Hinduism Mr. Johnson. Hinduism 15.1 India’s first major religion No single person founded it Began...

HinduismMr. Johnson

Hinduism 15.1

India’s first major religion

No single person founded it

Began before written history

dharma – basic belief that stands for law, obligation & duty

Ramayana – an ancient Hindu text that tells about life in ancient India and offers models for dharma

Hinduism 15.2

Vedism was the name of the early Hindu religion

Vedas – collection of sacred texts, including verses, hymns, prayers and teachings that lay out the basic beliefs of Hinduism

Sanskrit – Indian ancient form of writing

Brahmins – priests an religious scholars who formed dominant social class in India

Later Vedism is often called Brahmanism

Hinduism 15.3

Caste is a class or group in Hindu society

The Vedas describe four main social classes who each have their own duty

Brahmins – priests and religious scholars

Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors

Vaishyas – herders and merchants

Shudras - servants

Eventually 5th class developed called the untouchables

Could not change caste

Hinduism 15.4

Brahman is the name for the supreme power

Hinduism sees time going around in a circle

Hindus believe Brahman is constantly creating, destroying and re-creating the universe

Hinduism 15.5

3 most important deities who control the universe:Brahma – creates it

Vishnu – preserves it

Shiva – destroys it

Hinduism 15.6

Basic valuesDharma – law, obligation and duty

Value marriage

Sharing food with others

Caring for one’s soul

Nonviolence (believe all forms of life have a soul)

Hinduism 15.7

Karma was made up of all the good and evil a person had done in his past life

Live good to be reborn into a higher class or live badly and be reborn into a lower class or even animal

Hinduism 15.8

Samsara is the continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth (called reincarnation)

Samsara ends when the soul escapes and is united with Brahman