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Hinduism
Mr. Johnson
Hinduism 15.1
India’s first major religion
No single person founded it
Began before written history
dharma – basic belief that stands for law, obligation & duty
Ramayana – an ancient Hindu text that tells about life in
ancient India and offers models for dharma
Hinduism 15.2
Vedism was the name of the early Hindu religion
Vedas – collection of sacred texts, including verses, hymns,
prayers and teachings that lay out the basic beliefs of
Hinduism
Sanskrit – Indian ancient form of writing
Brahmins – priests an religious scholars who formed
dominant social class in India
Later Vedism is often called Brahmanism
Hinduism 15.3
Caste is a class or group in Hindu society
The Vedas describe four main social classes who each have
their own duty
Brahmins – priests and religious scholars
Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors
Vaishyas – herders and merchants
Shudras - servants
Eventually 5th class developed called the untouchables
Could not change caste
Hinduism 15.4
Brahman is the name for the supreme power
Hinduism sees time going around in a circle
Hindus believe Brahman is constantly creating, destroying
and re-creating the universe
Hinduism 15.5
3 most important deities who control the universe:
Brahma – creates it
Vishnu – preserves it
Shiva – destroys it
Hinduism 15.6
Basic values
Dharma – law, obligation and duty
Value marriage
Sharing food with others
Caring for one’s soul
Nonviolence (believe all forms of life have a soul)
Hinduism 15.7
Karma was made up of all the good and evil a person had
done in his past life
Live good to be reborn into a higher class or live badly and be
reborn into a lower class or even animal
Hinduism 15.8
Samsara is the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth
(called reincarnation)
Samsara ends when the soul escapes and is united with
Brahman