Transcript Powerpoint

HAFSITE.ORG
Hinduism 101
Promoting Dignity
Mutual Respect & Pluralism
Where does Hinduism come from?
Hinduism…
…is at least
5000
YEARS OLD
…is considered
the world’s
oldest
ACTIVE MAJOR
RELIGION
…developed in
THE INDUS
VA L L E Y
Hindus refer to their religion
as Sanatana Dharma, or
the Eternal Way.
Scriptures
VEDAS
U PA N I S H A D S
PURANAS
EPICS
R A M AYA N A & M A H A B H A R ATA
Countless life stories, devotional poetry,
and commentaries by learned religious
figures.
What are the Indic Religions?
Hinduism
Buddhism
Jainism
Sikhism
Over many centuries,
Hinduism's pluralistic
ethos was reflected
through INDIA'S
EMBRACE OF OTHER
RELIGIOUS GROUPS
such as Jews, Christians,
and Zoroastrians when
they were persecuted
elsewhere.
What do Hindus believe?
The deepest spiritual
truth gleaned through the
Ve d a s i s t h a t B r a h m a n o f
Supreme Consciousness
(used interchangeably
with “the Divine” “the
Absolute” or “GOD”),
pervades the entire
universe.
This divine reality
is present in all
living beings and is
characterized as eternal
and full of bliss.
Brahman…
Many Hindus believe that BRAHMAN
is formless and infinite and can be
worshiped in different forms.
They believe that the entire creation
emerged from, rests in, and will dissolve
into Brahman.
Others believe that the Divine exists in one true form, specifically as
Krishna for Vaishnavas or Shiva for Shaivites.
Brahman…
is understood as the cause of creation –
its
creation
its
preservation
its
dissolution
In Hindu lore, these three functions are said to be the work of what is
the commonly referred to as the Hindu trinity or trimurti of Brahma,
Vishnu and Shiva.
Atman…
The Soul or Atman, is eternal. When this
physical body dies, the soul is reborn in
another body (samsara, or reincarnation).
Rebirth is governed by the Law of Karma: that every
action has a consequence, like cause and effect.
What one experiences in this life is the result of one’s past actions,
either from this birth or previous births; and in the converse, how one
acts today will impact the future, the effects of which will be experienced
either in this or future births.
How one deals with the problems he or she faces in this life determines
whether one creates good or bad karma for his or her present and
future lives.
Human beings have 4 goals in life.
Dharma
Artha
Kama
Moksha
Righteous action in
any given situation
The pursuit
of prosperity
Enjoyment of the
material world
Liberation from
suffering caused
by dependence on
the material world and
from the cycle of birth
and rebirth
Four Paths
T H E B H A G AVA D G I TA O U T L I N E S F O U R P R I M A R Y PAT H S
TO THE EXPERIENCE OF GOD’S PRESENCE AND JOY
A N D O B TA I N T H E F O U R T H G O A L O F M O K S H A
T H E F O U R PAT H S
Karma
Yoga
Jnana
Yoga
Bhakti
Yoga
Raja
Yoga
Performing one’s
duty selflessly
Studying and
contemplating
on the scriptures
Loving god through
devotion and service
Focusing inwardly
on the divine
through meditation
Forms of Brahman
THE FORMS OF BRAHMAN
Because Hindus
believe that
Brahman takes
form(s), Hindus
accept that
there are a
variety of ways
in which all
human beings
connect with the
Divine.
In Hinduism,
God is
worshipped in
both male and
female forms.
The female form
is known as
Shakti, which
means energy.
Other forms
resemble
animals or birds.
Each of these
forms of God
has symbolic
meaning. Hindus
enjoy telling
stories about the
various forms to
inspire love of
God and instill
ethical values.
Ganesh
Hindus pray to the many forms of Brahman
as individual gods who represent particular
divine qualities or powers.
For example, they believe that Ganesh
is the God of wisdom and helps people
overcome obstacles.
Lakshmi
Her four arms represent Dharma, Artha,
Kama, and Moksha.
T h e l o t u s g r o w s i n m u d d y w a t e r, b u t
r e m a i n s c l e a n a n d d r y. I t i s s e e n a s
a reminder of the importance of doing the
right thing even when surrounded by wrong
influences.
Lakshmi is worshipped as the Goddess of Prosperity.
Krishna
Krishna is said to have come to eradicate
evil and protect good.
Rama
God is believed to have taken the human
form of Rama
to show people how to live
the path of Dharma.
The depiction of some Hindu gods
in blue is symbolic.
L I K E T H E S K Y,
GOD IS CONSIDERED
limitless
L I K E W AT E R ,
GOD IS SEEN AS
life-sustaining
Hanuman
Hanuman
is considered the ideal
devotee because of his loving and selfless
service of Rama.
Murtis
T H E VA R I O U S F O R M S O F G O D A R E R E P R E S E N T E D I N
C O N S E C R AT E D I M A G E S K N O W N A S M U R T I S
A Murti
can be made of wood,
stone, or metals and
offers Hindus a way to
visualize and meditate
upon Brahman, which is
believed to be beyond
the grasp of the human
mind.
Murti
is often translated as
“idol,” but a more
accurate translation is
“embodiment.” Hindu
families conduct their
daily worship at home
altars
and also at
temples
on special
occasions. Many Hindus
consult gurus, or
spiritual guides, for
advice or answers to
spiritual questions.
What is Hinduism’s view
on other religions?
PLURALISM
Hinduism promotes
not only respect for other religions, but also
acknowledges the potential for truth in
them.
Hindus believe
there should be no discrimination against
any person based on one’s religion .
The core philosophy
of Hinduism is the search for truth,
not the specific path taken.
What is Hinduism’s view on Science?
Hinduism
embraces science as
one of the ways in
which humans seek to
understand the world
we live in.
Hindu scriptures
describe the concept
of planets in the solar
system circling the
sun, and the earth
as round and rotating
on its axis.
Ancient Hindus also
made noteworthy
strides in astronomy,
chemistry,
mathematics
,
metallurgy, medicine
(Ayurveda), and
surgery
, including
many findings upon
which modern science,
medicine and
technology are based.
What is Hinduism’s global influence?
EVIDENCE
OF HINDU
INFLUENCE
historically
is still seen all
over South
East Asia
ANCIENT HINDU
TEMPLES
were built
in Cambodia and
Java; and about
4 Million Hindus
Live In Indonesia
STORIES
FROM THE
RAMAYANA &
MAHABHARATA
are very popular
in Thailand,
Laos, Malaysia
& Indonesia
The Practice of Yoga
Originated in Hinduism
and is now popular all
over the world.
with more than
1 billion
HINDUS
HINDUISM is the
3rd largest
religion in the world
80 percent
Of India’s population is Hindu
45 million
Live in neighboring countries
2.5 million
Hindus have migrated to north
America since 1965. This does
not account for Hindus of
non-Indian descent.
Significant Numbers
of Hindus still live in various parts of Africa, West Indies,
and Fiji, where they were sent by the British as plantation laborers
in the 19th and 20th century.
Hinduism…
is the world’s oldest
active major religion
and third largest.
emphasizes the need to
live in accordance with
d h a r m a o r r i g h t e o u s l y.
preaches pluralism
and the importance
of experiencing truth.
THANK YOU