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Background on Hinduism. Umbrella Term. Hinduism is not a single, unified religion It refers to the religious practices found primarily in India It is highly individualized for each person and no hierarchy of practice exists. Founder. There is no founder, fixed doctrine, no common worship
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Umbrella Term • Hinduism is not a single, unified religion • It refers to the religious practices found primarily in India • It is highly individualized for each person and no hierarchy of practice exists
Founder • There is no founder, fixed doctrine, no common worship • Considered the oldest religion evolving over the last 4500-5000 years in the Indus River Valley in India/Pakistan
Supreme Being • The concept of the sacred is monotheistic; however, the sacred has many different forms • The ultimate reality is called Brahman – a universal soul that cannot be described • At the same time, there are as many as 330 million deities who all reveal some quality of the all-encompassing reality
Relationship Between Supreme and Humans • The human soul is called Ataman and is considered to be a temporary part of Brahman • Our physical world is an illusion called Maya – only Brahman is real but humans re blinded by Maya of the world so we do not understand our oneness with the sacred
Salvation • We do not realize that life is like a prison that separates us from reunion with Brahman • Salvation is to achieve release from Maya and be reunited with Brahman • It is a process of many lifetimes in the physical world