Title: Hinduism
1Hinduism
Worlds Earliest Polytheistic Major World
Religion
2Post Classical Period 500-1450
- Two Major Themes
- Religion
- Buddhism, Christianity and Islam
- Hinduism and Judaism
- Trade
- Indian Ocean Trade Network
- Silk Roads
3World trade routes. Between 1100 and 1500 a relay
system of trade by land and sea connected almost
all populous regions of Eurasia, as well as north
and east Africa. Long-distance traders carried
goods along their own segments of these routes,
and then turned them over to traders in the next
sector. The western hemisphere was still
separate, and had two major trade networks of its
own.
4Who Practices It?
- Aryans and others in the Indian subcontinent
5Description
- Creator Brahma--Nameless, formless, unlimited
supreme force of such complexity it is
unimaginable to humans - Other gods are manifestations of Brahma
BrahmaThe Creator
6Hinduism
Vishnu -preserver of life Shiva -destroyer
7Hinduism
- Beliefs
- Each family may worship hundreds of additional
minor deities specific to a particular village or
family - Some include
8Hinduism
- Beliefs
- Ganesha
- God of wisdom
9Hinduism
- Beliefs
- Saraswati
- Goddess of knowledge the arts
10Hinduism
- Beliefs
- Durga
- Goddess of war female creative energy (shakti)
11Hinduism
12Reincarnation
- your actions in past lives dictate status in
current life repeats until you reach Moksha (a
state of perfect internal peace and release of
the soul) - dharma (duties and obligations of your caste)
- karma (actions that bring good or badfate)
13Caste System
- Brahmin-Priests, Teachers, Scholars
- Kshatriya-Kings and Warriors
- Vaishya-Traders
- Sudra-farmers, some artisans
14No central sacred text
- Vedas and Upanishads guide Hindus