1. Basic Hindu Facts It has no founder or formal church.
Hinduism is the chief religion of India.
It has no founder or formal church.
Its roots lie in ancient Aryan beliefs and practices.

2. Sacred Texts
The Vedas: contains eternal truths that were revealed to wise men
The Upanishads: help to explain the ideas in the Vedas

3. BRAHMAN Nameless Formless Unlimited Supreme force Brahman: Creator
Preserver
Vishnu:
3 main gods
Children of
Wives of
Destroyer
Siva:
Nameless
Formless
Unlimited

4. No single, uniformly accepted system of belief
HINDUISM – Why is it so complex? Question 2
Not just a religion – an intricate web of religious, philosophical, social, economic, & artistic elements
No single, uniformly accepted system of belief
No direct divine revelation
No leadership hierarchy
Can be practiced on different levels of spirituality – mainly an individual enterprise
Has had the ability to absorb competing religious ideologies – except for Islam

5. BRAHMAN Each of the thousands of gods takes many forms.
India, has many sects, religious groups that worship one or another of these gods or their many wives and children.
Atman: the essential self of each person (a soul) which is part of a universal soul--including all things in nature--and Brahman.

6. Reincarnation and Karma
Death
Reincarnation
Karma
Moksha: freeing of the soul from the body to unite with Brahman
Karma
Karma
Karma

7. HINDU TERMS YOU SHOULD KNOW…
Brahman
3 main gods
Vedas & Upanishads
Atman
Moksha
Reincarnation
Karma
Dharma
Aryan roots (varna)

8. Buddhism-Terms you should know…
Siddhartha Gautama
4 Noble Truths
Nirvana
Noble Eightfold Path
Three Baskets of Wisdom
Theravada & Mahayana Buddhists
Dalai Lama