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Hinduism & Buddhism
Overview of Hinduism
• Collection of religious beliefs
developed about 1500 BC
• Cannot be traced to one
founder or people
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Vedic Religion of Aryan?
Harappan belief system?
Mix of both?
Regardless, all elements were
in place by 500 BC
• Based off interpretations of
Vedas & Mahabharata
– Vedas – sacred hymns
– Maha = epic stories (like
Homer)
Caste System
• Caste defines who you are
– Born into it
– Marry within it
– Die within it
• Almost impossible to move
up caste within one lifetime
• Everybody knew what caste
people were in
• Relations with other castes
– No one dealt w/ harijan
– Very respectful up caste
– Very condescending down
caste
Beliefs of Hinduism
• Desire moksha
– Liberation from cycle of birth
and rebirth
– Above time, space – the
stilling of all passions and
desires
• Individual soul = Atman
• Brahman
– The source of all existence
– At moksha, atman unifies w/
Brahman
– Goal never achieved in one
lifetime!
Beliefs of Hinduism
• Reincarnation
– New personality develops
in each life, based on past
experiences
– Part of original person is
constantly present
throughout successive
lives
Beliefs of Hinduism
• Karma
– Atman’s good and bad deeds
– Everything one does
influences one’s destiny and
possibility of moving up the
incarnation ladder
– Effects caste & wealth in
future lives
– Good karma = good fortune
– Current station in life is
determined by prior good &
bad karma of prior lives
Beliefs of Hinduism
• Each caste has dharma
– Rights, obligations & duties of
caste, within social order
– Be the best brahmin / kshatriya
/ whatever you can be
– Failure to do dharma leads to
regression down caste system
• If one does dharma, one will
have good karma, and will be
reincarnated to a higher
caste, eventually reaching
moksha
Brahman is three major gods in one
(some depictions of Hindu gods)
Brahma = Creator: created universe, first
humans
Vishnu: Protector = preserver of universe; most
popular aspect of Brahman
Shiva: Destroyer = destroys evil and sorrow,
including world, when it is evil