India Hinduism

Definition: a way to liberate its
followers from illusions and
mistakes of everyday life

• Aryans invade India, bring

sacred scriptures that are first
sung then later written in
Sanskrit.

• Vedas are books of prayer,

song, stories, etc.
– tried to explain how a

person could achieve
liberation from desire and
suffering.

– Actually 2 concepts – Varna and Jati. 4

Varnas (class level based on temperament)
and hundreds of Jatis (based on
occupation)

– Varnas –

• Brahmin: study/teach;
• Kshatriya: power/protect;
• Vaisya: earn/give;
• Sudra: serve

– Jati – born into, no mobility. Farmer,

barber, shepherd, etc. (occupation)

Brahmins (priests)

Kshatriyas

(warrior)

Vaisyas
(merchants)
Sudras
(laborers)

SHOWS SIZE

• A social hierarchy from the Aryans and

formalized with laws

• “Caste” –Portuguese for lineage or race
• In society varna (caste) = social class or level

•Varna – “Color” in Sanskrit
•varnas decide marriage, job,
neighborhood, etc.

• Pariahs – outside

varnas
– “untouchables”

given “impure”
jobs (grave
diggers, trash
collectors)

Brahmins (priests)

Kshatriyas

(warrior)

Vaisyas
(merchants)
Sudras
(laborers)

Pariahs

(untouchable)

SHOWS POWER

• All gods are concrete

forms of the brahman (“big”)

• important gods

– Brahma – creator
– Vishnu – preserver
– Shiva – destroyer

• Possibly up to 330 million

gods, or only 1

• The goal is to reach moksha
(The state of perfect understanding of all things

– may take several lifetimes)

=soul breaks free of material world and

unites withbrahman

person

Atman

(soul)

body

• dharma =duty

– Purpose in life is to follow

dharma and perform duty

– Include ethical values and

obligations

• karma = how you live this life

determines what you will be in
the next
– live a good life
– fulfill your dharma

• Samsura (reincarnation) = rebirth

of the soul – until one reaches
Moksha

Reincarnation Cycle

Material
Desires

Selfish
Actions

Merits
& Sins

Rebirth

Soul

Good
Neutral

Bad

​Death