HINDUISM

Hinduism

• World’s oldest religion

• 1 billion followers

• Numerous gods

• NO single founder

Date

B.C. 6500

India

Origin

Symbol

Aum ॐ

Henotheism

Belief in one god, but at the same time accepting the existence of other gods

Hindu

Used to distinguish the muslims from non-muslims

Hindus

non-muslims

Deities of Hinduism

Vishnu; Brahma; Shiva; Ganesh; Krishna

Vishnu

Preserver

Brahma

Creater

Shiva

Destroyer

Ganesh

The hindu god who most famously and frequently depicted with an elephant head and a human body

Krishna

• One of the most widely revered and popular deities in Hinduism, worshipped as the 8th avatar (incarnation) of Vishnu, or as the Supreme God in his own right

• Created four natural social divisions (varnas) with each possessing particular spiritual qualities (ashrams) in the caste system

Vedas

Sacred text/oldest scripture of Hinduism

Rig Veda

Composed of hymns to gods and goddesses

Sama Veda

Collection of songs based on the Rig Veda

Yajur Veda

Composed of short prose & verses, or mantras used in rituals

Atharva Veda

Instructions related to ordinary concerns such as warding off harmful spirits and curing diseases

Samhitas

A collection verses, hymns, and chants

Brahmanas

Commentaries to avoid any improper performance of the rituals as contained in the Vedas

Aranyakas (Forest Treatises)

4. Upanishads

- a sacred textphilosophical explanation on the nature of deities

- the concluding portion/end of Vedas

• upa = “near”

• ni = “down”

• shad = “to sit”

Supply further commentaries on the rites & ritual performances contained in the
Brahmanas

Upanishads

• A sacred text philosophical explanation on the nature of deities

• The concluding portion/end of Vedas

Upa

Near

Ni

Down

Shad

To sit

• Bhagavad Gita

• “Song of the Blessed Lord”

• the 6th book of India’s longest epic—Mahabharata

• onsists of 700 verses that narrate the story of Arjuna and his chariot driver Krishna

Dharma

Duty/Teachings

Sanatama Dharma

• “The everlasting law”

• Defines what a person is and what actions he/she must do

• Elaborate scriptural teachings found in the Vedic tradition

• Systematic process and method for one’s spiritual goals

Varnashrama Dharma

• The socioreligious system within Hindu society

• Social order by a hierarchical ordering of groups in a society

Kama

Pleasure

Artha

Wealth

Moksha

Liberation

Brahman

• “The Great/Supreme”

• The nature of ultimate reality

Atman

- “The true self”

- Innermost spiritual property of the individual which is distinct from the mind, intellect, ego, or the objective self/stream of consciousness

Jnana-yoga

Knowledge

Karma-yoga

Work/action

Bhakti-yoga

Devotion/love

Raja-yoga

Meditation/psychological exercise

Karma

• A process in which justice is preserved

• The idea of reincarnation (Samsara) comes into the picture

• Whatever one does in his/her past life will determine the state of the soul in its rebirth

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth

Reincarnation

Facilitates karma through a physical body where the soul resides

Ahimsa

• “Non-violence”

• Believes that all animals have a soul