Hinduism Overview

What do you know? Discuss Beliefs/practices/history Hinduism What do you know? Discuss Beliefs/practices/history

The Beginnings

Hinduism Oldest and perhaps the most complex religion in the world. Origins in India. Survived as a Faith for thousands of years despite many outside influences, including invasions and occupations of the land. Hinduism has always been interested in and welcomed ideas from anyway. Rig Veda: “ Let noble thoughts come to us from all directions.”

Hinduism Keeping its own ideas intact. Focus has always been (and continues to be) inward. Hinduism has little interest in convincing others to embrace its values. Hindu religious leaders rarely try to convert others. Hinduism firmly believes in both the supreme being and the idea that other belief systems are as valid as its own.

The Hindu worldview There is no founder. No single religious book. It is not an organised religion. Hinduism has no founding date. No hierarchy of leader. No standard sacraments or rite of initiation accepted and practiced by all those who profess to be Hindus. Hinduism excludes nothing.

A broad set of key beliefs Belief in the Supreme Soul: Brahman - universal spirit. Brahman is the One who reveals himself in the minds of the sages and seers as the Supreme Consciousness. Hindus understand Brahman to be the one thing real in the universe. Belief that Truth is the goal of life, according to Hindus, is to reach back to Brahman, the one Reality, by realising our true nature. That goal is defined as Moksha: liberation from repeated cycles of births and deaths. Prayer: “Asato ma sat Gamaya” - Lead me from the unreal to the real.

Belief in the authority of the Vedas Sacred text Written in Sanskrit Rig Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda Sama Veda Praises to various deities/procedures for rituals/ cures from ills/musical chants

Belief in the idea that time is circular and not linear – there is no beginning and no end. Time is simply a continuum. Belief in karma and karmic consequences: Karma is actions that relate to service, particularly service to society. Belief in the concept of Dharma: dhr – means to hold- sustain. Dharma – right conduct is so central to Hindu life. The Dharma of humans is to serve. Belief in tolerance as the core value: Modern Hindus accept all religions to be true – Hindu hymn asserts the view by comparing various paths to God with hundreds of rivers and streams all mingling finally with the ocean.

The Divine

There is but One without a second God and the universe are one and the same. Prayer offered at the end of worship: You alone are our mother and father. You alone are our sibling and friend. You alone are our knowledge and prosperity. You alone are everything to us My Lord, my Lord.

God Brahma: Creator – creates Vishnu: Sustainer – sustains Shiva – Destroyer – in charge of dissolution prior to the next time cycle of creation in the endless cycle.

Female consorts Saraswati – consort of Brahma, is the goddess of learning. Lakshmi – consort of Vishnu, is the goddess of wealth and well-being. Devi- consort of Shiva, represents the creative power knows as Shakti.

Common Misconceptions It is a common fallacy that Hindus worship “idols”. Hindus worship many gods.

Hindu religious leaders Sages – extraordinary spiritual person who is totally devoted to seeking reality and practicing austerities in remote environments such as caves and deep forests. Gurus – teachers Swamis – religious leaders who belong to an order Monks and preachers – often people who travel around. Some may belong to a celibate community, or they may live alone. Priests – conduct worship both in the home and in the Mandir. Reformers – people who have introduced various approaches to salvation over the past thousands of years.

Sacred Scriptures include… The Vedas, a collection of hymns praising the deities. Directly revealed by God and heard by the sages. Upanishads, a holy book from the 8th century BCE – the Upanishads comprise the intellectual content of the Vedas and serve as the foundation of Hindu philosophy. The Ramayana, long epic poem containing stories of Rama and Sita The Mahabharata which includes the Bhagavad Gita The Puranas, a collection of stories about different incarnations and lives of the saints.

Sacred texts The Bhagavad Gita – song of the Lord. The Hindu manual for a spiritual life. Its story occurs just before the great Mahabharata War is about to being and the hero Arjuna decides to quit the battlefield. In a timeless moment, the Lord teaches Arjuna the meaning of duty and charges him that he has no choice but to fulfil his duty as a warrior to restore dharma.

Common Misconceptions Hindus have one authoritative scripture Hindus view scripture in the same way as Jews, Christians and Muslims

Worship in the home - puja

Worship at the Mandir To have darshan – ‘seeing’ God.

Sensitive Issues At the Mandir you will be invited to “take the light”, don’t be put off by this, no one will be offended if you decline.

Festivals: 365 days of thanksgiving! There are many festivals. Some are celebrated in the home, and some are out in the community. Some may be low-key and serious, and some may be grand and lively. But most involve community gatherings in the open or at temples, and all involve prayers, special foods, excitement, and fun.

Karma

Reincarnation

Moksha - Liberation

Summing up: Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan. About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as Hindus. Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are presented by the multitude of deities which emanate from him. Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth, governed by karma. Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived. Main Hindu texts are the Vedas - Veda is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘knowledge’. Hindus celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights, Dewali is the best known.

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