HINDUISM

History/ Background
Teachings/ Rituals/ Practices
Trivias
INTRODUCTION
What is Hinduism?
Hinduism is a religion with
various Gods and Goddesses
(polytheist). It is specifically a
religion and dharma widely
practiced in India.
Some practitioners and
scholars refer to it as
SANATANA DHARMA,
“the eternal tradition” or the
“eternal way”, beyond human
history.
The term HINDU was derived from
the river or river complex of the
Northwest, the SINDHU. It is a
Sanskrit word used by the
inhabitants of the region, the Aryans
in the second millennium BCE.
TRIVIA #1
HINDUISM IS THE WORLD’S
THIRD LARGEST RELIGION.
Its followers, known as Hindus constitute about
1.15 billion or 15-16% of the global population.
 India
 Nepal
 Mauritius
BACKGROUND
HISTORY
Where did Hinduism come from?
TRIVIA #2
UNLIKE MOST OTHER
RELIGIONS, HINDUISM HAS NO
SINGLE FOUNDER, NO SINGLE
SCRIPTURE AND NO COMMONLY
AGREED SET OF TEACHINGS.
Throughout its extensive history,
there have been many key figures
teaching different philosophies and
writing numerous holy books. It is also
closely associated conceptually and
historically with the other Indian
religions: Jainism, Buddhism and
Sikhism. For these reasons, writers
often refer Hinduism as ‘a family of
religions’ rather than a single religion.
PERIODS OF DEVELOPMENT:
i. Historical Vedic Religion
(1900 BCE – 1400 BCE)
ii. A Formative Period for
Hinduism, Jainism and
Buddhism (800 BCE – 200 BCE)
iii. The Epic and Early Puranic
Period (200 BCE – 500 BCE)
iv. Classical “Golden Age” of
Hinduism
(320 BCE – 650 BCE)
 Coincides with the Gupta Empire
 Six branches of Hindu philosophy evolved:
1. Samkhya
2. Yoga
3. Nyaya
4. Vaisheshika
5. Mimamsa
6. Vedanta
 650 BCE – 1100 BCE
v. Late Classical period / Early
Middle Ages
 Classical Puranic Hinduism was established

vi. Adi Shankara’s Advaita Vedanta

 Incorporated Buddhist thought into Vendata,
marking a shift from realistic to idealistic
thought
HINDUISM
(under Hindu and Islamic rulers from 1200 BCE – 1750 BCE)

■ Increasing prominence of the Bhakti

movement
■ Emergence of various Hindu reform
movements inspired by western
movements; Unitarianism and Theosophy
HINDU NATIONALISM
(in the Republic of India)
■ Has emerged as a strong political force since the
1980’s
a. Bharatiya Janata Party (1999 – 2004)
b. First state government in South India (2006)
c. Narendra Modi (2014)
TRIVIA #3

HINDUISM IS THE
OLDEST LIVING
RELIGION ON EARTH.
BELIEFS &
PRACTICES
KEY BELIEFS
KEY BELIEFS
 Truth is eternal.
 Brahman is truth and reality.
 The Vedas are the ultimate authority.
 Everyone should strive to achieve dharma.
 Individual souls are immortal.
 The goal of the individual soul is immortal.
 GODS AND
GODDESSES
HINDU GODS AND
GODDESSES
■ Brahma, the Creator
■ Vishnu, the Preserver
■ Shiva, the Destroyer
■ Ganapati, the Remover of Obstacles
■ Avatars of Vishnu
 Rama
 Krishna
HINDU GODS AND
GODDESSES
 Saraswati, the Goddess of Learning
 Lakshmi
 Durga Devi
 Indra, the King of Heaven and lord of the gods
 Surya, the sun
 Agni, the fire god
 Hanuman, the monkey king and devoted servant
 HINDU
FESTIVALS
Diwali or Deepavali
Holi
Onam
Maha
Shivaratri
Krishna
Janmashtami
Makar Sankrant
Ganesh Chaturthi
Navratri-Dussehra-Durga Pooj
Rama Navami
Ugadi