Basic Information

• Hinduism began in India; it is the world’s 3rd largest religion.

• Emphasis on the individual: no formal church, no single authority. No founder or fixed doctrine.

• One of the world’s oldest religions.

• Calli: the terrifying nature of the world. Skulls, protecting the world from sheema.

• Lotus flower: meditiation and relaxation.

• Om: sound of creation, meditation, peace.

• River Ganges: sacred river in the Hindu faith, runs through India; Varanasi city found along.

  • Lord of the Dead: an untouchable labourer who builds fires.

  • In the 5th century BC, an enlightenment of ethics took place, which shook the Hindu faith.

  • The dead are expected to return to the River Ganges, polluting the river.

The Divine

• Brahman: power that sustains universe and its deepest reality

• Atman: The True Self (soul) that exists within a person

• Maya: Illusion of self that must be overcome; material world.

• Blue representation: depicts the infinite sky, the vastness of Gods. God has no form, deities of God do.

Eternal Cycle of Life

• Samsara: the cycle of birth, death and rebirth (wheel of life)

• Samsura: reincarnation/rebirth

• Karma: the idea that what one does in their life affects what one will be in their next life.

• Dharma: performing good deeds and following one’s duty.

• Moksha: the enlightenment, achieving Atman, freedom from maya.

• True freedom is obtained when one is aware of Brahman.

Yamas: Ethical Teachings

• Yamas: refers to a persons behaviour in day-to-day life. Includes:

  • Ahimsa: non-violence

    • Advocated for by Mahatma Gandhi.

  • No stealing, truthfulness, honesty, compassion, universal bow/values

  • Moderate appetite (fosters vegetarianism)

• Niyama: code of religious practices which improves a person’s karma. Generally abided to by gurus.

  • Hri: modesty

  • Dana: giving to others

  • Isuarapyana: daily worship

  • Japa: chanting / meditation

• Yogas: the direct path to Moksha.

  • knowledge → meditation, guru, mantra, mandalas (circle of self), knowledge of the spiritual truth.

  • devotion → worshipping a deity → Arjuna worshipped Vishnu, Krishna shows up.

  • good works → karma, yoga and dharma (duty); to act without passion or attachment.

• Meditation: the focus to be focused on nothing or one thing, e.g. mantras/om/flame

Caste System

• Each person has a specific social position in life. Hierarchy from highest to lowest.

• Good karma results in being born in a higher caste.

• Principles of caste:

  • marriage within caste

  • who to dine/eat/drink with

  • occupation

  • dress

  • village/residence

  • surname

  • skin colour

• Gandhi advocated against the Caste system in his fight for Indian independence. Went on hunger strikes to stop fighting.

• Brahmins: priests and teachers, spiritual advisors, intellectuals. Head of Brahma.

• Kshatriyas: warriors and rulers, those with power, protectors. Represented by the arm of Brahma.

• Vaishayas: farmers, tradepeople, merchants. Commerce and owners. Represented by the legs of Brahma.

• Shudras: labourers, represented by the feet of Brahma.

• Dalits, outcasts, untouchables: street sweepers, latrine cleaners.

Scriptures

• Vedas: Ultimate authority and are the oldest sacred texts; 4 sections containing mantras, written by the Brahmins. Instruction for sacrifice and devotion, myths.

• Upanishads (silence of joy): Philosophical texts to “sit near”, a commentary of the Vedas, conversation between a person and a guru. Discusses question about the nature of Brahman.

• Ramayana: Story of Prince Rama and his wife Sita: good versus evil.

  • Ravana kidnaps Ramayana’s wife Sita, takes her to island of Lankar via golden fawn. Gods gave Rama a bow and arrow to defeat the evil of Ravana.

  • Hanuman: king of the monkey army, could fly, gave Ramayana the bow & arrow.

• Bhagavad Gita: song of the Lord; epic poem about Krishna teaching Arjuna about the path to salvation — ritual action and duty.

  • Also called Mahabharata.

Deities, Avatars, Epics

• Hindus believe that there is only one God or Supreme being, Brahman. Can manifest into different forms called deities.

• Brahma: creator, hands representing peace and power, impersonal god. 4 heads, all seeing.

• Vishnu: preserver/protector; oceanshell to refer to vastness and hearing. Caretaker and sustainer. Avatars guide humans.

  • Avatars: Krishna, Rama, Buddha

• Shiva: the destroyer, depicted as scary and with a trident → 3 deities. King of the snakes.

• Deities are present within shrines; people change deities based on hardship, usually adopted by family.

• Ganesh: has an elephant’s head because Pavarti cut off his head in the bath; symbolic of obstacles to moksha in one’s life.

Creation story

• Waves arise, cobra emerges, Vishnu emerges.

• Om sound takes place; Brahma creates the world.

• Lotus flower emerges, symbolizing purity and divinity.

• Heaven, earth and skies are created.

Rituals

• Puja: worshipping deity, offering prayers, sounds, flowers, incenses

• Murti: displaying an image of the deity

• Mandir: Hindu temple: prayers of devotion to deities; shrines to deities present. Spires are present.

  • Representative of God, offering devotion and acknowledging that the centre of life is Brahman.

• Mantras: word, phrase or repeated sound. sacred sounds, e.g. ohm.

• Rituals can be led individually or by a guru.

  • Guru: wise teacher, spiritual leader often leading meditations. May focus devotion on a specific deity or a specific guru.

• Gopastami: holiday celebrating sacredness of cows. Cows are sacred, not worshipped. Garbage mongers, honours 5 products of a cow: milk, manure, ghee, curds, urine.

• Bindi: a drop on the forehead, small particle/dot. Represents mystical 3rd eye of wisdom. 2 eyes for external world, third focuses inward on God.

Festivals

• Holi: festival of colours, loosens social restrictions. colour fighting a distancing away from restrictions.

• Diwali: celebrated by multiple religion; festival of lights; new years eve in which Lakeshumir is welcomed, the goddess of wealth.

  • celebrated by gambling.