Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Aim: to consider Hindu explanations for evil

and suffering in the world

What is Hinduism?

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

In pairs: 2 minute brainstorm.

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the world's oldest extant religion, with a billion followers, which makes it the world's third largest religion. Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations, the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Definitions:

Dharma, Karma, Moksha

= Samsara

Dharma The code for leading one's life.Refers to religion or activities regulated by religion; one's faith; one's spiritual path in life. Also in the lowest sense it refers to the duties one is compelled to perform in vedic culture based on their stage in life and family in which they were born. Respect for elders is considered important and many consider marriage as a son's religious duty.

Moksha

The spiritual goal of a Hindu is to become one with Brahma.

This freedom is referred to as moksha. Until moksha is achieved, a Hindu believes that he/she will be repeatedly reincarnated in order that he/she may work towards self-realization of the truth (the truth being that only Brahman exists, nothing else).

Karma

Karma is the cause and effect.

This means that every action leads to a consequence.

For example: If you misbehave you get a detention or if you smile at someone, they might smile you back and you will both feel happier.

Good karma = good action

Bad karma = bad action.

Karma Cosmic cause and effect Good and bad actions ‘saved up’ over a lifetime

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

2 more Definitions:

Brahman- one god with many forms

Atman – the soul is called

The Atman.

Samsara (Reincarnation)

Hindus believe that when body dies, the soul is born again in a new body.

If you have lived a good life you will be reincarnated as something better,like a solider or priest

If you have lived a bad life you will be reincarnated as something worse,like a servant or even an animal.

Samsara

The eternal cycle of birth, suffering, death, and rebirth.

In Hinduism, the endless round of birth, death, and rebirth to which all conditioned beings are subject. Samsara is conceived as having no perceptible beginning or end. The particulars of an individual's wanderings in samsara are determined by karma. In Hinduism, moksha is release from samsara. The range of samsara stretches from the lowest insect (sometimes the vegetable and mineral kingdoms are included) to Brahma, the highest of the gods.

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Using the sheet we have just read, write out four new sentences about Hinduism, which use all the words underneath:

Faith actions death existences rebirth natural evil God Oneness

Try and use the vocabulary we just learned in your sentences!

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Journey of a Soul: How Atman reaches MokshaEach Atman lives a number of lives while they are part of the cycle of Samsara (birth death and rebirth). The Karma ‘saved up’ during a lifetime, will determine whether the next rebirth will be ‘higher’ or ‘lower’ than the previous example.

 

The Lowest rebirth is…

 …because…

 

The Highest rebirth is as a ……

…..after this one may attain Moksha.

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Plenary: thinking and reflection time

Is the Hindu perspective a good way of explaining why some people are poor, or sick?

Hinduism Homework

Hindu perspectives on Evil and Suffering

Karma: Snakes and Ladders

Make your own snakes and ladders game with good actions which take you up a ladder, or bad actions which take you down a snake.

Make them big and creative because we’ll be playing them next lesson.

You can use the proforma as a guide or make your own from scratch.