INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

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INDUS VALLEY CIVILIZATION

• The origins of Hinduism trace the religion's
  roots to the Indus valley civilization circa 4000
  to 2200 BCE. This was a very advanced
  civilization that boasted
• ? Own language
• ? Planned cities
• ? Sophisticated plumbing and sewage systems
• ? Vast trading network
• ? No standing army
• ? No monuments to rulers
• Thriving mercantile ruling class

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Aryan Invasions

• The development of Hinduism was influenced by
  many invasions over thousands of years. The major
  influences occurred when light-skinned nomadic
  "Aryan" Indo-European tribes invaded Northern
  India (circa 1500 BCE) from the steppes of Russia
  and Central Asia. They brought with them their
  religion of Vedism. These beliefs mingled with
  the more advanced, indigenous Indian native
  beliefs, often called the "Indus Valley culture."

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The Vedic Period
The predominance of female figurines and seals
depicting a horned goddess by the Indus People is
generally regarded as evidence of the worship of
a mother goddess who presided over fertility and
birth and who may have acted as guardian and
protector of the dead.

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UPANISHADAS

• They are a continuation of the Vedas, and
  were written between 800 and 400 BCE.
• They elaborate on how the soul (Atman) can
  be united with the ultimate truth (Brahman)
  through contemplation and mediation, as well as
  the doctrine of Karma-- the cumulative effects of
  a persons actions.

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MAHABHARATA BHAGAVAD GITA RAMAYANA

• The Mahabharata, were written 540 to 300
  BCE,
• The Bhagavad Gita is the sixth book of the
  Mahabharata. It is a poem describing a
  conversation between a warrior Arjuna and the God
  Krishna. It is an ancient text that has become
  central to Hinduism
• Another important text is the Ramayana. It
  is a moving love story with moral and spiritual
  themes. It is dated to the first century AD

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CATEGORIZING HINDUISM IS CONFUSING
Polytheistic - one which worships multiple
deities gods and goddesses.  Monotheistic
religion, because it recognizes only one supreme
God Brahman, that all reality is a unity.
Trinitarian because Brahman is simultaneously
visualized as a triad Brahma, the Creator
Vishnu, (Krishna) the Preserver and Shiva, the
Destroyer

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Brahma the Creator who is continuing to create
new realities
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Vishnu, (Krishna) the Preserver, who preserves
these new creations.

• Whenever dharma (eternal order,
  righteousness, religion, law and duty) is
  threatened, Vishnu travels from heaven to earth
  in one of ten incarnations.

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Shiva, the Destroyer, is at times compassionate,
erotic and destructive.
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URBAN HINDUS

• Most urban Hindus follow one of two major
  divisions within Hinduism
• Vaishnavaism which generally regards Vishnu as
  the ultimate deity
• Shivaism which generally regards Shiva as the
  ultimate deity.

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RURAL HINDUS

• Many rural Hindus worship their own village
  goddess or an earth goddess. She is believed to
  rule over fertility and disease -- and thus over
  life and death.
• The priesthood is less important in rural
  Hinduism non-Brahmins and non-priests often
  carry out ritual and prayer there.

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SAMSARA

• Hindus believe in the repetitious
  Transmigration of the Soul. This is the transfer
  of one's soul after death into another body. This
  produces a continuing cycle of birth, life, death
  and rebirth through their many lifetimes. It is
  called samsara.

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KARMA

• Karma is the accumulated sum of ones good and
  bad deeds. Karma determines how you will live
  your next life. Through pure acts, thoughts and
  devotion, one can be reborn at a higher level.
  Eventually, one can escape samsara and achieve
  enlightenment. Bad deeds can cause a person to be
  reborn as a lower level, or even as an animal.
  The unequal distribution of wealth, prestige,
  suffering are thus seen as natural consequences
  for one's previous acts, both in this life and in
  previous lives.

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Dharma

• Dharma is to fulfill your moral duty in this
  life. By fulfilling your Dharma and producing
  only good Karma you can move up the caste system
  and could release you from Samsara.

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CASTE SYSTEM

• The enslavement of the dark skinned people of
  the Indus Valley is thought to have laid the
  foundation of the caste system. The caste system
  was further enforced by the Hindu belief of
  Karma. Bad deeds can cause a person to be reborn
  as a lower level, or even as an animal. The
  unequal distribution of wealth, prestige,
  suffering are thus seen as natural consequences
  for one's previous acts, both in this life and in
  previous lives.

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Atman

• Atman is the soul that is reincarnated. Atman
  is the part of god in every living thing. The
  purpose of life is to unite Atman with Brahman.

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MOKSA

• The main goal for those who renounce the world
  is
• Moksa or liberation from "samsara," This is
  uniting Atman with Brahman. Moksa is considered
  the supreme end of mankind.

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Maya

• Maya is the illusionary world created by our
  senses. This veil of illusion makes people
  believe they are separate from Brahma

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MEDITATION

• Meditation is often practiced, with Yoga being
  the most common. The goal of meditation is to
  help break-through the Maya and to seek Brahman.

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Prayer Offerings
Offerings are also often used to assist the
Poor Other activities include daily devotions,
public rituals, and puja, a ceremonial dinner
for a God.
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TOLERANT ELASTIC

• Hinduism has a deserved reputation of being
  highly tolerant of other religions. Hindus have a
  saying "Ekam Sataha Vipraha Bahudha Vadanti,"
  which may be translated "The truth is One, but
  different Sages call it by Different Names"