One of oldest

religions

3rd largest religion

makes up 4/5 of the religions faith in India

(1 billion)

Derivative of word Hindu is the geographical term (Sindu River or Indus Valley)

No specific founder

For thousands of years the region assimilated many cultural customs and practices

Hindu Beliefs & Deities

Categorizing the religion of Hinduism is somewhat confusing:

• POLYTHEISTIC= worships multiple deities: gods and goddesses

• MONOTHEISTIC = it recognizes only one supreme God: the panentheistic principle of Brahman, that all reality is a unity. The entire universe is seen as one divine entity who is simultaneously at one with the universe and who transcends it as well

• HENOTHEISTIC= recognize a single deity, and recognizes other gods and goddesses as facets, forms, manifestations, or aspects of that supreme God

• MONISTIC=Ultimately, Hinduism is monistic—everything goes into the ‘one’, Brahman

Creator DestroyerPreserver

-is the supreme being-entity without form or quality-soul of universe-divine, invisible, unlimited

The ultimate aim of all Hindu thoughts is to attain the universal soul or divine wisdom called Brahman

Hindu’s believe in the freedom to individually worship and guide own spiritual experience.

The goals of Hinduism consist of personal conduct and righteous living which equals to dharma

Goal to achieve moksha, (liberation) from endless cycle of rebirths called Samsara and reunite atman with Brahman

GODS AND GODDESSIndian Holy Trinity - The Hindus believe in three major gods who represent the supreme reality. They each look after a particular part of the human experience- creation, preservation, and destruction.

Brahma is the god of creation. He is believed to have created the world. Although he is not worshiped much by Hindus, he is believed to be the most important of the three figures of the trinity.

Vishnu is the god of preservation. He is all knowing and merciful. He is believed to have appeared on earth nine times, coming back each time in a different incarnation. His most famous incarnation was Prince Rama, the hero of the Ramayana.

Shiva is the god of destruction. He is also associated with the life and transformation that comes through death. He is often shown either meditating or dancing.

Vishnu has many AVATARS (incarnations)who appear on earth as humans or animals to conquer evil and establish righteousness7th- Rama8th- Krishna9th- Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)10th – Kalki (yet to come)

Life Cycle of the Cosmos in Hinduism

In Hinduism, the universe is continually created and destroyed in an infinite cycle. Within this cycle individual life cycles, and reincarnation cycles happen.

The universe is created. While there is a lot of good energy, the Gods emerge. As good energy lessens, demons emerge and Vishnu comes to earth to protect. As negative energy increases, Shiva comes to destroy, and then creation begins again. All the while, individual reincarnations are occurring all the time. [See Overhead Visual]

• Son of Shiva and Parvati• Human body and an

elephant’s head with only one short tusk

• Worshipped as the remover of all obstacles

• Milk Miracle

Indus Valley• 4000 – 2200 BCE• Built houses for

worship• Stone sculptures and

charms to ward off evil

• Fire altars & animal sacrifices

• Still practiced today: ritual bathing, worship of goddess.

• Agricultural people and matriarchal society – placing a high importance on the role of women.

Aryans • 1700 BCE• Not agricultural

people and a patriarchal society, worshiping only male gods.

• Poems and ritual texts called VEDAS (early sacred writings)

• Rig Veda • Atman

VEDAS• Oldest scripture• Written in Sanskrit• Most important Veda is

the Rig Veda– 1000 hymns known

as mantras (prayers)– Describe how to

worship and perform rituals

UPNISHANDS• The last part of each Veda

is the Upnishands• Written by ascetics, who

revolted against the role of the priests (Brahmins)

• Upnishands means “sitting beside” a guru (spiritual teacher)

• These texts differ from earlier writings as they intended to inspire and welcome everyone, despite their status

• Central to the Upnishands is the belief in the atman (soul) and how one can attain moksha.

EPICS• Ramayana

– Sacred poem about Prince Rama, an Avatar of Vishnu

• Bhagavad Gita [“song of the Lord”]

– Best loved of the Hindu scriptures and a part of the greater epic called Mahabharata

LEGAL CODES• Laws of Manu

– Contains some of the most important laws of Hinduism, such as : caste system, male/female relationships, rules for priests and punishments for certain crimes

Caste System

mouth

arms

feet

thighs

People are born into a caste. The caste defines: your social statusYour occupationYour dress your eating habitsHow you worshipYour marriage partner

Mandir (temple) Brahmins

Chiefs and warriors

(Kshatriyas)

Skilled workers (Vaisyas)

Unskilled Workers(Sudras)

Traditional Hindu Village Structure

Untouchables (Pariiahs)

Depending on your karma you accumulate during your life it will affect which caste you will be born into during your next life.

If you generate a lot of good karma you will be born into a caste high up on the pyramid. If you generate a lot of bad karma you will be born into a caste lower in the pyramid.

The caste system is a later development in Hinduism. It comes from the Law of Manu (scripture).

The untouchables caste developed later and is not part of the scripture.

These five castes are basic division and each caste is further subdivided.

The caste system is illegal in India but it is still practiced in certain regions. For example, people in certain villages are not allowed to drink the well water from other villages of a higher caste for fear that they will contaminate the water as well as the others who drink from it.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Rights are clearly defined and strengthened for each group

No equality; oppression of the lower groups.

Self-governing (trial by peers)

Non-democratic; therefore it is hard to rise above one’s caste – you are born into and you stay there

Roles of each group are clearly defined (division of labour)

Higher groups have great responsibilities and punishments. Lower groups are limited in their role and are given low expectation in life.

Reflection / Discussion:

How is Toronto similar and/or different to the caste system?

How is Catholicism similar and/or different to the caste system?

DHARMA Dharma stands for the ultimate moral

balance of all things.

A Hindu’s dharma is played out in all areas of life: religious, social, and familial. If a person makes a promise, the promise must be kept at all costs. Likewise, the faithful maintain their religious rituals while attending to their family’s needs.

BUT WHAT IF AN INDIVIDUAL GOES ASTRAY?

This leads to the next major Hindu belief, karma.

KARMA

Have you ever heard someone say, “What goes around comes around”? What about, “You reap what you sow”? Both of these saying mirror the Hindu concept of karma.

Basically, karma is the belief of cause and effect (all actions have a consequence).

HOW CAN A HINDU HOPE TO FIND REDEMPTION FROM WRONGDOING?

The answer lies in samsara.

SAMSARA

Samsara is commonly known as the endless cycle of reincarnation. It is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth in which a person carries his or her own karma.

Good actions build up good karma and bad actions build up bad karma. When a person dies, if they have built up more good karma than bad karma, they are reborn into a higher caste (i.e. a farmer might be reincarnated as a merchant). If they have built up more bad karma, they are reborn into a lower caste (e.g. a priest might be reincarnated as a merchant).

WHAT HAPPENS, THEN, WHEN A PERSON BECOMES

PURIFIED? IS REINCARNATION AN

ETERNAL PROCESS, OR IS THERE ANOTHER REALM?

The answer lies in moksha.

MOKSHA

Moksha is the liberation from samsara (reincarnation) and the uniting of ATMAN (human soul) with Brahman (ultimate soul --- which is truly real).

However, true reality is obscured by MAYA– the illusion and distraction that stops us from perceiving reality.

SO HOW DOES ONE ESCAPE FROM THE MAYA --- THE

ILLUSION AND DISTRACTIONS OF LIFE?

According to Hindu’s there are

3 paths to salvation.

PATH OF KNOWLEDGE:Salvation is attained through “enlightenment”, which is achieved through deep meditation or yoga (joining of mind, body, and spirit).

a. Physical Meditation: Through physical exercise and controlled breathing.

b. Mental Meditation: By concentrating on certain images (mandals) or specific sounds (mantras – ex. OM).

PATH OF DEVOTION:Salvation is attained by giving total devotion or love to a particular god. This devotion involves rituals, prayers, and offerings to this god.PATH OF ACTION:Salvation is attained fulfilling one’s duty to society followed by self-denial. This path is open only to those people of higher castes. It has 4 basic stages:1. Student2. Householder3. Retiree4. Spiritual Pilgrim / Wanderer

SUMMARY

If you live your dharma (duties) according to your karma (law), then you will

achieve moksha (liberation) from samsara

(reincarnation). To do this you must leave behind all

maya (illusions).

– ॐ । असतो� मा सद्गमाय । तोमास� मा ज्य�तितोर्ग�माय । मा�त्य�मा�मा�तो� र्गमाय ।। – OM Asato mā sadgamaya, tamaso mā jyotirgamaya,

mrityormāmritam gamaya – "OM (Lead me) from falsehood to truth, from darkness to

light, from death to immortality."

• Aum (also Om, ॐ) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism and Vedas

• Used in mediation and prayer as sound gives supernatural power

• Represents the original sound of creation• To chant “om” will steady and elevate the mind

MEDITATION VIDEO CLIPS

OM MANTRA

Instructions: Clear your desk and close your eyes. Keep them close and listen closely to the sound as it soothes your soul.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8n4U_tmuY&feature=related

MEDITATION VIDEO CLIPS

HARE KRISHNA MANTRA

This video provides instructions as to how to chant the “Hare Krishna” mantra.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rcj5hD-3DpE&feature=related

This video offers in-depth information on the “Hare Krishna”.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LazF7U8MRQ

This video is George Harrison’s (from the Beatles) popular version of “Hare Krishna”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVMgEupff-E&feature=related

• Good luck symbol representing “well being”

• Usually illustrated in red

• Used on wedding invitations, drawings

• Used in rituals to bring good luck and protect against evil

• 4 Paths to Salvation• 4 Stages of Life• 4 Goals of Life • Caste System• Puja• Upanayana

• Vegetarianism “holy cow”• Arranged Marriages• Diwali• Ahimsa• Yoga

• Best known Hindu in world• Fought to end discrimination against Indians in South Africa• Tolerant of all religions• Religious ideals on duty, truth, non-violence (ahimsa) and

spiritual liberation (moksha)• Negotiated independence of India in 1947• Opposed social injustice of Hindu society (ie. untouchables)• Assasinatied in 1948