2. 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

3. Hinduism Beginnings Evolved from Vedic Religion Dates: 2000-1500 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

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

5. 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

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

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

8. Hindu Gods Vishnu: preserver Shiva: destroyer Vishnu Shiva Brahma

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

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

11. Elephant Story

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

13. Shiva: Visual Analysis

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

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

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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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.

20. 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.

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

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

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

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

25. 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.