Hinduism

JUDAISM

 IT IS A MONETHEISTIC RELIGION
 TORAH- JEWISH PEOPLE’S SACRED BOOK.
 PROPHET ABRAHAM AS THEIR ANCESTOR,
FOUNDER OF ISLAMIC RELIGION.
 CHRISTIANITY

THE BELIEF THAT GOD HAS INTERACTED

WITH THE WORLD IN 3 DIFFERENT WAYS:
 GOD THE FATHER, GOD THE SON AND GOD
THE HOLY SPIRIT.
 FOLLOWING TEN COMMANDMENTS.
 THE BIBLE
 ONE OF THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGION
 ISLAM

 A BELIEF THAT ALLAH IS THE ONLY GOD.

 QURAN AS THEIR SACRET TEXT.
 SYMBOL: CRESCENT
 HINDUISM
HINDUISM

 POPURALIZED IN INDIA
 WORLD’S THIRD LARGEST RELIGION
 WAS NEVER A MISSIONARY RELIGION UNLIKE
CHRISTIANITY OR ISLAM
 HINDUISM IS OFTENTIMES CONSIDERED AS THE
MOST COMPLEX OF ALL WORLD ELIGIONS.
 THE TERM HINDU ORIGINATED FROM THE
PERSIAN WORD HINDU(IN SANSKRIT SINDHU)
WICH MEANS RIVER. IT ALSO REFERS TO THE
PEOPLEOF THE INDUS VALLEY THE INDIANS
(BOWKER 1997).
 THE NAME HINDUISM WAS GIVEN IN THE
NINETEENTH CENTURY TO DESCRIBE THE
WIDE ARRAY OF BELIEF SYSTEMS IN INDIA.
 HINDUISM WAS ORIGINALLY KNOWN AS
“ARYA DHARMA” OR THE “ARYAN WAY”.
 SACRED SCRIPTURES

 THE SACRED TEXTS OF HINDUISM HAVE

BEEN PRINCIPALLY PASSED DOWN
THROUGHOUT GENERATIONS BY WAY OF
MUSIC, RECITATION, DANCE, AND DRAMA.
 THE SACRED WRITINGS OF THE HINDUS
ARE CHRACTERIZED INTO 2 CLASSES
- SHRUTI
- SMRITI
 SHRUTI

 It is literally “that which is heard.” They are

regarded as eternal truths that were passed
orally until beginning of the present age
wherein there came the need to write them
down (Browker, 1997)
 Other writings that form a part of shruti
include, SAMHITAS, BRAHMANAS,
UPASANISHADS, and a few SUTRAS.
 VEDAS

 THE 4 BASIC VEDIC BOOKS

• RIG-VEDA
• SAMA-VEDA
• YAJUR-VEDA
• ATHARVA-VEDA
The word “veda” means “knowledge” or “sacred
lore.”
The VEDAS are the earliest known Sanskrit
literature from the Bhramanic period and oldest
scriptures of Hinduism.
 Rig-Veda

 It is the most important and the oldest book

that date back to around 1500 B.C.E. To 1200
B.C.E.
 The oldest work of literature in an Indo-
European language and also the oldest living
literature around the world.
 Yajur-Veda

 Also known as the “knowledge of rites”, it is

the second book. (1200 B.C.E to 1000 B.C.E)
 THIS BOOK IS A COMPILATION OF
MATERIALS TO BE RECITED DURING
RITUALS AND SACRIFICES TO DEITIES.
 Sama- Veda

 “knowledge of chants”
 THIS BOOK IS A COLLECTIVE OF VERSES
FROM THE BASIC HYMNS TO BE RECITED
BY THE PRIESTS DURING SACRIFICES.
 ATHARVADA-VEDA

 Knowledge given by the sage ATHARVA.

 THIS BOOK CONTAINS RITUALS USED IN
HOMES AND POPULAR PRAYERS TO GOD.
 GODS AND
PERSONIFICATIONS OR ATTRIBUTES
GODESSES
INDRA LEADER OF THE DEVAS OR GODS: THE LORD OF HEAVEN
IN HINDUISM: GOD OF RAIN AND THUNDERSTORM

AGRI GOD OF FIRE: MESSENGER OF THE GODS

SOMA THE RITUAL DRINK DEDICATED TO INDRA

ADITYAS SUN-GODS

MITRA DEITY FOR HONESTY,FRIENDSHIP,CONTRACTS, AND

MEETING

VARUNA GOD OF THE WATER: GOD OF LAW OF THE UNDERWATER

WORLD

USHAS DEITY OF DAWNS

SAVITR SOLAR DEITY

RUDRA DEITY OF WINDS OR STORM

PUSHAN SOLAR DEITY: GOD OF MEETING

BRIHASPATI PIETY AND RELIGION

DYAUS PITA SKY GOD: FATHER SKY

PRITHVI MOTHER EARTH

SURYA CHIEF SOLAR DEITY: THE SUN

VAYU LORD OF THE WINDS

APAS WATER

PARJANYA THUNDER AND RAIN

UPNISHARDS

 Forming the fourth part of Vedas , the term “

Upnishards” literally translates as ‘ sitting
down near ‘or ‘sitting close to’ as it implies
listening intently to the mystic teachings of a
spiritual teacher who has fully understood the
universal truths. It also mean “Brahma
knowledge” whereby ignorance is totally
eliminated.
 Hinduism are found in these profound
treatises-such as karma(action), samsora
(reincarnation), moksha (nirvana),atman(soul)
and brahman(absolute almighty).
SHMRITI

 Means ‘ that which has been remembered’.

These writings serve to reinforce shruti and
are interpreted by sages and scholars alike.
Most of these texts are sectarian in nature
and considered of lesser importance
compared to shruti, such as stories and
legends,codes of conduct for the society and
guidebooks for worship.
RAMAYANA

 Translated as the ‘Story of Rama’ or ‘Rama’s

Journey’, is a sanskirt epic poem written by
the poet Valmiki consisting of 24,000 verses
in seven books and 500 cantos.
MAHABHARATA

 Itcomposed of around one hundred thousand

verses making it the word’s longest poem.
 Written around 500 B.C.E, this magnificent
work is attributed to the author Vyasa who is
also considered to be the scribe of the Vedas.
BHAGAVAD GITA

 One of the holiest books by the Hindus, the

Gita is a 700-verse narrative of a dialogue
between the Pandava prince Arjuna and his
charioteer Krishna.
 The Gita instructs any person that one may
reach god through devotion,knowledge
BELIEFS AND DOCTRINES

 The hindu faith offers its followers many

paths to salvation of Bhakti Yoga (or “the way
of devotion”).
 They may find liberation from the cycle of life
through devotion to one or more gods.
 Gods and Goddesses can be worshipped at
their temples.
 Bhakti stands for soul’s longing for and
clinging to god.
DEVOTION TO THE TRIMURTI

 BHRAMAN who is the ultimate reality,one

and undivided. It is often seen in 3 forms or
fuctions called Trimurti.
 These are the creation,preservation and
destruction. These fuctions are expressed in
god forms namely,Brahma,the creator:
Vishnu, the preserver: and Shiva, he
destroyer.
 Brahman has 4 heads and 8 hands. His chief
consort is Saraswati, the goddess of science
and wisdom.Brahman’s vehicle is a swan or
goose that symbolizes knowledge.
 Known as a god of love, benevolence and
forgiveness, Vishnu’s primary concern is
humanity itself.
 INCARNATION FORM ATTRIBUTES
MATSA FISH Saved humanity and the sacred veda texts from
flood
KURMA TURTLE Helped create the world by supporting it on his
back
VARAHA BOAR Raised the earth out of water with his tusks
Narasimba Half-man Destroyed a tyrant king
Half-lion
VAMANA DWARF Subdued king bali, a powerful demon
PARSHURAMA BRAHMIN Destroyed the warrior class
RAMA MAN Rescued his wife sita and killed the demon
ravana

KRISHNA MAN Told the epic poem Bhagard Gita to the warrior
Arjuna

BUDDHA MAN The enligtened man

KALKI HORSE Yet to come to earth

ROUTES TO MOKSHA
THE FOUR YOGAS
JNANA YOGA( THE WAY OF
KNOWLEDGE)
BHAKTI YOGA( THE WAY OF LOVE)
KARMA YOGA( THE WAY OF WORK)
RAJA YOGA( THE WAY OF MEDITATION)
PRACTICES
The path of knowledge,intropection and
contemplation.
The path of devotion,emoyion,love,
Compasion and service to god and others
The path o af action,service to
others,mindfulnessand remembering the
levels of our being while fulfilling our
actions of karma in the world
The path of meditation that directly deals
with the encountering and transcending
thoughts of the mind.
4 DESIRABLE GOALS OF LIFE OF
PURUSHARTHA
 DHARMA- apprpriate behavior
 ARTHA- The pursuit of legitimate worldly
access.
 KAMA- The pursuit of legitimate pleasure.
 MOKSHA- Release from birth.
WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCE

 Hindu worship or puja involves images

(murtis), prayers(mantras), and diagrams of
the universe(yantras).
 Most hindus worship individually that includes
mantras or vibrating sounds that summon the
deity and the prasad of gift offerings .
 Vital to hindu worship is darshan that pertains
to seeing and being in the presence with the
deity
 Hindus celebrate anumber of festivals that
are based on Hindu calendar and often
related to a seasonal changes.
 Main festivals include Holi, Diwali, and
Dusserah.
 The Diwali o “Festivals of lights” in india’s
biggest and most important holiday of the
year held in October or november that is
similar to the christmas holiday of the
christians indian.
SUBDIVISIONS

 Followers of Hinduism vary in their set of

beliefs and practices, including reverence to a
particular god.
 Each sect has its own religious leaders, sacred
texts,schools and temples
 They share pervading beliefs concerning
karma,dharma, reincarnation, and other key
Hindu concepts and philosophy.
4 Principal Denomination

 SHAIVISM- Lord Shiva, the compassionate

one, is god for the saivties. Followers of
shaivism value self-discipline and
philosophy .They worship in temples and
practice yoga
shaktism

 The goddes shakti is supreme for shaktas.

She is the divine mother and assumes many
forms, be it a grntle one or a fierce deity.
Believers use chants magic, and ypoga
summon cosmic forces
Vaisnavism

 Lord vishnu is god for the vaisnavites,

especially in his incarnations krishna and
rama. Adherents have multitudes of
saints,temples and sacred texts.
Smartism

 For the smarts, devotes are left to choose

their own deity in one of six manifestation,
namely, Ganasha,Siva,Shakti,Vishnu, Surya,
and Skans. Theya re known as liberals as they
embrace all major hindu gods.
Selected issues
Poverty

Rapid industrialization in india is largely

affecting village economy and the rural way
of life.
Poverty continues to persist as one major
problem in indian society.
In 2012, the government stated that more than
20% of the indian population is subsiting
below the official poverty limit.
Caste System

 One major distinguishing feature of indian

culture that still affects modern-day society.
 A system of social class composed of the
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and sudras
opportunities are based upon family origin.
One person joins a caste by being born to
parents of that particular caste
 However, the most deplorable group are those
persons that do not belong to any group- those
that are disparangingly called as “Outcastes” or
“Untouchables”. Also known as dalits, they are
highly ostracized in society. They perform the
most menial of jobas, such as street sweepers,
latrine, cleaners, and handlers of the dead.
These jobs receive the lowest wages and the
most appailing living conditions.