Download Hinduism - Lecture - Helena High School

Adapted from L. Barnes Lecture
Hinduism – Origins and Development
 Oldest world religion
 no single founder
 no single scripture
 no set of specific teachings/rules
 Brought by the Aryans, nomads from Central Asia, in 1500 BC.
 Roots in the Vedas
 – a collection of religious hymns, poems and prayers composed in
the Sanskrit language thousands of years ago.
Hinduism – Origins and Development
Polytheistic: belief in multiple gods and goddesses
Caste system (Aryan system of social classes).
 One of the cornerstones of Hinduism
 4 basic castes made up the original system.
1.
2.
3.
4.
Brahmans – priests (just men) and scholars
Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors
Vaisyars – farmers and merchants
Sudras – workers
 5th group called dalits, “untouchables” was created over time.
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
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Not allowed to participate in regular society – persecuted.
Have the worst jobs, are homeless etc.
Dalit status officially outlawed in 1950 but continues as cultural norm
today.
Beliefs of Hinduism
 Polythestic: multiple gods
 control different aspects of the
universe
 are various forms of Brahman,
a single, supreme and divine
force.
 Have an animal companion
 Each god has female counterpart
who brings out their power.
 Main 3 gods:
 Brahma  the Creator
 Vishnu  the Preserver
 Shiva  the Destroyer
Beliefs of Hinduism
 Reincarnation – when a person dies, their soul is reborn in a
different body (can be animal or human)
 Every person is born into a caste. A person can move into a
different caste only through reincarnation.
 Dharma – Belief that each person has a certain moral duty to
live honorably in a way that is specific to your caste.
 Karma – Belief that the good and evil done in your current life
determines the nature of your next life.
 Honorable living
good karma reincarnated in a higher caste
 Dishonorable living
bad karma reincarnated in lower caste
Beliefs of Hinduism
 Ultimate goal for Hindus – live a spiritual life, one can be
free of karma and attain moksha (enlightenment) and
merge their soul with Brahman ending the cycle of rebirth.
Sacred Sites and Animals
 Cows
 Animal companion to the god Shiva
 The cow symbolizes all other creatures.
 The cow is a symbol of the Earth.
 The cow represents life and the food of
life (milk).
 Temples
Sacred Sites and Animals
 Ganges River
Ganges River
 Sacred to Hindus, earthly home of goddess Ganga
 Bathing in the river causes the remission of sins and facilitates
Moksha
 Important to spread ashes of deceased family members in the
river
 Highly polluted – human and industrial waste – endangered species
threatened.
Hinduism-Spread & Influence
 Dominant religion and social system in India.
 more than 80% of people in India are Hindu.
 Very significant influence on culture: festivals, traditions, rituals,
spiritual beliefs etc.
 Castes brought social order to religion and society.
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
Major discrimination between castes
Limits the ability to improve ones’ life.
 Most Hindus are vegetarian, no Hindu eats beef (due to belief to
treat animals well)
 Spread through trade and migration to other parts of South Asia.
 Hindu ideas and practices such as yoga have gained a following
worldwide.