Hinduism

Belief in a Higher Being (God/Gods) Brahman—the TRUTH; a being without form or quality; everything and everywhere; therefore, Hindus free to worship different deities that they consider to be manifestations of (expressions of) Brahman. The most common gods worshipped are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva they are often shown together as one concept called the Hindu Trinity (there is also a female counterpart, Parvati)

Holy Book/Text/Scripture The Vedas (written in Sanskrit)

Place of Worship Mandir--usually dedicated to one primary Hindu deity, feature a murti (sacred image) of the deity; not mandatory to visit regularly, but they play a vital role in Hindu society and culture. Ottawa Check out some Mandirs around the world by going to this site! North of Toronto

Holy Places Ganges River (holy city of Varanasi); believed that the river fell from heaven to earth, giving life to people and watering the plains that produce much-needed food

Special Days, Events, Festivals Holi (Spring Festival) Diwali (Festival of Lights)

Symbols Sacred symbol of ‘Om’actually the sound of a-u-m Symbolizes the: the first 3 Vedas (the present, the past, and the future) and the 3 states of consciousness (waking, dreaming, and deep sleep); some also include the concept of the Holy Trinity, as well

A Founder No founder—most likely a combination of the people of the Indus Valley and the Aryans (coming down from Central Asia, bringing early form of Sanskrit)

Cult: Way of Worship performing Puja; a form of thanksgiving made to the deities in a shrine

Other ways of worship: in a mandir, yoga & meditation, Shrines most commonly include: Durga, a manifestation of the god Parvati, who washes away laziness and evil thoughts Saraswati, the goddess of learning the arts Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and liberation Ganesha (human body, elephant’s head), remover of obstacles L a k s h m i Ganesha Durga Saraswati Other ways of worship: in a mandir, yoga & meditation, pilgrimage, etc.

Code: Rules/Laws to Follow Karma / DharmaD + D + D = K Dharma = Religious or moral duty Karma = totality of your actions in life, determines your form in reincarnation

Creed: Statement of Beliefs There really isn’t one!

Helpers, Teachers, Leaders Guru or Swami (following the higher paths requires guidance from these teachers) Asceticsolder men who have a great deal of knowledge; very difficult stage of life to get to; poverty, self-discipline, and self-deprivation

Special or Important People Most well known would be Mahatma Gandhi Based his religious ideals on the the concepts of dharma (duty), satya (truth), ahisma (non-violence), and moksha (spiritual liberation) Non-violent mission to end British rule in India Spent his life working to improve the conditions of minority groups in India: Muslims, women, and the “untouchables”