1. HINDUISM – Basic Beliefs

2. Basic Beliefs

3. These are the foundational principles on which a religion stands. Without these basics principles there would be no religion. Hinduism like other religions has a set of Basic Beliefs.

4.  Atman  Karma  Dharma  Incarnation  Re-incarnation (samsara)  Maya  Moksha

5.  The soul or ‘real self’. A part of God that is in all living things.

6.  ‘Action’; the law of cause and effect. The belief that all thoughts and actions have results that correspond to them.  Karma is an accumulation of every deed, thought, word, and everything else you have ever done in this life and in all of your other lives. All of the good, all of the bad - everything you've done.

7. Something similar to karma in your culture? Write it below here.

8.  Religion or religious duty  Ethics and duty  The concept behind Dharma is anything that upholds or sustains a positive order.  A-Dharma is the opposite of dharma; it is the failure of the individuals in the system to maintain the system. 

10. This is when a soul or spirits takes on human or other forms. e.g. the ten incarnations of Vishnu 1. Matsya – Fish 2. Kurma – turtle 3. Varaha – Boar 4. Narasingha – Lion 5. Vamana – Dwarf 6. Parasurama – angry man with an axe 7. Ram/Rama - killed demon king 8. Krisna – 9. Buddha – 10. Kalki – has not happened yet

11. The cycle of birth, death and rebirth This is when the soul, which is seen as eternal and part of a spiritual realm, returns to the physical realm in a new body. A soul will complete this cycle many times, learning new things each time and working through its karma. This cycle is labelled Samsara.

13. Re-incarnation?

14. Illusory; something that does not last forever Maya means "that which is not" (i.e. illusion).

15. Liberation or freedom of the soul from the cycle of birth and rebirth  it is when the Hindu is at one with Brahman

16. Brahmins - Priests Kshatriyas - warriors Vaisyas – skilled workers, trader Shudras – unskilled workers, servants Harijans – untouchables, children of God

17.  The caste system ( groups assigned by birth not personality). The Hindu conception of the social order is that people are different, and different people will fit well into different aspects of society. Social order or social class according to varna forms the framework or moral duties according to personal characteristics of individuals (not necessary birth)  Dates back to the invasion of the Aryans around 2, 000 B.C  The society is divided into four groups (with a fifth, “the untouchables.” outside of the caste system)

18.  Brahmin : the seers, the reflective ones, the priests  The intellectual and Spiritual leaders  In our culture they would be the philosophers, religious leaders and teachers  Kshatriyas – ) the born administrators (formaly nobles, rajahs and warriors)  The protectors of society  In our society they would be the politicians, police and the military

19.  Vaisyas – the producers, the craftsmen, and farmers  The skillful workers (e.g. merchants)  Shudras – the unskilled labourers or labouring class  The followers or the maintenance people

20.  The cycle of birth, life, and death is ended when a person attains moksha, or a) Divinity b) Liberation c) Karma d) Good karma

21.  Karma is a) All answers are correct b) Carried over from life to life c) A totality of all a person's actions d)No answers are correct e) A decider of what one will be in the next life

22.  Reincarnation is placing the ____ in a new physical receptacle a) Karma b) Soul c) Moksha d) Mind

23.  Samsara is the a) Karmic version of one's deeds b) Attainment of enlightenment c) A false prophet d) Endless cycle of birth and death