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Beginnings of Hinduism Pages 142-147 Objectives • Identify major beliefs of Hinduism – examine why it is a false religion • Explain how these beliefs created a unique social structure and identify its chief castes What is “Hinduism?” • Belief there is a powerful, invisible force - everything in the world is connected by this • It is one of the world’s oldest false religions with 800+ million followers • Hinduism is practiced in many different ways Aryan Songs • Aryan songs described “how the world works” • These songs were believed to be holy • The book of songs became known as the Vedas, or “books of knowledge” The Vedas • First building blocks of Hinduism • Told Hindus how they should live and explained life • The Vedas say the world is run by many gods and goddesses • What is it called when a culture believes in “many gods and goddesses?” The Vedas • The Vedas explain how Hindus believe people were created • Hindus believe that four different classes of people created The Caste System • Four classes of people developed into a caste system • Caste = a person’s place in society • (it is determined by the rank of the family he or she is born into) Next slide = larger image The Caste System • People born into the priestly caste of India have the highest rank • Job is to teach people about the Vedas • People of the servant caste are said to be born to serve the other castes Reincarnation • Vedas’ false idea that people move in a constant circle of birth, death, and rebirth • Hindus believe bad deeds done in one lifetime must be paid for in a person’s next life False Idea of Reincarnation • According to this belief, people born as servants , for example, are paying for wrongs done in the past • Priests, on the other hand, have done many good things in past lives How did Hindus know what was right and wrong? • Followed the “dharma” of their caste • Dharma means laws and duties • Following dharma helped to keep Hindu society running in an orderly fashion When people broke the rules of dharma… • Forced to live outside their castes – they were called “outcastes” • They were looked down upon by others and said to be “impure” • Hindu priests performed a cleansing ceremony if they were even touched by a shadow of an outcaste • Children of outcastes were called “untouchables” Examples of “breaking the rules”: • People who married against the rules of their caste • People who did a job their caste was not allowed to do Different forms of Hinduism • Hinduism allows for the existence of more than one god and more than one way to truth • In a Hindu book, the god Vishnu says • “Howsoever people approach me, even so I do accept them; for on all sides, whatever path they may choose is mine.” Hinduism Today • Overtime, certain gods became “favorites” • Vishnu - “The One that is All” • Shiva - “The God of Time and Destruction” • Devi - “The Mother of All Creation Hinduism Today • Hindus still consider the Vedas the most holy books of their religion • Other books have adventure filled stories about gods and goddesses, called epics • In 1950: Indian government made it illegal to mistreat outcastes Think About It • What is dharma? Is it the same for all Hindus? • Why was it important for Hindus to do the duties expected of their caste? • What are the Vedas? What role did they play in the shaping of Indian culture? • How do you know that Hinduism is a false religion?