Hinduism

1
Hinduism

• By Erin Sickinger
• Mr. Mitchell
• Modern World History Hr 6

2
Facts About Hinduism

• Hinduism was developed in India around 1500 B.C.
• Based on the teachings of the Vedas, which are
  collection of hymns and religious ceremonies that
  were passed down by Aryan priests, and then were
  eventually written down
• Hinduism does not have a single founder.
• Hinduism is the worlds oldest and most complex
  religion.
• Third largest religion after Christianity and
  Islam
• 13 of worlds population and 837 million
  followers

3
Symbols

• Om Symbol is a sacred sound that is very
  important to Hinduism. The symbol represents
  several triads
• the three worlds - earth, atmosphere, and heaven
• the three major Hindu gods - Brahma, Vishnu, and
  Siva
• the three sacred Vedic scriptures - Rg, Yajur,
  and Sama
• Other symbols include
• Shiva Linga - the symbol of the god, Shiva
• Lotus - represents beauty and non-attachment
• Swastika - a cross with four arms of equal length

4
God or gods?

• Hinduism religion believes in one God, Brahman.
  They view other gods and goddesses as
  manifestations or aspects of Brahman.
• Brahma created the universe and all of life.
• He rules over Brahmaloka, which contains all the
  magnificence of the earth and of other worlds.
• Hinduism has hundreds of human-like gods and
  goddesses, but there are three main ones
• Brahma the Creator
• Vishnu the Preserver
• Siva the Destroyer

To the farthest left is Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva
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Reincarnation

• Reincarnation is the belief that a individual is
  reborn into a different form after death
• Reincarnation provides privileges for the upper
  class and hope for the lower classes to behave
  properly in the next life.
• Reincarnation was developed in the 6th century
  B.C.
• Karma determines how a person will be reborn in
  the next life.
• What people do in this life determines what they
  will be in the next life
• Dharma is a law that requires people to do their
  duty.
• A persons duty depends on their social class.
• More is expected out of people of a higher class
  than those of lower class

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The Caste System

• Aryan society developed the caste system. This is
  a system which ranks a person in society
  according to occupational class
• There are four main social classes called
  varnas
• Brahmans were priests. They were at the top of
  the social class
• The second varna was the Kshatriyas consisting of
  soldiers and warriors
• The third varna was the Vaisyas consisting mostly
  of merchants and farmers
• The fourth varna was the Sudras, who made up a
  large amount of the Indian population. Most
  Sudras were peasants and laborers. (They only had
  limited rights in society).
• The lowest class of Indian society (not even
  considered part of the system) were the
  Untouchables. They were extremely poor and
  discriminated against.

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Beliefs and Moral Values

• Karma is ruled by Dharma (or the Divine Law)
• The belief of dharma allows Hindus to solve the
  problem of sin and suffering.
• The law teaches that in order to move up to a
  higher class one must do their duty in their
  current social class in life to move up to a
  higher class in their next life.
• Importantly how a person lived their past life
  determined the class that theyre living in now
• These concepts allowed people of lower classes to
  live in harmony with people of higher class
  because they had hope to move up based on how
  well they lived their life
• The moral values imparted from Hinduism is that a
  person must be good in order to reunite with
  Brahman after death even if it requires
  multiple lives through reincarnation.

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Works Cited

• http//www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/symbols.htm
• http//www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm
• http//www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/hind
  uism/hinduism.html
• http//www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/
• http//www.anjaliom.com/apprendre/images/trimurti.
  jpg
• http//www.leaderu.com/orgs/probe/docs/hindu.html
  
• http//www.1stholistic.com/Prayer/Hindu/hol_Hindu-
  brahma.htm