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HINDUISM
What images or ideas come to mind?
HISTORY
World’s oldest religion
“Hindu” - From “Sindhu” Persian
name for the Indus River
Indus Valley Civilization
Way of life, set of philosophies,
“diverse collection of practices”
No single founder
ORIGIN THROUGH TEXTS
Vedas
Sanskrit (to know)
Oral tradition
3,500 - 3,000 years ago
Indus Valley
4 Main “Texts”
Mantra
Song
Ritual
Spell
Hymns from the Rig Veda
ORIGIN THROUGH TEXTS
Ramayana
2,000 - 2,500 years ago
Composed by Valmiki
7 books - poetry
“Ram’s Journey” [Vishnu]
Ideal relationships, values, dharma
Ramayana for kids! & Video
Mahabharata
Spoken by a god to Vyasa
Story of the sons of 2 kings & civil war
Bhagavad Gita
Conversation between Krishna [Vishnu] and an archer
Concepts of dharma, caste, reincarnation, moksha
GOD(S)
Brahman
Supreme, universal, genderless,
unknowable, undefinable
Trimurti ~ 3 Main Deities
Brahma - creator
Vishnu - preserver
Shiva - destroyer
330 million more!?!
Lotus ~ beauty
roots in mud but
floats on the water
HINDU DEITY GUIDE
Create a “Guide to Hindu
Deities”
Select 3 deities to research
For each deity:
Provide a brief summary of
who he/she/it is
Add and image and describe
the iconography (at least 3
symbols)
Include your list of sources
Helpful Resource
Hanuman
KEY COMPONENTS
Wheel
Samsara - “A wandering through” ~ continuous flow of of Life
Reincarnation / Transmigration - Rebirth of the soul
reincarnation
Moksha - Liberation from samsara
Nirvana - Supreme Bliss ~ union with Brahman
Karma - Moral law of cause and effect
Dharma - Universal principle of law, order & harmony
Santana Dharma = Everlasting Dharma
Svadharma - Individual Duty
Puja - Ritual worship of the many forms of Brahman
KEY COMPONENTS
Caste - Hindu social order (4 varnas)
Teachers & Priests
Warriors, Nobles & Kings
Farmers, Merchants & Businessmen
Servants & Laborers
Untouchables
Yoga - (from the Sanskrit for “union”)
disciplines practiced to achieve moksha
4 Yogas
Path of Love & Devotion
Path of Right Action
Path of Meditation
Path of Wisdom
Yoga Sutras
Traditional &
Modern Styles
of Yoga
Roots in Hinduism
KEY SITES
Why are places important for a religion?
Temples
Pilgrimage Sites
Holy Towns
Geographical Features
KEY SITES
Varanasi - City of Shiva - Wash
in Ganges River
Chidambaram - Thillai Nataraja
Temple - Temple for Shiva
Tirumala - “Tiru” = Sacred
“Mala” = Hill [Visnhu]
Pashupatinath - Nepal - Temple
for Shiva - Cremation
?
?
KEY SITES
Research
important
sites for
Hinduism
Label your map with at least 10 key
sites. Read about each place and
write a brief summary. Have extra
time? Print or draw a picture.
OTHER COMPONENTS
Q & A Session
Q&A
Om - “sound of the universe” “all encompassing” calming /
meditative / finding inner peace (starts and ends yoga)
Vegetarianism - “more of an ideal kind of a thing” MG nonviolent - eating pure foods for deities - and meat is
impure - healthy diet help the soul - depends on personal
choice and general ideals
Sacred Cows - symbol of dharma - “mother figure” because
they provide milk
Ear Piercing Ceremony - from the Vedas - sacrament - “open
inner ear of child” to better understand spiritual things
Q&A
Fasting - can be daily, weekly, monthly, or yearly to celebrate
a particular god - done differently / viewed differently by
different people
Swastika - sun, rays, life - one of Vishnu’s 108 symbols - one
of Kali’s symbols too - darkness
Prayer Beads - 108 beads (Guru in center) recite a mantra for
each bead - keeps track and helps you “get into the rhythm”
Mantra - word or sound “kinda like a chant” way to pray
Guru - “teacher” or “master” connects people to the gods
Q&A
Sacred Thread Ceremony - “coming of age” for becoming
closer with gods and gaining knowledge and “Nate knows what
else...” ;-)
Cremation - returning body to the earth - soul “goes around
again” - reincarnation
Food Offerings - food is given, during recitation of mantras
gods come to make it sacred and then the people eat it!
Holi - cultural, but with religious beginnings (story of gods and
good conquering evil) - celebration
Q&A
Home Shrines - Image or statue of the god(s) that are
especially important to the family, oil lamp, bell, incense vary in size (room size - on top of dresser)
Weddings - diverse rituals depending on locality - 7 steps,
fire, “giving away”
Temple Rituals - opening yourself up - ceremonial washing different gods at different temples Pilgrimage - going somewhere for a religious purpose - and
often to visit family - grow spiritually - not mandatory often for a specific festival
HINDUISM IN THE USA
Hinduism in the USA
Immigration & National
Services Act (1965 abolished the quota system)
.5% of American population
Hindu Temples
Hindu University of
America
HINDUISM
IN THE USA
HINDUISM IN THE USA
Evidence in US Culture
Make a list of “western” uses of Hindu beliefs.
Find corresponding images.
Are these correct of incorrect uses of Hindu ideas?
Discuss!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY...
Gandhi!
Mohandas Gandhi ~ October 2, 1869 - January 30, 1948
Mahatma - “Great Soul”
Gandhi ~
Trailer
Best
Quotes