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Vedic Religion

Vedic Religion. Male deities associated with the heavens Sacrifice-essential ritual Brahmin priest controlled rituals and prayers Rig Veda – thousands of poetic hymns Brahmanas -descriptions of procedures. Hinduism Beginnings. Evolved from Vedic Religion Dates: 2000-1500 BCE

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Vedic Religion

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  1. Vedic Religion • Male deities associated with the heavens • Sacrifice-essential ritual • Brahmin priest controlled rituals and prayers • Rig Veda – thousands of poetic hymns • Brahmanas -descriptions of procedures

  2. Hinduism Beginnings • Evolved from Vedic Religion • Dates: 2000-1500 BCE • Founders: Arya Peoples • No individual • Process=unknown • Brahmin priests still at top • Sacrifice less central • More opportunity for direct contact between gods and individual worshipers

  3. Ganesh Hinduism • Where Practiced?: • India • Monotheistic?: • No => Polytheistic: • 330 Million

  4. Religious Books: • Vedas: collection of psalms, prayers, chants • Upanishads: origin of the universe, Brahman • Epic Poems: • Ramayana: Life of Rama (Vishnu) • Mahabharata: longest poem in the world • Contains the Bhagavad Gita

  5. Place of Worship Temples Home Shrines Rel. Leader: Brahmin No Rel. Sects

  6. GODS Hinduism has thousands of gods. Families worship their own god.

  7. Vishnu Hindu Gods • Vishnu: preserver • Shiva: destroyer Brahma Shiva

  8. BRAHMA • The Creator God • Four faces stand for the four corners of the universe • Many Hindus believe that all Gods originate from Brahma

  9. Hinduism Gods • Brahma: Supreme force of universe • Salt and Water Analogy

  10. Elephant Story

  11. VISHNU • “The Preserver God” • maintain balance of good and evil • returns to earth as different forms (avatars) to bring justice/balance • Human and animal

  12. Shiva: Visual Analysis

  13. Shiva • The Destroyer God • “Cosmic Dance” • Dances in a halo of fire • Fire in left hand • He crushes the dwarf

  14. Shiva • Left hand holds the flame of destruction, purification, and renewal • Snake symbolize his power over evil

  15. Rules and Laws • Caste System: Social Classes • Karma: good and bad actions • Dharma: Duties • Samsara: cycle of life • (birth, life, death and rebirth)

  16. Samsara • Samsara: People go through Cycle of birth, life, and death • Reincarnated (reborn) at either a higher or lower level depending on how well they fulfilled their dharma

  17. Karma • Karma • Actions performed by each individual during a lifetime. • Good action = a step towards a better rebirth • Bad action = step towards a poorer rebirth • Can be reborn as an animal—it will be harder for them to gain the knowledge they need to escape from samsara

  18. Dharma • Duties: set of rules to be followed • Obligations to family and society. • Determined by one’s position (caste) in society and by the stage of life that they have reached.

  19. Moksha • Liberation from samsara (cycle of life) • Your soul (atman) becomes one with Brahman, the universal soul • This happens when one’s karma (actions) continually fulfills their dharma (duty). • Replace ignorance with wisdom.

  20. OM or AUM • Main symbol of Hinduism • visual and verbal expression of god • “a” = beginning • “u” = progress • “m” = dissolution

  21. Miscellaneous Hindu Practices • Cremated the same day you die • Suttee / Sati • “virtuous woman” • Ganges = Sacred • Cow = sacred

  22. SRI YANTRA • focal point for meditation • 9 triangles intersect to form 43 triangles • 3 concentric circles • framed by a square

  23. Hindu Meditation SRI YANTRA This form is the geometric expression of thedivine sound of creation... OM

  24. Conclusion • Successful transformation based on Vedic Oral Tradition • Ultimate victory of Hinduism over Buddhism • Buddhism was driven from the land of its birth • Responded to needs of people for personal deities • Buddhism demanded too much of ordinary people • Absorbed Buddha as a God • Behind the diversity and multiplicity of Indian religion lies an ultimate unity.

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