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Hinduism

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Roots of Hinduism

• For most of the past 2000 years, Hinduism has been the main religion in India

• The word Hinduism means “the religion of the people of India”

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Evolution of Hinduism• Born in the Indus River Valley around 2500 B.C., but strengthen around

500 B.C., as Indians adapted to town life and beliefs about began to change

• No single founder or sacred text; teachers called gurus– Vedas (hymns, poems, epic poems)– Puranas (vast collection of Indian literature about a wide range of

topics particularly myths, legends and other traditional lore)

• Most complex religion in the world -- Why are we born? How should we live?

– Countless gods and goddesses– system of rituals, cults, institutions, practices, and doctrines

• Though believed by many to be a polytheistic religion, the basis of Hinduism is the belief in the unity of everything

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Beliefs About God• Hindus may have different practices but they share a common beliefs about the nature of the soul, and of life and of God

• the Upanishads (Hindu scriptures) contain two beliefs that are the heart of Hinduism: 1. one supreme cosmic consciousness, spiritual force known as God called Brahman; all gods and goddesses are forms of Brahman 2. every person is born with a soul which is a form of Brahman

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Brahman

• “God is one, but wise people know it by many names” – key proverb of Hinduism

• Brahman – the all-powerful and unchanging spiritual force of the universe

• Too complex for most to understand so they worship a variety of gods that give a form to it.

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Beliefs About God• Hindus may have different practices but they share a common beliefs about the nature of the soul, and of life and of God

• The Upanishads (Hindu scriptures) contain two beliefs that are the heart of Hinduism: 1. one supreme cosmic consciousness, spiritual force known as God called Brahman; all gods and goddesses are forms of Brahman 2. every person is born with a soul which is a form of Brahman

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Main Hindu Gods

• Brahma – the creator• Vishnu – the Preserver• Shiva – the destroyer

Brahma

VishnuShiva

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Beliefs About Life• The Upanishads (Hindu scriptures) teach important Hindu beliefs about life• When people die, most will undergo reincarnation• Hindus have four goals, but not everyone will achieve all these goals in one lifetime. The goals are: 1. dharma—doing what is right or your duty, including the rule of ahimsa avoiding doing harm to any living thing; following dharma brings good karma; violating dharma results in bad karma 2. striving for wellbeing or earning a livelihood with dignity 3. experiencing pleasure but seeking nothing but pleasure leaves one feeling empty 4. moksha or liberation from reincarnation

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Hinduism

• The purpose of life is to realize that we are part of God and by doing so we can leave this plane of existence and rejoin with God– Achieved by the cycle of birth, life and death

• One's progress towards enlightenment is measured by his karma.

• This is the accumulation of all one's good and bad deeds.

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Reincarnation• Your karma determines what

form you take in your next life.

• Selfless acts and thoughts as well as devotion to God help one to be reborn at a higher level.

• Bad acts and thoughts will cause one to be born at a lower level – animal or object

• Moksha is freedom from suffering of cycle of death and rebirth

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Dharma

• The religious and moral duties of an individual.

• Your duty varies according to class, occupation, gender, or age.

• Karma & Dharma insure the social order by supporting the caste system

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Caste System• consists of four major social categories:

– Brahmin • highest rank and act as the priests and spiritual and intellectual leaders of Hindu

society– Kshatriya

• the rulers and warriors who protect and promote the material well-being of society

– Vaishya• farmers, merchants, and others who contribute to the economy

– Sudra• the workers and servants who supply the menial labor for the upper three ranks.

• Another class, the "untouchables”• Excluded from all aspects of society!

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Brahmins—thinkers/knowers

Ksatriya—doers

Vaisya—provide food for the belly

Sudra—do the work

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Effects of Caste System• Limited freedom and rights—born into class (varnas) and acceptance of fixed place in society• Limits jobs—born into occupation• Rigid, hereditary membership into birth caste• Marriage only among member of same caste• Personal contact with other castes restricted• Untouchables (dalits)—had to do undesirable (dirty) jobs and could never be near other classes (varnas)• System organized the people and gave social order• Gave stability to society• Part of Hindu religion• Higher classes privileged from birth • Higher classes had lots of opportunities, became wealthy • Job and skill specialization• Members of a caste relied on each other for support

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Ahimsa• Key moral principle of Hinduism• Means non-violence• All people and things are aspect of Brahman

and should be respected. – Cows worshipped by some in India

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Jainism

• Extreme form of Hinduism• Emphasizes meditation,

self-denial, ahimsa• To avoid killing anything –

carry a broom to sweep in front of their feet