Why do good things happen to some people, and not to others? Karma

1. Why do good things happen to some people, and not to others? • Karma • How do I know what I am supposed to do in my life? • Dharma

2. WHO: The people of the Indus Valley/the Aryans – nowadays, 80% of India are Hindus WHEN: 2500 – 1500 BCE WHERE: Indus Valley

3. History of… • Bharat-ism [HINDUISM] • Name evolved after Muslim conquest: non-Muslim population called Hindus • British called their religion “Hinduism”

4. ARYANS • Entered and introduced belief system to the Harappans • From 1200-600 BC, they spread Bharat to most of Northern India

5. THE VARNAS [COLORS] • Brahmin: ritual experts • Kshatriya: government agents/warriors • Vaishya: traders/farmers • Sudra: servants

6. Brahmans Kshatriyas Vaishyas Sudras

7. Untouchables Born into Social movement is not possible in present life VARNA -> CASTE

8. Untouchables • Slaves: “untouchables” • This group was outside of the varnas • performed tasks considered unclean • Today there are 160 million untouchables

9. Caste System • All people are born, married, and die within • Assigns work, a place, a need for one another • No social mobility • Hereditary system • Know your place in the order

10. FOR TODAY • Significance of cows, fire • Karma • Dharma • Shiva, Vishnu, Brahma • Yoga • Moksha

11. GOALS • Dharma: how to behave • Artha: importance of material goods • Kama: enjoyment of the senses • Moksha: release from rebirth

12. All Life is Sacred • Why are there cows in the middle of Indian roads? • Why haven’t “over 1 billion people been served” by McDonalds?

13. COSMIC ORDER & SACRIFICE • Life depends on natural order it is set • Sacred Cow: Mother’s Milk to an infant • Milk, Curds, Ghee, Urine and Dung • Kill a cow = killing a priest • Humans depend on non-humans

14. ALL-POWERFUL FIRE • Fire consumes everything • Smoke carried to the Gods • Marriages use fire • Cremation preferred to burial

15. DHARMA • Means to “hold” or “uphold” • How people should behave appropriately

16. DHARMA • duties and obligations owned by each caste! • People can only improve their life by carrying out duties now and hoping for a better next life.

17. “action” or “deed” • How your soul is reborn depends on your dharma and karma!

18. KARMA: the sum of a person’s past lives, which is carried into new lives…good deeds bring happiness/evil deeds bring sorrow.

19. KEY BELIEFS: • Interconnectedness of all life • Nonviolence & respect for nature • Vedas & Upanishads are the source of Hinduism.

20. MONOTHEISTICBUTPOLYTHEISTIC? • Brahman is the creator, but can never be known, heard, visualized • Brahman creates deities as his agents of the world

21. Brahma Vishnu Shiva

22. Skillions of Gods • Is Hinduism purely polytheistic? • While there are many gods, Hindus still believe there is one truth about the world: “Truth is one and the wise ones call it by many names.” • There are three gods who are considered “in charge.” The Trinity:

23. Where are these gods worshiped? • Small Shrines • At home • Along the road • Temples • Called “Mandirs” • Big shrine to god in temple • Bath in middle of temple • Water • Ganges River • holiest place for Hindus • Barnaras – the holiest city • “city of light” • City of Shiva- where people go to die • Cremation- burning of bodies so that the soul can be released • Ashes scattered on the Ganges

24. PRACTICE • YOGA ~ stresses the importance of physical harmony, not just mental.

25. PRACTICE • Ritual washings, and spreading of loved ones ashes in the ‘Holy” Ganges river. • Ganges poured from Heaven

26. MOKSHA ~ the ultimate goal of life! A release/freedom from the human condition that stand between each individual & cosmic unity. THE ULTIMATE GOAL