HINDUISM

The Oldest World Religion

SOUTH ASIAN SUBCONTINENT

2500 -1500 BCE The Aryan Invaders Mixed with the Indus River Valley Civilization

Himalaya Mts.

Hindu Kush Mts.

Indus River Valley

Ganges River

Deccan Plateau

Monsoons

PAKISTAN, INDIA, BANGLADESH, NEPAL

ARYAN INVADERSMIXED

THEIR BELIEFS WITH LOCAL INDUS VALLEY DRAVIDIAN

BELIEFS

POLYTHEISM

The Gods

Brahman - Creator

Vishnu- Preserver

Ganesha- wisdom and remover

of obstacles

Shiva- Destroyer

Rama

Vedas UpanishadsRamayana

MahabharataBhagavad Gita.

Hinduism has no single holy books

but many sacred writings,

KARMA

· Your past life actions have an influence on your current life.

What goes around comes around.

· Do your dharma to get good karma.

REINCARNATION

· THE REBIRTH OF THE SOUL IN NEW FORM. EACH SOUL IS A TINY BIT OF

BRAHMAN. REBIRTH IS AUTOMATIC AS A PLANT OR ANIMAL. ONCE HUMAN, IT

DEPENDS ON KARMA.

The Goal: MOKSHA

An end

to the cycle

of rebirth

and suffering.

To rejoin

with Brahman (the Universal Soul or

God).

HINDU PRACTICES

Caste System· Based on Job· Based on Heredity· Must do one’s

dharma (caste duties) to progress.

· Provided order and social stability

THE CASTES

BRAHMIN: priests and teachers

KSHATRIYA: warriors and administrators

VAISHYAS: producers, craftsmen, farmers

SHUDRAS: menial workersUNTOUCHABLES:Garbage

workers, sewer workers, grave diggers

AHIMSA - Nonviolence

Jainism

· Hurt no creature