A Hindu View of Life . . . A Hindu View of Life . . .

And DeathAnd Death

SAMSKARASAMSKARA

rites of rites of passagepassage

HOUSEHOLDERHOUSEHOLDER

2nd Ashrama

HINDU HINDU CONCEPTCONCEPT

SS

SAMSARASAMSARA

cycle of lifecycle of life

REINCARNATIONREINCARNATION

born againborn again

ATMANATMAN

soulsoul

MOKSHAMOKSHA

releaserelease

DHARMADHARMA

dutydutyCASTECASTE

class/statusclass/status

ASHRAMAASHRAMA

stage of lifestage of life

BRAHMANBRAHMAN

universal spirituniversal spiritAHIMSAAHIMSA

non-violencenon-violence

KARMAKARMA

effects of effects of actionaction

SAMSARASAMSARA

REINCARNATIONREINCARNATION

ATMANATMAN

MOKSHAMOKSHA

DHARMADHARMACASTECASTE

ASHRAMAASHRAMA

BRAHMANBRAHMAN

SAMSKARASAMSKARA

HOUSEHOLDERHOUSEHOLDER

AHIMSAAHIMSA

KARMAKARMA

HINDUISMa very Brief Summary

• HINDUISM IS A WAY OF LIFE

• To be a good HinduHindu, you must perform your DharmaDharma

• Your dharma is set out by who you are and what you are born as.

• Good Dharma = Good Karma

HINDUISMHINDUISM

PURPOSE IN LIFEPURPOSE IN LIFE

DHARMADHARMA • Perform Your Duty• Includes

– CasteCaste– Social Duty– Family Duty

• AshramasAshramas

– Religious duty

CASTECASTE• Social Class• 4 Traditional Castes

– Brahmin– Kings / Warriors– Merchants – Peasants

• Outcasts• Be the best you can in that role

HINDUISMHINDUISM

DEALING WITH SINDEALING WITH SIN

KARMAKARMA• Law of consequences

• Good deeds

– Good KarmaKarma

• Bad Deeds

– Bad KarmaKarma

• KarmaKarma is carried forward through many lives.

HINDUISMHINDUISM

AT DEATHAT DEATH

• Body Dies

– Funeral rites– Body Cremated

• ATMANATMAN (soul) released– Immortal Souls

SAMSARASAMSARA• Cycle of life

– Life– Death – Rebirth

• AtmanAtman reincarnated• Good KarmaKarma

– Higher CasteCaste

• Bad KarmaKarma – Lower CasteCaste– Outcast?– Animal??

HINDUISMHINDUISM

RELEASERELEASE

MOKSHAMOKSHA

After Many Lives:

• AtmanAtman is cleaned – No Bad KarmaKarma

• Released from SamsaraSamsara• Atman becomes one with Universal Spirit

– BRAHMANBRAHMAN (GOD)

GOD - BRAHMANGOD - BRAHMAN • “We are all God”• “We don’t know it.”

Purpose of life:• Recognise ALL life is part of BrahmanBrahman

–including you.

•“You Are IT”

HINDUISMHINDUISM

PURPOSE IN LIFEPURPOSE IN LIFE

• Do your Do your DHARMA DHARMA

– Duty– Social, family, religious

• Be true to your Be true to your CASTECASTE– What social role are you born into– Be the best you can in that role

HINDUISMHINDUISM

DEALING WITH SINDEALING WITH SIN

• KARMAKARMA– All Actions have consequences

• Good deeds = Good KARMAKARMA

• Bad Deeds = Bad KARMAKARMA

• KARMA is carried forward through many lives.

HINDUISMHINDUISM

AT DEATHAT DEATH

• Body DiesBody Dies

– Funeral rites– Body Cremated

• Soul Soul ATMANATMAN released released– Immortal Souls

SAMSARASAMSARA• ATMAN reborn into a new body to begin the journey again.• If GOOD KARMA last life, then higher CASTE this life.• If BAD KARMA last life, lower CASTE this life – even down to an animal!

HINDUISMHINDUISM

RELEASERELEASE

• MOKSHAMOKSHA• After Many (thousands, generations, millions) of lives, the ATMAN is cleaned of any bad KARMAKARMA.• It is released from the Cycle of Life and Death and Rebirths – SAMSARA• ATMANATMAN returns to become one with the universal Spirit – BRAHMANBRAHMAN (GOD)

• HINDU view – we are all God, we just don’t know it. The quest in life is to recognise that all life is part of BRAHMANBRAHMAN including you.

•“You Are IT”

Unit 3 – Marriage & The FamilyUnit 3 – Marriage & The Family

Unit 3 – Marriage & The FamilyUnit 3 – Marriage & The Family

ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of LifeASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life

Stage 1 – Student LifeStage 1 – Student Life

0 – 24

StudyingStudying & learninglearning roles to serve:

• Family

• Society

• Religion

Stage 2 – Householder LifeStage 2 – Householder Life

25 – 50

Perform the family duty - DharmaDharma

MarriageMarriage

Works to help raise a family

Stage 3 – Retired LifeStage 3 – Retired Life

50 – 75

RetiresRetires & oversees extended family

Begins study of spiritual matters

• YogaYoga & Meditation

• Following a GuruGuru

• Studying scriptures

Stage 4 – Renounced LifeStage 4 – Renounced Life

75 – 100

Gives upGives up on family & material life

Wholly focusedfocused on spiritual matters

Quest for MokshaMoksha (release)

Unit 3 – Marriage & The FamilyUnit 3 – Marriage & The Family

ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of LifeASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life

Stage 1 – Student LifeStage 1 – Student Life

0 – 24

StudyingStudying & learninglearning roles to serve:

• Family

• Society

• Religion

Stage 2 – Householder LifeStage 2 – Householder Life

25 – 50

Perform the family duty - DharmaDharma

MarriageMarriage

Works to help raise a family

Stage 3 – Retired LifeStage 3 – Retired Life

50 – 75

RetiresRetires & oversees extended family

Begins study of spiritual matters

• YogaYoga & Meditation

• Following a GuruGuru

• Studying scriptures

Stage 4 – Renounced LifeStage 4 – Renounced Life

75 – 100

Gives upGives up on family & material life

Wholly focusedfocused on spiritual matters

Quest for MokshaMoksha (release)

BRAHMAN BRAHMAN Universal Universal

SpiritSpirit

ATMANATMAN

Individual Individual Spirit SoulSpirit Soul

MOKSHAMOKSHA

Release from Release from cyclecycle

CASTECASTE

Class / statusClass / status