sample lesson

3000 BC Dravidic people settled inIndus Valley

- strong worship of a formof feminine divinity and of Siva

- lasts until 1500 BC

around Aryan invasions of Indus1500 BC valley (and extending to

around 1000 BC).

C.a 800 BC compilation of oral Vedas

600 BC – Production of Upanishads100 BC

After Romance of Ramayana300 BC and Mahabharata and

Bhagavad-gita

200 AD Compilation of the Laws of Manu

500 AD Hindu Tantric traditionestablished

1206 Muslim Sultanateestablished in Delhi

1483 – 1530 Reign of Babur, founder of Mughal empire

1556 – 1605 Reign of Mughal emperorAkbar

1757 British Rule established in Calcutta

1772-1833 Life of Hindu ReformerRam Rohan Roy – founderof society of Brahman,1828

1857 – 1858 Abolition of Mughalempire and establishmentof direct British rule.

1920 Ghandi launches anti-British campaign based onnon-violence

1947 India grantedindependence from Britain

1948 Ghandi assassinated

1966 International Society forKrishna Consciousnessfounded in New York

Perceptions Exercise

Task: As you read the chapters on Hinduism write the terms with the correct definitions below.Sanatana Dharma; Moksha; Indra; Saivism; Smriti; Dharma; Karma; Pantheism; Margas; Scruti;Samsara; Vedas; Atman; Vaishnavism; Agni; Dvija.

DefinitionEverything is God

Heard writings

The twice-born ceremony

God of fire

Earliest Hindu writings

Devotion to god Siva

Escape into the one eternal reality

The ‘running around’ – entrapment

Devotion to god Vishnu

Warrior and storm god

The Soul

Remembered writings

Eternal law/religion

Paths to salvation

Duty

Actions that determine future existence

Term

Read pages 19 to 21.

� What are the origins of the term

Hinduism?

PE

RC

EP

TI

ON

S Before reading the chapters on Hinduism:

� What would you say Hinduism is about?

� What are Hindu people like?

� How do Hindus live?

GL

OS

SA

RY

‘Hinduism is far more unstructured than

most other religions. It has no archbishops,

chief rabbis, grand muftis. Each Hindu

decides for himself which manifestations

of God are most important to him, what

scriptures to accept as authentic, which

holy man to follow. The one ineluctable

certainty is a person's dharma.’

(C) The Economist Newspaper Limited, London 1991¿

6

TI M E LI N E ORIGINS OF THE‘ETERNAL RELIGION’

Give a brief explanation of the diagram:

Explain how a person’s life would be affected by beliefin polytheism.

What is your response to the concept of a multitude ofgods in the universe?

Gods, drugs and sacrifice

� Fill in the gaps in the diagram of the Vedas andtheir various extensions below.

THE VEDAS

From page 27, write a paragraph on the Upanishads.

Include the following:

The term Upanishad means . . .

The term takes its meaning from . . .

Many Hindus claim that the Upanishads are . . .

Read pages 27 to 29.Brahman: The One behind the many

What do you feel about the possibility that you are a‘spark’ from a ‘flame’ that ultimately needs to bereabsorbed into the flame?

UPANISHADS

Vedas

Extensions

Verses

Chants

Atharvan Priests

Aranyakas

Mahatma Ghandi (1869 – 1948)

Considered the father of the Indian nation. Famous for policy

of non-violent resistance – crucial in the fight for Indian

Independence. This policy was emulated by Dr. Martin Luther

King Jnr. in the United States in the fight for civil rights for

black Americans on the 1950s and ‘60s.

Did you know?

Every 12 years at the festival of Kumbh Mela,millions make the pilgrimage to meet on the

banks of the Ganges to bathe, pray, and makeofferings to the holy men. Hindus believe that theGanges will wash away the sins of the pilgrims,

along with those of previous generations.

7

The Hindu understanding of the cycle of life

In the above extract, how does the writer describethe process of ‘life on a pilgrimage’ for the Hindu?

The truth of life is that Brahman is no different from

Atman, the spiritual force within us, what you might call the

soul. The individual soul touches upon the world soul like a

well reaches for the water table. That which sustains the

universe beyond thought and language, and that which is at

the core of us and struggles for expression, is the same thing.

The finite within the infinite, the infinite within the finite. If

you ask me how Brahman and Atman relate precisely, I

would say in the same way as the Father, the Son, and the

Holy Spirit relate: mysteriously. But one thing is clear: Atman

seeks to realise Brahman, to be united with the Absolute,

and it travels in this life on a pilgrimage where it is born and

dies, and is born again and dies again, and again and again,

until it manages to shed the sheaths that imprison it here

below. The paths to liberation are numerous, but the bank

Provide an explanation of the Hindu concept ofEntrapment by explaining each of the key componentsof the diagram

Moksha

� What, according to Hinduism is the ‘goal of life’?

� How do you feel about the ultimate goal ofHinduism? What does this mean for who you are?

� What do you feel is the ultimate goal in being human?

Write a short speech outlining the essential Hinduunderstanding of the life cycle. Design your speech sothat a year seven or eight student could understand it.Present it to the class.

along the way is always the same, the Bank of Karma, where the

liberation account of each of us is credited or debited depending

on our actions. This, in a holy nutshell, is Hinduism, and I have

been a Hindu all my life. With its notions in mind I see my place

in the universe.

From Life of Pi, by Yann Martel¡

Did you know?

Hindus are generally strong believers in astrology and take special religious

significance from the movement of the sun, moon, and various planets. Depending

on the positions of the planets various days are unsuitable for weddings and

important business decisions.

8

Read pages 29 to 33.

Caste, Duty and SalvationRead pages 35 and 36. Write a paragraph onthe Bhagavad-gita. Include the following:

� What the Bhagavad-gita is.

� The major contribution of the Bhagavad-gitaaccording to the author.

The Four Castes of People in Hindu SocietyRead pages 36 to 38.

Fill in the details of the table to illustrate the four levelsof Hindu society.

The Four Levels of Hindu Society

What is the implication of such an understanding of ‘levels’ of society for people in each of the fourcategories? Consider both the positive and negativeaspects.

The Three ‘Paths’ to SalvationRead pages 38 and 39.Path of duties (karma-yoga)

What response do you have regarding dharma,detachment, and karma-less action?

What is the significance of performing actions withcomplete detachment?

Do you think it is possible to act with ‘completedetachment’?

Path of knowledge (jnana-yoga)

How appealing do you find the path of knowledge?How might someone become interested in this way of salvation?

SMRITI LITERATURE

Brahmans (Priests)

Ksatriyas (Warrior-kings)

Vaisyas (Common people)

Sudras (Servants)

George Harrison (1943 – 2001) Beatles guitarist, songwriter. Harrison’s search for God began in his

mid ‘20s. It led him to delve deeply into the mystical world of

eastern religions, especially Hinduism, Indian philosophy, culture

and music.

A student is feeling lonely at school. She is having trouble

fitting in with her group of friends. She feels misunderstood

at home and doesn’t feel she is able to relate to her parents.

She has a sense of being directionless. All things look

meaningless to her. She aches for meaning, significance

and hope.

What would the Hindu faith have to say to her?

What answers would Hinduism offer to her problems?9

When Shaini Sivagnanam migrated with her

family to Australia from Sri Lanka, in 1996, she

always knew she would bring her Hindu faith

with her. ‘I can’t even imagine not being a

Hindu,’ she gasps. ‘It is the thing that gives me

direction in life. Without it I would be very

confused,’ she adds.

Shaini is from a family of five who came to Australia under the Australian

government’s skilled migration program. Since arriving in Australia Shaini

has been to school and university. At 23, she is in the workforce as an

Actuarial Analyst. There were some adjustments to make when joining

Australian culture. ‘There was much stricter discipline in my Sri Lankan

school,’ she explains. ‘The students had more respect for the teachers.’

Learning a new language was also difficult.

Overall, the experience has been a good one, however. Shaini has thrown

herself into life in Australia. She enjoys playing video games, going to the

movies and going out with her friends. She loves music and is currently

learning the Veena – a very large Indian instrument like a guitar, although

very big. ‘You have to sit down to play it,’ she explains. Shaini is highly

involved in the community. She teaches ‘human values’ at her local

worship centre where the program focuses on character education —

mainly truth, right conduct, love, peace and non-violence. She is studying

for a Diploma in Education in Human Values. She also likes to be involved

in voluntary services such as visits to nursing homes and teaching new

migrants computer skills.

Her life is full, and Hindu belief is an important part of who she is. So

what does her Hindu faith mean to her? ‘It explains and makes sense of

life,’ says Shaini. ‘Especially the idea of reincarnation helps to explain

some of the mysteries of life. It helps to understand the inequalities – why

some people are disabled and others are poor.’ ‘Hinduism,’ says Shaini

‘is about trying to live the right way.’ She explains that it is her belief that

there is a cosmic reaction to all actions in life. ‘If I do the wrong thing, I

will pay for it. There will be a cost,’ says Shaini. Right behaviour, according

to Shaini’s beliefs, will bring reward. Shaini says that the only way to

escape reincarnation and the constant cycle of being born and re-born is

to surrender to God’s will – to merge with God. This is called self-

realisation.

Escaping this life remains the ultimate goal. Shaini says that people from

her faith want to be released from the suffering of the world. ‘We are

looking for escape,’ she says. ‘When you are merged with God you will

experience bliss.’

So what does Shaini make of the suffering that is so much a part of life?

‘Suffering is a result of our Karma,’ she suggests. ‘Suffering is just

perception. Great people are able to direct and control their thoughts and

understand that suffering is merely a perception of the mind. Like last

year when I didn’t have a job, I was suffering. But it was more the way I

perceived the situation . . . a lot of it is about controlling your thoughts,’

she explains. So is there real suffering or is it all perception? ‘It is

perception,’ says Shaini.

Shaini says that her Hindu faith affects the way she views the world and

especially other people. Shaini describes this as ‘unity.’ ‘Everyone is the

same in essence – there is the essence of God in everyone – this is the

reason why we should treat people well.’

Shaini says that like other religions, Hindus also believe in one God.

Contrary to how some people perceive Hinduism, Shaini says that it is not

about idol worship. The idols are representative of different characteristics

of the same one God. ‘God allows us to relate to him in different forms

– the idol [merely] represents aspects of God to us,’ says Shaini.

And what does Shaini make of other faiths? ‘Even though they are

different they all reach the same goal – just in a different way. It is up to

the individual to follow whatever path to God they find. It might even be

that God chooses your religion for you. There are many

misunderstandings, and some people, although mistaken [about the

exclusive claims of their religion], are still on the same path as the rest of

us,’ says Shaini.

Interview with Shaini Sivagnanam

1. What evidence is there to suggest thatShaini’s faith is very important to her?

2. Why do you think that reincarnation isperceived as a bad thing in the Hindu faith?How does Shaini explain the way peoplemay escape the cycle of birth and re-birth?

3. How do you react to Shaini’s assessment of suffering being essentially a perception?

4. Write down questions you would have for Shainiregarding her faith and her beliefs. Discuss these in class.

5. How do you respond to the belief in all religions being on the ‘same path,’ as Shaini puts it?

Did you know?The namaste gesture (hands together, bowing head) means ‘I bow to the divine in you’.10

Path of devotion (bhakti-yoga)

What looks to be the most appealing about this ‘path’to salvation?

Thinking it through

Design a pamphlet to be sent out from a Hindu templeto your local area in the form of a letter-box-drop. Thepamphlet should aim to give the essentials of theHindu faith. It should include something of the historyof Hinduism, the paths to salvation, the important textsof Hinduism and some examples of the gods of theHindu faith.

The pamphlet should be written in a catchy and appealing fashion. It should aim to make Hinduism understandable to someone whoknows nothing (or very little) of the Hindu faith.

Local Government areas by – Religious Affiliation¬

Birthplace of Hindus in Australia¬

India 31938

Fiji 19748

Australia 16570

Sri Lanka 10206

Malaysia 2251

South Africa 2241

Nepal 1717

Singapore 1303

LGA Hinduism Percent Total

Blacktown (NSW) 5974 2.3 255195

Liverpool (NSW) 5256 3.4 153633

Brisbane (Qld) 5201 0.6 873780

Parramatta (NSW) 4045 2.8 143143

Monash (Vic) 3317 2.1 155061

Year Numbers Percentage of Pop

1986 - -

1991 43,600 0.3

1996 67,279 0.38

2001 95,473 0.5

Hinduism in Australia¬

Sachin Tendulkar

Indian cricketer regarded as one of the greatest

batsmen in the world. Up to July 2004 he has scored

9470 runs at an average of 57.39 with 37 centuries

and a highest score of 241.

Did you know?

By the 19th century, Britain had assumed politicalcontrol of virtually all Indian lands. Nonviolent

resistance to British colonialism under MohandasGANDHI and Jawaharlal NEHRU led to independence

in 1947. The subcontinent was divided into thesecular state of India and the smaller Muslim state of Pakistan. A third war between the two countries

in 1971 resulted in East Pakistan becoming theseparate nation of Bangladesh.

Debate:‘Hinduism offers an appealing and coherentunderstanding of the world and our relationship to it.’

Essay:How satisfactory is the Hindu understanding of theworld and our place in it?

� Write a conversation between a Hindu and aWesterner who knows very little about the Hindu faith (perhaps you at the start of this unit!).Try to offer an explanation of the essentials of thefaith. Present the conversation to the class.

11

� Research the attitude of Hinduism towards women.Present your findings to the class.

� Interview a Hindu person in your community – examinethe manner in which their faith impacts their life.

� Research the impact of Muslim and British imperialismon the culture of Hinduism in India.

� Research the four stages, or ashramas, of life. Howmight this system contribute to good community andfamily life?

FURTHER RESEARCH� Look at the four important rites in a Hindu’s life –

birth, initiation ceremony, marriage, last rites.

� Examine what Hinduism says about Jesus Christ,Muhammad and Buddha.

� What are Hindu weddings like?

� Research the Hindu gods – Krishna, Rama, Chandra, Ganesh, Karttikeya, and Yama.

� And Hindu goddesses –Lakshmi the goddess of wealth; Sarasvati – goddess of learning and the arts; Kali – the slayer of demons; Shiva, the destroyer; Parvati, and Kali the woman warrior.

Write half a page on the following question:

� ‘Aiming to escape this life and the cycle of rebirthis appealing to people in poor countries only.’Do you agree?

� What do you think about the fact that Hinduism has so manygods, each with different functions and activities? Is this agood thing? What might be good about this? What might be bad?

Discussion Topics

In pairs discuss the following:How do you feel about the possibility that Brahman isnot a conscious, personal being? How would such aconcept affect the manner in which you would relateto such a being?

� Explain your reaction to the Hindu understanding of thesignificance of things that happen in this life.

� The Upanishads suggest that the suffering of this life is what we seek to escape. How do you feel about the Hinduunderstanding of suffering? Does Hinduism present anadequate explanation and solution?

In groups:� Hinduism suggests that Brahman is the ultimate and only reality

in the universe. From Brahman everything comes, including theother deities, and to Brahman will everything return.

� Discuss this idea of ‘the One.’ If you were to accept this as true,how would this affect your attitude to life? Consider birth,relationships, family, and death.

� What would be some of the challenges of practising Hinduismin the traditional manner in contemporary Australia?

� Fill in the table on ‘What Hinduism has to say about . . .’ on page 34. Discuss the implications of your findings as to how appealing Hinduism is.

PE

RC

EP

TI

ON

S Perceptions Exercise

In what way have your perceptions of Hinduismchanged?

What do you understand to be the ‘good news’ ofHinduism?

12

Did you know?

Bollywood (Bombay’s equivalent to Hollywood)produces Hindustani fantasy on video or the

serialised episodes of the epics of Mahabharata,Ramayana, or Canakya.