Hinduism
Chris Lopez
The world's third largest religion
mostly practiced in South Asia, most notably in India and Nepal.
Basic hinduism practice
- 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
- Basic hinduism practice
Practices
- practiced in a home with a shrine inside
- in temples
- practices
Karma (sin)
- Karma in the Sanskrit language means actions or deeds.
- Whether someone goes to heaven or hell depends on the type of karma accrued in the past life
- karma
heaven
- people that believe in Hinduism don't believe in heaven
- believe in reincarnation
- good life reincarnated into a good thing
- bad life reincarnated into a bad thing
- heaven
hell
- People who have accumulated negative karma are sent to hell to purify their souls.
- After the soul is purified, it is sent to another incarnation, such as a human or an animal.
- hell
Creation
- Brahma is the Creator and source of all creation
- Vishnu is the Preserver and responsible for keeping all good things on earth
- Shiva is the Destroyer and is needed because some things are harmful and because change is necessary for the creation of new things
- In a Hindu sacred text creation is described as the breaking of an egg.
- creation
Rich
- Within Hinduism, wealth is regarded as a beneficial and positive value, just like love and morality
- rich
poor
- they give money to the poor
- get food in hinduism temple for free to the poor
- poor
Salvation
- Over the centuries the salvation options in Hinduism have varied widely
SALVATION IN THE EARLY PERIODS OF HINDUISM (3500 B.C.-250 A.D.)
Marriage
- sacred relationship
- not limited to this life alone
- marriage
Abortion
he Hindu way is to choose the action that will do least harm to all involved: the mother and father, the foetus and society.
Crash Course Hinduism
sacred texts
- Shruti (“heard”) – oldest, most authoritative:
- Four Vedas (“truth”) – myths, rituals, chants
- Upanishads - metaphysical speculation
- Smriti (“remembered”) – the Great Indian Epics:
- Ramayana
- Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-Gita)
- Plus others
- sacred texts
Beliefs
- One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman
- Manifest as many personal deities
- True essence of life – Atman, the soul, is Brahman trapped in matter (“That art thou”)
- Reincarnation – atman is continually born into this world lifetime after lifetime (Samsara)
- Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)
- Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with Brahman (Moksha)
- beliefs