Hinduism

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Major World Religions.mp4

The five major world religions - John Bellaimey.mp4

The following timeline shows the approximate dates when several world religions began.

What else was happening around 1500 BCE?

When Hinduism was developing around 1500 BCE, several major world civilizations were flourishing:

Queen Hatshepsut was ruling Egypt and funding many building projects.

Artisans in the Shang Dynasty were creating bronze vessels and weapons.

Maya farmers were developing new ways to grow maize, beans, squash, and chili peppers in South America.

Many historians argue that Hinduism began when people from two ancient civilizations started to live near one another. One of those civilizations is called the Indus Valley Civilization.

The people of the Indus Valley Civilization lived in settled communities. But other groups at the time were pastoralists, or people who raised animals and moved with the seasons. One group of pastoralists were the Aryan people.

Did Aryans migrate or invade?

Historians do not agree about how Aryans arrived in South Asia. Historians used to argue that Aryan people invaded South Asia. They thought that Aryan armies used force to take over Indus Valley communities. But many historians today disagree with that view. These historians argue that Aryans migrated into South Asia. They think the evidence shows that Aryans lived peacefully with Indus Valley people.

When historians find new evidence, they often change their views of the past.

What do scholars know about Indus Valley and Aryan religions?

Indus Valley and Aryan civilizations existed many thousands of years ago, and scholars do not have many records from them. So, it is hard to know much about religion in these ancient communities.

Even so, scholars have some ideas. For example, many historians think that Aryans probably worshipped their gods by giving them sacrifices. Historians think this because sacrifice was a common practice among pastoralists in other parts of Asia.

Historians also have some ideas about Indus Valley religion. Archeologists have found statues that they think represented a fertility goddess. She may have been an important religious figure.

Many historians argue that Hinduism started to develop when Indus Valley and Aryan cultures mixed. Look at the following information about some common Hindu beliefs and religious practices, or actions, that developed over time.

- - Some Hindus believe that there are hundreds of different gods, but some think there is just one god who has many different characteristics.
  - Different groups of Hindus prefer to worship different gods.
  - Some Hindus think that studying religious texts is the most important religious practice, but others think worshipping gods is more important.
  - Hindus in different areas often celebrate different holidays and festivals.

Are other religions diverse?

Yes! All religions have groups that believe different things and practice in different ways.

Some people think that Hinduism is so diverse that it should not be considered one religion. They argue that Hindu beliefs and practices are too different to be described as part of one religion. Instead, they say that Hindu beliefs and practices make up many different Hindu traditions.

Hinduism is a diverse religion, and Hindus believe many different things. But, most people consider Hinduism to be an example of polytheism.

Polytheism is the belief in many gods. According to most Hindus, there are hundreds of Hindu gods. The table is a description of some popular Hindu gods.

Why do Hindu gods have many arms?

Hindu gods are described as having many characteristics. In order to show all of those characteristics, artists often show gods with many arms holding different objects. Those objects represent different parts of the gods' personalities. For example, the lotus flower that Vishnu holds represents fertility.

Brahma's four faces

The god Brahma is often shown with four arms and four faces. Many Hindus consider Brahma the creator god. His faces represent the four cardinal directions, and he holds symbols of creation and knowledge. He holds religious texts in one hand. In another hand he holds a spoon that was used for sacrifice. He also holds a flower that is a symbol of fertility and creation.

Many Hindu gods are mentioned in scriptures, or religious texts, called the Vedas (VAY-duhs). The Vedas include texts that are used for religious practices and texts that describe religious beliefs.

Who reads the Vedas?

The Vedas have always been important to Hindus. But not all Hindus study the Vedas. There are many ways to practice Hinduism, and some ways don't require reading the Vedas.

One of the ideas that is mentioned in the Vedas is a series of social ranks that became known as the caste system. This system usually divided people into four main groups, or varnas.

One story from the Vedas says that the four main varnas came from the body of a man called Purusha. It says that his mouth became the Priests, and his arms became Warriors. Common People came from Purusha's legs, and his feet became Servants.

What is the caste system?

The South Asian caste system has usually divided people into four main varnas. Those four varnas have been further divided into thousands of smaller groups. Those thousands of divisions make up the caste system.

Does the caste system still exist today?

The caste system is still part of South Asian culture, but it has less influence than it used to. Today, it is illegal in most South Asian countries to treat people unfairly because of their caste.

The caste system became an important part of South Asian culture. People were born into the same varna as their parents, and they usually could not change their varna. The following table describes the four varnas.

When did the caste system begin in South Asia?

Many historians argue that the caste system started when Aryans migrated to South Asia more than 3,500 years ago. These historians think that Aryans divided society into different groups and gave themselves the most power.

Another idea discussed in the Vedas is samsara, or a cycle of rebirth. Most Hindus believe that when people die, their lives do not end. Instead, they are reborn over and over again. This cycle of rebirth is called samsara.

Do other people believe in samsara?

Yes! Members of different religions believe in the cycle of samsara. Belief in rebirth is part of many religions that started in South Asia, such as Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

Most Hindus believe that when a person dies, they are reborn over and over again. But, the goal of Hinduism is to find a way to end this cycle of samsara. Ending the cycle is called liberation.

Why don't Hindus want to be reborn?

Being reborn over and over again might sound better than dying, but most Hindus believe that life is full of pain and ignorance. Hindus want to end the cycle of samsara so that they can end their suffering.

The Liberation of Gajendra

The Liberation of Gajendra is a famous Hindu story about ending samsara. In the story, an elephant called Gajendra walks into a lake and is bitten by a crocodile. The crocodile will not let go, so Vishnu has to save Gajendra.

In this story, Gajendra represents all people and their pain. The crocodile is a symbol of the actions that keep people stuck in the cycle of rebirth. And the lake represents the cycle of samsara.

The goal of Hinduism is to achieve liberation by ending the cycle of rebirth. According to Hindu tradition, there are three ways that people can achieve liberation.

- - The Way of Action requires that people unselfishly complete the duties of their varna.
  - The Way of Devotion requires that people worship gods.
  - The Way of Knowledge requires that people study religious teachings and texts.

Each of the behaviors below fulfills one of the ways to liberation.

Way of devotion

The way of devotion is one of the three Hindu ways to achieve liberation. There are many ways that people can show their devotion, or commitment, to a god. Here are a few examples:

saying a god's name and listening to stories about a god
thinking about a god
leaving an offering for a god at a temple or shrine

"That which is heard"

The word shruti means "that which is heard." Many Hindus call the Vedas "shruti" because they believe that these texts came directly from the gods. In other words, they believe that the Vedas were "heard" by human beings, but were not created by them.

"That which is remembered"

The word smriti means "that which is remembered." Hindus believe that many important stories, poems, and rules of law were written by human authors. Hindus say that these texts have been "remembered" after being passed down for many generations.

One of the most important Hindu texts is the Bhagavad-Gita (BUG-uh-vud GEE-tah). It was written about 2,000 years ago and tells the story of a conversation between a warrior named Arjuna (ARE-juh-nuh) and a man named Krishna. Read the passage from the Bhagavad-Gita.

[Arjuna] said this: "Krishna, I see my kinsmen gathered here, wanting war . . . . I do not want to kill them . . . . Honor forbids us to kill our cousins."

[Krishna replied] "Arjuna, fight the battle! . . . Look to your own duty; do not tremble before it; nothing is better for a warrior than a battle of sacred duty."

kinsmen: family members

According to the passage, Krishna told Arjuna that he should go into battle against his family because Arjuna's duty as a warrior was to fight.

Why was Arjuna's family fighting?

The Bhagavad-Gita is part of a longer story called the Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata, Arjuna and his brothers fight their cousins over who will rule their kingdom. With Krishna's help, Arjuna and his brothers win.

Krishna was Vishnu!

According to Hindu tradition, Krishna was actually the god Vishnu! Many Hindus believe that Vishnu comes to Earth to help people. In the Bhagavad-Gita, he comes to help Arjuna fulfill his duty.

One important message of the Bhagavad-Gita is that people should fulfill the duty of their varna. But the text includes other Hindu teachings as well.

Why is the Bhagavad-Gita so important?

The Bhagavad-Gita summarizes many important Hindu ideas. Hindus have used this text to teach people about Hinduism and to show how Hinduism is different than other religions, such as Buddhism. Compare some Hindu and Buddhist teachings:

Hindus taught that people have a soul that is reborn into different bodies. Buddhists taught that people do not have a soul.
Hindus believed that worshipping gods could help people end samsara. Buddhists believed that there are no gods who could help people achieve liberation.
Hindus taught that accepting the caste system was an important religious duty. Many Buddhists taught people to reject the caste system.

The Ramayana (rah-MAH-yuh-nuh) is another important Hindu text. It tells the story of a prince named Rama. Many Hindus tell this story because they believe that the characters are good role models.

Read the following story about Rama.

Rama was the oldest son of King Dasharatha (DUH-shuh-rut). Rama was supposed to become king after Dasharatha, but Dasharatha promised to make one of his younger sons king instead. Dasharatha wanted to keep his promise and make sure that his younger son would become king. So, Dasharatha asked Rama to leave his kingdom.

Rama did not want to leave, but he respected his father's decision and moved to the forest. Rama left without fighting or complaining, and Rama's younger brother became the ruler of their community.

Rama was Vishnu!

According to Hindu tradition, Vishnu has come to Earth nine times to help people. For example, he came as Krishna in the Bhagavad-Gita and as Prince Rama in the Ramayana.

In paintings, Rama is shown bowing in front of his father. Rama is saying goodbye before leaving for the forest. His skin is blue to show that he was Vishnu. Vishnu is usually represented with blue skin.

A battle full of monkeys

In the Ramayana, a demon king kidnaps Sita. In response, Rama gathers an army of monkeys to fight the demon king. Together they defeat the demon and save Sita.

Diwali celebrates Rama's return

One of the biggest Hindu holidays is Diwali. Diwali celebrates Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana's return from the forest.

Many Hindus light candles and set off fireworks to celebrate Diwali. This festival of lights represents the triumph of light over darkness, like Rama triumphed over the demon king.

Around the time that Hindus were writing texts like the Ramayana, South Asian governments were changing. Around 600 BCE, most of South Asia was ruled by 16 small kingdoms. But around 345 BCE, those kingdoms began to change. Read about these changes.

Around 345 BCE, a ruler near the Ganges River named Mahapadma Nanda (mah-HA-payd-muh nun-DUH) began conquering nearby kingdoms. After conquering these kingdoms, he established an empire called the Nanda Empire. The Nanda Empire's Territory extended from the Bay of Bengal along the Ganges River.

In 321 BCE, a leader named Chandragupta Maurya (chun-druh-GOOP-tuh MOUR-ee-uh) overthrew the Nanda Empire. Chandragupta conquered both the Nanda Empire's territory and more land to the northwest. Chandragupta's empire, called the Mauryan Empire, continued to spread under future leaders. Eventually, this empire controlled almost all of South Asia.

The Mauryan Empire lasted from about 321 BCE to 180 BCE. The following table describes the first three Mauryan emperors.

How did Emperor Ashoka spread his new religion?

While he was emperor, Ashoka converted, or changed his religion, to Buddhism. After he converted, he sent people throughout his empire with messages, called edicts (EE-dikts). These edicts were carved into stone pillars and boulders for everyone to see. Ashoka wanted all people to follow certain Buddhist teachings, even if they did not become Buddhists.

Ashoka wanted his subjects to do the following things:

care for the old and sick
do no harm to living creatures, a rule that included eating a vegetarian diet, or not eating meat
be tolerant of other religious groups

After the fall of the Mauryan Empire, there was a period of instability in South Asia. The next major empire to form was the Gupta (GOOP-tuh) Empire, around 320 CE. The rulers of the Gupta Empire were known for spreading Hinduism and strengthening its influence in South Asia.

The Dashavatara Temple

The Dashavatara Temple, also called the Vishnu Temple, is one of the oldest Hindu temples still standing. It was built around 500 CE, during the Gupta Empire. The temple is dedicated the the god Vishnu. Gupta emperors were especially devoted to Vishnu, and they were known for encouraging other Hindus to worship Vishnu too.

Buddhist art under Hindu rulers

Although Gupta emperors were Hindus, they allowed people to practice other religions. The government even gave money to support Buddhist artists.

The era of the Gupta Empire was generally a peaceful time in South Asian history. Trade expanded, art and literature flourished, and many Hindu practices changed.

The story of a forgotten princess

Under the Gupta Empire, art and literature flourished. During that time, an author named Kalidasa (kah-li-DAH-suh) wrote his most famous play, Shakuntala (shuh-KOO-n-tuh-lah).

The play is about a young woman named Shakuntala who meets and marries a king. The king is traveling and has to leave Shakuntala behind, but he promises to come back for her.

While they are separated, a man curses Shakuntala so that the king will no longer remember her. The man's curse is successful, and when Shakuntala sees the king again, he does not recognize her. Shakuntala is heartbroken and leaves to live in the forest. Eventually, the king sees a ring that he had given Shakuntala and remembers her. The king searches for Shakuntala and finally finds her.

When trade routes expanded under the Gupta Empire, Hindus became more connected to people outside of South Asia. As a result, Hinduism eventually spread to new places.

What countries are in Southeast Asia?

"Southeast Asia" includes the countries of Brunei, Cambodia, Timor-Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Hinduism around the world

There are over 1.1 billion Hindus today. That number of followers makes Hinduism the third-largest religion in the world. Although most Hindus still live in South and Southeast Asia, there are Hindus living all over the world. For example, there are more than 2.2 million Hindus living in the United States today.

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