1. Dr. Afxendiou Global History and Geography 9 Sachem North High School
HINDUISM

2. GOD/GODS – Three main gods, Brahma the Creator,
FOUNDER – NONE
GOD/GODS – Three main gods, Brahma the Creator,
Vishnu the Protector,
and Shiva the Destroyer
Vishnu: The Protector
Shiva: The Destroyer
Brahma: The Creator

3. HOLY LAND – there are many holy places within India

4. PLACE OF WORSHIP- at shrines at home
Or at temples

5. RELIGION –Polytheistic SYMBOL – aum “om”
SACRED TEXT –
Upanishads
Bhagavad-Gita
Vedas
RELIGION –Polytheistic
SYMBOL – aum “om”

6. RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP – have priests many titles
Swami – a monk
Mahatama - title to a great individual such as Mahatma Gandhi and means 'Great Soul'.
Maharishi which means 'great seer'
MORAL LAW – Dharma
means Law or Natural Law
correct, proper or decent behavior;
guidelines or rules that must be obeyed varying from caste to caste

7. ULTIMATE GOAL – to achieve MOKSHA
Moksha is a state of perfect understanding of all things.
Rejoining of the soul with the Brahman.
Release from the cycle of reincarnation
Ends all suffering
Achieved by having good karma over many lifetimes
The Lord said: Brahman is the Imperishable, the Supreme. Dwelling in each body, Brahman is called the individual soul The Bhagavad Gita as Translated by Swami Nikhilananda

8. KEY BELIEFS – Reincarnation Karma Dharma The caste system
Cows are holy

9. KEY BELIEFS
Reincarnation – the process by which a soul is reborn continuously in a new body until it achieves moksha, escape from the cycle of rebirth
Karma- the totality of the good and bad deeds performed by a person, which is believed to determine his or her fate after rebirth. Good deeds, following one’s dharma, lead to good karma and rebirth in a higher caste. Bad deeds lead to rebirth in a lower caste.

10. KEY BELIEFS
The caste system – a system of social hierarchy that is an integral part of Hinduism. There are hundreds of subdivisions within each caste.
Castes are also called varnas
Caste membership was determined by birth
Caste membership determined what work people did, whom they could marry, the people with whom the could eat.
Lowest caste are the untouchables whose work is considered impure – butchers, gravediggers, trash collectors.

11. millions of local deities
Brahma
Vishnu
Shiva
The Preserver
millions of local deities
The Destroyer
world of humans:
dharma
fulfillment of life roles
karma
death
reincarnation

12. Hinduism influenced Indian society by providing the caste system.
EFFECT ON SOCIETY –
Hinduism influenced Indian society by providing the caste system.
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
The caste system is the social hierarchy that organizes people in order of importance in Indian society. It is a very strict social ranking that one is born into. A person’s caste position determines everything about them, how they will dress, who they will socialize with, who they can marry, what kind of job they can have. There is no way to escape your caste, the only way to move up is through reincarnation.
POLITICAL
Provides laws that keep order in society. Everyone knows what they are supposed to do and what they are not allowed to do