A Hindu View of Life... And Death

SAMSKARA rites of passage HOUSEHOLDER 2 nd Ashrama HINDU CONCEPTS SAMSARA cycle of life REINCARNATION born again ATMANsoul MOKSHArelease DHARMAduty CASTEclass/status ASHRAMA stage of life BRAHMAN universal spirit AHIMSAnon-violence KARMA effects of action SAMSARA REINCARNATION ATMAN MOKSHA DHARMA CASTE ASHRAMA BRAHMAN SAMSKARA HOUSEHOLDER AHIMSA KARMA

HINDUISM a very Brief Summary HINDUISM IS A WAY OF LIFE To be a good H HH Hindu, you must perform your D DD Dharma Your dharma is set out by who you are and what you are born as. Good Dharma = Good Karma

HINDUISM PURPOSE IN LIFE DHARMA Perform Your Duty Includes Caste – Caste – Social Duty – Family Duty Ashramas – Religious dutyCASTE Social Class 4 Traditional Castes – Brahmin – Kings / Warriors – Merchants – Peasants Outcasts Be the best you can in that roleHINDUISM DEALING WITH SIN KARMA KARMA Law of consequences Good deeds Karma – Good Karma Bad Deeds Karma – Bad Karma Karma Karma is carried forward through many lives.HINDUISM AT DEATH Body Dies – Funeral rites – Body Cremated ATMAN ATMAN (soul) released – Immortal Souls SAMSARA SAMSARA Cycle of life – Life – Death – Rebirth Atman Atman reincarnated Karma Good Karma Caste – Higher Caste Karma Bad Karma Caste – Lower Caste – Outcast? – Animal??HINDUISMRELEASE MOKSHA After Many Lives: Atman Atman is cleaned Karma – No Bad Karma Samsara Released from Samsara Atman becomes one with Universal Spirit BRAHMAN – BRAHMAN (GOD) GOD - BRAHMAN “We are all God” “We don’t know it.” Purpose of life: Brahman Recognise ALL life is part of Brahman –including you. “You Are IT”

HINDUISM PURPOSE IN LIFE Do your DHARMA – Duty – Social, family, religious Be true to your CASTE – What social role are you born into – Be the best you can in that roleHINDUISM DEALING WITH SIN KARMA KARMA – All Actions have consequences KARMA Good deeds = Good KARMA KARMA Bad Deeds = Bad KARMA KARMA is carried forward through many lives.HINDUISM AT DEATH Body Dies – Funeral rites – Body Cremated Soul ATMAN released Soul ATMAN released – Immortal Souls SAMSARA SAMSARA ATMAN reborn into a new body to begin the journey again. If GOOD KARMA last life, then higher CASTE this life. If BAD KARMA last life, lower CASTE this life – even down to an animal!HINDUISMRELEASE MOKSHA KARMA After Many (thousands, generations, millions) of lives, the ATMAN is cleaned of any bad KARMA. It is released from the Cycle of Life and Death and Rebirths – SAMSARA ATMAN BRAHMAN ATMAN returns to become one with the universal Spirit – BRAHMAN (GOD) BRAHMAN HINDU view – we are all God, we just don’t know it. The quest in life is to recognise that all life is part of BRAHMAN including you. “You Are IT”

Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family

ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life Stage 1 – Student Life 0 – 24 Studyinglearning Studying & learning roles to serve: Family Society Religion Stage 2 – Householder Life 25 – 50 Dharma Perform the family duty - DharmaMarriage Works to help raise a family Stage 3 – Retired Life 50 – 75 Retires Retires & oversees extended family Begins study of spiritual matters Yoga Yoga & Meditation Guru Following a Guru Studying scriptures Stage 4 – Renounced Life 75 – 100 Gives up Gives up on family & material life focused Wholly focused on spiritual matters Moksha Quest for Moksha (release)

Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life Stage 1 – Student Life 0 – 24 Studyinglearning Studying & learning roles to serve: Family Society Religion Stage 2 – Householder Life 25 – 50 Dharma Perform the family duty - DharmaMarriage Works to help raise a family Stage 3 – Retired Life 50 – 75 Retires Retires & oversees extended family Begins study of spiritual matters Yoga Yoga & Meditation Guru Following a Guru Studying scriptures Stage 4 – Renounced Life 75 – 100 Gives up Gives up on family & material life focused Wholly focused on spiritual matters Moksha Quest for Moksha (release)

Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family SAMSARAS – 16 Rites of Passage 1 - Conception 5 – Formal Naming Ceremony 9 – Piercing of the Ears 13 – Marriage Ceremony 2 - Pregnancy 6 – Astrological Chart taken 10 – The Thread Ceremony 14 – Retirement to Study 3 – Parting of Mothers Hairs 7 – First Solid Food 11 – First Shave 15 – Shedding all Responsibility 4 – Secret Naming Ceremony 8 – First Haircut 12 – Return to the House 16 – Last Rites After Death

BRAHMAN Universal Spirit

ATMAN Individual Spirit Soul

MOKSHA Release from cycle

CASTE Class / status