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Hinduism. Where in the world are Hindus?. map of religion. The Vedas. 1200 BCE-600 BCE. written in SANSKRIT. Hindu core of beliefs: hymns and poems. religious prayers. magical spells. lists of the gods and goddesses. Rig Veda oldest work. Varna (Social Hierarchy).
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Where in the world are Hindus? • map of religion
The Vedas • 1200 BCE-600 BCE. • written in SANSKRIT. • Hindu core of beliefs: • hymns and poems. • religious prayers. • magical spells. • lists of the gods and goddesses. Rig Veda oldest work.
Varna (Social Hierarchy) • Brahmins- priests and wise men • Kshatriyas- warriors and rulers. • Vaishyas- merchants, traders and small farmers. • Shudras- peasants and field workers. • Untouchables- perform jobs no one else will do • http://youtu.be/j31veR74gSo Brahmins Kshatriyas Vaishyas Shudras Pariahs [Harijan] Untouchables
The Caste System Brahmins WHO IS… Kshatriyas • The mouth? • The arms? • The legs? • The feet? Vaishyas Shudras
Do Hindus believe in God? • Hindus officially are considered polytheistic. • They believe in one impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman • To make sense of this universal God Hindu developed many many gods to make sense of their religion
A few examples • Brahma- the creator god
Gods, Gods and More Gods • These gods all have other personalities or avatars that also are worshipped • The gods are usually showed with human characteristics but are often bright colors or with multiple body partshttp://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses.htm - http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses.htm
All these deities are but Manifest forms (attributes and functions) of the impersonal Brahman
What do Hindus believe? • True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is the universal god in you.( Brahman) • Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)
How do I change my status? • We all have different roles in life and fulfilling these roles is called Dharma. This means our moral duty • Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad) • Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha)
Other beliefs • There are rules and behaviors that are expected of Hindus like in other religions. • The way people pray, the gods they worship and the rituals they practice can vary from place to place. This is called puja • This is consistent for all Hindus Human life is supreme