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Ancient Civilizations
Hinduism: A Way of Life
Introductory Material
 Hinduism is the world’s
 It is also the third largest world religion; accounting for ~
 Hinduism does NOT have a__________________ it’s roots lie in the tradition of the _________.
 Hinduism is complex, and sometimes contradictory and reveals the nature of life.
Sacred Texts
 The Vedas ~ Contain eternal truths that were revealed to wise men during the Vedic Age.
 The Upanishads ~ Help to explain the ideas in the Vedas.
 Ramayana
 Mahabharata
Is Hinduism Polytheistic?
 It appears polytheistic, but it is truly monistic or more accurately “henotheistic.” What does
that mean?
 Monistic ~ Mind and matter are essentially the same.
 A parallel to this is the
 All the gods are merely different representations of __________________of the
universe.
Henotheism
 Henotheistic ~

. (Brahman)
Brahman
 Brahman is the nameless, formless and unlimited basic divine essence that fills the world.

 This is not to be confused with BRAHMINS –.
Overview of Hindu Gods/Goddesses
 There are __________________of Hindu gods/goddesses.
 We will focus on:
1. Brahma
2. Vishnu
3. Siva/Shiva
4. Ganesh
5. Hanuman
Brahma

 His activity creates the cycle of light and dark throughout the day.
 In order to create the world and the human race, Brahma created a goddess out of himself.
 He is usually depicted with
 Also shown holding the
Vishnu

 Embodiment of mercy and goodness.
 Preserves the universe and maintains cosmic order.
 He never
 Incarnations of Vishnu
 Vishnu is often depicted with four weapons.
 Most often there is a balance of good and evil in the world, but sometimes the demons get the
upper hand.
 When this happens ~ Vishnu takes one of ______________________________(these
are called avatars) to return to earth and re-set the balance.
Siva (Shiva)

 He is also the god of change – which can be good. (Ex. Getting rid of bad habits.)
 Shiva often represented in ________________to represent the creation and destruction of
universe and reveals the cycle of birth, death and re-birth
Ganesh (Ganesha)
 Human form with head of an
 Large head symbolizes wisdom and understanding.
 Trunk ~ Strength
 Right Tusk ~
 Left Tusk (broken) ~ Emotion
 One
Hanuman
 God/protector of provider of courage, hope, knowledge , intellect and devotion.
 Shown holding a mace – sign of bravery.
 Also shown with tattoo of Rama and Sita to show his devotion to the couple.

Atman
 Atman is the essence of an individual person.
 Each person’s atman (soul) is part of a larger, universal soul. (All humans are part of the same
soul.)
 Because of this, atman and brahman.
Maya
 The world known to our senses is
 Our .
 We can be delivered from suffering if we can identify maya. (The illusions.)
 Unfortunately this can take lifetimes.
 People suffer from pain and sorrow because they pursue false goals, material riches and
personal pleasure.
Role of Animals in Hinduism
 Cows are seen as sacred. They provide the power for the plow, food, fuel and fertilizer.
 V_______________________________ is not a requirement for Hinduism, but recommended as
a “purifying lifestyle.”

50% of Hindus are vegetarian.
Role of Animals in Hinduism
 Other animals also play a key role throughout Hinduism.
 As Hindus have a strong belief in the sacredness of all forms of life, many of their deities take
the form of animals.
 Elephants
 Monkeys
 Turtles & fish
 Tigers
 Crocodiles
 Snakes
 Deer
Sacredness of all life. . .
Reincarnation
 Official name ~ “_____________________________”

 Refers to the rebirth of the soul, or when the soul enters the body of another being (either
human or animal).
 This stresses the importance of respecting all life forms.
 GOAL ~ ____________________________~ Free the soul from the cycle of reincarnation & the
soul can unite with Brahman.
What determines what your soul will become in the “next” life?
 Dharma
 Karma
Dharma
 The fulfillment of one’s moral DUTY in this life so that the soul can make progress toward
moksha in the next life.

refer to:
 Obedience to.
 Offer hope of a better life in the future.
 Encourage Hindus to behave morally.
Karma
 Comes from the Sanskrit word for “___________”

 Good deeds bring you happiness;.
 A person’s present situation is a result of deeds or misdeeds done in a past existence.
How does KARMA work?
 People who fulfill their dharma are rewarded with good karma and are
 If you don’t live a moral life, you will be reborn into a lower social group, or potentially animals
or insects.
The Goals of a Good Hindu:
1. Fulfill your
2. Be rewarded with
3. End cycle of
4. Attain salvation.
5. Enable your soul to reunite with the universal spirit, Brahman. This would be ____________.
What is an “AVATAR?”
 An avatar is an
 This is seen in Hinduism as gods that will often take on human forms.
YOGA!
 Physical and mental discipline
 Goal is to shut out the illusionary world of maya and free the mind of bodily concerns.
The Bindi
 The bindi is a colored dot. (Sanskrit for dot or point.)
 It is a
 It symbolizes the
 It is generally worn by women, with black representing that you are single, and red that you are
married.
 Nowadays, any color is accepted and is sometimes simply matched to clothing to be
fashionable.
Why is the Ganges sacred?
 Ganges is believed to be “life-giving” water.
 Bathing in its water washes away sin.
 To die along the banks assures eternal peace to the soul.
Funeral Rituals
 For married persons, cremation is the norm.
 Usually cremated on the bank of a river and the ashes are deposited in the river.
 Family members remain in the home for 10 days (the length of time it takes for the soul of the
deceased to acquire a new body).
Hindu Temples
 Called “
” in Sanskrit.
 Usually are dedicated to one primary deity and any other subordinate deities.
Interior of Temples
 The interior is highly.

to the Hindu gods are prominently displayed.
 This is a house of worship, prayer and meditation.
Hinduism and the Swastika
 The
 It represents the creator god,.
 It points in all 4 cardinal directions: N,S,E,W representing stability and
 It is used as a decoration for religious purposes.
 It can be used to decorate temples, signs, altars.
 The use of the swastika by Nazi subverted the original intent of it by the ancient Hindus almost
5,000 years before Nazism even existed.