The four stages of life

• 4 stages of life explained

  • Hindus believe there are four stages of life , called ashramas 
  • Each stage is a means to complete spiritual development 
  • Each stage of life comes with religious and social duties , and this is called ashrama dharma
• 4 stages of life and samsara

  • Hindus believe that there are four stages (ashramas) during the “life” section of samsara (the cycle of life) 
  • Hindus believe that each ashrama has its own duties (dharma)
• 4 ashramas

  • The student stage - brahmacharya 
  • The householder stage - grihastha 
  • The retirement stage - vanaprastha 
  • The world-renouncer stage - sannyasa
• How society is affected by and affects ashrama dharma

  • Contemporary lifestyles can make it difficult follow ashrama dharma strictly 
  • However the general principles of ashrama dharma affect the way Hindus view society
• Inclusiveness of the four ashramas

  • Traditionally the four stages of life and duties only concerned men 
  • Nowadays , girls and women might choose to practice the duties of their  appropriate stage in life too
• Description of the student stage

  • Begins with the sacred thread ceremony , an initiation for young Hindus - usually boys aged 9-11  
  • The boy is given a sacred thread to wear over his left shoulder 
  • This is a sign that he will take his religious duties seriously , using the thread to focus his mind when he recites the Gayatri mantra 3 times a day 
  • In the past , boys would go away to be taught by a Guru , but now they stay at home and go to school , learning about religious duties alongside this
• Description of householder stage

  • This is when a Hindu marries and takes responsibility for their own family 
  • They should practice artha (earning money responsibly and taking care of family) 
  • They should also practice kama (enjoy life’s pleasures responsibly)
• Description of retirement stage

  • This starts when a Hindu has their first grandchild , to carry on family traditions 
  • People may choose to go on pilgrimage to focus more on spiritual activities 
  • Many Hindus prefer to remain in the householder stage until they die
• Description of world-renouncer stage

  • Few Hindus will aim to move on to this stage 
  • It means giving up the comforts of a settled home and becoming a wandering sannyasin (religious hermit) , spending life in prayer and meditation 
  • The sannyasin travels around with a begging bowl , a stick and some prayer beads and has no income or home of his own