1. Hinduism

2. Key Terms
Polytheism
Dharma
Karma
Reincarnation

3. Polytheism
Belief in many gods
Hinduism has thousands of gods

4. Three Main Hindu Gods Brahma (NOT Brahman) – god of Creation
Vishnu– Preserver god; battles forces of evil
Shiva – Destroyer god

5. Cycle of World
Birth/
Creation
Perseverance/
Life
Death/
Destruction

6. Reincarnation - cycle of rebirth
Ultimate goal is to break cycle and attain enlightenment - oneness with the force

7. Natural laws whose observance enables humans to be contented and happy
What is Dharma?
Natural laws whose observance enables humans to be contented and happy
Essential to all of creation— “rules of existence”
“Upholds the world”

8. Ten Rules of Dharma Patience Forgiveness Piety/Self-control Honesty
Sanctity
Control of Senses
Reason
Knowledge/Learning
Truthfulness
Absence of Anger

9. Example Reincarnation
This life: Kshatriya
Good Karma
Next Life: Brahmin
Bad Karma
Next Life: Shudra
Next Life: Dung Beetle

10. Karma: Definitions
English: “sum of person’s actions in one of his successive states of existence, viewed as deciding his fate for the next”
Sanskrit: “volitional act that is undertaken deliberately or knowingly”

11. Dharma and Karma Natural laws of the universe
Following dharma creates positive or negative karma
Good dharma comes from following what is right for self, family, caste, world
“Score” accumulated by actions in individual lives
Determined by individual actions and choices
Karmic “score” determines where and what individual reincarnated as

12. Dharma and Karma Cake
End Result = Karma
Ingredients = Dharma