Religions in India HINDUISM Lesson #3 HINDUISM Click – CNN Student News – Diwali (starts at 6:30 for 3 min)

HINDUISM Use text book p. 177-178 Hinduism is: It has no: Instead of just being a religion, Hinduism is: The chief religion in India Founder or formal Church A way of life music

HINDUISM - Brahman Use text book p. 178 Brahman is: How many gods to Hindus worship: What are the three main gods, and what is their “power”? Supreme Force (God) thousands Brahma Vishnu Shiva

What is unique about Hinduism? No holy book to tell right from wrong Vedas tell stories Multiple Gods Personal interpretation No proselytizing Daily Pooja Click on pic: 1 min Woman doing Pooja

Hindu “trilogy” of gods BRAHMA (the creator) is the main god and all other gods are manifestations of him CREATOR PRESERVER DESTROYER Vishnu Brahma Shiva

Popular Hindu gods: GONESHA KRISHNA

HINDUISM - Atman Atman is: What do Hindus believe about all things in nature: What causes people to feel pain? What is the term for the “true goal” of life? What happens when you reach Moksha? The “essential self,” part of Brahman that is YOU Your soul All things in nature are a part of Brahman They pursue material riches MOKSHA you free your soul from the body to reunite with Brahman

Review of some key terms Hinduism __________________: the largest religion in India ____________________: the belief in many gods. POLYTHEISM BRAHMA ATMA Universal Soul = YOUR soul =

Quick Quiz Define Polytheism How did Hinduism develop? Who is the “main” god and the creator? Who is Vishnu? Who is Shiva?

HINDU Concept of Reincarnation Moksha is: Reincarnation is: What are some forms your soul can be reborn into in its next life? What is the “law of karma”? Releasing the soul from the body Rebirth of the soul in various forms A god A flower A snake A person Any animal Even an insect Different Hindus have different ideas about this… Every deed will effect your future, AND your present life is the result of past deeds

HINDU Concept of – karma & dharma What is the “law of karma”? What will every good deed yield? What will every bad deed yield? What is your dharma? All actions have consequences Will result in happiness Will bring some sort of sorrow Duties and obligations (it’s what‘s expected of you…)

REINCARNATION (SAMSARA) If you could be reincarnated what would you want to return as? If you were to be reincarnated today, would you move “up” or “down”? What is YOUR duty in life right now? music

DHARMA What are examples of Dharma? 13

I MUST’VE DONE SOMETHING REALLY BAD IN A PAST LIFE!!! BAD KARMA

Karma What are examples of Karma? 15

You keep getting reincarnated… How do you get OUT of being reincarnated again… And again… 16

The end to reincarnation Moksha ____________ = release from the cycle of reincarnation How do you do it? Erase all bad Karma Spend your life doing your dharma Keep moving up in classes Then… OUT… called MOKSHA (REUNITING ATAM WITH BRAMA

BRAHMAN ATMA You’ve reached Moksha You do that by: doing your Dharma thus, creating good kharma Which reunites your atma with brahma. (MOKSHA) The goal in Hinduism is to break the cycle of reincarnation BRAHMAN You’ve reached Moksha ATMA

Quick Quiz What is reincarnation? Where do you go when you reach Moksha? What does having bad karma prevent? What will happen to someone who dies with too much bad karma? What is a person’s dharma? What is Atma?

Minority Religions in India Lesson #8

Buddhism

Questions to ponder When is the earliest year? What will be the last year? How high is up? How small is small? Do you find these questions inane? Why? Buddhists think trying to figure out the beginning and end is just as nuts.

Basics of Buddhism Everything is infinity Happiness is not getting something, it’s accepting what you get Love is meant to give, not to receive Satisfaction comes from giving all you can and all you are, accepting whatever someone wants you to have, and loving who you are for what you are. And, satisfaction and acceptance IS heaven.

Basics of Buddhism Question: can a Buddhist, if he’s behaving like a Buddhist… can he get bad karma? Why? What do you think Buddhists believe happens when you die? Hindus believe you can eventually release yourself from the cycle of reincarnation (and get to heaven) by Erasing bad karma by doing good deeds Doing your Dharma What do you think Buddhists think of heaven?

Where did all this belief originate? Siddhartha Gautama learned this when reflecting He “reached enlightenment” of nirvana He was totally happy and satisfied But, to get there, he had to give up everything This was hard, because he was very, very rich He became “awakened” by this realization He learned that we suffer, because we are greedy and demanding of MORE 5m

Enlightenment Can you remember a time when you were most happy? What got you there? What did it feel like? Why don’t you just stay there? Do you need someone or something be “be” there, in this happy bliss? 5m

BUDDHISM MIDDLE WAY → Yin Yang → → REBIRTH SPOKES = _____________________ CIRCLE = _________________________ → Yin Yang → → REBIRTH

BUDDHISM Began in the 5th Century B.C. SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA

Recap of concepts of BUDDHISM Began in the 5th Century B.C. SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA NO BEGINNING NO END ENDLESS REINCARNATION BLISS (HEAVEN) IS FOUND ON EARTH BLISS – NIRVANAH = FULL SATISFACTION IN LIFE

The Buddha Beyond the sheltered palace walls, what four things did Gautama see that troubled him? What did he realize, once he saw all of that? An old man A sick man A dead man, and A beggar Life was full of suffering

SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA From Prince… …To Ascetic

The Buddha’ teachings What are the Four Noble Truths? Use text book p. 180 What are the Four Noble Truths? Suffering is universal The cause of suffering is desire The only way to crush suffering is to crush desire The way to truth is the noble eightfold path (a guide to right conduct)

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS Suffering is a part of human life Suffering comes from desire for pleasure/material goods Overcoming worldly desires brings suffering to an end Desires are overcome by following “the Eightfold Path”

SKINNY BUDDHA

FAT BUDDHA

Other Religions

JAINISM Reincarnation Ahimsa (non-violent) No meat

Sikhism Guru Nanuk Equality Karma Reincarnation Loyalty Singh & Khalsa

(this is the Lotus Temple) SIKHISM Ba’hai Totally peaceful (this is the Lotus Temple) Monotheistic, but belief in reincarnation Life’s Goal = Break free of the cycle of life and attain unity with God Turbans symbolize social equality Don’t cut their hair or beards to honor the human form as created by God