Download Hinduism

Hinduism
Ch. 4.2, 10/7/16
BR:

What symbolism does Christianity use?
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Examples:
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Fire = Spirit = Dove
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Cross = Jesus, Death, Suffering of, etc.

Fish = Missionary work, Share the Gospel (“Fishers
of Men”), etc.
Main Ideas
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Hinduism

Reincarnation

Karma
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Moksha
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Dharma
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Yoga
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Jainism
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Ahisma
Hinduism
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The Vedic Religion (named after the
venerated Vedas), the religion of the
incoming Aryans, in some ways is a parent
of the modern Hindu religion, and the
Vedas are seen as holy scripture by Hindus
today.
Evidence with connections to modern
elements of Hinduism, such as statues /
idols, and amulets of different gods, giant
temple tanks for ritualistic bathing, and
examples of people in yoga positions, were
found in the Indus River Valley civilization.
However, these same artifacts have not
been found in other Vedic / Aryan areas,
which seems to indicate that Hinduism
started as a mixture of both belief
systems. CC = Part 1+2, to 2:41
Here are excerpts from the
Vedas
Indus goddess
Harappa Bath
Example of a
Yoga pose
One Faith, Many Paths
Hinduism stands apart from all other
religions for several reasons. It has no
Aum is a mystical symbol
single founder, no single scripture, no
and sound prominent in the
central religious organization, and no
Hindu religion. Hindus
definition of absolute beginning and
often intone the aum at
end.
the beginning and the end
of a mantra, or prayer.
 Hinduism is a code of life — a
collection of attitudes, personal
experiences, and spiritual practices. It
is, in essence, defined by behaviors
rather than beliefs. Vid
 The three main devas (basically gods)
of the Hindu are: Brahma – The
Brahma, the
Creator, Vishnu the Protector &
Creator God
S(h)iva, the Destroyer. VID

Hindu Philosophy

According to Hindu philosophy, there is one divine
reality, and all religions are simply various
interpretations of that (aka Brahman). Because of this,
Hinduism allows and even encourages individuals to
choose a religious path that best suits their social,
intellectual, emotional, and spiritual needs.

One Hindu devotee might worship well-known gods
(which are really just manifestations of Brahman) such
as Vishnu or Shiva in a large, public temple, whereas
another might worship less common deities in a private
shrine within his or her own home. Yet they would both
be considered good Hindus, provided that they honored
each other's choices. VID

One way that many Hindus try to meditate and worship
Brahman is through Yoga: VID
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This tolerance makes Hinduism difficult to understand
and define, but it does explain why so many gods,
goddesses, and rituals are described in the numerous
Hindu scriptures. CC = 3+4 (2:41)
4 Basic Beliefs
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Hindus have 4 main beliefs:
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Dharma – Duties and obligations must be met; if they are,
you can achieve liberation from the endless cycle of life
and suffering. Thus, you should live well in your caste.
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Karma – Karma is the belief that if you do good things, you
will be blessed for it, and cursed for bad things. The results
of your actions will always come back to you.
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Moksha – This is the ultimate goal: if you get enough good
karma, you can escape the cycle of reincarnation, and your
atman, or spirit, and join with Brahman in peace

Samsara – This is the repeating cycle of reincarnation. If
you were a good person, you will be reincarnated in the
next life as a higher caste, until eventually you can escape
the cycle (Moksha)
Holy Hindu Writings:

Most important: The Vedas
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Written ~1300 B.C.E. It is believed that the
Vedas are the eternal truths that were heard,
then written down by holy seers.
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According to the Vedas, time and life are
cyclical. After death, one's soul leaves the
body and is reborn, or reincarnated, into a
new form.
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The constant cycle of birth and rebirth is
known as samsara and the measurement by
which the quality of new birth is determined is
known as karma. Karma, the accumulated
result of one's actions in various lives, can be
good or bad. Righteous and moral conduct,
known as dharma, is the road to good karma.
Birth
Samsara
Other Texts
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The writings known as the Upanishads appeared six to eight
hundred years after the Vedas and focus mostly on how to
escape the cycle of rebirth. The Upanishads explain how to
leave Samsara through a release and ultimate enlightenment
known as moksha.
One of Hinduism’s most sacred texts is the Bhagavad Gita; it
was a dialogue between a warrior named Arjuna and
Krishna, a human form of Vishnu. Krishna tells Arjuna how to
achieve moksha: Vid
Jainism:
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Around 500 BCE, some Hindus broke away and formed a
new religion, called Jainism. Led by a teacher named
Mahavira, they thought regular Hinduism was governed
by too much ritual.
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One of their main ideas is ahisma, or “nonviolence”.
While most Hindus follow this idea, Jains take it a step
further, and are careful to not hurt anything, even
small flies.
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Some become monks or nuns, and live a more extreme
version of these beliefs. Many Jains are not monks
however, but they do go into careers that avoid the
harming of animals, and to avoid worldly possessions.
VID
HW:
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Finish preparing your group presentation for Monday (3ish minutes each)
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Get caught up on any other homework you may need to
do.
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Good Luck!