Ancient India Ancient India

Ancient History 10Ancient History 10

What is Hinduism? What is Hinduism?

• One of the oldest religions of humanity• The religion of the Indian people• Gave birth to Buddhism, Jainism,

Sikhism• Tolerance and diversity: "Truth is one,

paths are many"• Many deities but a single, impersonal

Ultimate Reality• A philosophy and a way of life –

focused both on this world and beyond

How did Hinduism begin?How did Hinduism begin?

• No particular founder• Indus River Valley Civilization >5000

years ago• Aryans enter 4000 - 3500 years ago• Vedic Tradition 3500 – 2500 years ago:

– rituals and many gods (polytheism)– sacred texts (Vedas)– social stratification (caste system)

• Upanishads (metaphysical philosophy) 2800 – 2400 years ago

• Vedic Tradition develops into Hinduism

What are the Sacred What are the Sacred Texts?Texts?

• Shruti (“heard”) – oldest, most authoritative:– Four Vedas (“truth”) – myths, rituals,

chants– Upanishads - metaphysical speculation– Plus other texts

• Smriti (“remembered”) – the Great Indian Epics:– Ramayana– Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-Gita)– Plus others

MahabharataMahabharata

• Mahabharata, Sanskrit for Great Story, is one of the great epic poems of ancient India.

• It was written between 300 BC and AD. 300. • The story is about the battle of one family over a

kingdom in northern India. • The Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) is contained

in the Mahabharata. It is dialogue between Krishna and the hero Arjuna on the meaning of life.

RamayanaRamayana

• Ramayana was written in 3rd century BC, and tells story of Rama, and his wife, Sita.

• Rama and Sita are generally seen as ideal examples of great manly heroism and wifely devotion.

• Reciting the Ramayana is considered a religious act, and scenes from the epic are portrayed throughout India and Southeast Asia.

What do Hindus believe?What do Hindus believe?

• One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman• Manifest as many personal deities• True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is

Brahman trapped in matter (“That art thou”)

• Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)

• Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)

• Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha)

Karma and ReincarnationKarma and Reincarnation• Reincarnation is the belief that the soul

repeatedly goes through a cycle.– Being born into a body, dying, and being reborn

again in a new body.

• Karma, a force that determines the quality of each life.– depends on behavior of your past life.

• Hinduism says we create karma by our actions on earth. If you live a good life, you create good karma. If you live a bad life, you create bad karma.

Who do Hindus worship? – Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu the major gods of the Hindu

PantheonPantheon

Brahma, the creator god

Who do Hindus worship? – Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu the major gods of the Hindu

PantheonPantheon

Vishnu, the preserver god

Incarnates as ten avatars (descents) including:Rama (featured in the Ramayana)

Krishna (featured in the Mahabharata)

(Each shown with his consort, Sita and Radha, respectively)

Who do Hindus worship? – Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu the major gods of the Hindu

PantheonPantheon

Shiva, god of constructive destruction(the transformer)

Appears as Shiva Nataraj,lord of the dance of creation…

and with his wife, Parvati, and son Ganesha(the elephant headed remover of obstacles)

What about the goddesses?What about the goddesses?DeviDevi – the feminine divine – the feminine divine

Saraswati, goddess of wisdom, consort ofBrahma

What about the goddesses?What about the goddesses?DeviDevi – the feminine divine – the feminine divine

Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune, consortof Vishnu

What about the goddesses?What about the goddesses?DeviDevi – the feminine divine – the feminine divine

Durga, protectress

Kali, destroyer of demonsPlus about 330 million other deities

All these deities are butManifest forms (attributesand functions) of theimpersonal Brahman

All these deities are butManifest forms (attributesand functions) of theimpersonal Brahman

Hindu Life GoalsHindu Life Goals

• Hinduism is about the sort of life one should lead in order to be born into a better life next time and ultimately achieve liberation. There are 4 legitimate goals in life:

• dharma (appropriate living)

• artha (the pursuit of material gain by lawful means)

• kama (delight of the senses)

• moksha (release from rebirth).

Hindu DutiesHindu Duties

• Each Hindu has 4 daily duties:

• Revere the deities

• Respect ancestors

• Respect all beings

• Honor all humankind