Introduction to Hinduism

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Introduction to Hinduism

• Alan D. DeSantis

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An Introduction

• Hinduism is the third largest religion in the
  world, with approximately 900 million adherents
• It is also the oldest known religion in the world
  today
• The origins cannot be ascribed to any single
  founder or a specific time or a single place

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Major texts of Hinduism

• The Vedas
• The oldest Hindu sacred texts (in 4 parts),
  composed in Sanskrit
• In the oral tradition for hundreds of years
• The Bhagavad Gita (400 BCE)
• It is perhaps the most famous, and definitely the
  most widely-read text of ancient India.

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Brahman (the big guy)

• There is one big God
• More of a all powerful forceno personal
  characteristics
• The Vedas depict Brahman as the Universal Soul

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Polytheistic?

• Many Hindus believe in many deities
• Key The way these very interesting looking gods
  are portrayed are not to be taken literally
• The Hindu Trinity (the big 3)
• Shiva
• Brahma
• Vishnu
• After this top tier, there is a virtually endless
  list of second-string deities

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Shiva

• Shiva is the Destroyer
• Even though he represents destruction, Shiva is
  viewed as a positive force
• Shiva is the supreme God in Shaivism

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• Symbolism of Shiva
• Third Eye Eye of wisdom.
• Cobra Necklace Beyond the powers of death
• Matted hair Lord of wind
• Sacred Ganga Holiest of the holy rivers
• Drum Source of all language and expression.
• Tiger skin The tiger is the vehicle of Shakti,
  the goddess of power and force.
• Elephant Deer Skin Elephants represent pride.
  Deer represent the jumping of minds
• Trident Symbolizes three functions of the triad
  the creation, the sustenance and the
  destruction.
• There are many more not highlighted

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Brahma

• Brahma is the Hindu God of Creation
• Brahma is traditionally depicted with four heads,
  faces, and arms.
• He is the one that is not worshiped (like the
  other 2)

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Vishnu

• Vishnu is the Preserver, he is most famously
  identified with his human and animal incarnations
  (AKA, avatars)
• He manifested Himself as a living being in ten
  avatars.
• They are (in order of avatar)
• (Fish)
• (Turtle)
• (Pig/Boar)
• (Lion man / from the torso upwards lion, below,
  human)
• (First fully human form as a dwarf sage who has
  the ability to grow very, very tall)
• (Fierce man / Hunter)
• (Greatest Warrior/ Ideal man)
• (Mentally advanced man)
• (Sage who is completely still)
• (Prophesied, yet to take place)
• For Vaishnavas, he is the Ultimate God. The
  Brahman.

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Kali

• Kali is the kick-ass goddess of death and radical
  transformation
• Kali wears a a necklace made from men's skulls

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And lets not forget Ganesha

• Ganesha is one of the most well-known and loved
  Gods
• He is the first born son of Shiva
• The Lord of Good Fortune
• Provides prosperity and fortune
• Also the God of knowledge
• Used to help students study!

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Just a few of the Christian Patron Saints their
Duties

• against sexual temptation
• against shipwrecks
• against slander
• against slavery
• against snakes
• against solitary death
• against sorcery
• against spouse abuse (physical)
• against spouse abuse (verbal)
• against starvation
• against starving
• against sterility
• against stiff joints
• against stiff neck
• against stomach diseases
• against storms
• against strife
• against sudden death
• against temptations

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Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism

• 1) Reincarnation
• Reincarnation is the soul's cycle of birth and
  death until it attains Mok?ha
• Moke-sha is salvation and is governed by Karma
  (see below)
• 2) Karma
• Karma rests on the idea of human free will (not
  moved by God)
• Ones actions determine the course of ones life
  cycle rebirth

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Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism

• 3) Moksha (no heaven)
• When a soul finally escapes the karmic cycle, it
  becomes one with Brahman, an intangible energy
• 4) Stages of life
• There are stages to lives that we all go
  throughsome quicker than others

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Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism

• 4) Devil Hell
• A)
• B)
• C)
• 5) No converting

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Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism

• 6) The Caste System
• The caste system is a painfully rigid system of
  class oppression
• The caste system has come to be seen as a
  manifestation of karma
• Your next lifetime is your only hope for rising
  through the castes
• There are four hereditary castes

A pariah girl in India
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Some Ideas That Unite Hinduism

• 7) Wheres the Beef?
• A large section of Hindus do not eat cow
• While vegetarianism is not a requirement, it is
  recommended as a purifying lifestyle

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Criticism

• Hinduism is criticized on the basis of some past
  and some current social customs
• 1) Dowry
• 2) Sati
• 3) Caste System
• These trends are on the decline in recent times
  due to a growing population of large
  well-educated Hindu middle class.

Untouchables Denied Tsunamis Aid
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The End(or is it just a new beginning to be
followed by another end . . . etc. etc. etc.)