Hinduism The Basics Worlds oldest religion Worlds 3

Hinduism

The Basics • Worlds oldest religion • Worlds 3 rd largest form of religion after Christianity and Islam. • 837 million followers • Dominates the region of Indian (82% followers) • 1. 1 million Hindus in the U. S.

Origins • 3000 BCE Began in Indus Valley (now Pakistan) Along banks of Indus River. Very developed, urban population • 1000 BCE Aryans (nobles from European and Persian backgrounds) migrated into India Mixed with native peoples

• Believe in the universal soul or God (Brahman), as the sole reality who is present in all things. • Brahman has no form, and is eternal. • Brahman is creator, preserver and transformer of everything. • Brahman appears in the human spirit as Atman, or the soul.

Gods Brahman Vishnu Shiva • Often believed that Hindus worship many gods. Really one eternal god (Brahman). The other gods are different aspects of the Brahman. • Three principal gods: Brahma: creates the universe Vishnu: preserves the universe Shiva: destroys the universe

Scripture (Vedas) • • 1. 2. 3. 4. The Vedas - Means “knowledge” Written around 1500 BCE to educate the priests about rituals Developed from oral and poetic traditions. Four parts, and each part is further split into fours The Samhitas: most ancient part of the Vedas-hymns of praise to God. The Brahmanas: rituals and prayers to guide the priests in their duties. The Aranyakas: concern worship and meditation. The Upanishads: consist of the mystical and philosophical teachings of Hinduism

Dharma and Karma • Dharma- doctrine of the religious and moral rights and duties of each individual. • Karma- Relations among past deeds, present character, and future fate. • All actions have unavoidable consequences. • Reincarnation- The soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and is reborn in a new body. The next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. Law that governs advancement or regression in physical world of deaths and rebirths