Download - 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
SACRED TEXTS• 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• RIG VEDA: oldest• YAJUR VEDA• SAMA VEDA• ATHARVA VEDA
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
• Brahmans: – 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
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
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”
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 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