1. Hinduism

2. Hinduism One of the oldest religions and 3rd largest today
Grew out of the blending of Aryan and non-Aryan peoples- 1000s of years and customs
Blending resulted in 1000s of gods and goddesses which controlled the forces of nature
Gods and Goddesses are different parts of a universal spirit – Brahman

3. Upanishads

4. Upanishads Ancient writings that describe
the searching for the universal spirit- Brahman
How every living thing wants to unite with the Brahman after death
A soul that becomes one with the Brahman ( salt water)
Hindus believe that the soul is not joined to the Brahman immediately after death, must pass through many lives to be reunited( reincarnation)

6. Reincarnation and Karma
A person can be reincarnated into many things( blade of grass, animal, or a person)
When reincarnated a person could move up a caste or down a caste depending on their Karma( do good deeds- good life – good karma – do bad deeds- bad life – bad karma)
People must perform their or Dharma( divine law) to earn reward of a better life in the next world

7. Religion and the Caste System
Reincarnation, Karma and Dharma made people accept the caste system
Be happy in your life and do your duty and work in your caste
Gave all hope ; live a good life, do your duty and be reborn into a higher caste

8. Buddhism

9. Buddhism By 600B.C. many Indians began to question Hindu ideas
Wanted a simpler more spiritual religion
Buddhism appealed to many because it didn’t favor a social group
Buddhism was founded by Siddhartha Gautama; the Buddha

10. Who was Buddha?
Siddhartha was a wealthy , handsome, married prince whom seemed to have it all
One day when exploring outside the palace walls , he saw sickness, poverty, homelessness and starvation.
He decided to seek the answer to a great riddle "Why did people suffer and how could suffering be cured?”

11. Who is Buddha? He left his family and riches and began his search
He lived as a hermit, fasting and sleeping on hard ground, nearly starved, but did not find the answer
He then meditated under a tree for 49 days and finally understood
He spent the rest of his life wandering and telling people what he had discovered
His lessons about life and the nature of suffering became known as Buddhism. To his followers, he became known as, Buddha or the “Enlightened One”

12. What is Buddhism?
To understand the Buddha’s ideas , one first has to see the world as he did
Everyday world was not real: houses, trees, animals, the sky and oceans were illusions. So were poverty, sorrow, pain and sickness
Believed the only way to find truth about the world was to give up all desires( fame, money and all worldly things)
By giving up desires, pain and sorrow would vanish
if people gave up all desires they could reach Nirvana( state of wisdom)

14. Four Noble Truths Life is full of suffering
People suffer because they desire worldly things and self satisfaction
The way to end suffering is to stop desiring things
The only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold Path

16. Eightfold Path
1. Know and understand the Four Noble Truths 2. Give up worldly things and don’t harm others 3. Tell the truth, don’t gossip, and don’t speak badly of others 4. Don’t commit evil acts, like murder, stealing or living an unclean life

17. Eightfold Path
5. Do rewarding work 6. Work for good and oppose evil 7. Make sure your mind keeps your senses under control 8. Practice meditation as a way of understanding reality

18. Reasons Buddhism becomes popular
Doesn’t accept the caste system
Persons place in life depended on the person
Believed in reincarnation, but if one wanted to stop being reborn, they must follow the Eightfold Path.
Anyone could reach enlightenment , even people in the lower castes