1. THE BEGINNINGS OF HINDUISM
SECTION 2
TEXTBOOK PAGES

3. How did Hinduism begin?
Hinduism is a polytheist religion and the world’s oldest living religion.
Hinduism developed over 3,500 years and absorbed beliefs from other religions.
It is still the religion of modern India.

4. What are the Hindu gods and goddesses like?
The Hindu gods and goddesses stand for different parts of the single spirit.
The gods can take different forms, both human & animal.
The most important gods are Brahma, the Creator……...

5. Gods and Goddesses

6. Gods & goddesses cont’d..
…..Vishnu, the Preserver and Shiva, the Destroyer.
Each god is part of an all-powerful force called brahman. Hindu gods also have their own families.

7. Who are the most important gods & goddesses?
Brahma is the creator. Created the earth and everything on it.
Not as widely worshipped as the other gods.

8. BRAHMA- THE CREATOR

9. Gods & Goddesses cont’d..
Shiva is the Destroyer (The Universe).
Developed from the God, Rudra, the wielder of the Thunderbolt.

10. SHIVA- THE DESTROYER

11. Gods & Goddesses con’t…
Vishnu is the Preserver.
A kindly God concerned with human welfare.
Visits earth to protect humans from disaster or to guide them.

12. VISHNU- THE PERSERVER

13. What are the Basic Beliefs of Hinduism?
Hindu beliefs are contained in religious writings or sacred texts.
The Upanishads is in the form of questions by pupils and responses by teachers.

15. Basic beliefs continued….
Teachers would explain brahman as a force too complicated for humans to understand.

16. What is the Upanishads?
Upanishad are Hindu religious texts.
It means “Sitting Near A Teacher.”

17. What is Reincarnation? Reincarnation is a belief in the Upanishads.
Reincarnation is the rebirth of the soul. The Hindus believe that a person may die, but the soul is reborn in the body of another living thing.

18. What are the Hindu duties?
A person must obey his or her Dharma or the religious and moral duties of each person.
By obeying Dharma, a person comes closer to Brahman.

19. What is Ahimsa?
An important idea of Hinduism is Ahimsa or nonviolence.
All things must be treated with respect (as not eating meat)
All people are part of Brahman and should be treated with respect.

20. What are paths to truth?
Followers worship in different ways.
One Hindu may present gifts to a personal God.
Others hope of Brahman by reading sacred writings.

21. THE END