The Epic of Gilgamesh, a poem from ancient Mesopotamia, is likely the first recorded story we have, and it contains a beautiful philosophical argument from Siduri, a wise “alewife,” in her tavern. Siduri argues that Gilgamesh should stop seeking immortality and instead learn to appreciate the simple joys of a mortal life. This lesson looks at this broad question of what one ought to desire most in life.
In the first chapter of the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna is asking an important philosophical question: what obligations do I owe to society when society has broken down (e.g. why should I fulfill my social obligation to fight in this civil war when the civil war itself represents a complete breakdown of society and society’s obligations to people). This activity helps students connect that question with their own lives.
This activity helps students think more deeply about the important Upanishadic claim “Atman is Brahman.”
This series of activities helps students come to grips with the concept of samsara in Buddhism and Hinduism.
The Katha Upanishad describes the Self in many different ways: this activity draws students attention to these descriptions.
In this activity, students will put the psychological theories of the Bhagavad Gita and / or the Republic to use.