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Hinduism
Hinduism
 Hinduism is the name given in the 1800s to describe a
broad range of religious in India.
 It comes from the Persian word hindu, in Sanskrit
sindhu, which means “river” and refers to the people of
the Indus valley.
 There are more than 1 billion followers of Hinduism in
the world today.
 There are many common threads running through the
religion, but no one expression of “Hinduism” is likely to
express them all.
Origins of Hinduism
 Hinduism started from the traditions of the people of the
Indus valley (2500 BCE-1500 BCE), in the more
developed Dravidian culture and from the Vedic religion
of the Aryans.
 The Aryans invaded northwest India from about 1500 BCE
on and brought a religion based on oral texts known as
Vedas, which are, for Hindus, eternal truths.
Holy Texts
 The Vedas
 The Vedas consist of four collections of texts, and with the
later Samhitas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and a few Sutras,
are known as Shruti, which means “that which is heard.”
 They are considered eternal truth and were transmitted
orally until the beginning of the present age – the age of
degeneration – when they had to be written down.
 Other texts, known as Shmriti, or “that which is
remembered,” reinforce Shruti and include the great
epics such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata,
which contains the epic poem the Bhagavad Gita.
Major Beliefs
 Atman – the eternal soul
 Karma – moral law
 Dharma – appropriate behavior
 Samsara – reincarnation
 Moksha – release
The Hindu Trinity
 The Rig-Veda introduced
the foremost of the
Hindu gods: Brahma,
Vishnu, and Shiva.
 These three gods, the
trimurti, are believed to
be three properties of
one god.
Brahma – the Creator
 Brahma is considered
the mystical creator, the
supreme presence, of
God.
 Many Hindus believe that
all other gods originate
from Brahma.
 His four faces stand for
the four corners of the
universe.
Vishnu – the Preserver
 Followers of Vishnu worship
him as the preserver, the
greatest of the gods.
 His role is to maintain a
balance between the good and
evil powers in the universe.
 In order to do this, Vishnu
returns to earth in different
forms, both animal and human.
 Tradition holds that there are
ten avatars, or incarnations,
linked to Vishnu.
Avatars of Vishnu
Shiva – the Destroyer
 Shiva is worshipped as
the destroyer, or purifier.
 Like Vishnu, Shiva
appears in many
different forms
throughout Hindu
legends.
 Shiva dances in a halo of
fire, representing the
cycle of birth and death.
The Hindu Caste System
 The Hindu caste system, varna, is
rooted in the traditions of the
Aryan people.
 Using the human body as a
metaphor, the Brahmins, or high
priests, divided society into four
distinct classes, or castes, based
on occupations.
 Brahmins – priests
 Kshatriyas – warriors and rulers
 Vaisyas – skilled workers and
farmers
 Sudras – servants
 Dalits– untouchables
 The caste system is linked to
dharma, and by performing duties
honestly, a Hindu strives to be born
into a higher caste in his or her
next incarnation.
Review Questions
1. Where did Hinduism originate?
2. What are the holy texts of Hinduism?
3. What are the three main Hindu gods and what do they
represent?
4. Describe the relationship between the following
concepts:
a) Samsara and moksha
b) Dharma and karma
c) Karma and moksha
5. Describe the origin of the Hindu caste system, varna.
The Sacred River Ganges
 The river Ganges, born in
the Himalayas and
nourishing the holy city of
Varanasi, is the most
venerated river in all of
India.
 Countless people visit its
banks every year, washing
themselves or committing
the ashes of a love one
into its waters.
 In either care, there is a
belief that contact with
sacred rivers helps
balance a person’s karma.
Varanasi
 The holiest city in
Hinduism is Varanasi.
 According to legend, the
city was founded by
Shiva.
 Some Hindus believe that
death in Varanasi
positively impacts karma
and is one of the seven
sights where you can
achieve moksha.
 Varanasi is one of the
oldest continually
inhabited cities on earth
and the oldest in India.
Hindu Symbols
Aum (Om)
– the visual
and an oral representation
of Brahmin, or God.
Sri Yantra
– represents
spiritual evolution and is a
focal point for meditation.
Hindu Symbols
Swastika
– symbolizes
auspiciousness, good
fortune, and protection.
Lotus
– symbolizes the
birth of the universe; the
sun
Hindu Symbols
Cow –
the offspring of the
celestial cow, which was
created by Lord Krishna
from his own body.
Bindi
– means “drop”;
believed to bring
concentration, good luck,
and retain energy.
Hindu Temples
 A mandir is a temple for
followers of Hinduism.
 Although mandirs vary in
in grandeur, they all share
some specific features:
 Each is dedicated to a
specific god.
 At the heart of the temple
rests a shrine to the
chosen deity.
 The outside of the shrine
often depicts scenes of
nature and images of the
gods.
Mandirs
Hindu Holidays
 Divali – Means “a row of
lights” and is a celebration
of the Hindu New Year.
People decorate their
streets and doorways with
small clay lamps called
divas. This is done in
anticipation of the coming
of Lakshmi, the goddess of
prosperity and good
fortune.
 Holi – the Hindu spring
festival and the
celebration of the equinox.
Review Questions
1. Why is the Ganges River sacred to Hindus?
2. What is the importance of the city of Varanasi to
Hinduism?
3. Draw the Aum symbol. What does the symbol
represent?
4. Why are cows sacred animals to Hindus?
5. What is a mandir?
6. What is celebrated on the Hindu holiday of Divali?