Vedic Religion Male deities associated with the heavens Sacrifice-essential ritual Brahmin priest controlled rituals and prayers –Rig Veda – thousands of poetic hymns –Brahmanas -descriptions of procedures

Hinduism Beginnings Evolved from Vedic Religion Dates: BCE Founders: Arya Peoples –No individual Process=unknown –Brahmin priests still at top –Sacrifice less central –More opportunity for direct contact between gods and individual worshipers

Hinduism Where Practiced?: India Monotheistic?: No => Polytheistic: –330 Million Ganesh

Religious Books : Vedas: collection of psalms, prayers, chants Upanishads: origin of the universe, Brahman Epic Poems: Ramayana: Life of Rama (Vishnu) Mahabharata: longest poem in the world –Contains the Bhagavad Gita

Place of Worship Temples Home Shrines Rel. Leader: Brahmin No Rel. Sects

GODS Hinduism has thousands of gods. Families worship their own god.

Hindu Gods Vishnu: preserver Shiva: destroyer Vishnu Shiva Brahma

BRAHMA The Creator God Four faces stand for the four corners of the universe Many Hindus believe that all Gods originate from Brahma

Hinduism Gods Brahma: Supreme force of universe –Salt and Water Analogy

Elephant Story

VISHNU “The Preserver God” maintain balance of good and evil returns to earth as different forms (avatars) to bring justice/balance –Human and animal

Shiva: Visual Analysis

Shiva The Destroyer God “Cosmic Dance” Dances in a halo of fire Fire in left hand He crushes the dwarf

Shiva Left hand holds the flame of destruction, purification, and renewal Snake symbolize his power over evil

Rules and Laws Caste System: Social Classes Karma: good and bad actions Dharma: Duties Samsara: cycle of life –(birth, life, death and rebirth)

Samsara Samsara: People go through Cycle of birth, life, and death Reincarnated (reborn) at either a higher or lower level depending on how well they fulfilled their dharma

Karma Karma Actions performed by each individual during a lifetime. Good action = a step towards a better rebirth Bad action = step towards a poorer rebirth Can be reborn as an animal—it will be harder for them to gain the knowledge they need to escape from samsara

Dharma Duties: set of rules to be followed Obligations to family and society. Determined by one’s position (caste) in society and by the stage of life that they have reached.

Moksha Liberation from samsara (cycle of life) Your soul (atman) becomes one with Brahman, the universal soul This happens when one’s karma (actions) continually fulfills their dharma (duty). –Replace ignorance with wisdom.

OM or AUM Main symbol of Hinduism visual and verbal expression of god “a” = beginning “u” = progress “m” = dissolution

Miscellaneous Hindu Practices Cremated the same day you die Suttee / Sati –“virtuous woman” Ganges = Sacred Cow = sacred

SRI YANTRA focal point for meditation 9 triangles intersect to form 43 triangles 3 concentric circles framed by a square

Hindu Meditation SRI YANTRA This form is the geometric expression of the divine sound of creation... OM

Conclusion Successful transformation based on Vedic Oral Tradition Ultimate victory of Hinduism over Buddhism Buddhism was driven from the land of its birth Responded to needs of people for personal deities Buddhism demanded too much of ordinary people Absorbed Buddha as a God Behind the diversity and multiplicity of Indian religion lies an ultimate unity.