Hinduism
One of the most religions practiced in the world
How and where it originated? Where has it spread?
Hinduism spread outside East Asia.
Basic Beliefs and Basic History
- truth is eternal
-Brahman is truth and reality
- the Vedas are the ultimate authority
-everyone should strive to achieve dharma
- individual souls are immortal
- the goal of the individual soul is moksa
Basic History
- Shavia (devotees of the god Shiva)
- Vaishnava (devotees of the god Vishnu)
- Shakta (devotees of the goddess)
-Smarta (those who understand the ultimate form of the divine to be abstract and all encompassing, Brahman)
Leader/Prophets and Past Events
- all priests must come from the highest, or Brahman caste
Past events
-1500 B.C.: The Vedas are written
- 800 B.C.: Eleven major Upanishads are written
- 900 C.E.: Shanka teaches the reality of one Brahman or one God, introducing significant monotheism beliefs into Hinduism
- 1100 C.E.: Muslims arrive in India and influence the evolution of the Hindu faith