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Hinduism:
many paths
to one God
The earliest evidence for elements of
the Hindu faith dates back as far as
the late Neolithic, to the Early
Harappan period (ca. 5500–3300
BCE).
Hinduism is based on "the
accumulated treasury of spiritual
laws discovered by different
persons in different times.”
Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Vol III. 118-120; Vol. I. 6-7.
Many “faces” of Hindus
Hinduism centers around a
variety of practices that are
meant to help one experience
the Divinity that is everywhere
and realize the true nature of
the Self (Atman).
Most Hindus believe in a
Supreme Cosmic Spirit, which
may be understood in abstract
terms as Brahman or which
may be worshiped in personal
forms such as Vishnu, Shiva or
Shakti.
Swami Vivekananda, practicing meditation,
concentrating inward – toward Atman or God
Hinduism is the world's third largest religion after
Christianity and Islam with approximately a billion
adherents (2005), of whom about 890 million live in
India.
It is based on a number of
religious texts developed
over many centuries that
contain spiritual insights
along with guidance
concerning the practice of
dharma, or religious life.
The Vedas are the most
ancient texts, and along
with the Upanishads, are
the most important and
foundational texts for
Hindu philosophy.
Personal manifestations of gods
Concept of God
According to the monotheistic and
pantheistic theologies of Hinduism,
God (the Supreme Being) is, in the highest
sense, One -- beyond form, infinite, and
eternal.
God is changeless and is the very source
of consciousness. God is beyond time,
space, and causation and yet permeates
everything and every being.
God is beyond gender. When God is thought of as this
infinite principle, God is called Brahman.
Vishnu is the god that represents
Atman, which manifests itself
through body, mind and intellect as
the individual
Brahma, creator of universe, has
the four “faces” of the lotus flower
Shiva, god of destruction
Vasudeva, the cow herd, who
saved Krishna
Kamala, or Kama, goddess of
sexual desire
Krishna, god of divine love and joy
Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva
Atman
• Hindus think the spirit or soul, the true "self" of
every person, called the Atman, is eternal.
• It is believed that the Spirit of God and the spirit
of living beings have existed and will continue to
exist throughout all eternity.
Karma
The doctrine of karma is related to the law of
cause and effect. *Every action has a reaction.
It states that everything that people do (karma)
leaves impressions (samskāras) in their mind,
which determines what kind of people they will be
in the future, and hence their fate.
According to karma, one
should try to behave in a
virtuous manner, as this
behavior will impact current
and future lives.
Over the course of time, if a
person sufficiently purifies the
mind and intellect, s/he can
attain the goal of life, which is
to experience the highest truth,
or God.
Wheel of Karma
Reincarnation
Reincarnation is called Samsara
according to the Vedic texts.
In Sanskrit the word Samsara means being
bound to the cycle of repeated birth and death
through numerous lifetimes.
According to this doctrine of reincarnation, the
soul (Atman) is immortal, while the body is
subject to birth and death.
Nirvana
The Samsara cycle, or cycle of
reincarnation, comes to an
end once a person comes to
accept his/her “true self” – the
self that is connected to God
and to eternity.
This acceptance is considered
Supreme Bliss, or Nirvana.
Life’s Goal
The goal of life is to have a direct
experience of divinity (of God), regardless
of precisely how one may choose to define
it.
All Hindu practices seek to accomplish a
single purpose: increasing a person's
awareness of the divinity (God) that is
present everywhere and in everything.
~ Ancient Hindu teacher ~
The ideal of man is to
see God in everything.
But if you cannot see
Him in everything, see
Him in one thing, in that
thing you like best, and
then see Him in another.
So on you go. . . . Take
your time and you will
achieve your end.
The Caste System
Although the caste system was abolished by law in 1949, it
remains a significant force throughout India even today.
Each follower of Hinduism belonged to one of the thousands
of Jats (communities) that existed in India. The Jats were
grouped into four Varna (social castes), plus a fifth group
called the "untouchables."
A person's Jat determined the range of jobs or professions
from which they could choose. Marriages normally took
place within the same Jat. There were rules that prohibited
persons of different groups from eating, drinking or even
smoking with each other.
Brahmins
(priests,
academics)
Vaishyas
(farmers,
landlords,
and
merchants)
Kshatriyas
(rulers,
military)
Sudras
(peasants,
servants, and
workers in nonpolluting jobs)
Untouchables or Dalit
Levels of Existence
The Four Castes or Varnas
The Rigveda defined four castes so that people created a
structure within which they could co-exist. In decreasing
status, they are:
Brahmins (the priests and academics)
Kshatriyas (rulers, military)
Vaishyas (farmers, landlords, and merchants)
Sudras (peasants, servants, and workers in non-polluting jobs)
The Dalit were outcasts who did not belong to one of the castes.
Until the late 1980s they were called Harijan (children of God).
They worked in what are considered polluting jobs. They were
untouchable by the four castes; in some areas of the country,
even a contact with their shadow by a member of the Varnas was
considered polluting.
The Hindu paths to
salvation include the
way of works (rituals),
the way of knowledge
(realization of reality
and self-reflection),
and the way of devotion
(devotion to the god that
you choose to follow). If
the practitioner follows
the paths of these ways,
salvation can be
achieved.
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