HINDUISM“RELIGION

IN

THE

INDIAN

SUB-CONTINENT”

Ancient, rich, complex belief system

* Controlling every aspect of life: social, economic,

and political

* Product of a long period of development and evolution

Deities in the Rig -Veda:

* Nature powers (sun, moon, storm) totaling 33 major gods

* Anthropomorphic (man-like or animal-like, transformable)

INDRA:Chief in Importance

“slayer of monsters”

“war god of victory”

VARUNA: Great Ethical

God of the Sky

associated with the moon and

storms bringing needed rains,

Varuna…

“ability to see all sins”

“forgives and releases from punishment”

YAMA:

God of the Dead

* Future life had two paths:souls of the good and heroic join

Yama in a idealized, spiritual earth,

the evil are hurled to bottomless pit

NEW IDEAS: A. Karma

* “Law of sowing and reaping” “Law of the Deed” (what goes around, comes around)

* Accumulated impact of good or evil deeds being repeated to you

B. Transmigration * Reincarnation- material rebirth)

* Common in other cultures, but embraced in India,

* Including whole range of animal life

KARMA & REINCARNATIONLINKED TOGETHER…

* Ultimate goal = escape earth !* But evil deeds done would force one to be reborn (reincarnated) in order to face punishment (“Law of Karma”)

WHEEL OF LIFE:

Man found himself on endless cycle of rebirth

(punishment for evil deeds or reward for good deeds) reflected

in the status of the rebirth (class of person or

type of animal)

RITUALS AND WORSHIP:

* Goal to reach state of perfect mental peace and oneness with spiritual world

* Meditation released mind from

body/material concerns

* Yoga (exercises to suppress

bodily activities)

Goddess Saraswati

Hindu Deity of

Learning and

Knowledge

SOCIETAL CHANGES:* Caste system of rigid,

societal classes developed

Why?* (Law of Karma?)

* Priest class emerges, (philosophy documented in two writings- Brahmanas and Upansihads)

* Priests in touch with spiritual world, best suited to conduct sacrifices, best suited to teach youth

Caste (Varna) System:

Brahmin (priests, teachers)Warriors, RulersFarmers, Merchants, ArtisansLaborersUntouchables

HINDU TRINITY EMERGES:

* Multiple earth gods viewed as different aspects of one, father-figure god, Brahman

* Brahman becomes seen as three personalities:

Brahma-the Creator,

Vishnu- the Preserver, Siva- the Destroyer

Brahma the creator

Vishnu the

protector(originally a god of the Sun)

Incarnation of Vishnu as a boar…(others include fish, Krishna, Buddha, and one yet to come…)

Krishna, an epic hero, cowherder,

and “savior” figure

Shiva(Siva)

worshipped indirectly

through his wife of many

names...

Khali (Shiva’s

wife)

the most terrible, object of bloodiest sacrifices

Vedic Gods Survive:

* Village shrines continue offerings and animal sacrifices to minor gods,

* Pilgrimages to sacred Ganges River (sacred city of Benares)

* Multiple temples built to

minor gods

Ganesha

still one of the most

popular gods in India...

Son of the

goddess Shiva,

“destroyer of

obstacles”

People pray to Ganesha for “siddhi”

(success)and

“buddhi” intelligence

No new venture is

begun without his assistance

Modern temple to Ganesha...

The Ramayan...an enduring

tradition

The Ramayan is an epic poem (300 BCE) still popular today;

it sets high standards for morality and

devotion through its hero,

Rama.

Born theson of a king,

since childhood

Rama portrays the brave, ideal role model for young men and

husbands.

His wife, Sita,

represents the ideal of beauty

and duty toone’s husband...

One day, he must leave a life of luxury, due to conflict

over the inheritance to

his father’s throne…

Rama and Sita, with their servants, are banished to live in the forest.

However, unknown to him,Rama is really an incarnation

of the god Vishnu.

Finding Sita most beautiful and

desirable, the evil king of

Lanka, Ravana, kidnapped her

and carried her away to his island

kingdom.

Rama responds by enlisting the help of the

Monkey King and his army...

Rama leads the

forces into an

attack on Lanka...

He slays the evil

Ravana...

…bringing Sita back

to their home and to safety...

Where they

return to their

original happiness..

.

And the brave Rama is crowned king.

HINDUISM“Salvation”

evolving from sacrifices,

to knowledge,

to devotion.