1. Please copy the Hinduism Notes Outline below…
Origin
Aryans
Hinduism
Brahman
Upanishads
Brahman, the God
Main Hindu gods
Varna
Reincarnation
Dharma
How did the belief in reincarnation affect the Indians?

2. Hinduism
Today you will learn how Hinduism grew from the Aryans, and how it spread to other parts of Asia.

3. Hinduism Origin One of the oldest religions in the world
Today, it is the 3rd largest religion
It was started by the Aryans
How do we know?
Ancient hymns and poetry, & epics (long poems)
Hinduism is a mixture of beliefs of the Aryans and the beliefs of conquered peoples in India.
These ideas together is what we call Hinduism

4. Early Hinduism Brahman Upanishads
Hindus think of all gods and goddesses as different parts of one universal spirit, or “Brahman”
Upanishads
Ancient writings that describes the search for this universal spirit (Brahman)
Belief: when you die, you soul goes to back to be with Brahman

5. Major Hindu Gods and Goddesses
Brahman—creator of the world; most important God
Vishnu—preserver of the world
Siva—destroyer of the world
Ganesha—lord of existing beings; remover of obstacles
Krishna—teacher of the world
Lakshmi—goddess of light, beauty, good fortune, and wealth
Surya—god of the sun
Indra—king of the gods
Saraswati—goddess of knowledge and music
Parvati—universal mother
***Brahma, Vishnu, & Siva are considered the three main Hindu gods.

6. What is Karma?
A person does not immediately go to be with Brahman, instead they must pass through many lives
Varna, or jati = caste
A soul may be born into a higher or lower varna (jati) based on their good or bad deeds, or karma
Reincarnation = the idea of passing through many lives to reach Brahman
Dharma = divine law; a set of rules to reach a higher varna in the next life

7. How did the belief in reincarnation affect the Indians?
It made them more accepting of the caste system
People believed they had to be happy with their role in life
The belief in reincarnation gave hope to everyone, even servants
To sum it up…
If you did your duty, you would be reborn into a higher social class

8. The least you need to know…
Today, Hinduism is the __________ largest religion.
It was started by the _____________.
Hindus think of all gods and goddesses as different parts of one universal spirit, or _______.
__________, or jati is called a caste.
_________ is the idea of passing through many lives to reach Brahman.
_________, or divine law is a set of rules to reach a higher varna in the next life.
If you did your duty, you would be reborn into a higher __________.

9. Citation
Spielvogel, Jackson J. World History: Journey Across Time-The Early Ages. New York: Glencoe/McGraw- Hill, Print.