HINDUISM

HINDUISM

• No formal founder• No formal church• roots lie in the beliefs

and practices of the ancient Aryans– crossed thru the Khyber

Pass into South Asia from Caucasus Mtns

– brought Hindu beliefs

Khyber Pass

Indus River Valley Civilizations• 2500 -1500 BCE• over 1000 miles

– worlds largest early civ

• Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro most important cities

• capital cities• well organized gov’ts• checkered board pattern streets• walled fortress• supply warehouses• sewer system• taxed in form of food

– traded w/ ancient Sumer of Mesopotamia

Archaeology• Theories for decline of

Indus Valley Civ’s– natural causes

• too dry for farming• over-farmed land• floods?

– invaders from the north

• Scholars believe that the DRAVIDIANS are descendents from the ancient Aryans

ARYAN Culture

• migration took 100s of years• invented Chariots • brought Hinduism

– developed Sanskrit

• INDRA: warrior god• also farmers & herders• cattle as wealth• Rajahs: hereditary chiefs that rule

the villages

Aryan Migration into South Asia

SACRED TEXTS of HINDUISM• VEDAS: contain eternal truths that

were revealed to wise men

– ca. 6000 - 1500 BCE– contain hymns, incantations,

and rituals from ancient India

– give a unique view of everyday life in India four thousand years ago

– 4 VEDAS

• UPANISHADS: helps to explain the Vedas

• Written in SANSKRIT

SACRED TEXTS• UPANISHADS: helps to explain

the Vedas

• the Epics - – Mahabharata: “the great story”

• longest written story

– 100,000 verses

• poem @ 12 yr war btwn two royal families

• Bhagavad Gita: “song of God”

– Ramayana: “Rama’s Way”

• to avoid war, Rama places himself in exile, thus not becoming heir to the throne

• written in SANSKRIT

The CASTE SYSTEM• Varna means color

– suggest that caste was first determined by skin color

• Brahmins: – priests

• Kshatriyas: – warriors, rulers

• Vaisyas: – landowners, merchants, herders

• Sudras: – servants, peasants

• UNTOUCHABLES

Harijans (Untouchables or Dalits)

• Considered to by so lowly that – they do not have a caste.

• Perform the despicable tasks like killing animals, tanning hides, sweeping and cleaning.

• Gandhi called them the children of God

• 1950 Indian Constitution abolished untouchability…but still exists

Weakening of theCaste System • Greater educational opportunities• Movement of people to cities

– blurs caste lines.

• Constitutional changes: – all people have the right to vote.

• The work of Gandhi • Globalization

– Growth of industry and need for jobs

– Technology

Gandhi

Cities

4 Principles of Hinduism • Dharma: duties &

responsibilities according to one’s caste.

• Karma: one’s actions in this life, will effect the next lives (vice-versa)

• Samsara: Wheel of Life– birth, disease, death, rebirth

• Moksha: – Hindu enlightenment– escape fm Samsara– becomes one w/

Brahman

HINDU Beliefs• Brahman “single supreme force”

– universal soul– formless & unlimited

• ATMAN “essential self is part of the universal soul”– unity of ALL life

• Reincarnation thru KARMA-SAMSARA– “wheel of life”

• good deeds bring joy• bad deeds bring sadness

• Maya: illusion

The HINDU TRINITYThe HINDU TRINITY• Brahma: Creator God

– all other gods come from Brahma

– MonistMonist

• Vishnu: Preserver God– ten avatars “incarnations”

– returns to earth as avatars to bring justice/balance

• Shiva: Destroyer God– “The Cosmic Dance”

– equivalent to the oscillating universe theory

BRAHMA• The Creator God• all other gods come from Brahma• four faces represent the four

corners o/t universe• He holds

– a sacrificial ladle – the four Vedas– jar of holy water from the Ganges

River– necklace of prayer beads

VISHNU

• “The Preserver God”• greatest of the gods• maintain balance of good

and bad• ten avatars “incarnations”

– returns to earth as avatars to bring justice/balance

• Krishna

• Buddha

SHIVA

• The Destroyer God• “The Cosmic Dance”

– the dance of Shiva symbolizes the creation and destruction of the universe

– equivalent to the oscillating universe theory

– pg. 241

SRI YANTRA

• symbol of spiritual evolution

• focal point for meditation

• 9 triangles intersect to form 43 triangles

• 3 concentric circles

• framed by a square

• This form is the geometric expression of thedivine sound of creation... OM

Hindu Religious SymbolsHindu Religious Symbols• Sri Yantra

– symbol of spiritual evolution– focal point for meditation– This form is the geometric

expression of thedivine sound of creation... OM

• OM or AUM– Main symbol of Hinduism– visual and verbal expression of

god– transcend one’s thoughts &

merge w/ god.– “a” = beginning– “u” = progress– “m” = dissolution – “reflects the POWER responsible

for creation, development and destruction of the universe

OM or AUM• Main symbol of Hinduism• visual and verbal expression of

god– transcend one’s thoughts & merge

w/ god.

• “a” = beginning• “u” = progress• “m” = dissolution

– “reflects the POWER responsible for creation, development and destruction of the universe”

SRI YANTRA

This form is the geometric expression of thedivine sound of creation... OM

SIKHISM

• Combination of Hinduism and Islam– reincarnation– Allah

• Founder: Guru Nanak• Holy book: Guru

Granth• Place of worship:

Gurdwara

SIKHISM symbols• Khanda

– God’s universal and creative power

• Five K’s– Kesh: Uncut Hair and Beard

• honors the way of nature

• A TURBAN covers the head of males

– most visible symbol

– sign of Sikh power

– Kangha: Comb holding hair in place

• keeping the spirit in place

SIKHISM symbols con’t

• Kara: Steel bracelet• worn on right wrist• symbolizes strength• unity of god

Kirpan: double edged dagger or sword– duty to defend Sikhism

• Kaccha: trousers worn by warriors– symbol of modesty and

moral restraint

Sikh Golden Temple

Amritsar, Punjab

Sikh Discrimination

• Discriminated against by Muslims & Hindus

• Tried to stay neutral during India – Pakistan partition

• Current Prime Minister of India is a Sikh:– Manmohan Singh

• Sikh diaspora

THERAVADA BUDDHISM

• “Doctrine o/t Elders”• conservative branch• The Little Wheel

– less followers

• Buddha is a teacher• Spread to Sri Lanka,

Myanmar, Thailand

THERAVADA BUDDHISM • ideal is arhat

– become an enlightened saint– wisdom

• few possessions– begging bowl– three colored robes– a belt– a mending needle– fan to cover face– razor to shave head– water strainer

MAHAYANA BUDDHISM• “Great Vehicle” or “Big Wheel”

– majority of followers

• non-monastic life

• Buddha is a god

• Spread to China, Tibet, Korea & Japan

• ideal is compassion– can attain nirvana through assisting

others

• Bodhisattva: holds back on attaining nirvana to help others