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Hinduism
Richard G. Howe, Ph.D.
based on Corduan, Winfried. Neighboring Faiths: A Christian Introduction to
World Religions. 2nd ed. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2012.
What Makes
Something
Hindu?
1
In order to qualify as "Hindu,"
a religion has to:
1) regard the Vedas (the early sacred
writings) as divinely inspired and
authoritative.
2) accept the caste system.
3) respect the veneration of the various
levels of deities and spirits, including
the protection of cows.
The Three Ways:
The Three Major Phases of Hinduism
2
The Way of Works
The Way of Knowledge
The Way of Devotion
The Way of
Works
3
Aryan Origins
Hinduism
Zoroastrianism
devas - good gods
deavas -evil gods
asuras -evil gods
ahuras - good gods
4
The Four Vedas
The Rig Veda
(rig = "verses")
The Yajur Veda
The Sama Veda
The Atharva Veda
5
The Vedic Gods
Dyaus Pitar
the original sky god
6
Varuna
the god of the sky
and the celestial
waters
Indra
the "King of Heaven"
7
Mitra
a sun god
Rita
a god of truth and
right
8
Vishnu
a minor god in the
Vedas
Rudra
a capricious,
sometimes
malicious mountain
god
9
Agni
the god of fire
Soma
the god of the
sacred drink
10
Brahmanaspati
the word spoken at
the sacrifice
Variations of the
word Brahman
11
Brahman
the impersonal and pantheistic form of God
Brahma
the personal creator god
Brahmin
the priests and the priestly caste
Brahmanas
priestly commentaries on the Vedas
Writings
Subsequent to the
Vedas
12
The Sutras
The Brahmanas
The Code of Manu
The Caste
Sytstem
13
The Brahmins
The Kshatriyas
The Vaishyas
"Twice-Born"
The Brahmins
The Kshatriyas
The Vaishyas
The Shudras
14
Reincarnation
Reincarnation,
Karma, and
Galatians 6:7
15
Reincarnation is called
samsara, which literally
means "wanderings."
It is also called transmigration
and metempsychosis
What level of being one
returns as is determined by
the law of karma.
Karma is best translated as
"cause and effect."
16
Samasara and karma
became the primary support
for the caste system.
The goal of Hinduism
became finding release from
samsara.
The word for release is
moksha, which can
sometimes be translated as
"redemption"
17
[Clarifying Karma]
™ Karma is not fate.
™ Karma is not judgment.
™ Karma is not sin.
[Karma and Gal. 6:7]
18
[Karma and Gal. 6:7]
Do not be deceived,
God is not mocked;
for whatever a man
sows, that he will
also reap.
Does the Bible
Teach
Reincarnation?
19
The Way of
Knowledge
20
Upanishads
Maya
Atman is Brahman
The Way of
Devotion
21
Bhakti
The roots of Bhakti Hinduism go
back as least as far as the
poem, the Bhagavad Gita,
which forms a part of the
lengthy epic, the Mahabharata,
and which was composed
roughly around 200 BC.
22
The Trimurti
Brahma
the Creator
23
Vishnu
the Preserver
Shiva
the Destroyer
24
The roots of Bhakti Hinduism go
back as least as far as the
poem, the Bhagavad Gita,
which forms a part of the
lengthy epic, the Mahabharata,
and which was composed
roughly around 200 BC.
25
Three Schools of
Bhakti Hinduism
Vaishnavite
recognizes Vishnu as the highest god
Shaivite
worships Shiva as highest god
Shaktite
primary allegiance is to a goddess
26
27
Some Main Deities and
Their Shaktis
Brahma and Sarasvati
28
Vishnu and Lakshmi
The Ten Avatars of Vishnu
29
Matsya
(fish)
Kurma
(turtle)
30
Varaha
(boar)
Narasimha
(man-lion)
31
Vamana
(dwarf)
Parashu-Rama
(Rama with axe)
32
Rama
(the hero of the
Ramayana epic)
Krishna
(the speaker of the
Bhagavad Gita)
33
A. C. Bhaktivedanta
[Swami] Prabhupada
A. C. Bhaktivedanta
[Swami] Prabhupada
34
A. C. Bhaktivedanta
[Swami] Prabhupada
™ Krishna is the supreme form
of personal god.
™ Salvation can be obtained by
constant chanting of the
Krishna mantra (Hare
Krishna, Hare Krishna, etc.).
™ The Bhagavad Gita is
inspired scripture.
™ The devotees must observe a
life of pure devotion to
Krishna.
™ The distribution of literature
disseminating the message of
Krishna consciousness is an
important aspect of the
mission of this group.
Buddha
(the founder of
Buddhism)
35
Balarama
(Krishna's brother)
Kalki
(horse, yet to come)
36
Shiva and His Family
Modern
Developments
in Hinduism
37
Ramakrishna
(1836-1886)
Swami Vivekananda
(1863-1902)
38
Sai Baba
(1863-1902)
39
Sathya Sai Baba
(1926-2011)
Tal Brooke
40
Rabi R. Maharaj
41