Origins of Hinduism Hinduism is one of the worlds oldest religions and the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam Hinduism developed from the faith of the Aryans The sacred writings called ID: 683479
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Slide1
9.2
Religions of Ancient India Slide2
Origins of Hinduism
Hinduism
is one of the world’s oldest religions and the
third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hinduism developed from the faith of the Aryans.The sacred writings called Vedas, teach the key ideas of Aryan religion.Slide3
Origins of Hinduism
What is Hinduism?
A core belief of Hinduism is that there is one universal spirit called
Brahman.The Upanishads describe the search for Brahman, saying that every living thing has a soul that is part of Brahman.
Most ancient Indians could not understand the idea of Brahman. They believe in many different
deities
that were more like people. Over time, many Hindus came to think of all the deities as different parts of Brahman, the one universal spirit.Hindus also believe in reincarnation or the rebirth of the soul. Slide4
Origins of Hinduism
Karma and Dharma
According to karma, people’s status in life is not
an accident. It is based on what they did in past lives. To earn a better existence in the next life, Hindus believe that they must follow dharma, or personal duty. People’s duties are different depending on their place in society.Slide5
Origins of Hinduism
Hindu Beliefs
Indians accepted the Hindu idea that
all life is sacred. Animals as well as people are treated with kindness and respect.The belief in reincarnation also made Indians more accepting of the varna system. It was thought that if a person led a good life, they would be reborn into a
higher
jati
(subcaste).Slide6
Ganges River
Indian Hindus believe that the Ganges River is sacred. They believe that the river is the physical form of a female deity, and they bathe in the river to purify themselves. Slide7
Rise of Buddhism
During the 500s B.C., some Indians felt
unhappy
with the many ceremonies of the Hindu religion. They left their homes and looked for peace in the hills and forests. Many trained their minds to focus and think in positive ways – this training was called meditation.A teacher, Siddhartha Gautama became known as the
Buddha
. He founded a new religion called Buddhism.Slide8
Rise of Buddhism
The Buddha
Today,
Buddhism is a major world religion. Siddhartha grew up as a prince. Then one day he left his palace to explore the life of ordinary people in the kingdom. For the first time, he understood that the world was filled with suffering.He game up everything and became a
monk
. His teaching became known as Buddhism.Slide9
Rise of Buddhism
What did the Buddha teach?
The Buddha taught his followers the
Four Noble Truths:Life is full of suffering.People suffer because they desire worldly things and want to satisfy themselves.The way to end suffering is to
stop desiring things
.
The only way to stop desiring things is to follow the Eightfold Path.When people were finally free from all earthly concerns, they would reach nirvana – a feeling of perfect peace and happiness.Buddhism spread because it
welcomed people from all walks of life
. The Buddha placed little importance on the
varna
system and explained that the success of life
depended
on people’s behavior now.
Buddha believed in reincarnation but in a different way. He taught that people could end the
cycle
of rebirth by following the Eightfold Path rather than their dharma.Slide10Slide11
Rise of Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
Theravada means “
teaching of the elders”. Followers view Buddha as a great teacher not a god. This is the major religion of the modern-day country of Sri Lanka.Slide12
Rise of Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism
Teaches that Buddha is a
god. They believe that the Eightfold Path is too difficult for most people. Mahayana Buddhism spread northward into China and from there to Korea and Japan. Buddhist leaders called
lamas
led the government of Tibet. Slide13
Buddhism Today
Few
Buddhists live in India, however it is widely practiced in
Southeast Asia and East Asia. There are an estimated 376 million Buddhists in the world today.Slide14
Buddhism TodaySlide15
Jainism
Today there are
6 million
followers of Jainism – most of them live in India.Who is Mahavira?The current form of Jainism was developed by a religious leader names Mahavira. He came from a wealthy royal family
in northern India. After his parents died, he gave up his wealth and property – he
owned nothing
and begged for his food.Many of Mahavira’s teachings were like those of the Buddha. The Jains practiced strict poverty.Slide16
Jainism
What is Ahimsa?
Ahimsa means practicing
nonviolence toward all living things. Believing that all life is sacred, Mahavira’s followers tried to avoid harming any living creature.This idea has long influenced India’s culture and politics. Slide17
Mohandas Gandhi
In the 1900s, the Indian leader Mohandas Gandhi wanted to
free India from Great Britain
. He led a nonviolent struggle against British rule and eventually gained independence.Gandhi’s method of nonviolence resistance influenced many others, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.