10/8/04
HRS 70
WORD COUNT: 1,025
1. I have chosen the ritual of yajna introduced in the Vedic period of the Hindu Religious Complex. Specifically, I am interested in the ritual as it pertains to the worship of Indra and later Soma through the use of a substance called "soma." Richard Hawkins writes that soma was ritually consumed in Vedic sacrifices after being processed. The soma plant (most likely the fly agaric mushroom) was "pressed out, filtered through a sheepskin, and mixed with milk before being consumed" (IAR 24). Yajna rituals, including the ritual involving soma took place near fire-altars (IAR 18). During the ceremony and consumption of soma, hymns from the Rig Veda specifically written for the praise of Indra and later Soma were chanted by the "hotri priest, whose duty it was to invoke the gods by chanting their praises." Early Vedic ritual was likely limited in practice to Brahmins or the religious elite of the time, especially because they memorized the hymns of the Vedas, hence lay-people were usually not involved (IAR 22). Though yajna rituals such as the Full Moon Offering clearly occurred at specific time intervals, the soma ritual's regularity is unclear from our sources.
2. The awareness of unseen realities associated with the yajna ritual is inspired by the chanting of hymns from the Rig Veda, one of our terms, and the dramatic enactment of the ritual. The hymns kept the minds of the practitioners focused on the object of worship. The verbal depictions of the unseen such as "Impetuous like a bull he chose the Soma, and drank in threefold vessels of its juices" (MOO 139) and "Who with his aid helps him that presses Soma . . . Whom swelling prayer, whom Soma pressings strengthen" (MOO 142) link the praise of Indra, who was known for being partial to the use of soma, to the preparation and ritual utilization of the plant. The symbolic depiction of the unseen in the form of the ritual setting (fires and preparation of soma) and actual consumption of soma also inspired continued focus on Indra, the unseen reality.
The unseen is often depicted in this ritual as a positive and personal otherworldly power named Indra who is clearly beneficent and individually characterized. The worshipers were aware of an other world in which a number of such god beings existed as shown by the following quote: "[Indra] Went far beyond the other gods in wisdom" (MOO 141).
These depictions affect both individual and community awareness of Brahmins (another important term). "Originally performed by the individual who would benefit from its enactment, the sacrifice was soon the exclusive province of Brahmins" (IAR 27). As evidenced by the preceding quote, Vedic rituals were at one time performed by various individuals in various societal groups, but as the process became more complex, the practice was only carried out by the Brahmins. The yajna ritual supports a commitment to the community of Brahmins as well as the Vedic community as a whole. As the ritual practice became limited to the highest caste, it grew in importance as an act that identified and confirmed the status of the priests. But the appeals made to Indra involving the use of soma surely affected the society as a whole since these rituals were used to garner good fortune for the kingdom in its many endeavors (IAR 27). In this way the Brahmin priests, who were born into the highest caste, supported their own smaller community as well as the larger well-being of the entire civilization through appeals to the unseen reality.
3. I chose to recite a selection from the Chaung Tzu directly before I attempt to sleep while lying on my back. The most interesting parallel between my practice and the yajna soma ritual is the connection between the use of substances to gain greater understanding of the unseen (entheogens); and the use of meditation and chanting to gain greater understanding of the unseen. Just as the use of soma altered the consciousness of the Brahmins, allowing them special access to the unseen, my verbal depiction induces a state of mind that is different than my typical mental status. Due to the unusual nature of my recitation, especially the later section concerning "the realm of Nothing Whatever," I become aware of an unseen reality. My awareness of the unseen is positive like that of the Brahmins during yajna, but unlike the Brahmin experience it is impersonal because I am not focusing on a particular being. I focus on an other world to a certain degree in terms of "the realm of Nothing Whatever" and "the wilds of the Unpastured Desert." The symbolic depiction of the unseen in the form ritual settings is mirrored in my practice by my physical surroundings during recitation. Because my day is over and I am laying prostrate, covered by sheets, I am in a particular setting that encourages a particular state of mind.
By practicing daily recitation, I feel that I am part of the community of fellow classmates who are reciting as well as the greater world community that practices daily recitation. Just as the Brahmins supported their specific community through a common practice, I believe that our class as a whole supports itself through through the common practice of recitation. I think the worldly community of chanters and reciters cultivates a mind-set similar to my own during recitation. Those who do not engage in daily recitations I consider to be non-specialists compared to our class and I think they are at a loss because they lack at least one dimension of human culture.
My practice of daily recitation, like the practice of the yajna ritual, is susceptible to imbalance. Though it is possible to become obsessed with recitation to the degree that one loses sight of the unseen, the more pressing danger lies in my priorities. If I focus too heavily on the fact that the recitation is an assignment, I might approach it more grudgingly and lose the mindfulness necessary for earnest practice. Loss of this mindfulness would make it difficult for me to truly cultivate an awareness of the unseen and communal identity induced by recitation.
