Introduction to Hinduism

There is only one God, but

endless are his aspects and

endless are his names

What do Hindus Believe?

One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman

Manifest as many personal deities

True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter (“That art thou”)

Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)

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)

What is Hinduism?

One of the oldest religions of humanity 5500–2600 BCE

No particular founder.

Hinduism does not have a unified system of belief encoded in declaration of faith

A philosophy and a way of life – focused both on this world and beyond

Location of Hindus

The vast

majority

of Hindus

live in

India and

Nepal

Origins

Aryans

An Indo-European people.

Migrated to India in about 1500 BCE from

the Caucus Mountains.

Brought the Vedas.

Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority

Sacred Texts

Rig Veda: Hinduism’s oldest

text, nearly 4000 years old.

Bhagavad Gita: Hinduism’s

most popular sacred text

The Major Gods Of Hinduism

Brahma:

The creator god

Vishnu:

The preserver god

Shiva: god of destruction/

transformation so that

new can be created

Festivals and Holy Days

No set day of the week is holy-each days has

its possibilities

Religious festivals may be solar or lunar-lunar

is preferred

There are 125 special days in the Hindu year.

Reincarnation

Samsara: constant cycle of rebirth.

Death is not final for Hindus they expect to be

reborn many times.

People may be reincarnated at a higher or

lower level of existence depending on their

karma from their present life.

People may be reborn as plants or animals or

they may be elevated to a higher caste as a

human.

Goal of Hinduism

Moksha: release or liberation of atman (the soul) from the endless cycle of rebirth (samsara). You achieve Moksha by having good Karma.

Infinite bliss and awareness

United forever with the divine

Sacred exclamation to be uttered at the

beginning and end of a reading of the Vedas

or previously to any prayer or mantra

Caste System:

Four major castes

Brahmin: priests

Kshatriya: warriors and administrators

Vaishya: farmers, merchants, teachers, artisans

Sudras: servants, laborers

Untouchables lived outside the caste system.

Their presence was considered harmful.

Places of Worship

Hindu temples exist but Hinduism is

usually practiced in the home where

there is usually a shrine dedicated to a

favored deity

The Ganges River

Falling from Its source of Vishnu’s feet onto

Shiva’s head and out from his hair, the water of the

Ganges is sacred enough to purify all sins.

Sacred Cow of India

Milk holds a central place in religious

rituals.

In honor of their exalted status, cows often

roam free.

A citizen can be sent to jail

for killing or injuring a cow.

Banaras - Hindu’s Holy City

Pilgrims come from all over to bathe in the Ganges.

Countless Hindus come to die

1500 temples, most of them devoted to Shiva.

It is a gathering place for the religiously learned and their disciples.

What are the spiritual practices of

Hinduism?

Yogas: seeking union with the divine

Guru: a spiritual teacher

Gandhi: the Father of India

For Gandhi, social concern was deeply rooted in his conviction of the sacredness of life.

Gandhi believed that human beings should strive to live as simply as possible since overindulgence often meant that others may have to do without their basic needs.

Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic on January 30, l948 as India was gaining its independence.

ShudrasShudras

VaishyasVaishyas

KshatriyasKshatriyas

BrahminsBrahmins

Karma & Dharma

Karma: Total of good and bad actions a

human soul carries with it from life to life.

Karma determines all the particular

circumstances and Situations of one’s life.

Dharma: system of rules and values that

Hindus follow in their everyday life