins with the “Fear of the Lord.” But there is always power in studying the beliefs of other traditions and how their view of Wisdom might help us as we live out our own.
Concrete Example:
here is a video of a modern Hindu teacher explaining the importance of knowledge, especially self-knowledge, according to the Bhagavad Gita.
Questions for Discussion:
1. Hinduism is a religion of Orthopraxy. Do you think what you do or what you believe is more important when it comes to wisdom?
2. The Bhagavad Gita stresses the importance of wisdom for the sake of the community. What role do you see the wisdom of the individual playing in the community as a whole?
3. Do you think knowledge and wisdom can be seen as the same idea?
4. How do you see the concept of the “ideal man” present in your own understanding of wisdom?
5. Hindus believe that knowledge and wisdom lead to liberation from the ordinary. What do you see as the “goal” of wisdom?
Links for Further Education:
Website Committed to teaching Hindu Wisdom
Hindu American Foundation- Basic Info on Hinduism
[1] Organ, The Hindu Quest, 5.
[2] Kurian Perumpallikunnel, “Discernment: The Message of the Bhagavad-Gita,” Acta Theologica 17 (2013): 271.
[3] Balbir Singh, The Philosophy of the Upanishads (Arnold-Heinemann), 126.
[4] Singh, Philosophy, 105.
[5] Singh, Philosophy, 105.
[6] Perumpallikunnel, Discernment,” 271.
[7] Singh, Philosophy, 127.
[8] Jeste and Ipsit, “Comparison,” 202.
[9] Jeste and Ipsit, “Comparison,” 202.
[10] Francis Xavier Clooney, Hindu Wisdom for all God’s Children (Orbis Books), 54-55.
[11] Trinh Thanh Tung and Trinh Thi Kim Chi, “Philosophical Thought in the Upanishads - The Transition from Mythological-Religious Thinking to Philosophical Thinking,” Journal of Positive School Psychology 6, (2022): 4284.
Images:
Saraswati, the Hindu Goddess of Learning and Knowledge and the Wife of Brahma. Gouache Painting by an Indian Artist. [between 1800 and 1899?]. Gouache painting, with pencil;, image 5.3 x 4.5 cm. <a href="https://wellcomecollection.org/">Wellcome Collection</a>. https://jstor.org/stable/community.24792128.
A Scene from the Mahabharata: Arjuna Requests Instruction from Krishna and Receives the Bhagavat Gita. Chromolithograph. n.d. Chromolithograph. <a href="https://wellcomecollection.org/">Wellcome Collection</a>. https://jstor.org/stable/community.24898491.