HINDUISMHINDUISM

• The truth, the whole truth and nothing but The truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth!the truth!

FounderFounder

• If Jesus founded If Jesus founded Christianity, then Christianity, then who founded who founded Hinduism?Hinduism?

• The truth is that The truth is that there is no single there is no single founder.founder.

• It is believed to It is believed to have originated have originated 3,500 years ago 3,500 years ago when the Aryans when the Aryans invaded India from invaded India from Central Asia.Central Asia.

The Vedas and EpicsThe Vedas and Epics

What are they?What are they?

• Oldest scriptures in the worldOldest scriptures in the world• Teach about unending conflictTeach about unending conflict• 128 hymns, 15 times longer than the 128 hymns, 15 times longer than the

BibleBible• Tells stories of:Tells stories of:

– Aryan warrior aristocracy and Indus Valley Aryan warrior aristocracy and Indus Valley traditiontradition

– Ramayana and Mahabharata – mythological Ramayana and Mahabharata – mythological stories of the human conditionstories of the human condition

Ramayana Ramayana

The Law of The Law of KarmaKarma

• ““What goes around What goes around comes around.” comes around.”

• Your future depends Your future depends on what actions you on what actions you take today.take today.

• Laws of cause and Laws of cause and effecteffect

• All gods and people All gods and people are subject to karmaare subject to karma

ReincarnationReincarnation

• Human spirits are born again and Human spirits are born again and again until they reach their spiritual again until they reach their spiritual goalgoal

• Sometimes, you are not born a Sometimes, you are not born a human again… why?human again… why?

Stages of LifeStages of Life

•AAshramashrama – learning and education – learning and education

•AArthartha – pursue wealth and power – pursue wealth and power

•KKamaama – pleasure – pleasure

• … … the big one…the big one…

•MMokshaoksha – liberation from – liberation from reincarnation (samsara)reincarnation (samsara)

MokshaMoksha

• After all After all reincarnation is reincarnation is done, the soul is done, the soul is united with the united with the BrahmaBrahma

How many gods?How many gods?

• 330 million gods 330 million gods (Devas) (Devas)

• Both polytheistic Both polytheistic and monotheisticand monotheistic

• Worship in templesWorship in temples

• Sabbath isn’t a Sabbath isn’t a particular day – particular day – every dayevery day

Cycle of LifeCycle of Life

• BrahmaBrahma - (Creator) - (Creator) is everything (God is everything (God is everything)is everything)

• VishnuVishnu - - (Preserver)(Preserver)

• ShivaShiva – – (Destroyer)(Destroyer)

• ““Hindu Triad”Hindu Triad”

• Initially rivals that Initially rivals that reconciledreconciled

Hindu TriadHindu Triad

About the godsAbout the gods

• Each god:Each god:– has a consort (shakti) that balances has a consort (shakti) that balances

male and femalemale and female– Has a creature to ride on (vahana)Has a creature to ride on (vahana)– Ganesha – most worshipped god – Ganesha – most worshipped god –

remover of obstaclesremover of obstacles

The Sacred CowThe Sacred Cow

• Killing a cow is equivalent to Killing a cow is equivalent to murdering a personmurdering a person

• Cow is useful:Cow is useful:– Mostly economics – work, garbage Mostly economics – work, garbage

disposal, dairy, fertilizerdisposal, dairy, fertilizer

By the way…By the way…

• Sacrifice to gods became less Sacrifice to gods became less importantimportant

• May transfer belief in one god to May transfer belief in one god to anotheranother

• MantraMantra – word or phrase repeated – word or phrase repeated during meditationduring meditation