Download 1 Hinduism and the Caste System

DO THIS NOW
• DO NOT PICK UP PAPERS TODAY
• Select a slip of paper from the bowl at the
front. Sit in the following area:
– Brahmin: front right (facing board)
– Kshatriya: Middle column
– Vaishya : Front left (facing board)
– Sudra: back row of all 3 columns
– Untouchables: row of 5 seats at back of
classroom
• Clear your desks of everything except a pencil
or pen! Put backpacks @ window ledge!
Roles and Responsibilities
• Throughout class you will:
– Brahmin: Pass out/take away Karma points & help to
determine reincarnation at end of period.
– Kshatriya: Read when called upon & answer questions
– Vaishya: Pass out and collect papers
– Sudra: Serve Jolly Ranchers
– Untouchables: Pick up candy wrappers and papers from floor
• As a Supreme Being, Ms. Fowler may pass out or take
away Karma points at her discretion. (she’ll probably make sure Sudras
and Untouchables also get some candy at the end of the period if the classroom is clean!)
• Please remain in your role for the entire class period.
• ALL STUDENTS MUST TAKE NOTES
Target
• I can identify the basic beliefs and history of
Hinduism.
• I can explain the connection between Hindu beliefs
and the social stratification of Indian society.
DO THIS NOW
Answer this question:
What is reincarnation and why do some
religions believe in it?
Hinduism
• Developed slowly over thousands of
years.
• Includes beliefs from many different
people; rooted in ancient Aryan
religion.
Two main texts:
Vedas – Eternal truths
revealed by the wise man
Upanishads - Help to explain
the Vedas (speculate on the nature of
reality and its relationship with the
soul.
Polytheism: Thousands of gods.
All gods are part of a single, supreme source that unites
everything in the world called Brahman.
There are three main gods that make up Brahman.
Brahma –
The Creator
Vishnu The Preserver
Shiva –
The Destroyer
Brahma –
Brahma is considered the God of the Tirmutri or
the Trinity. Generally, Brahma is represented as
4 males or 4 females with 4 heads and 4 arms.
Each hand holds a sacrificial tool, the Vedas, a
water pot and a rosary. Brahma is usually
seating on a lotus to symbolize a glorious
existence. A swan represents a mode of travel
due to the ability to judge between good and
bad. Brahma is connected with the Goddess of
Learning.
Vishnu – The Preserver
Vishnu is the preserver of human life. He is a generous God and known to
be kind and merciful. Vishnu is the only God who is reborn whenever there
is a crisis on earth. If righteousness is disturbed, Vishnu will descend to
the earth as an avatar to fight the forces of evil. There have been ten
avatars to restore order. Each is seen as the evolution of mankind from a
fish to a man.
Vishnu is represented as a dark man with
four arms. He holds a club, a conch shell,
a discus and a lotus. He is usually
dressed in yellow robes. The Ganges
River is said to originate from Vishnu's
feet. He is also depicted as resting on a
coiled serpent which floats on the cosmic
ocean. Vishnu is connected to the consort
Goddess of Wealth.
Fish
Warrior
Tortoise
Rama
Boar
Krishna
Man Lion
Buddha
Dwarf
Kalki
Shiva – The Destroyer
Shiva is the God of destruction, creator and sustainer
of life. He is assisted by the Goddess of disintegration.
He represents sakthi or creative energy. Shiva seeks
to destroy while she brings in new life. Only when
they both are balanced can the universe find true
harmony.
He wears a necklace made of skulls and has
snakes all over his body. The crescent moon
crown is wore as a symbol of controlling
time. He wears a tiger skin and elephant
skin. He has a third eye which is the source
of knowledge & wisdom.
Gods take many forms
Puja – Treating the statue of the god
as an honored guest which is
bathed, dressed and offered food
Mantra –
Prayers that are repeated to
achieve a meditative state
Brahman vs. Atman
All things are part of Braham (the universal soul)
Atman – The essential self which is part of the universal soul
• Atman and Brahman represent everything in nature
• Non-violence is important
• What you do in one life will affect you in the next life.
“A mans life is like a bead on a necklace whose other beads represent past and
future lives.”
Stages of a harmonious life:
Youth – Duty to learn (receive thread of life)
Family – Responsible for teaching and youth
Purpose of life: Reunite with Brahman (takes more than one lifetime)
Moksha – Reuniting with Brahma
Reincarnation – Belief in the rebirth of
the soul in various forms after the body dies. The
soul can be reborn as anything in the universe.
Karma – Every deed (mental and
physical) affects your fate in a future life
– determines your caste
Dharma – The rules and obligations for
each caste that assist people in achieving
spiritual purity
Caste System
Brahmin – Priests
Kshatriya – Warrior and landlords
Vaishya – Merchants
Sudra – Artisans and farmers
Caste System - Social groups based upon birth.
Each class is associated with a color.
Brahmin – White
The top three
Kshatriya – Red
have already
Vaishya – Brown
been born twice
Sudra – Black
Untouchables – No color
I. The actual
origins of the
caste system are
unknown. Many
believe that the
caste system
developed when
the light skinned
Aryans
conquered the
darker skinned
Indians.