The People and Culture of India

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The People and Culture of India
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Early Peoples of India

• Dravidians- original people of Indus/ Ganges
  River valleys, forced to move by Aryans
• Aryans-nomadic, warlike, fair-skinned, came from
  Central Asia and conquered India, many aspects of
  their culture can be found in Hinduism

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Hinduism

• More than a religion-way of life
• One of the worlds oldest religions
• Basic belief-all things have a soul
• Predominate religion of India-900 million
  followers

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• Organization-
• No founder
• No formal church-people worship at home or in a
  temple
• Polytheistic-
• -belief in many gods/goddesses

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• Brahman- The Supreme Being creator and sustainer
  of the universe all-powerful spirit
• Hindu Triad-3 gods, each is considered to be an
  aspect of Brahman
• -Brahma-creator of life
• -Vishnu-preserver of life
• -Shiva-destroyer of life

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Vishnu
Shiva
Brahma
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• A Persons Soul ( ATMAN )
• -leaves the body at death and moves to a new
  life form, where a soul goes is based on its
  behavior during its life
• Reincarnation-
• the belief that the soul continues through a
  series of lives on a journey to nirvana (ultimate
  resting place)

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What determines where a soul goes?

• Karma-
• -to do
• -sum of all of your good and bad thoughts and
  actions
• -good karmabetter place next life
• -bad karmasoul moves down

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Where/When have you heard about Karma before?
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What determines where a soul goes?

• Dharma-
• -moral and social responsibilities in a persons
  life that must be followed
• -is determined by your caste
• -do your dharmaget good karma

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A Souls Journey..

• Transmigration-
• -when the soul leaves the body at death and
  moves to a new life form
• Nirvana/Moksha-
• -the ultimate resting place
• -end of the cycle of reincarnation

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Caste System

• Society was broken into castes based on
  occupation
• Born unequal in ability and opportunity
• Stay in the caste you were born into for life

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Caste System

• 4 Main Varna
• Brahmin-priests/teachers
• Kshatriya- warrior/politicians
• Vaishya- merchants/business men
• Sudra-laborers/servants
• Untouchables- street cleaners, lowest jobs

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• Origins of Caste- dates back to Aryan society
• No intermarriage-must marry someone from your own
  caste
• Pollution- contact with members of a lower caste
  can pollute your soul
• Vegetarianism- no meat, except Kshatriya

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Hindu Sacred Writings

• Vedas Rig Veda-( 800 BCE) oldest known
  religious document
• Prayers, chants and truths
• Upaninshads-(600 BCE)- tells the origins of the
  universe the meaning of the soul
• Law Book of Manu- (250 BCE) explains the origins
  of the caste system

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Epic Masterpieces

• Mahabharata- long poem that tells the story of a
  war between a royal family, shows the importance
  of following dharma
• -Bhagavad-Gita-part of Mahab.-tells the story of
  Prince Arjuna-code of conduct
• Ramayana-story of Prince Rama, illustrates the
  importance of appropriate behavior and karma

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Bhagavad-Gita
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Ramayana