1. Everything You need to know
Hinduism
Everything You need to know

2. The World and India After the Indus River Valley
Indo-Europeans begin migrating
- - Migrated from mid Europe to all over Europe
Hittites attacked Mesopotamia (Fertile Crescent)
Aryans invade Indus River Valley
Aryans change everything about Indus society

5. Foundations of Hinduism
A collection of religious beliefs
Cannot be traced to a single founder.
The ideas that shape Hinduism formed over time, as the cultures of the Aryans blended with the non-Aryans in India
Beliefs of Hinduism reinforced the caste system

6. Spread out along major trade routes throughout Asia Mahabharata
Story of the early Aryans and their struggles
106,000 verse poem, longest poem ever
Sacred writings: Vedas and Upanishads

7. Aryans & Vedas
Semi-nomadic people who crossed the mountains into the Indus Valley around 1500 BCE
Left almost no archaeological record, but their sacred literature, the Vedas, left a fairly reliable picture of Aryan life.

8. Vedas
The Vedas are four collections of prayers, magical spells, and instructions for performing rituals.
The most important collection is the Rig Veda and it contains 1028 hymns, all of which are devoted to Aryan gods.

9. Upanishads
Hindu teachers tried to interpret and explain the hidden meaning of the Vedic hymns. This leads to the Upanishads.
Upanishads: written as conversations between student and teacher (upa-near, ni-down, shad-to sit)
Purpose: to understand Vedas and discussion of how to achieve moksha (freedom of suffering and desires—a state of understanding all things)

10. The Caste System
The Aryans (meaning “the nobles” in their language) called the people native to India the dasas (meaning “dark”)
Aryans were pastoral people and counted their wealth in cows
Dasas were town dwellers who lived in community protected by walls.

11. According to Indian Tradition, the four major castes emerged from the mouth, arms, legs, and feet of Perusha (the first human being).
Perusha is identified with the creator god Brahma. The body part indicated the dignity and role of the caste that emerged from it.
UNTOUCHABLES

12. Hinduism Atman – The individual soul of a living being
Brahman – The world soul that contains and united all atmans.
The interconnectedness of all life is a basic concept in all Indian religions.

13. Namaste “I bow to the divine in you”
All things on earth are considered to be part of Brahman (the Supreme Cosmic Spirit): everyone and everything has something of the divine in them.

14. Key Characteristics (according to the SOLs)
Rigid caste system in religious law based on one’s occupation
Belief in many gods BUT these many gods are all forms of Brahman
Hinduism is polytheistic/monotheistic
Reincarnation: rebirth based on your karma

15. Main Gods 3 main gods of Hinduism Brahma- the creator
Vishnu- the protector
Shiva- the destroyer

17. When a person understands the relationship between atman and Brahman, that person achieves perfect understanding (moksha) and a release from life in this world.
This understanding does not normally happen in one lifetime, but the process of reincarnation (rebirth), an individual soul or spirit is born again and again until moksha is achieved.

18. Karma: the knowledge that all thoughts and actions result in future consequences
Do good dharma to get good karma
Dharma: the right thing to do in any situation—how one should act
Karma influences life circumstances like
Caste one is born into
State of one’s health
Wealth or poverty

19. New Religions Arise
Period of speculation reflected in the Upanishads lead to the rise of two other religions
Jainism
Buddhism (Talk about another day)

20. Jainism
Mahavira, the founder of Jainiam, was born around 599 B.C.E. and died around 527 B.C.E.
Believed that everything in the universe has a soul and should not be harmed
Monks carry the doctrine of nonviolence to its logical conclusion
Wear masks to avoid hurting insects accidently
Sweep their paths
Believers in Jainism tend to work in the areas of trade and commerce
Make up some the wealthiest communities in India today.

21. Buddhism

22. Founding
Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who grew up as a Hindu in a part of India that is present-day Nepal
Born a rich prince, he discovered suffering after leaving his palace and exploring the neighboring town
He devoted his life to searching for:
Enlightenment: search for religious truth and wisdom
An end to suffering

24. Spreading of Buddhism
Buddhism became a major religion when Ashoka sent missionaries from India to China and other parts of Asia

25. Key Characteristics (based on the enlightenment of Buddha)
4 Noble Truths
Everything in life is suffering and sorrow
The cause of all suffering is the selfish desires of people
The way to end all suffering is to end all desire
The way to overcome all desire and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path, or the Middle Way between desires and self- denial

27. Eightfold Path
Like a staircase—those seeking enlightenment must master one step at a time

29. Eightfold Path Right View – Know the truth
Right Intention – Free your mind of evil
Right Speech – Say nothing that hurts others
Right Action – Work for the good of others
Right Livelihood – Respect life
Right Effort – Resist evil
Right Concentration – Practice Meditation
Right Mindfulness – Control your thoughts

30. By following the Eightfold Path, one could reach total enlightenment, or Nirvana, which was Buddha’s word for the release from selfishness and pain.

32. Different Buddhas