Hinduism Week 8

HINDUISM
WEEK 8
OBJECTIVES
At the end of the lesson, students must able to:

 Identify the brief history, core beliefs, practices, and related issues of Hinduism.
 Identify the function of religious practices found within Hindu tradition.
 Describe the role and function of the gods within Hinduism.
 Illustrate a particular form of yoga.
 Value Hinduism as a way of life and belief system.
INTRODUCTION
Hinduism is the predominant religion of India. Among other practices and philosophies,
Hinduism includes a wide spectrum of laws and prescriptions of “daily morality” based on
karma, dharma, and societal norms. Hinduism is a conglomeration of distinct intellectual
or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid common set of beliefs.
Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder. Among its direct roots
is the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India and, as such, Hinduism is often called the
“oldest living religion” or the “oldest living major religion” in the world.
Hinduism, with about one billion followers (950 million estimated in India), is the world’s
third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam.
ETYMOLOGY
The word Hindu is derived (through Persian) from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, the historic
local appellation for the Indus River in the northwestern part of the Indian subcontinent,
which is first mentioned in the Rig Veda.
The word Hindu was borrowed by European languages from the Arabic term al-Hind,
referring to the land of the people who live across the River Indus, itself from the Persian
term Hindū, which refers to all Indians. By the 13th century, Hindustān emerged as a
popular alternative name of India, meaning the “land of Hindus.”
It was only towards the end of the 18th century that European merchants and colonists
began to refer to the followers of Indian religions collectively as Hindus. The term
Hinduism was introduced into the English language in the 19 th century to denote the
religious, philosophical, and cultural traditions native to India.
ETYMOLOGY
Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal faith, or the eternal way things are
(truth) is more than a religion. It is a culture, a way of life, and a code of behavior. Hinduism
has complex roots and involves a vast array of practices and a host of deities. Hinduism
derives from the Persian word hindu and the Sanskrit word Sindhu which means “river”.
Hinduism began about 4000 years ago in India. It was the religion of an ancient people
known as the Aryans ("noble people") whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded
in their sacred texts known as the Vedas.
The name Hinduism was given in the nineteenth century to describe the wide array of belief
in India. Hinduism was originally known as “Aryan Dharma” or the “Aryan Way”. Between
1750 B.C.E. and 1200 B.C.E., Aryan conquerors moved to the Indus Valley and brought
with them their own sets of belief that eventually mingled with the religion of the natives.
Aryans brought with them their sets of beliefs based on oral texts known as Vedas.
VIDEO EXPLAINING HINDUISM,
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SACRED SCRIPTURES
The way of music, dances, drama and

recitation were the sacred text of
Hinduism that is passed down throughout
the generations. The sacred writing of
Hindus are categorized into two classes,
the shruti and smriti.
SHRUTI
Literally means “that which is heard”, regarded as

eternal truth that were passed orally until the
present age wherein the Aryans came to write them
down. The four collections of the text of the Vedas
form the shruti and are considered primary sources
and the most authoritative texts of the Hindu faith.
VEDAS
The word Veda means “knowledge” or

Sacred Lore”. The four basic Vedic
books, which are sacrificial hymns
compiled from an earlier oral tradition,
are composed of Rig-veda, Sama-veda,
Yajur-veda, and Atharva-veda.
RIG VEDA
The most important and oldest book that dates to

around 1500 B.C.E. The oldest work of literature
in an Indo-European language is also the oldest
living religious literature of the world. The book
is a collection of over a thousand hymns and
more than a thousand verses dedicated to the
Aryan pantheon of gods.
YAJUR- VEDA
The “Knowledge of rites”. This book is

a compilation of materials recited during
rituals and sacrifices to deities. The
name is derived from the Sanskrit roots,
yajus, meaning "worship" or "sacrifice"’
and veda, meaning "knowledge." Yajur
Veda is sometimes translated as
"Knowledge of the Sacrifice."
SAMA-VEDA
The “Knowledge of chants”. This book is a collection

of verses from the basic hymns recited by priests
during sacrifices. "Sama Veda" is an ancient Hindu
scripture and one of the four main Vedas of Hinduism.
It is a collection of melodies and chants, and is also
called the "Book of Song," "Veda of Chants" or even
"Yoga of Song." It is basically the words of the "Rig
Veda" put to music.
ATHARVA- VEDA
The “Knowledge given by the sage Atharva”. This book contains rituals used in homes and popular prayers
to gods. Atharva contains numerous spells and incantations for medical purposes and magical aids to victory
in battle, among others.
Each Vedas consist of four main parts.
• Mantras- are hymns and chants for praising god.
• Brahmanas- are explanations of the Mantras with detailed descriptions of the sacrificial ceremonies related
to them.
• Aranyakas- are meditations that explicate their meaning.
• Upanishads- secret teaching transcend rituals to elucidate the nature of the universe and human’s
connectedness to it.
SMRITI
Smriti literally means “that which has been remembered. Most of the text are sectarian and of
lesser importance than shruti.
 Ramayana- translated as the “Story of Rama” or “Rama’s Journey”. The epic Sanskrit poem
was written by the poet Valmiki between 200 B.C.E. to 200 C.E. The story is centered in
Rama, a prince and later portrayed as avatar (incarnation) of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Presently, this story is danced out and acted in Southeast Asia where Hindu influence is
observed.
 Mahabharata- the world’s longest poem and another major Sanskrit literature of old India
which is composed of around one hundred thousand verses.
 Bhagavad Gita- which is translated as “the Lord’s Song” a celebrated episode within the
Mahabharata. Considered as one of the holiest books by the Hindus.
YOGA
The Four Yoga Practices
Jnana yoga (the way of

The path of knowledge, wisdom, introspection, and
Knowledge)
contemplation
The path of devotion, emotion, love, compassion, and

Bhakti yoga (the way of Love) service to God and others
The path of action, service to others, mindfulness, and

remembering the levels of our being while fulfilling our
Karma yoga (the way of Work)
actions or karma in the world.
Raja yoga (the way of

Raja yoga (the way of Meditation)
Meditation)
GOALS
For all Hindus, there are four desirable goals of life or Purushartha.
 Dharma – the appropriate behavior
 Artha – the pursuit of legitimate worldly success
 Kama – the pursuit of legitimate pleasure
 Moksha – release from rebirth.
HINDUS BELIEFS
 Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s sometimes referred to
as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,” as opposed to a single, organized religion.
 Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they worship a single deity,
known as “Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and goddesses. Followers
believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god.
 Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and
reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect).
 One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in soul. This
philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul, and they’re all part of the
supreme soul. The goal is to achieve “moksha,” or salvation, which ends the cycle of
rebirths to become part of the absolute soul.
HINDUS BELIEFS
 One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that people’s actions and
thoughts directly determine their current life and future lives.
 Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that emphasizes good
conduct and morality.
 Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred animal.
 Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef or pork, and many
are vegetarians.
 Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions, including Buddhism, Sikhism
and Jainism.
HINDUS GODS
Hindus worship many gods and goddesses in addition to Brahman, who is
believed to be the supreme God force present in all things. Some of the most
prominent deities include:
 Brahma: the god responsible for the creation of the world and all living
things
 Vishnu: the god that preserves and protects the universe
 Shiva: the god that destroys the universe in order to recreate it
 Devi: the goddess that fights to restore dharma
 Krishna: the god of compassion, tenderness and love
 Lakshmi: the goddess of wealth and purity
 Saraswati: the goddess of learning
HINDU PLACE OF WORSHIP
Hindu worship, which is known as “puja,”

typically takes place in the Mandir (temple).
Followers of Hinduism can visit the Mandir
any time they please. Hindus can also
worship at home, and many have a special
shrine dedicated to certain gods and
goddesses. The giving of offerings is an
important part of Hindu worship. It’s a
common practice to present gifts, such as
flowers or oils, to a God or Goddess.
Additionally, many Hindus take pilgrimages
to temples and other sacred sites in India.
SECTS OF HINDUISM
Hinduism has many sects, and is sometimes divided into the following:
 Shaivism (followers of Shiva)
 Vaishnava (followers of Vishnu)
 Shaktism (followers of Devi)
 Smarta (followers of Brahman and all major deities)
Some Hindus elevate the Hindu trinity, which consists of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Others believe that all the deities are a manifestation of one.
CASTE SYSTEM
The caste system is one of the major distinguishing

features of Indian culture. A system of social class
in which a social hierarchy is maintained for
generations and allows little mobility out of the
position to which a person is born. This social
class is composed of the Brahmins, Kshatriyas,
Vaishyas, and Shudras, opportunities are based on
their family origins.
HINDU HOLIDAYS
Hindus observe numerous sacred days, holidays and

festivals. Some of the most well-known include:
 Diwali: the festival of lights
 Navaratri: a celebration of fertility and harvest
 Holi: a spring festival
 Krishna Janmashtami: a tribute to Krishna’s
birthday
 Raksha Bandhan: a celebration of the bond
between brother and sister
 Maha Shivaratri: the great festival of Shiva

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HINDUISM

At the end of the lesson, students must able to:

The way of music, dances, drama and

Literally means “that which is heard”, regarded as

The word Veda means “knowledge” or

The most important and oldest book that dates to

The “Knowledge of rites”. This book is

The “Knowledge of chants”. This book is a collection

The Four Yoga Practices

Jnana yoga (the way of

The path of devotion, emotion, love, compassion, and

The path of action, service to others, mindfulness, and

Raja yoga (the way of

Hindu worship, which is known as “puja,”

The caste system is one of the major distinguishing

Hindus observe numerous sacred days, holidays and

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