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• Hinduism

  • Largest religion in India
  • Began along the banks of Indus River
• Accounts on how Hinduism originated


  • Aryan Invasion Theory
  • Aryan Migration Theory
• Hinduism does not refer to a particular set of religious beliefs shared by Hindus
• Hindus originally did not use the word Hinduism to refer to their own religious views, but later on adopted by most Hindus to refer their own religious beliefs
• Shruti


  What is heard
• Smriti


  What is remembered
• Hindu sacred texts


  • Shruti (containing revealed knowledge)
  • Smriti (containing remembered knowledge)
• Shruti


  • Primary source that contain truths that are eternal and unchanging
  • True by themselves
• Smriti


  • Secondary source that contain truths that may change overtime and are of human origin
  • Texts are true only in so far as they conform to the Shruti texts
• The main texts of the Shruti are the Vedas
• Vedas


  Means "wisdom" or "knowledge", refers to the writings about the attainment of wisdom or knowledge of the true nature of reality, which is regarded as a necessary condition for overcoming the suffering of this world
• Rig Veda


  • The "wisdom of the verses" or "hymn knowledge", is considered the most important and oldest of the Vedas. It is the collection of chants and rituals used to honor various gods and goddesses wo are called the Vedic deities
• Yajur Veda


  • The "wisdom of the sacrificial formulas" or ceremonial knowledge is a collection of materials recited during sacrificial ceremonies and ritual activities
• Sama Veda


  • The "wisdom of the chants" or "chant knowledge", is a collection of musical expressions of the verses of Rig Veda
• Atharva Veda


  • The "wisdom of the Atharvan priests" is a collection of practical prayers and magical prayers
• The Ramayana


  Combination of the words Rama and ayana which means "going" or "advancing", literally means Rama's journey. Believed to be traditionally written by Hindu sage Valmiki and consisting of 24,000 verses in seven books and 500 cantos which deals with human values associated with the concept of dharma
• The Mahabarata


  The great story of Bharatas. Considered as the "fifth Veda". The word Bharatas is also generally refer to Indian race, so it is also understood as "the great story of India." Believed to be written by Hindu sage Vyasa between 300 BCE to 300 CE. It is also the longest epic poem in the world which is approximately 8 times longer than Iliad and Odyssey and 3 times longer than the Bible
• The Bhagavad Gita


  Literally means the "Song of the Lord" or the "Song of the Divine One" which consists of 700 verses and is part of the Mahabarata. The Gita is considered to be the most important part of Mahabarata from a religious and philosophical perspective because it is where the religious and philosophical concepts of Hinduism are mainly being discussed
• Brahman


  • Refers to the essence or true nature of all reality of everything that exists, in short Ultimate Reality. He is the Highest Supreme God for Hindu
  • First, one and is no other reality other than Brahman, and undivided in that it has no parts
  • Second, unchanging and is not subject to space and time, it is eternal and has no beginning and end
  • Third, is spiritual and nonmaterial therefore it is not subject to physical laws and is not possible not to have existed
• Atman


  The essence of human individual which traditionally called as the soul or self. It is Brahman conceived in the context of human individuals. It is not separated with Brahaman thus, Atman is Brahman
• Trimurti


  Refers to the three supreme gods in Hindu. They corresponds to the three major functions of Brahman, namely, creation, sustenance and destruction
• Brahma


  • The creator (different from Brahman)
• Vishnu


  • The preserver
• Shiva


  • The destroyer
• Avatar


  The human forms of the Trimurti. They mingle and interact with humans. The two popular and important avatars of Vishnu are Krishna of the Bhagavad Gita and Rama of Ramayana
• Ganesha


  A popular deity with an elephant head and the son of god Shiva and goddess Parvati. Known as the god of success and destroyer of evil and obstacles
• Shakti


  Embodies the energy-giving power behind all creations
• Lakshmi


  A manifestation of Shakti and who embodies light, beauty, good fortune, and wealth
• Hanuman


  The monkey deity who helped Rama save Sita in the epic Ramayana
• Maya


  Translated as "illusion". Experiencing and knowing the world as physical, changing, and divided into many separate things. Experiencing our self as the body and as something separate from everything else
• Moksha


  The liberation or release from the state or influence of maya
• Samsara


  Corresponds to what is called reincarnation or rebirth
• Karma


  The law that regulates samsara
• Law of Karma


  Moral law or principle of cause and effect
• Varna


  The Hindu system of social classes called the caste system
• 4 Stages of Ashram Life

  • Brachmanchari Ashram (student stage) birth to 21 yrs. old
  • Grahasta Ashram (household stage) 21 – 42 yrs. old
  • Vanaphrasta Ashram (retired stage) 42 to 63 yrs. old
  • Sannysa Ashram (renounced stage) 63 to 84 plus age
• 4 Basic Human Aims or Purposes of Life (Purusharta)


  • Dharma - Moral duties and living according to the laws and rights
  • Artha - Economic security or the active pursuit of wealth and career
  • Kama - Enjoyment or the active pursuit of pleasure
  • Moksha - Liberation of self from maya
• 4 Paths of Yoga


  • Karma Yoga (Path of Action) – Selfless-service to others
  • Jhana Yoga (Path of Knowledge) – Union with supreme through intellect
  • Bhakti Yoga (Path of Devotion) – Love to all beings
  • Raja Yoga (Path of Discipline) – Energize the body and mind
• Some Practices and Rituals


  • Hindus' worships so many gods and goddesses
  • Practice of meditation
  • Hindus' veneration of some animals
  • Hindus' veneration of their gurus or enlightened teachers
  • The practice of renunciation or asceticism of holy men
  • Hindus' attitude towards one another
  • Practice of nonviolence toward all life forms called ahimsa
• Holi


  The festival of colors, where Hindus smear each other with colors of joy