I NDIAN R ELIGIONS Chapter 5: Sections 2-3

I NDIAN S OCIETY D IVIDED The Varnas – social divisions in the Aryan society Brahmins – priests; highest rank because they performed rituals for the gods Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors Vaisyas – farmers, craftspeople & traders Sudras – laborers & non-Aryans

Definition – divided Indian society into groups based on a person’s wealth, birth, or occupation Not permanent – castes, groups of people, could move up in down, but not individual people Untouchables – not in a caste at all Could only interact with people within their caste

Aryan religion was based on the Vedas 4 Vedas each contained sacred hymns & poems Later Vedic Texts were where the Arayans wrote about their thoughts and belief Described religious rituals – animal sacrifices & secret rituals only priests could perform Upanishads – written in the 600s BC; reflections on the Vedas by religious students and scholars

H INDUISM D EVELOPS A combination of Brahmanism, Persian & other Asian cultures formed HINDUISM, the largest religion in India today Hindu Beliefs Believe in many gods, but three of them are the most important: Brahma – the Creator Siva – the destroyer Vishnu – the preserver Believe that each god is a part of a single universe called Brahman

Brahma – the creator Siva – the destroyer Vishnu – the preserver

L IFE AND R EBIRTH Everyone has a soul, or atman, inside them Atman contains that person’s personality, etc. Ultimate goal – reunite soul with Brahman, the universal spirit Brahman only reality – everything else is an illusion People must see through the illusion of the world It can take several lifetimes to see through illusions That is why Hindus believe that souls are born and reborn many times, each time in a new body. This process is called reincarnation.

H INDUISM AND THE C ASTE S YSTEM The type of form a Hindu is reincarnated into is dependent upon a person’s Karma, the effects that good or bad actions have on a person’s soul Bad karma – come back as a pig, etc. Good karma – come back in a higher caste system Ultimate goal – salvation, or moksha, freedom from life’s worries and the cycle of rebirth Dharma – must accept his/her place in society without complaint

H INDUISM & W OMEN Hinduism taught that both men & women can reach salvation. But, women were considered inferior to men. They could not participate in any rituals or read any of the sacred texts

J AINS R EACT TO H INDUISM Hinduism spread widely, but not everyone agreed with all of their practices Jainism is based on the teachings of Mahvira Born into the Kshatriyas, one of the high castes Unhappy with the control of religion in Indian society Game up life to become a monk and establish Jainism Four Main Principles Injure no life Tell the truth Do not steal Own no property

Practice non-violence, or the avoidance of violent actions Believe that everything is alive and a part of the rebirth cycle Jains are very serious about not injuring or killing any creature – humans, animals, insects, or even plants Vegetarians J AINS R EACT TO H INDUISM C ONT.

S IDDHARTHA ' S S EARCH FOR W ISDOM The Quest for Answers Siddhartha Gautama – born into a high caste around 563 BC. Although he never had to struggle for anything in life, he was unhappy. He didn’t like all the suffering that went on around him. Before he turned 30, Siddhartha left his luxurious life behind him to find answers about the meaning of life.

The Buddha Finds Enlightenment Spent 6 years wandering throughout India Wanted to free his mind of daily concerns by: Fasting – going without food Meditation – the focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas Stopped at Gaya, close to the Ganges River, sat under a tree & meditated. After 7 weeks of deep meditation, he realized why humans suffer: WANTING WHAT WE LIKE BUT DO NOT HAVE WANTING TO KEEP WHAT WE LIKE AND ALREADY HAVE NOT WANTING WHAT WE DISLIKE BUT HAVE S IDDHARTHA ' S S EARCH FOR W ISDOM C ONT.

At about 35, Gautama found enlightenment under the tree. From that point on, he would be called Buddha, or “enlightened one.” Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling across northern India and teaching people his ideas. As he traveled, Buddha gained many followers. These followers were the first believers in Buddhism, a religion based on the teachings of Buddha S IDDHARTHA ' S S EARCH FOR W ISDOM C ONT.