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Hinduism Part 1
Hinduism World
• The majority of Hindus live in Indian subcontinent
• There are around 1 billion Hindus in the world today
Hinduism Texts
• There are three most important texts in Hinduism
1. The Vedas
2. The Mahabharata
3. The Ramayana
Vedas
• The most important Hindu Text
• Essentially complete by 1200 B.C.E.
• Four collections of verses: Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, Atharva Veda
Bhagavad Gita
• Single most popular Hindu Text
• A section from the Mahabharata
• A “manual for makind” outlining major philisophical concepts of Hinduism, as well as
several types of yoga
• Central figure and teacher of the Bhagavad Gita is Krishna
Ramayana
• Poem written around 2nd century B.C.E.
• Tells the story of Rama, the 7th incarnation of Vishnu
Polytheistic or Monotheistic
• In definition, Hinduism is Polytheistic
• Hindus consider themselves monotheistic though
• Hinduism asserts a single Supreme Being called Brahman, but incorporates the worship
of several different gods that represent Brahman’s different aspects
Hinduism Beginnings
• Its roots stretch back as far as 2000 B.C.E.
• It was written down in the Vedic texts beginning around 1500 B.C.E.
• Hinduism is unique among major world religions in that it has no single founder
Four Purposes of Life
• Dharma- Duty (generally meaning one’s vocation)
• Artha- Wealth (The pursuit of worldly success)
• Kama- Physical Pleasure
• Moksha- the most important: enlightenment, liberation, union with Brahma
Yoga
• Union of the self with the Hindu Supreme Being
• Generally, refers to the many paths toward enlightenment