Text 2.1: Hinduism Beliefs Develop

Topic 3 Lesson 2: The Origins of Hinduism and Buddhism

BELLWORK

How did Hinduism develop in Ancient India?

OBJECTIVES

Identify the contributions of religion to the development of Hinduism

Describe the origins and central beliefs of Hinduism

Explain how Hinduism influenced life in Ancient India

Hindu Beliefs Develop

Two major religions—Hinduism and Buddhism—emerged in ancient India

The ethical and spiritual messages of these religions profoundly shaped Indian civilization

Hindu Beliefs Develop

Has no single founder and no single sacred text, but has certain basic beliefs that have evolved over 3,500 years

Grew out of the overlapping beliefs of the diverse groups who settled India

Hinduism became one of the world’s most complex religions, with countless gods and goddesses and many forms of worship existing side by side

One Force Unifying Everything

Hindu belief that everything in the universe is part of the unchanging, all-powerful spiritual force called Brahman

Brahman is too complex an idea for most people to understand

Hindus worship a variety of gods who give concrete form to Brahman

One Force Unifying EverythingThe most widely worshipped Hindu gods are:

Vishnu, the Preserver; Shiva, the Destroyer; Shakti, the female divine, who is believed to be ruthless against evil

Each can take many forms, human or animal, to represent the various aspects of Brahman with which he or she is associated

Sacred Texts Show Hindu BeliefsHindu teachings were recorded in the the Vedas in the Upanishads

These sacred texts use vivid images to examine complex ideas about the human soul and the connectedness of all life

Literary works such as the Bhagavad-Gita were also revered for their representations of Hindu beliefs

Achieving Moksha is the Goal of Life for Hindus

To Hindus, every person has atman

Some view it as being the same as Brahman, and others as being of the same as Brahman, but still different from Brahman

The ultimate goal of existence, Hindus believe, is achieving moksha

Achieving Moksha is the Goal of Life for Hindus

Some Hindus believe they must love and serve God unconditionally

Others believe they must free themselves from selfish desires that separate them from Brahman

People cannot achieve moksha in one lifetime, but Hindus believe in reincarnation

Achieving Moksha is the Goal of Life for Hindus

Reincarnation allows people to continue working toward moksha through several lifetimes

Karma

In each existence a person can come closer to achieving moksha by obeying the law of karma

Someone's good and moral actions leads to good results either in this lifetime or the next; a life filled with misdeeds will lead to hardship and suffering in either this life or the next

Karma

Hindus believe that all existence is within Brahman so all things are treated with great respect and even venerated

Dharma

To escape the cycle of birth and rebirth, Hinduism stresses the importance of dharma, religious and moral duties of an individual

These duties include concepts such as truthfulness, and living in moderation

May also vary according to one's role in society, gender, and age

Ahimsa

Another key moral principle of Hinduism is ahimsa, non violence

All people and things are aspects of Brahman and therefore deserve to be respected