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ORIGINS OF HINDUISM
Origins of Hinduism
The Big Idea
Hinduism, the largest religion in India today,
developed out of ancient Indian beliefs and
practices.
Main Ideas
• Indian society was divided into distinct groups
under the Aryans.
• The Aryans practiced a religion known as
Brahmanism.
• Hinduism developed out of Brahmanism and
influences from other cultures.
Vocabulary
HINDUISM: The main
religion of India that
grew out of the beliefs
of the ancient Aryan
peoples; it teaches
that everything is part
of a universal spirit
called Brahman.
Vocabulary
Vedas:“Books of
Knowledge.”
These were the
ancient books of
sacred poems,
hymns, myths,
and rituals on
which much of
Hinduism is
based.
The Varnas
•Aryan society was
divided into groups
•Groups organized
by occupation
•Strict rules about
how people could
interact
The Varnas
Brahmins: Priests
Vaisyas: Farmers,
craftspeople and traders
Kshatriyas: Rulers
and Warriors
Sudras: Workers and
servants
Caste System
Individuals
• Place in society
based on birth,
wealth, or
occupation
• 3,000 castes
once existed in
India.
• Individuals
could rarely
change castes.
Caste Rules
• Sutras (guides)
listed all the
rules for the
caste system.
• Breaking rules
resulted in a
transfer to a
lower caste.
Brahmanism
Brahmanism
• Aryan
priests were
called
Brahmins.
Vedic Texts
•Brahmins
wrote
thoughts
about Vedas
called Vedic
Texts
•Vedic texts
describe
rituals
•Upanishads
Evolving
Beliefs
The Vedas,
Upanishads,
and other
Vedic texts
began
blending
with beliefs
from
different
cultures,
creating
Hinduism.
Hinduism Beliefs
• Universal spirit-Brahman
created the universe and
everything in it. Everything in
the world is part of Brahman.
•Every person has a soul or
atman that will eventually join
with Brahman.
•People’s souls are
reincarnated many times before
they can join with Brahman.
•A person’s karma affects how
he or she will be reincarnated.
Hindu Beliefs
Brahma
“The Creator”
One god who is
everywhere and
in everyone and
everything. His
four faces
symbolize the
four Vedas.
Hindu Beliefs
Siva: (Shiva)
Siva is the
destroyer of
monster enemies.
Siva is dancing on
the back of a
demon he has
defeated.
Hindu Beliefs
Vishnu
•Preserver
•Symbols of his
power and
greatness:
•Conch shell
•mace
•discus
Hindu Beliefs
Reincarnation
Life and Rebirth
•Every person has a soul or atman that will
eventually join with Brahman.
•People’s souls are reincarnated many
times before they can join with Brahman.
•Reincarnation: A belief that souls are born
and reborn many times, each time into a
new body. People move in a constant cycle
of birth, death, and rebirth. Form of rebirth
depends upon your karma.
Hinduism and the Caste System
Karma: The effects that good or bad
actions have on a person’s soul.
What a person does in one life
influences the caste that person
will be born into in the next life.
Hinduism and the Caste System
Karma
Moksha
•Good actions
build good
karma and
people are born
into a higher
caste
•Good karma
will bring
salvation or
freedom from
life’s worries
and the
continual cycle
of rebirth
•Evil actions
build bad karma
and people are
born into a
lower caste
Dharma
•Accept your
place in the
world without
complaint
•Builds good
karma
•Preserves the
caste system
Hinduism became the
starting point for another
world religion.
Buddhism
Review
1. What are the varnas. Name the 4 varnas.
2. What is the caste system based upon?
3. What happens if you break the rules of
your caste?
4. What is Brahmanism?
5. What are the sacred texts of Hinduism?
6. What is Brahman?
7. Define the following:
• atman
• karma
•reincarnation
•moksha
•dharma
Jainism
•Based on the
teachings of Mahavira
•Kshatriya-unhappy
with control of
religion by Brahmins
•Too much ritual
•Gave up luxury and
became a monk
•Established the
principles of Jainism
The Four Principles
•Injure no life
•Tell the truth
•Do not steal
•Own no property
Jains Practice
Nonviolence
• Everything is part of
the cycle of rebirth
•No injuring or killing
of any creaturehumans, insects,
animals, plants
•Vegetarians
Mohandas Ghandi
Ghandi led a long,
nonviolent
struggle against
British rule in
India. This helped
India win
independence
from Britain in
1947.
Dr. Martin Luther
King Jr.
Dr. King adopted
Ghandi’s nonviolent
methods in his
struggle to win civil
rights for African
Americans.
Cesar Chavez
In the 1960’s
Cesar Chavez
organized a
campaign of
nonviolence to
protest the
treatment of farm
workers in
California.