Hindu beliefs (power point notes)

• Brahman is the Hindu name for God or Supreme Being.
• Nirguna Brahman is God/the Supreme Being as a spiritual presence only.
• Saguna Brahman is God/the Supreme Being shown in form.
• The Om or Aum is the sound and symbol of Brahman.
• In Hinduism, Brahman is all-pervading, eternal, infinite, and indestructible.
• Feeding animals and birds, and caring for plants and trees, is a part of Hinduism.
• Trying to reach moksha is a part of Hinduism.
• Learning more about God and dharma from holy scriptures is a part of Hinduism.
• Showing respect for elders and caring for the needy is a part of Hinduism.
• Brahman is the source of all creation, existence, and manifestation.
• Brahman is the ultimate reality and the goal of Hinduism.
• The Trimurti in Hinduism consists of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
• Brahma, the Creator in the Trimurti, faces north, south, east, and west because he is responsible for all of the created world.
• The Vedas, the earliest Hindu scriptures, are guided by Brahma.
• Brahma is responsible for offerings during worship.
• Dharma is the first aim in life according to Hindus, and it involves a series of duties (dharma) that depend on your family background and job.
• Transmigration is the transferring of the atman into a new body, and reincarnation is the taking on of a new body.
• Bad karma in your last life means bad karma in this life.
• All of these objectives need to be achieved in appropriate balance in order to reach moksha.
• Hindus believe that it is part of their dharma to relieve the suffering of others.
• Hindus try to break free from suffering by reaching moksha, which they believe is achieved by changing yourself, rather than your material surroundings.
• The end of the birth and death cycle (samsara) is known as moksha, which is what every Hindu hopes to achieve as the soul breaks out of the cycle of rebirth and joins with Brahman.
• Karma means action, and good karma in your last life means good karma in this life.
• Hindus believe that suffering is partly due to the bad karma in people’s previous lives and that suffering also comes from ‘moral evil’, the bad that humans cause.
• The type of person your soul moves on to depends on how you have lived.
• Sanatana dharma is the idea or perfect way of life that all Hindus try to follow, consisting of always considering what is right and what is wrong about any action and remembering God in your heart and mind.
• Purusharthas are the objectives of a human according to Hinduism, which include Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksha.
• Samsara, karma and moksha are concepts in Hinduism.
• A mala, a string of beads used during meditation, is associated with Brahma.
• The water pot in Hinduism represents the water of life, which was responsible for the beginning of creation.
• Brahma is seen as the least important of the Trimurti as a punishment for poor behaviour.
• In Hindu tradition, Brahma created a female deity called Shatarupa and fell in love with her.
• Shiva, through his obsession with Shatarupa, was wrong and punished Brahma by making him no longer worshipped as other gods.
• Disguised as a dwarf, Vishnu tricked the demon world-ruler, Bali, into giving him everything he could cover in three strides.
• Shaivas believe that the atman and Brahman are one and therefore there is only one reality.
• Shaivas focus on Shiva’s dancing form, Nataraja.
• Vaishnavas believe that Vishnu is within them as the antaryami, and their aim in life is to serve Vishnu.
• Vaishnava worship is based on scriptures, and focuses on bhakti (personal devotion) through saying mantras and repetitive prayers known as japa.
• Vishnu is believed to step in to restore moral order, prevent suffering and disaster, and show kindness and generosity to his devotees.
• Vaishnavism is a tradition that focuses on the worship of Vishnu.