2. World Religions by Percentage and Size of World Population--2009 World Religions by Population David Barrett, Todd M. Johnson & Peter Crossing, “Christian World Communions: Five Overviews of Global Christianity, AD 1800-2025,” Int’l Bulletin of Missionary Research, Jan. 2009, Global Table 5, p. 25.
17. History of Hinduism Hindu – from Sanskrit word INDUS Indus River Valley Civilization (Pakistan) - 5000 years ago Aryans enter 4000 - 3500 years ago Vedic Tradition 3500 – 2500 years ago: rituals and many gods (polytheism) sacred texts (Vedas) – wise sayings social stratification (caste system) Upanishads (metaphysical philosophy)- “sitting near” one’s teacher - 2800 – 2400 years ago Vedic Tradition develops into Hinduism BhagavadGita“Song of the Lord” – A.D100 – Hinduism’s favorite bible
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19. Vedas are large body texts that originated from Ancient India
38. The Vedas (2000 BC- 600 BC) were earliest, being mostly instructions to priests concerning sacrifices. They are four:Rig-Veda (“veda of hymns”); Sama-Veda (“veda of chants”), Yajur-Veda (“veda of sacrifice”) and Atharva-Veda (“magic charms”) These four vedas are in turn each divided into three parts: samhita(collections of hymns), brahmana (details of sacrifices) and upanishad (moving from ritual to philosophic treatises).
45. At the top of the caste system were the Brahmans, or the priests and leaders. These individuals we few in number. They were the only ones who were allowed to teach in schools and go to school, however the Brahman women could do neither.
46. Underneath the Brahmans was the Kshatriya, or the warriors. This group was not large in number. The Kshatriya were in the army or leaders in a way different from that of the Brahmans. Women could not be warriors but they could belong to this class.
47. Vaisyas – Skilled Traders, Merchants Under the warriors were the vaishyas, these individuals were traders or farmers who owned their businesses or farming land. This group was made up of a great deal of people in India.
48. Second to last were the shudras, who were servants and farmhands who did not own their own land or businesses and who were employed by other people in a higher class. Jobs include gardeners, potters, and clothes washers
49. At the very bottom of the caste system, technically not belonging to a class at all, were the untouchables. The untouchables held the worst jobs in society, usually collecting garbage and cleaning up human waste…
50. The slaves in India were thought to be below the untouchables and were not classified at all. They were not even seen as human but rather as property.
51. Untouchables - The Outcastes Belong to no caste Expected to do the “dirty” jobs Come in contact with animal skins, dead bodies and human feces Avoid contact with “caste” Indians for fear of “pollution”
52. Living in ancient India, you were defined by your caste. There was no way for an individual or their children in India to escape their caste and move up. Not even death could break the cycle.
53. There were extremely strict rules surrounding the caste system in India. People from different castes could certainly not mararyeach other or even become friends and they were not even allowed to eat in the presence of another class.
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55. its veneration comes from the Vedic literature and form the Hindu belief that the cow is a living symbol of Mother Earth and of the divine blessings she bestows upon humankind
78. Your atman is reunited with the Brahman and you will have true peace or state of supreme blessedness Brahman atman
79. THE PATHS TO ENLIGHTENMENT OR MOKSHA ARE; Knowledge – comes from studying with gurus or teachers and reading sacred scriptures Contemplation – disciplines and psychological exercises that concentrate one’s attention on the atman Devotion – singing hymns of praises, offering sacrifices and making pilgrimage to sacred places like Varanasi, Hinduism’s holiest city located in North central India on the banks of the sacred Ganges River (Hindus bathe to wash away bad karma) Works – acting out of one’s duties to society
80. What are the spiritualpractices of Hinduism? The Four Yogas - seeking union with the divine: Karma Yoga – the path of action through selfless service (releases built up karma without building up new karma) Jnana Yoga – the path of knowledge (understanding the true nature of reality and the self) Raja Yoga – the path of meditation Bhakti Yoga – the path of devotion Guru – a spiritual teacher, especially helpful for Jnana and Raja yoga
81. How do Hindus worship? Bhakti Yoga is seeking union with the divine through loving devotion to manifest deities In the home (household shrines) In the Temples (priests officiate) Puja– making offerings to and decorating the deity images Darsan– “seeing” the deity (not idol worship) Prasad – taking the divine within your own being through eating of food shared with the deity
82. Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon Brahma, the creator god
83. Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon Vishnu, the preserver god Incarnates as ten avatars (descents) including: Rama (featured in the Ramayana) Krishna (featured in the Mahabharata) (Each shown with his consort, Sita and Radha, respectively)
84. Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu Pantheon Shiva, god of constructive destruction(the transformer) Appears as Shiva Nataraj,lord of the dance of creation… and with his wife, Parvati, and son Ganesha(the elephant headed remover of obstacles)
85. What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine Saraswati, goddess of wisdom, consort ofBrahma
86. What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune, consortof Vishnu
87. What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine Parvati, divine mother, wife ofShiva
88. What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine Durga, protectress Kali, destroyer of demons Plus about 330 million other deities
89. All these deities are but Manifest forms (attributes and functions) of the impersonal Brahman
107. His father, a ruler of a small kingdom; did not allow him out of the palace because they did not want him to see or experience the suffering of life in India
108. One day, he snuck out of the palace. Outside of the palace walls he saw people with no homes, no food. He saw sick people and suffering.
109. the only happy man he saw was a serene and peaceful hermit Realizing the reality of human suffering, Siddhartha left his wife and child (The Great Renunciation) and embarked on a quest for peace and serenity.
110. This came to him six years later while sitting under the famous tree BODHI tree ( the tree of knowledge or enlightenment) , probably a fig tree in North Central India the cause of suffering is desiring or craving things that are worldly and temporal. The way to peace and serenity is the Middle way Middle Way – the way of moderation between pleasure and denial, between self-indulgence and asceticism
111. Siddhartha became known as “Buddha”, a Sanskrit wordmeaning “Enlightened One” or has found or attained enlightenment. The Buddha decided that he would leave his life of meditation to teach others the way to end suffering. He gathered disciples, founded monasteries and teach others until his death in 486 B.C at the age of 80. he came to be highly venerated (as deity by some) and statues and temples were built in his honor
117. Ultimate goal of Buddhism: End suffering by achieving nirvana. Once you are in the condition of wanting nothing, you will be Enlightened, or understand the universe and cause of human suffering Buddhism– Beliefs
118. Buddhism– Beliefs Similarities with Hinduism 1. Belief in reincarnation 2. Belief in nonviolence Differences with Hinduism 1. Does not believe in universal being or spirit or that men and women have souls 2. Have no caste system 3. there is something one can do to escape the misery and suffering of his life rather than waiting for a future
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120. developed in China in the 500s A.D and later expanded to Japan
121. in Japan it is highly esteemed as a path to self - discipline
124. in United States, there are some one hundred Zen Temples and centers nearly one million adherents
125. followers practice meditation according to strict rules in order to achieve enlightenment called SATORI more quickly than through traditional Buddhism, thus escaping the wheel of Reincarnation- Expresses itself I variety of ways: judo, calligraphy, poetry, the ikebana and the seemingly formless and rock garden each of which has religious significance
