Download Hinduism (1). - McCluresHistoryHub

Hinduism
One of the oldest religions in the
world.
Hinduism is the third largest religion in
the world and still growing at a rapid
pace.
By: Elizabeth Hinshaw, Crystal Aleman, Tori
Christian, Anna Russell, Lexus Phavixay
Founder, Date, Origin
Founder
• Hinduism has no founder. Hinduism was founded as a culture
not a religion, and it soon became a popular religion.
Date
• 2300 BC – 1500 BC
Origin
• The religion of Hinduism believes that there was no origin or
founder, but they believe the religion has been forever.
Hinduism is considered to be originated in India around 2000
BC, and the Aryan people are considered to be the source of
the historical origins. The Aryan people were originally
thought to have originated in Eurasia, northeastern Europe, or
northwestern Asia. Today, the belief that the Aryan people
originated in India is becoming more common.
Origin
Holy Books
Holy books
• The Vedas- There are four Vedic books, and Hindus believe
that the gods directly gave them to the Vedic sages.
• Upanishads- The texts are believed to be inspired by the gods.
• The Ramayana- The book is an epic Hindu poem.
• The Mahabharata- The book of poetry describes epic battles
and is considered the longest poetic work in human history.
• The Puranas- The books contained mythological accounts of
ancient times.
Places of Worship
• Hindu Temples or Mandir
• At home in shrines
• Hindu worship is called puja.
Major Beliefs
• Reincarnation- The belief that we are born with a
certain karma, and the only way to escape from the
cycle is to do good deeds and think good thoughts.
The belief that we will be reborn until we fulfill our
earthly duty.
• Essential self or atam
• Moral duties(Dharma)
• Countless gods and goddesses.
• Obeying the law of karma
Deities
Brahma, Vishu, and Shiva are the most important, and
they all represent the Supreme Being. Brahma
represents creation, Vishnu represents maintaining the
universe, and Shiva represents dissolution and
recreation. The three figures form the Hindu Trinity.
Hindu people believe God lives in the hearts of
everything alive. The people have a monotheistic
polytheism religion.
Goals of Hinduism
• Dharma
Dharma is about living to one’s destiny or purpose. Dharma is also
about paying back debts owed to the gods which they are born with
through karma.
Finally, it means living ethically, morally, and fulfilling one’s purpose.
• Artha
Artha is what Hindus believe to be as prosperity or success in worldly
things.
• Kama
Kama is the desire of pleasure. Typically, kama is referring to romantic
pleasure.
• Moksha
Moksha is reaching liberation in the cycle of reincarnation.
Ultimate Goal= Reaching Moksha
Method of Reaching Goal
• The way of action involves carrying out certain religious ceremonies,
duties and rites. The objective is to perform works without regard for
personal gain.
• The way of knowledge requires using your mind and philosophy to come
to a complete comprehension of the universe.
• The way of devotion is salvation which is reached through acts of worship
based upon the love for a God. There are thousands of gods in Hinduism.
• The Royal Road is the use of meditation and yoga techniques. This
method of reaching salvation is typically only used by wandering monks.
Original Practices of Hinduism
• Hindu religious practices center on the importance of
fulfilling the duties associated both with one’s social
position and one’s stage of life.
• Brachmacharg, which takes place during school years
is focused on acquiring knowledge and developing
character.
• Grasstha, the middle years is focused on worldly
pursuits and pleasures such as marriage, family, and
career.
• Vanaprasha is when one’s children reach adulthood
and is a time to increase focus on spiritual things.
• Sanngasu is in the last years of life and one may
abandon the world entirely for a life of
contemplation.
Key Beliefs Traced Back to Original
Scriptures and Texts
• Hinduism became one of the world’s most complex
religions with countless gods and goddesses and many
forms of worship existing side by side. Despite this
diversity all Hindus share certain basic beliefs.
• Hindu’s believe that everything is part of the
unchanging, all powerful force called Braham the
creator, Vishu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.
• Hindu teachings were recorded in sacred texts of the
Vedas and used vivid images to examine complex ideas
about the human soul and the connectedness of all
life.
Major Turning Points and Key Events
• Gandhi lead peaceful civil disobedience in order to
make changes for his fellow countrymen. He wanted
them to be able to have salt for their physical needs
without being over charged by the British government.
Gandhi made Hinduism a recognized religion across the
world.
• “Salt March”
• Buddhism which branched off of Hinduism made
Hindus rethink the importance of enlightenment over
veneration of the gods.
• The religion of Jainism made Hindus believe that they
should stop animal sacrifices.
Gandhi (1869-1948)
Spread of Hinduism
• Historically, the spread of Hinduism came via
the travels of merchants to other nearby
countries for business. The Chettiars, a Tamil
banking community, extended their business
to Barma, Malaysia, Mauritius, and other
parts of South East Asia. Additionally, strong
trading links have existed for centuries
between Western India and East Africa.
Map of Spread of Hinduism
Hinduism Today
The religion of Hinduism is continually growing,
making it the third largest religion in the world
with around a billion followers. Today, Hindus
are commonly found in India. The religion is also
dominant in Nepal and Tamils in Sri Lanka. As of
2010, the United States had about 2.2 million
active Hindus. People of the Hindu faith account
for about 15% of the world’s population.
Hinduism Spread As Of 2010
Bibliography
www.pateos.comlibrary/Hinduism.html
www.oausa.og/Gods/
www.mamandram.org/tools/worldpopulation.html
www.evangelical.us/hinduism.html
http://www.pewforum.org/2012/12/18/globalreligious-landscape-hindu/