Exit Slips socrative.com (room = 205LIONS) OR just use a half slip of paper on middle desk Focus Question: How are religion and culture connected in India? Use SPECIFIC examples from what you learned today.

FQ – “How are religion and culture connected in India?” Hinduism

Basics of Hinduism religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal (80%) over 900 million people practice Hinduism oldest living religion – origins Indus/Aryan closely linked to other Indian religions like Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism no single founder, no single holy book, and no commonly agreed set of teachings

A central part of Indian culture! Pakistan and Bangladesh are Muslim – why they are separate Sri Lanka is Buddhist

How does a Hindu Creation Myth compare to others we have seen? Watch the Hindu creation myth: http://bigmyth.com/myths/english/2_hindu_full.htm What similarities and differences do you see between the Hindu myth and the myths of the Middle East (Mesopotamia, Egypt, O.T.)? What might the myth tell us about the religion of Hinduism? ALL begin with darkness, water, and a creator god ALL use the gods to explain nature and the origins of life In Hindu and O.T., god speaks the “word” and life is created Difference: this myth begins with an egg Polytheistic, etc.

What are Hindu beliefs about God? Many Hindus believe in a supreme spiritual force, Brahman, the “universal soul”. Brahman is one, but has many incarnations. Many Hindus believe that all the gods are different aspects (forms) of Brahman. “God is one – but wise men know it by many names.” Every living being has a soul that is part of Brahman. Polytheism or Monotheism?

What do other Hindu gods look like? Describe another Hindu god: What do Hindu gods remind you of? Hindu “trinity”:

Other Hindu Gods Video on the gods – 3 minutes Incarnation Myth is important Animal gods (monkey and cow) Mahabarata – sacred epic AND Ramayan Aryan origins of Hinduism

What do other Hindu gods look like? Describe another Hindu god: What do Hindu gods remind you of? Hindu “trinity”: Ganesh/a = elephant god of wisdom and new beginnings Cows are sacred in Hinduism (goes back to their use as an importance resource) Hindu gods might remind of us super heroes with their powers and appearance, Egyptian gods that also had animal features, etc. Brahma – creator Vishnu – preserver Shiva - destroyer

Identify the symbols and their meanings! Hindu “Trinity” Identify the symbols and their meanings! symbols Brahma “creator” Vishnu “preserver” Shiva “destroyer”

Brahma Vishnu Shiva “creator” “preserver” “destroyer” Symbols: Many hands = power Sun disc/halo = holiness Blue skin = symbol of the infinite like sky or water Lotus flower = nature and creation Prayer beads = substance of the universe Crown = supreme authority, god of creation 4 heads = the four directions (N, S, E, W) 4 hands = the four Vedas Book = knowledge Brahma “creator” Vishnu “preserver” Shiva “destroyer”

Primary Source: the Soul Hindus believe every living thing has a soul, “Atman”. debate over whether the soul is separate from or a part of Brahman Read the excerpt “Isha”, from The Upanishads (a Hindu holy book). Think deep…. Describe the “self” (soul, Atman): If you were to draw a picture/symbol to represent the “self”, what would it be? Self = one, constant, in motion, LIFE, ALL, pure/white, contradictory, requires meditation, immortal, bodiless, perfect, paradox Symbol might be the infinity symbol, a circle, air, cloud, space, etc.

Beliefs about Life Hindus believe in reincarnation: a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by karma. karma: Hindus believe that the soul is reborn based on your behavior in your previous life, “consequences”. You can be reborn in human, god, or animal form. moksha: your GOAL = freedom from the cycle of reincarnation, become one with the universe (Brahman)

Caste System caste = fixed social class you are born into jati - occupation varnas - religion *outlawed in India today* Brahmins “Priests and Scholars” KARMA Kshatriyas “rulers and warriors” Vaisyas “farmers and merchants” Sudras “laborers, crafts workers, servants” Dulits/Pariahs  Untouchables “impure” jobs

Beliefs about Life cont. Read “Hindu Beliefs” in the readings packet and answer the questions.. Do you have a sense of dharma in your own life? Explain. – dharma = ultimate moral balance of all things, rules you live by, sense of right and wrong, ethics Does our society have a sense of dharma? If so, how is it maintained? – sense of right and wrong that agreed on in laws, norms, etc. How is the story, “The Boy Who Cried Wolf”, and example of karma? Can you think of any other examples? – his wrong doings come back to haunt him Describe a book, movie, song, event, etc. that contains the idea of samsara. - samsara = reincarnation, Justin Timberlake song, In Xmas Carol Scrooge learns about karma

“My karma ran over my dogma…” What goes around, comes around!

Holy Books: The Vedas one of many Hindu holy books written from 1500 - 600 BCE in Sanskrit included in the Vedas: hymns and poems religious prayers magical spells lists of the gods and goddesses Other Hindu Holy Books

Sanskrit Writing ancient language in Hindu holy books read by Brahmin (priests) “language of the gods” no longer spoken today, but many Indian languages are based on Sanskrit English and Sanskrit are even related! Sanskrit Video – 5 minutes http://www.pbs.org/thestoryofindia/gallery/photos/2.html#sanskrit

What are some Hindu festivals/celebrations? Ganges River: Holi: Diwali:

Hindu Festivals Hindu Festivals Video

What are some Hindu festivals/celebrations? Ganges River: Holi: Diwali: Ganges River = over one million people, you can wash away the sins of a lifetime during the festival Holi = celebrates the arrival of Spring, throw colored powders originally thought to protect against disease Diwali = triumph of light (good) over dark (evil), end of fall and beginning of winter

What do Hindu places of worship look like? puja = worship may take place in a temple or at home with a family shrine many families have their own deities that they like best no strict rules about when you go to temple, dedicated to different gods also, may bring offerings

What do Hindu places of worship look like?

Hindu Symbols Choose one of the “Hindu Symbols” to draw and describe its significance. Cow: origin myths: celestial cow of Krishna, born from ocean, etc.; sacred animal; milk/butter used in rituals of atonement

Compare/Contrast Chart Use #8 and #6 to fill in the #4 add on “Hinduism/Buddhism Compare and Contrast Chart”.