Download Hinduism

Hinduism
Where in the world are Hindus?
• map of religion
The Vedas
 1200 BCE-600 BCE.
 written in SANSKRIT.
 Hindu core of
beliefs:
Rig Veda  oldest work.

hymns and poems.

religious prayers.

magical spells.

lists of the gods
and goddesses.
• Brahmins- priests
and wise men
• Kshatriyas- warriors
and rulers.
• Vaishyas- merchants,
traders and small
farmers.
• Shudras- peasants
and field workers.
• Untouchablesperform jobs no one
else will do
• http://youtu.be/j31v
eR74gSo
Varna (Social Hierarchy)
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
Vaishyas
Shudras
Pariahs [Harijan]  Untouchables
The Caste
System
WHO IS…
Brahmins
Kshatriyas
 The mouth?
 The arms?
Vaishyas
 The legs?
 The feet?
Shudras
Do Hindus believe in God?
• Hindus officially are considered polytheistic.
• They believe in one impersonal Ultimate
Reality – Brahman
• To make sense of this universal God Hindu
developed many many gods to make sense
of their religion
A few examples
• Brahma- the
creator god
Vishnu- The Preserver and Sustainer
Shiva the destroyer
Gods, Gods and More Gods
• These gods all have other personalities or
avatars that also are worshipped
• The gods are usually showed with human
characteristics but are often bright colors or
with multiple body
partshttp://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_g
ods_and_goddesses.htm http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_a
nd_goddesses.htm
All these deities are but
Manifest forms (attributes
and functions) of the
impersonal Brahman
What do Hindus believe?
• True essence of life –
Atman, the soul, is the
universal god in you.(
Brahman)
• Reincarnation – atman is
continually born into
this world lifetime after
lifetime (Samsara)
How do I change my status?
• We all have different roles in life and
fulfilling these roles is called Dharma. This
means our moral duty
• Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions
keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)
• Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and
reunite with the divine, becoming as one
with Brahman (Moksha)
Other beliefs
• There are rules and behaviors that are
expected of Hindus like in other religions.
• The way people pray, the gods they worship
and the rituals they practice can vary from
place to place. This is called puja
• This is consistent for all Hindus
Human life is supreme