hindism

• Nirguna brahman


  The idea of divine consciousness that is beyond human understanding, limitless and everywhere, present in all beings
• Saguna brahman


  The idea that God takes form to help humans understand an aspect of God, these manifestations are endless and represented by many different gods and goddesses
• Three key features of God

  • Exists everywhere as a non-personal God
  • God within the heart (antaryami)
  • God is beyond, personal and loving
• The Upanishads represent the idea of the endless, limitless nature of God
• Trimurti


  The three main aspects of Brahman: Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, Shiva the Destroyer
• Avatars of Vishnu


  • Appear on earth to restore Dharma and justice when there is too much evil in the world, the final avatar is believed to be Kalki who will destroy all evil
• Krishna


  An avatar of Vishnu, a role model for Hindus representing duty and heroism
• Rama


  An avatar of Vishnu, a role model for Hindus representing bravery, virtue and strength, central to the Diwali celebrations
• Four key male and female deities


  • Ganesh (remover of obstacles)
  • Hanuman (strength and devotion)
  • Lakshmi (learning and music)
  • Saraswati (wealth and beauty)
• Time


  Cyclical, the universe is repeatedly created and destroyed
• The universe is one of many 'bubbles' floating in space, there are many different universes being created and destroyed
• There are many different creation stories and understandings of the features of the universe within Hinduism
• Time

  Cyclical, without a starting or ending point
• The universe is repeatedly created and destroyed
• Universe


  One of many bubbles floating in space
• Components that things are made of

  • Spirit
  • Matter
• Cosmology


  The idea of how the universe began and the nature of the universe
• There are many universes, each created differently
• Structure of the universe

  • Mount Meru at the center, with heavens above and hells below, and 14 worlds making up a multiverse
• The universes contain a diverse range of inhabitants, not just humans
• There are many different creation stories in Hinduism
• Rig Veda: 'Who really knows, who will here proclaim it, whence was it produced, whence this creation? The gods came afterwards, with the creation of this universe. You there knows whence it has arisen?'
• The nature and specifics of how the world was created is unimportant, as no one knows exactly how it happened
• Yugas


  The four ages of time in Hinduism, each shorter and more corrupt than the last
• At the end of the current Yuga, Vishnu will appear as the avatar Kalki to remove remaining evil and start a new golden age
• Matter and Spirit


  Everything in the world is made up of either matter or spirit, with spirit considered more important
• Atman


  The spiritual part of the self, more important than the physical body
• Tri-guna


  The three qualities that shape matter
• Maya


  The illusion that makes the material world seem real, when in fact it is not
• Moksha


  The goal for Hindus, to be reconnected with Brahman by escaping the tri-guna and realizing the truth
• The aim of a Hindu's life is to realize that the material world is an illusion and to focus on the spiritual
• Tri-murtis


  The three stages of matter: creation, maintenance, and destruction
• The tri-guna tie the world and make us believe the material world is real, when it is an illusion
• Atman


  The true self, spiritual part of oneself, connected to Brahman
• Cycle of birth and death

  1. Born

  2. Die

  3. Reborn (Samsara)
• Karma


  Good or bad actions that affect future reincarnations
• Moksha


  Release from the cycle of Samsara, becoming one with Brahman
• Doing good Karma

  Improves future reincarnations
• Suffering

  Caused by bad Karma from previous lives and/or poor choices
• Ignorance

  Focusing on the material rather than the spiritual, increases suffering