HINDUISM “RELIGION IN THE INDIAN SUB- CONTINENT”.
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Transcript of HINDUISM “RELIGION IN THE INDIAN SUB- CONTINENT”.
HINDUISM“RELIGION
IN
THE
INDIAN
SUB-CONTINENT”
Ancient, rich, complex belief system
* Controlling every aspect of life: social, economic,
and political
* Product of a long period of development and evolution
Deities in the Rig -Veda:
* Nature powers (sun, moon, storm) totaling 33 major gods
* Anthropomorphic (man-like or animal-like, transformable)
INDRA:Chief in Importance
“slayer of monsters”
“war god of victory”
VARUNA: Great Ethical
God of the Sky
associated with the moon and
storms bringing needed rains,
Varuna…
“ability to see all sins”
“forgives and releases from punishment”
YAMA:
God of the Dead
* Future life had two paths:souls of the good and heroic join
Yama in a idealized, spiritual earth,
the evil are hurled to bottomless pit
NEW IDEAS: A. Karma
* “Law of sowing and reaping” “Law of the Deed” (what goes around, comes around)
* Accumulated impact of good or evil deeds being repeated to you
B. Transmigration * Reincarnation- material rebirth)
* Common in other cultures, but embraced in India,
* Including whole range of animal life
KARMA & REINCARNATIONLINKED TOGETHER…
* Ultimate goal = escape earth !* But evil deeds done would force one to be reborn (reincarnated) in order to face punishment (“Law of Karma”)
WHEEL OF LIFE:
Man found himself on endless cycle of rebirth
(punishment for evil deeds or reward for good deeds) reflected
in the status of the rebirth (class of person or
type of animal)
RITUALS AND WORSHIP:
* Goal to reach state of perfect mental peace and oneness with spiritual world
* Meditation released mind from
body/material concerns
* Yoga (exercises to suppress
bodily activities)
Goddess Saraswati
Hindu Deity of
Learning and
Knowledge
SOCIETAL CHANGES:* Caste system of rigid,
societal classes developed
Why?* (Law of Karma?)
* Priest class emerges, (philosophy documented in two writings- Brahmanas and Upansihads)
* Priests in touch with spiritual world, best suited to conduct sacrifices, best suited to teach youth
Caste (Varna) System:
Brahmin (priests, teachers)Warriors, RulersFarmers, Merchants, ArtisansLaborersUntouchables
HINDU TRINITY EMERGES:
* Multiple earth gods viewed as different aspects of one, father-figure god, Brahman
* Brahman becomes seen as three personalities:
Brahma-the Creator,
Vishnu- the Preserver, Siva- the Destroyer
Brahma the creator
Vishnu the
protector(originally a god of the Sun)
Incarnation of Vishnu as a boar…(others include fish, Krishna, Buddha, and one yet to come…)
Krishna, an epic hero, cowherder,
and “savior” figure
Shiva(Siva)
worshipped indirectly
through his wife of many
names...
Khali (Shiva’s
wife)
the most terrible, object of bloodiest sacrifices
Vedic Gods Survive:
* Village shrines continue offerings and animal sacrifices to minor gods,
* Pilgrimages to sacred Ganges River (sacred city of Benares)
* Multiple temples built to
minor gods
Ganesha
still one of the most
popular gods in India...
Son of the
goddess Shiva,
“destroyer of
obstacles”
People pray to Ganesha for “siddhi”
(success)and
“buddhi” intelligence
No new venture is
begun without his assistance
Modern temple to Ganesha...
The Ramayan...an enduring
tradition
The Ramayan is an epic poem (300 BCE) still popular today;
it sets high standards for morality and
devotion through its hero,
Rama.
Born theson of a king,
since childhood
Rama portrays the brave, ideal role model for young men and
husbands.
His wife, Sita,
represents the ideal of beauty
and duty toone’s husband...
One day, he must leave a life of luxury, due to conflict
over the inheritance to
his father’s throne…
Rama and Sita, with their servants, are banished to live in the forest.
However, unknown to him,Rama is really an incarnation
of the god Vishnu.
Finding Sita most beautiful and
desirable, the evil king of
Lanka, Ravana, kidnapped her
and carried her away to his island
kingdom.
Rama responds by enlisting the help of the
Monkey King and his army...
Rama leads the
forces into an
attack on Lanka...
He slays the evil
Ravana...
…bringing Sita back
to their home and to safety...
Where they
return to their
original happiness..
.
And the brave Rama is crowned king.
HINDUISM“Salvation”
evolving from sacrifices,
to knowledge,
to devotion.