Download World Religions 3101 - Classes de Madame Murrin

World Religions 3101
Hinduism
Origins
• Hinduism has no founder.
• The religion absorbed
ideas and practices that
suited it socially and
culturally over thousands
of years.
• Hinduism is popular in
India and began with the
Indus Valley Civilization
and the arrival of the
Aryans.
The Indus Valley Civilization
• Indus Valley civilization
began between 3000 and
2500 BCE in present day
Pakistan.
• Advanced people.
Developed cities with
sewage systems.
• Some buildings were
places of worship. May
have been the earliest
shrines to goddesses
Parvati and Kali.
The Indus Valley Civilization
• Amulets and flat seals
were uncovered. Some
of the seals show a man
in a yoga position,
surrounded by animals.
May be the earliest
representation of Shiva.
• Evidence of fire rituals
and animal sacrifices
also found.
The Arrival of the Aryans
• Around 1500 BCE,
Aryans came to the
Indus Valley and
destroyed their
civilization.
• Aryans developed
poems and texts on
rituals and philosophy.
These are called Vedas,
considered Hinduism’s
earliest sacred writings.
The Arrival of the Aryans
• The earliest of the
Vedas is the Rig-Veda,
the earliest record of
sacred Hindu
knowledge.
• The Vedas led to
Brahmanas (prose
interpretations) and
Upanishads (mystical
books on human
existence).
The Arrival of the Aryans
• Aryans lived in awe of
nature. They
worshipped fire (Agni).
• The Upanishads
combined prayer with
questions about the
human soul (atman).
Journal Entry
• 1. After watching The Simpsons episode
“Two Mrs. Nahasapeemapetilons”, what
specific examples of Hindu culture/customs
can you remember seeing?
• 2. Choose one part of Hinduism shown in the
episode that you found most interesting and
tell why you feel that way.
Beliefs
• Hinduism is considered
non-dogmatic. People
can follow any set of
rules as they see fit.
• There are, however,
rules to follow in
everyday life as a Hindu.
• Mutual tolerance and
respect hold Hinduism
in place.
Hindu Concept of God
• Hinduism has been
described as
polytheistic and
monotheistic.
• It’s also described as
monistic, meaning God
is an unknowable entity.
• Different spirits, or
gods, of Fire, Earth, and
the Sun all represent
one supreme being.
Brahman
• Brahman is the
supreme being referred
to in the Upanishads.
• Brahman takes on
different forms for
different people.
• Many gods in Hinduism
are considered the
manifestation of
Brahman.
Hindu Deities
• The three most
prominent
manifestations of
Brahman are the gods
Brahma, Vishnu, and
Shiva. They are called
the Hindu Trinity.
• Each has a female
counterpart.
Brahma
• Creator of the universe.
• He has four faces and is
seated on a lotus,
holding a book, a
rosary, and a gourd.
• His female counterpart
is Saraswati.
Saraswati
• The goddess of learning
and the arts.
• Shown with a book and
a musical instrument
called a veena.
• She is often portrayed
alone.
Vishnu
• The preserver of the
universe.
• Has four arms in which
he holds various items.
• Many Hindus believe
one of Vishnu’s
reincarnations is
Siddartha Gautama, the
founder of Buddhism.
Lakshmi
• Vishnu’s companion.
• Goddess of wealth,
happiness, and good
fortune.
• Often shown rewarding
worshippers with gold.
Shiva
• Destroyer and restorer
of universe.
• Considered a great yogi
(spiritually evolved
individual).
• Holds water from
sacred Ganges River in
his hair.
Parvati
• Wife of Shiva.
• Hindus worship her as
Shakti (female energy).
• Also depicted as Kali,
fierce destroyer of evil.
The Caste System
• Developed at the end of
the Vedic period.
• The caste system
divides Indians into four
categories.
• They are, from highest
to lowest: Brahmins,
Kshatriyas, Vaishyas,
and Sudras.
The Caste System
• People are divided into
varnas, or classes,
according to their
karma (the totality of
one’s actions in life).
• People of different
castes lead vastly
different lives. They
cannot dine with each
other or marry one
another.
Untouchables
• This is the fifth group of
people found outside
the traditional caste
system.
• These people tan
leather, remove dead
animals, and wash
toilets.
• Mahatma Gandhi
fought for the rights of
the “untouchables”.
The Caste System Today
• India’s Charter of Rights
bans discrimination on
basis of gender, race,
religion, or caste.
• K. R. Narayanan, former
president of India, was
born an “untouchable”.
The Four Stages of Life
• Stage: Student
• Responsibilities:
• Discipline mind and
body.
• Learn rules of
Hinduism.
• Respect elders.
The Four Stages of Life
Stage: Householder
Responsibilities:
Marry and have a family.
Provide for the family.
Care for family elders.
The Four Stages of Life
Stage: Forest Dweller
Responsibilities:
Retire.
Read and study.
Take part in religious
pilgrimages.
The Four Stages of Life
Stage: Ascetic
Responsibilities:
Give up worldly life.
Wander.
Meditate.
Attain salvation.
The Four Goals of Life
1. Dharma: Showing compassion to others and
not being cruel or greedy.
2. Artha: Earning money by honest means to
provide for family; acquiring wealth and
power.
3. Kama: Pursuing love and physical pleasures
to sanctify marriage.
4. Moksha: Leading the soul to salvation
through honest and moral actions.
Women in Hinduism
There are conflicting ideas
as to the place of
women in Hinduism.
In lower levels of society,
women are often
considered
subordinates.
Women in Hinduism
• Divorce is discouraged
but allowed in
Hinduism.
• More opportunities are
arising for women to
gain literacy skills.
Women in Hinduism
• Women in higher social
standing have been
thriving for years.
• Indira Gandhi was the
first female prime
minister of India.
Assignment
• Answer question #5 on page 129 in your
textbook.
Practices and Rituals
• Hindus can practice
their religion at home
or at the temple.
• They often cleanse
themselves with a bath
before a religious ritual.
“Om”
• A syllable which
represents the
supremacy of Brahman.
• It is chanted at the
beginning and end of all
Hindu prayers.
• Mantras are sacred
phrases chanted during
prayer time.
The Significance of The Cow
• Many Hindus do not eat
beef because they
consider the cow
sacred.
• The cow is considered
the symbol of all that is
good and precious.
• Its docility is attributed
to its vegetarianism.
Yoga
• Yoga is the practice of
achieving union of the
atman and the
Brahman.
• Swamis, or holy men,
are the experts of yoga,
which involves steady
breathing and
concentration.
Pilgrimages
• Many Hindus travel to
the city of Varanasi,
near the Ganges River.
• The Ganges is thought
to have fallen to earth
from heaven.
• Hindus bathe in the
Ganges upon arrival.
The Swastika
• A symbol of good luck
and well-being in
Hinduism, the swastika
is best known by the
angled version used by
the Nazis during WWII.
• It is used by Hindus on
wedding invitations and
drawings.
Symbols
• Tilaks are symbols worn
on the forehead to
represent different gods
that are worshipped.
• Bindis are red dots
worn on the forehead
by married Hindu
women.
Festivals
• Diwali, also known as the
festival of lights, is the
most popular Hindu
celebration.
• It occurs around the end
of October.
• It is a celebration of the
triumph of good over evil.
• Diwali honours Lakshmi
and Vishnu.