1. HINDUISM

2. Indus River and Ganges River in Northern India.

3. 900 million Hindus in the world. Most live in India.

4. India: largest democracy and second largest country after China

5. 3 rd largest world religion/oldest

6. Hinduism= Sanatana Dharma

7. Hindu means “river” (Indus) in Sanskrit.

8. Hindus share their diversity!

9. 3 Sacred Texts: 1. Vedas (knowledge)

10. 2. Upanishads

11. 3. Bhagavad Gita

12. Hinduism is hard to define: 1. No single founder or prophet 2. No single sacred text 3. No commonly agreed upon set of teachings

13. Hindu Beliefs: MONISM all reality is one! (interconnected)

14. BRAHMAN: supreme spirit, creator

15. UNION/MOKSHA Liberation or freedom from the constraints of this world and union with Brahman

16. ATMAN = universal Brahman found within all people/spirit/divine soul

17. ATMAN is BRAHMAN!!

18. REINCARNATION

19. Hindu view on time Westerners view life as linear: birth, life, death, eternity with God Hindus view life as cyclical: birth, death, rebirth, death, rebirth…samsara…many births, many deaths

20. KARMA Literally means “actions” or “deeds” The force from what we do: our decisions, our actions “What goes around comes around, baby!”

21. Hindus are MONOTHEISTIC, believing in one supreme god with many “faces”!

22. 330 million gods and goddesses

23. BRAHMA CREATES.

24. Vishnu preserves

25. Shiva destroys

26. Ganesh(a): god of good fortune and overcoming obstacles

27. Cow Veneration in India

28. Puja means worship.

29. Arti Ceremony/Hindu shrine

30. Mandirs: Hindu temples

31. MANDIRS: Hindu temples

32. Swamis are spiritual teachers.

33. The Caste System

34. DALITS are Untouchables

35. Mahatma Gandhi

36. Four Stages of Life: 1. Student

37. 2. Householder

38. 3. Forest Dweller

39. 4. Wandering Ascetic

40. Four Paths To Salvation: 1. Works/Karma Yoga

41. 2. Path of Knowledge/ Jnana Yoga

42. 3. Meditative Exercises/Dhyana Yoga

43. 4. Path of Devotion/Bhakti Yoga

44. Hindu Birth Ritual

45. Ceremony of the Sacred Thread

46. Hindu marriages are often arranged by parents.

47. Bathing in the sacred Ganges River

48. Diwali

49. Holi

50. Kumbh Mela

51. Namaste!

52. Sari

53. Bindi

54. Tilak

55. Henna on bride’s hands

56. OM: Sound of creation