Introduction to Hinduism “There is only one God, but endless are his aspects and endless are his names”

The vast majority of Hindus live in India and Nepal

Hindu Beliefs Hindus believe in a single Divinity or supreme God that is present in everything called Brahman. Hindus also believe in other gods who are aspects of that supreme God such as Shiva, Shakti, and Ganesh.

Goal of Hinduism Moksha: “release or liberation United forever with the divine Infinite bliss and awareness

Hindu Life Goals Hinduism is about the sort of life one should lead in order to be born into a better life next time and ultimately achieve liberation. There are 4 legitimate goals in life: dharma (appropriate living) artha (the pursuit of material gain by lawful means) kama (delight of the senses) moksha (release from rebirth).

Hindu Duties Each Hindu has 4 daily duties: Revere the deities Respect ancestors Respect all beings Honor all humankind

Reincarnation  Samsara is the wheel of rebirth which means the soul is reborn from one life form to another.  People may be reincarnated at a higher or lower level of existence depending on their karma from their present life.  People may be reborn as plants or animals or they may be elevated to a higher caste as a human.  Death is not final for Hindus as they expect to be reborn many times.

Karma and Reincarnation Reincarnation is the belief that the soul repeatedly goes through a cycle of being born into a body, dying, and being reborn again in a new body. Karma, a force that determines the quality of each life, depending on how well one behaved in a past life. Hinduism says we create karma by our actions on earth. If you live a good life, you create good karma. If you live a bad life, you create bad karma.

Karma & Dharma  Karma: “action” or “deeds”  Every action produces a Justified effect based on its moral worthiness.  Karma determines all the particular circumstances and Situations of one’s life.  Dharma: ethical duty based on the divine order of reality. The word is the closest equivalent to “religion.”

Moksha Each time a Hindu soul is born into a better life, it has the opportunity to improve itself further, and get closer to ultimate liberation. This liberation is called Moksha. One attains Moksha when one has "overcome ignorance", and no longer desires anything at all. The ones who reach this state no longer struggle with the cycle of life and death. The way to get to Moksha is to not create any karma.

Sacred Writings The Vedas collections of Sanskrit hymns (written down BCE, but based on older oral versions). The Upanishads which means the inner or mystic teaching that were passed down from guru (teacher) to disciple (student).

Sacred Texts Rig Veda: Hinduism’s oldest text- nearly 4000 years.. Bhagavad Gita:Hinduism’s most popular sacred text

Caste System Five major castes  Brahmin (Mouth) : priests  Kshatriya (Arms): warriors and administrators  Vaistrya (Thighs): farmers, merchants, teachers, artisans  Sudras (Feet): servants, laborers  Dalit: untouchables, not connected to Manu