Hinduism

Hinduism

6th Grade Social Studies

Today's Objective

What are the origins and beliefs of Hinduism?

Anchor Question

• Which belief system of India or China had a greater influence on peoples daily lives: Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Doaism, or Legalism?

Origins of Hinduism

• No single person founded Hinduism

• Hinduism developed slowly, over the course of centuries

• In the 2nd millennium BC the Aryans, brought their gods and rituals to India, some of which became part of Hinduism

• Other aspects of Hinduism drew on local practices and beliefs

Multiple Choice

How did Hinduism develop as a religion?

• Indian leaders were considered to be gods, and they established Hinduism.

• Aryan invaders brought their religion to India, and it combined with other local religions to form Hinduism.

• A prophet lived among the people and taught them the basic beliefs of Hinduism.

• The first people to settle in India had a creation story that developed into Hinduism.

Vedas

• The oldest roots of Hinduism are found in Vedic religion, which is named for the earliest Indian texts

• The Vedas are a collection of sacred texts, including verses, hymns, prayers, and teachings composed in Sanskrit

• The earliest of the Vedas grew out of traditions brought by the Aryans

• These traditions expanded over centuries, as the teachings of the Vedas were handed down orally before India had a written form of Sanskrit

Vedas

Vedic rituals and sacrifices honored a number of deities (gods and goddesses) associated with nature and social order, Over time, these rituals became more complex. A class of priests and religious scholars, called Brahmins, grew increasingly important. They were responsible for correctly interpreting the Vedas and performing the required rituals. Brahmins eventually became the dominant class in India. Later Vedic religion is often called Brahmanism. The word Hinduism, the term for the traditions that grew out of later Vedic religion or Brahmanism, came much later.

Modern Hinduism

• Hinduism is the most influential set of religious beliefs in modern India

• Many beliefs, forms of worship, and deities exist side by side, and often differ from place to place

• The Vedas, to which Hinduism traces its early roots, remain sacred to many Hindus today

• Hindu beliefs include Brahman, deities, dharma, karma, and samsara

Multiple Choice

The roots of Hinduism are found in the Vedas, which are:

• the three most important deities.

• the temples where rituals were performed.

• a group of people from Europe.

• a collection of sacred texts.

Caste System

• Brahmanism was more than a religion in ancient India; it was a way of life

• It affected how Indians lived, what they believed, and even the way they organized their society

• Brahmanism taught that a well-organized society was divided into different social classes, or castes (term used in ancient India)

• The Vedas describe four main social classes, or varnas

Caste System

• Each class, or varna, had its own duties

• Brahmins had a duty to study and teach the Vedas

• Warriors had a duty to become skilled with weapons

• The caste system favored those in higher varnas

• Brahmins held the highest place in society, while Sudras held the lowest

Multiple Choice

___ held the highest place in society

• Brahmins

• Kshatriyas

• Sudras

• Vaishyas

Untouchables

• By medieval times, there were thousands of castes

• The people in the lowest caste were known as Untouchables or Dalits ("suppressed" or "crushed”)

• This group had jobs or ways of life that involved activities that high-caste Indians considered lowly or "dirty,’” such as handling garbage and dead animals

• They often had to live in their own villages or neighborhoods

Caste System

• The caste system affected all aspects of people's lives

• Indians were born into a certain caste, and they could not change it

• They could only marry within their own caste

• Today, caste discrimination is outlawed in India

• Despite the laws, caste status continues to affect many parts of Indian life

Multiple Choice

Which of these is the best argument against using a caste system to organize a modern society?

• The caste system prevents a nation from using people’s skills efficiently.

• The caste system increases the level of corruption in the economic system.

• The caste system restricts trade and contact with people in other countries.

• The caste system undermines incentives for people to obey their political leaders.

Brahman

Brahman is the name of a Supreme power, or a divine force, that some Hindus believe is greater than all other deities. To these Hindus, only Brahman exists forever. Everything else in the world changes, from the passing seasons to all living things that eventually die.

Deities

• There are many deities in Hindu sacred texts and worship rituals

• Each god represents a power or quality of Brahman

• Three important deities are Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer)

• Each deity controls one aspect of the universe

• A goddess named Devi embodies the female powers of the universe

Multiple Select

Which of the following are considered to be important gods of Hinduism? Select all that apply. There are multiple answers.

• Allah

• Brahma

• Buddha

• Shiva

• Vishnu

Ramayana

Ancient texts, like Ramayana, often describe heroic deities battling evil. One famous story tells of Rama's fierce battle with Ravana, a demon (evil spirit). Such tales present in an entertaining way some of what later became Hindu beliefs. Many Hindu children have learned about their religion by listening to readings of the Ramayana.

Ancient texts like the Ramayana have inspired many Hindu holidays and festivals. The Hindu New Year is celebrated at the Divali festival. Divali means "row of lamps.” The lamps are symbols of good (light) winning over evil (darkness). These lamps represent Rama's triumph over the evil Ravana. This also represents the start of the Hindu New Year.

Dharma

• Dharma is an important belief in Hinduism that stands for law, obligation, and duty

• To follow one's dharma means to perform one's duties and to live in an honorable way

• Each class , or varna, was seen as having its own dharma

• Early Hindus believed that when everyone followed the dharma of their varna, society would be in harmony

Dharma

• In addition to following the dharma of their own varna, Hindus are expected to follow a common dharma, or set of values

• This is often said to include the importance of marriage, sharing food with others, and caring for one's soul

• Another basic value is nonviolence

• In Hindu traditions, reverence for life is symbolized by the cow

Fill in the Blank

What animal is sacred in India?

Karma & Reincarnation

• Karma governs what happens to people's souls after death

• Karma was made up of all the good and evil that a person had done in past lives

• If people lived good lives, they might be reincarnated (born again) into a higher social class in their next life

• If they lived badly, they could expect to be reborn into a lower class

• The law of karma meant that the universe was just, or fair

• Karma was also used to explain why people had a certain status in society because it reflected what they had done in their past lives

Samsara/Moksha

• Hindus believe in a continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, which they call Samsara

• As long as people are part of samsara, they will know pain and death

• Samsara ends when the soul escapes from the cycle of rebirth, the time when some Hindus believe that they are united with Brahman, the supreme force in the universe

Samsara/Moksha

• It takes many lifetimes before a person can be released from samsara

• People escape the cycle of rebirth, or reincarnation, by following their dharma

• They behave correctly and perform their social duties

• They worship faithfully according to prescribed rules

• In these ways, they balance their karma with good actions

Multiple Choice

Hindus believe in a continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, which they call:

• Dharma

• Karma

• Samsara/Moksha

• Reincarnation

Open Ended

What does Hinduism teach people about how to live?

Tip: Provide a belief Hindus follow and elaborate on how that belief affects their daily lives.