Download Hindu Beliefs

Hindu Beliefs
Hindu Beliefs
• Hinduism is often
described as a nondogmatic religion.
• People are free to
worship any set of
doctrines or rules they
like.
• It does not believe in
conversion, and does not
impose its beliefs on
others.
Hindu Beliefs
• However, Hindus are expected to follow
specific rules in their personal conduct and
daily duties.
• There is a vast body of rules and rituals for
almost every station and stage of a Hindu’s life.
Hindu Concept of God
• Some describe Hinduism as
polytheistic, others as
monotheistic.
• Most state it is monistic –
which means that all reality
is ultimately one.
• Hinduism reconciles these
three different concepts of
God, which makes it
tolerant of various beliefs.
What Is Brahman?
• Brahman is:
– The supreme being, an entity
without form and quality.
– The soul of the universe, from
which all existing things arise,
and into which they all return.
– Everywhere and everything.
• The essence of Brahman is
divine, invisible, unlimited,
and indescribable.
Brahman
• Hindus are free to
imagine Brahman in
any way that is
meaningful to them.
• They worship
different deities that
they consider
manifestations, or
expressions, of
Brahman.
• Page 121 (text) has a
description of
Brahman from the
Upanishads.
Atman
• The Atman is the human
soul or spirit.
• It is the part of our
innermost self that is
identical to Brahman.
• A Hindu’s goal is to
reunite the Atman with the
Brahman.
• Atman = Brahman
Brahman = Atman
“Tat Twan Asi”
• The famous Sanskrit
saying means “you
are that”, expresses
the idea that the
Atman and Brahman
are inseparable.
Reincarnation
• The Atman is:
– Eternal and immortal.
– Lives on, shedding the lifeless
body for a new one.
• For Hindus, most aspects of
the personality are generally
not thought to be transmitted
into the next life form.
• Individuals usually cannot
remember past lives.
Samsara
• The endless cycle of
rebirth or
reincarnation is
called samsara.
• The Hindu term for
salvation, for
liberation from
samsara, is moksha.
Moksha
• This is the
liberation from
the endless cycle
of birth, death,
and rebirth into
this world.
• With moksha,
the atman is
united with the
Brahman.