India's Religions Origins and Characteristics

6th Grade UBD - Unit 4 - India's Religions Origins and Characteristics

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Hinduism- Hinduism arose among the Aryan

invaders of India around 1500 BCE. Modern India is a

land of many religions, but Hindu beliefs and practices

are the most dominant.

Buddhism- Buddhism arose out of Hinduism. It

shares some of its beliefs and practices. Buddhism is

a religion in which the idea of a god is not important.

Ashoka’s Conversion- Ashoka was the third

Mauryan emperor. He became a Buddhist and played

a large role in spreading Buddhism throughout Asia.

Reach Into Your Background South Asia has a

great deal of cultural

diversity, or variety.

Think about the idea

of diversity. The

United States is

culturally diverse,

too. Why do you

think this is so?

(5 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your answer with theirs. What things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)

Key Ideas- Hinduism

Hinduism has no specific founder.

Hindus believe in many gods and goddesses. All of them are parts

of a single universal god, Brahman. All human souls are a part of

Brahman.

Hindus are expected to carry out their duties, or dharma. They

believe in reincarnation. This is the idea that the soul is reborn in

an endless cycle of life and death.

How well a person carries out his or her dharma determines his or

her karma. People’s karma determines how they will live in their

next life.

Hinduism

Religion often has had an

important effect on culture.

It often has helped to define

the levels and roles of the

people in society.

The effect of religion was

especially powerful in

ancient Indian society and

culture.

The History of HinduismVideo- The History of Hinduism

Hinduism

The founders of most of

the major religions are

well known.

The names of Moses,

Jesus, and Muhammad

are recognized around

the globe.

Unlike most of the world’s

religions, Hinduism has

no founder and no central

organization.

Hinduism

Historians believe that the

beginning of Hinduism

occurred around 1500 BCE.

Around this time, the Aryan

people conquered India.

Certain beliefs of the early

inhabitants of the region

were absorbed into the

religion of the Aryan people

to create Hinduism.

Hinduism

Hinduism teaches that

everything in the

universe is all part of one

god.

The gods and

goddesses, people,

animals, and all objects,

are part of this oneness,

or unity.

Hinduism

Hindus believe

that all life is

connected and

should be

treated with

respect.

The Practices of HinduismVideo- The Practices of Hinduism

Dharma and Karma

Every culture has its own

code of rules for people to

live by.

Often, these rules are

created by leaders or a

central government.

Religious customs often

influence the official laws

of a society.

Reincarnation

Hinduism does not have a

particular set of rules or

teachings, but it still

affects the way that

people live their lives.

Hindus believe that the

universe is an endless

cycle of life, death, and

rebirth.

Reincarnation

Hindus also believe in

reincarnation.

According to this idea,

when a person dies, he

or she is reborn in a new

physical form.

The final goal of life is to

achieve moksha, or the

“union with Brahman.”

Key Term

Reincarnati

on- The

belief that

the soul is

reborn after

death in

human –or

some other

form.

Karma

How close one comes to

moksha in a lifetime

depends on the law of

karma.

Karma is a positive or

negative force. It is a result

of good or bad actions

taken during a person’s

lifetime.

Karma

Hindus believe every

action has a good or

bad reaction.

These actions and

reactions affect a

person’s life.

They also determine

how people will be

reborn in future lives.

Key Term

Karma-

Describes how

a person’s

actions in one

life can

influence and

affect the next

life. 

Dharma

Hinduism also teaches

that all human beings

should act according

to their dharma.

Dharma is the

religious and moral

duties of a person.

These duties are

connected to a

person’s role in

society.

Dharma

Dharma also

depends on a

person’s caste, or

social level.

They also depend

on a person’s age

and sex. Dharma

is different for men

and women.

Dharma

Hinduism also places a

value on human love and

family life.

It encourages a turning

away from material things

in old age.

Dharma helps determine

his or her role in society in

the next life.

Key Term

Dharma- The

religious law

that describes

the way

people should

live in order to

maintain the

natural order

of the world. 

The Cow!

The cow is the most

holy animal in the

Hindu religion.

Because of this, Hindus

do not eat beef.

In fact, many Hindus

eat only vegetables,

fruits, and grains.

Key Ideas- Buddhism

Buddhism was founded by Prince Siddhartha

Gautama. He became the Buddha through

meditating and understanding.

Buddhism is based on the teachings of the

Buddha. They are described in the Four Noble

Truths and the Eightfold Path. These beliefs are

based on the Hindu idea of dharma.

After the Buddha’s death, his followers continued

to spread his teachings throughout India.

The Middle Way of CompassionVideo- The Middle Way of Compassion

Buddhism

 Buddhism originated in India.

A legend tells the story of

Prince Siddhartha Gautama.

When leaving the palace one

day, he saw an old man, a

sick man, a dead body, and a

poor monk.

These sights disturbed him

and he wondered how he

could end so much suffering

in the world?

Buddhism

For six years, Prince Gautama

wandered seeking an answer

to human suffering.

Finally, Gautama decided to

meditate his way to truth and

sat down under a tree. He

relaxed his body. He emptied

his mind of all thoughts.

Buddhism

Gautama came to understand

the cause of human suffering

through meditation.

He came to understand the

way around it was inner peace.

The prince had become the

Buddha. The name “Buddha”

means “awakened one,” or

“the one who knows.”

Buddhism

The Buddha’s

message was a

simple one. It

presented a way of

action for people

to follow. This way

of living begins

with the Four

Noble Truths.

Four Noble Truths

Four Noble Truths

All life is full of suffering

The cause of human suffering is desire

The cure for suffering is ending desire

The way to overcome desire is to follow

the Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path

The Eightfold Path provided

a system for people to

follow in their daily lives.

Its teachings help people to

live a life somewhere

between a life without

material goods and a life

devoted to wealth and

ease.

The Eightfold Path

By following the Eightfold

Path and living a good

and honest life, one

could achieve nirvana.

Nirvana is a state of

heavenly peace and

freedom from desire and

suffering.

Buddhism

Buddhism was

spread

throughout Asia

by the Buddha’s

missionary

followers in the

centuries

following his

death.

Key Term

Missionary-

Someone sent

on a religious

or charitable

mission to a

foreign

country; often

to convert

others to a

particular

religion.

Key Ideas- Ashoka’s Conversion

Ashoka was a warrior and conqueror. He

gave up his warlike ways and became a

Buddhist.

He had laws based on Buddhist teachings

carved on pillars throughout India.

He sent missionaries to other parts of Asia

to spread the teachings of the Buddha.

Ashoka Becomes a BuddhistVideo- Ashoka Becomes a Buddhist

Ashoka’s Conversion

Ashoka became

emperor about 265

BCE, and he set out to

extend his empire by

force.

He conquered the last

of India’s independent

kingdoms.

Ashoka’s Conversion

Ashoka conquered

other lands to the west

and extended his

kingdom to cover most

of India.

He established very

harsh laws. A person

could be put to death

for even a small crime.

Ashoka’s Conversion

An accomplished

soldier, Ashoka

extended the lands of

the empire until he

invaded the Kalingas

around 256 BCE.

Ashoka undertook a

mission to defeat them

and was successful.

Ashoka’s Conversion

With many tens of thousands

killed, the Kalinga War is

thought to be one of the worst

battles in the history of India.

Overcome by the death and

destruction he witnessed,

Ashoka converted to Buddhism

and instituted new policies

throughout the empire.

Ashoka’s Conversion

Ashoka promoted peace,

opened universities, and

established new trade

routes for his people.

He had stone pillars erected

throughout India that told

his story and shared his

religious philosophies with

his people.

Independent Activity

What has been the

“muddiest” point so

far in this lesson? That

is, what topic remains

the least clear to you?

(4 minutes)

Partner Activity

Work with a neighbor and compare your muddiest point with theirs. Compare what things are the same and what things are different? (3 minutes)