Download Chapter 5: Ancient India Section 2: Origins of Hinduism Big Idea

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Chapter 5: Ancient India
Section 2: Origins of Hinduism
Big Idea Hinduism, the largest religion in India today, developed out of ancient Indian
beliefs and practices.
Indian Society Divides
Vocabulary
1) caste system – division of Indian society into groups based on a person’s birth, wealth, or
occupation.
As Aryan society became more complex, their society was divided into groups. Strict rules
developed about how people from different groups could interact.
The Varnas
Varnas are social divisions. There are four main varnas:
 Brahmins – priests
 Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors
 Vaisyas – farmers, craftspeople, and traders
 Sudras – laborers and non-Aryans.
The Caste System
Varnas were eventually divided further into many castes.
 The caste to which a person belonged to determined his or her place in society.
 Certain castes gained power or lost favor depending on how the caste members gained
wealth or power.
 Early on, women had many of the same rights as men, but laws were passed to limit these
rights.
 A segment of the population that did not belong to any caste was called the untouchables
and they could only hold certain unpleasant jobs.
Caste Rules
 People were not allowed to marry anyone from another caste.
 People were not allowed to eat with anyone from another caste.
 People who broke the rules were kicked out of their homes and castes, and became
untouchables.
Brahmanism
Aryan priests were called Brahmins, so their religion became known as Brahmanism.
The Vedas
There are four Vedas (religious texts) containing sacred hymns and poems.
The oldest of the Vedas is called the Rigveda. Passages in it praise various gods.
Later Vedic Texts
Aryan Brahmins (priests) wrote down their thoughts about the Vedas. These became known as
the Vedic texts. They described things such as:
 Aryan religious rituals.
 How sacrifices should be performed.
 Secret rituals that could only be performed in the forest, away from everyone else.
The final group of Vedic texts are the Upanishads, which were written around 600 BC. These
are reflections on the Vedas by religious students and teachers.
Hinduism Develops
Vocabulary
1) Hinduism – the largest religion in India
2) Reincarnation – the rebirth process of a person’s soul.
3) Karma – the effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul.
When the teachings of the Vedas began to blend with ideas from other cultures it created a
religion called Hinduism.
Hindu Beliefs
Hinduism is polytheistic because there is a belief in many gods.
Hindus believe that there is a universal spirit called Brahman.
Gods represent different aspects of Brahman. The three major gods are:
 Brahma – the Creator
 Siva (or Shiva) – the Destroyer
 Vishnu – the Preserver
Life and Rebirth
Hindus believe that everyone has a soul, or atman. The goal is to have their soul reunited with
the soul of Brahman, the universal spirit.
Hindus believe in reincarnation. It may take several lifetimes for the soul to be reunited with the
soul of Brahman. Souls are born and reborn several times in Hindu belief.
Hinduism and the Caste System
According to Hinduism, a person who has died is reborn into a new form, depending on his or
her karma. If someone was evil, then he or she is reborn into a lower caste or lower life form
(such as an animal.)
People who are good are reborn into higher castes, until they eventually receive moksha, or
freedom from life’s worries and the cycles of rebirth.
Hinduism also taught that each person had a special set of duties, called their dharma. To fulfill
one’s dharma, one had to accept his or her station in life. This belief helped preserve the caste
system.
Groups React to Hinduism
Vocabulary
1) Jainism – religion based on the teachings of Mahavira that emphasized nonviolence.
2) Nonviolence – the avoidance of violent actions.
3) Sikhism – religion based on the teachings of Guru Nanak that blends ideas from
Hinduism with ideas from Islam and other religions.
Jainism
Mahavira was raised as a Hindu, but he thought that Hinduism put too much emphasis on ritual.
His teaching emphasize four basic principles:
1)
2)
3)
4)
Injure no life
Tell the truth
Do not steal
Own no property
Jains practiced nonviolence. The Sanskrit word for nonviolence is ahimsa.
Jains believe that all living things are part of the cycle of rebirth, and they do not sacrifice
animals as the ancient Brahmins did. In fact, they are vegetarians.
Sikhism
Guru (or teacher) Nanak traveled and came into contact with many other religions including
Islam, which he blended with Hinduism.
Sikhism is monotheistic. Sikhs believe in one god, and the ultimate goal is to be reunited with
God after death. To do so, Sikhs must meditate to seek enlightenment. This process may take
several lifetimes, so Sikhs believe in reincarnation.
Sikhs believe all people should be treated equally, and therefore don’t believe in the caste
system.