An investigation into core themes central to the study of Hindu religion and culture in terms of classical Hindu theories of self, the body, cosmos and human action. Students read from Hindu texts ranging from ancient cosmology to philosphical teachings and modern ritual practices. Students evaluate core ideas about the human mind and body, showing how they fit into concepts of the self, and practices of embodiment in Hinduism; and how they relate directly to both western and classical Hindu theories. Students develop an interpretive framework for understanding classical Hindu approaches to ethics, liberation, and views of the body and the mind as well as the many forms of modern practice such as divinisation rituals, worship of deities, and theological reflection.
