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Objectives WHI.4

The student will be able to:
 Describe the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of
Hinduism
 Describe the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of
Buddhism
Essential Questions




What are the beliefs of the Hindu religion?
How did Hinduism influence Indian society and culture?
What are the beliefs of Buddhism?
How did Buddhism spread?
Hinduism

Origins

 Aryan tribes from Central
 No specific founder, no single
theology, no agreement on
origins
 Word Hinduism sixth century
B.C. to refer to people living in
the area
 Hinduism existed long before
recorded history
 Earliest surviving documents
written in 1500 B.C.E.
 Objects related to Hinduism date
back to 2500 B.C.E.
Asia invaded India around
1400 B.C.
 brought Indo-European language
and religion
 Aryans first settled in Punjab
(Northern India)
 Migrated later to Ganges River
Valley
The Vedas
 Hindu’s prefer term Vedic
 Veda are Vedic text that
provide the only written
source for understanding
religious life in ancient India
 Considered sacred writings
 Vedas compromised of
1,000 hymns followed by
chants and prose works
 Over time only highlytrained priest could perform
the complicated Vedic
rituals
 Upanishads
Sacred Writings

 Record wisdom of Hindu teachers
and sages as far back at 1000 B.C.E.
 Nature of morality and eternal life
 Transmigration of souls
 Causality in creation
 How to achieve moksha – a perfect
understanding of all things
 Bhagavad-Gita
 Part of the Mahabharata- one of the
longest books in the world
 Dialogue between Arjuna (hero)
and Krishna
 Incredibly important cultural text
Five Basic Beliefs
 One God that takes multiple
forms
 Brahman



Supreme God
everything is part of
Brahman
the goal in life is to unite
atman with Brahman
 Dharma



sacred duty
individual dharma is
determined by personality,
age, sex, and social class
following dharma promotes
harmony

 Karma

Knowledge that all thoughts
and actions result in future
consequences
the sum of good and bad
actions are carried from one
life to the next

 Reincarnation
 Rebirth based upon your karma
 Reincarnation ends when you
reach Moksha

Liberation of the soul
Practices

 Rituals
 Marriage: match must be approved
by both parents, usually arranged,
horoscopes drawn up, bride’s
family pays dowry
 Death: body cremated, body not
required after death due to
reincarnation
 Worship called Puja
 Worship often takes place in home
 No particular day or time
Deities

Brahma: the Creator
Vishnu: the Preserver
Deities

Siva: the destoyer
Krishna
Hinduism and Society

 Karma and reincarnation
reinforced caste system
 Dominated every person’s life
 Determined
 How one ate
 Personal cleanliness
 Who one could be friends
with
 How one dressed
 Hinduism spread along
major trade routes
Buddhism

 Around 500’s B.C.E.
 Founder Siddhartha
Gautama
 The Buddha or
“Enlightened One”
Story of the Buddha

 Siddhartha came from a
kingdom in Himalayas
 Son of a ruling family, born
563 B.C.
 Raised in luxury
 At 16 married a princess
 Had everything
 In late 20’s became aware of
illness, sickness, death and old
age
 Gave up his royal life to find
the true meaning of life
 At first followed the ascetics
 But he almost died of
starvation!
 Turned to meditating
 Reached “Enlightenment”
 Spent his life preaching
 His teachings became basis
of Buddhism
Principles of Buddhism

 Four Noble Truths
 Ordinary life is suffering
 This suffering is caused by
our desire to satisfy ourselves
 The way to end suffering is to
end desire for selfish goals
 The way to end desire is to
follow the middle path
Eightfold Path

 Right Views: knowledge of
the 4 Noble Truths
 Right Aspirations: discard
desire and avoid hurting
others
 Right Speech: telling the
truth
 Right Conduct: not stealing
or cheating
 Right Livelihood: earning a
living in a way that does
not harm or cause
bloodshed to others
 Right Effort: thinking
positively
 Right Mindfulness: being
aware of the effects of
thoughts and actions
 Right Meditation: allowing
a peaceful state of mind

Buddhism in India

 Missionaries spread
Buddhism throughout India
 Asoka’s missionaries and
their writings spread
Buddhism from India to
China and other parts of
Asia
 Hinduism dominated India
 Most widespread religion in
East Asia
 Thanks to Asoka
Revisit Objectives WHI.4

The student will be able to:
 Describe the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of
Hinduism
 Describe the origins, beliefs, traditions, customs, and spread of
Buddhism
Essential Questions




What are the beliefs of the Hindu religion?
How did Hinduism influence Indian society and culture?
What are the beliefs of Buddhism?
How did Buddhism spread?