Pythagorus

A gem cutter and mathematician most known for his theorem, Pythagorus was a man who saw dichotomies in the world. He laid the foundation for people like Socrates, who thought that man's aim should be in the balance of certain dichotomies. At any rate, my particular interest was in Pythagorus' religious beliefs, and its striking similarities to Hinduism. I'm not saying that Hindu thought was influenced by Pythagorean thought (or vice versa), just that there are some shared characteristics. For example both beliefs have an idea of the transmigration of the soul. Both believe that the soul is an eternal entity and the body is a temporary vessel, and when the body dies, the soul continues to live on in a different form. In Hinduism, this life cycle is called samsara, however I'm not sure what Pythagorus called it. Both believe that souls can both be placed in animal vessels, which I find interesting because it makes me wonder the value of human life. I see some correlation of ideas between Pythagorus and Anaxamenes, for the latter said, "Just as the soul, holds us together and controls us, so do breath and air surround the whole cosmos." Are humans different that other beings? Why do we have to follow ethical standards? If I can't urinate facing in the sun, then there better be a good reason.

In Hinduism, men follow ethical standards in order to eventually break free from the life cycle. In this pythagorean system, is there a reward for following these ethical standards?


There is so much more that I want to talk about Pythagorus, numbers, chemistry, and human purpose. But I'll save that for class.




http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QOgLFFmTFw