CED modules

The modules we offer are listed below. Each of these represents an individual course of study in its own right and students are free to choose any of the modules without it being necessary to have studied any of the others previously.

HS101: Understanding Hindu Identity

This module provides an introductory overview of the scope of Hindu dharma, looking at the question of how the Hindu identity is defined. We touch on many of the topics covered in more detail later in the course, thereby providing an introduction to the field of Hindu studies.

HS102: The Vedas and the Upanishads

The first part of this module will provide students with an overview of the religious ideas contained in the four original Vedas (the Rig, Sama, Yajur, and Atharva) and in their principal Upanishads. In the second part of the module we proceed to a more detailed study of five selected Upanishads – the Brihad-Aranyaka, Chandogya, Katha, Shvetashvatara, and the Isha – reading from these texts as a group and considering the teachings they convey.

HS103: The Mahabharata and the Ramayana

We begin this module with a review of the central narratives and principal characters of the Mahabharata and Ramayana. We then consider the structure and contents of the two works, the religious teachings contained within the stories, and the ways that specific characters have served as both positive and negative role models for the Hindu tradition.

HS104: The Bhagavad-gita

The module on the Bhagavad-gita allows students to make a chapter-by-chapter study of the Gita, highlighting the principal ideas presented by Lord Krishna in his discourse to Arjuna. Here we examine the Gita’s understanding of atma, dharma, yoga, bhakti, and moksha, and note the relationship that exists between its ideas and those expressed in the Upanishads and elsewhere in the Mahabharata. The module will also encourage students to consider the relevance of the Bhagavad-gita's teachings for modern society.

HS105: Readings from the Puranas

This module introduces students to the scale and contents of Puranic literature before moving on to consider selected passages from different Puranas, opening up each text for group discussion. Here we focus in particular on the life of Krishna described in Book ten of the Bhagavata Purana, the glorification of Shiva presented in the Shiva Purana, and the triumph of the Goddess over the forces of evil as revealed in the Devi Mahatmya of the Markandeya Purana.

HS106: The Way of Bhakti

‘The Way of Bhakti’ looks first at the theology of Hindu monotheism as taught by Vaishnava acharyas such as Madhva and Ramanuja, and the Shaiva Siddhanta as taught by Manikka Vachaka. It then explores the intense expressions of devotion to Krishna, Rama, and Shiva found in the writings of poets such as Chaitanya, Mirabai, and Basabanna.

HS107: Advaita Vedanta, Samkhya, and Yoga

This module looks in more detail at some of the principal expressions of Hindu religious philosophy. Here we examine the ideas of Shankaracharya, especially his commentary on the Vedanta Sutras, as well as the Samkhya teachings of the Mahabharata and the Samkhya Karika and the Yoga teachings of the Bhagavad-gita, Mahabharata, and Yoga Sutras.

HS108: Hindu Ethics and Lifestyle

This module marks a progression from the previous study of scripture and doctrine and considers the practical issues surrounding the Hindu way of life. Here we examine a range of topics such as war and peace, poverty, diet, alcohol and smoking, parents and children, euthanasia, abortion, and cow protection, and consider the perspectives that Hinduism brings to bear on these moral issues.

HS109: The Hindu Social Structure: Caste and Gender

Students will have the opportunity to explore in more detail the traditional Hindu ideas on caste and gender, returning to texts such as the Manu Smriti, Bhagavad-gita, Ramayana, and Mahabharata to understand their perspectives on these issues. We will also look at the ideas presented by modern reformers such as Vivekananda and Gandhi and consider the ways in which Hindu society should shape itself within the context of modernity.

HS110: Hindu Religious Practice

This module looks at the great temples and pilgrimage sites of India and considers the principles of temple worship in relation to the doctrines of bhakti. It also explores the ritual life of Hindu dharma: fire yajna, forms of meditation, patterns of worship, and the worship of sacred images.

HS111: Modern Teachers and Modern Trends in Hinduism

In this module we examine in greater detail the lives and teachings of some of the great teachers of modern Hinduism: M. K. Gandhi, Swami Vivekananda, Dayananda Sarasvati, Ram Mohan Roy, and Aurobindo Ghose. The module also considers current trends in Hindu thought, including expressions of political Hinduism and Indian nationalism.

HS112: Modern Hindu Movements

Here we examine some of the manifestations of Hindu dharma that have become prominent in the modern era. This will include consideration of organisations such as the Swaminarayan Mission, the Hare Krishna movement, the Ramakrishna Mission, Transcendental Meditation, and the followers of Satya Sai Baba.