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Sacred text Hinduism Hinduism is the most ancient of the great world religions. It may be over 4,500 years old. Hinduism has no known founder. Some people trace its origins back to the remians of the ancient civilisations of the Indus Valley in Northern India. Hindus worship many gods. The gods express different aspects of the one supreme Brahman. There is no one sacred text in Hinduism. Hindus have many holy books that are written in Sanskrit, an ancient language that is not used very much today. The scriptures were passed on by word of mouth for centuries before they were written down. No one knows for certain when they were first written or in fact who wrote them. Some important Hindu texts The Vedas This is a collection of hymns and poems that go back to ancient times. The oldest hymns were brought to India by the Aryan invaders around 2,500 BCE. One collection, the Rig Veda, contains over 1,000 hymns. Many of these are used in special Hindu ceremonies today. The Upanishads This is a collection of teachings about the Hindu way of life. It was written about 500 BCE. The work deals with basic religious questions about the meaning of life - suffering, evil, birth, death, God, love. One method that is used throughout is a question and answer session with a teacher. The Mahabhata This is the world’s longest poem, with over 100,000 verses. It is a story of the two ruling families and the ups and downs of their everyday lives. The most famous part of this epic poem is the Bhagavad Gita. It contains the teachings of the god Krishna on love, peace, and compassion. The Bhagavad Gita is the most popular, and best loved, of all Hindu scriptures. The Hindu god Shiva. The Ramayana This contains the story of the god Rama and his wife Sita. It was written in the 2nd century BCE. It teaches Hindus the virtues of courage, friendship, and love. Questions 1. What is Sanskrit? 2. Name some important Hindu texts. 3. Which Hindu text: a. is the oldest? b. is the most popular? c. contains the longest poem in the world? d. sometimes uses a question and answer format? 4. How did Hindu sacred writing develop from the oral to the written tradition? 5. Why do you think sacred scripture is used in Hindu festivals and celebrations? 2 © Alpha Press Ltd. Section C: Foundations of Religion - Hinduism