HRT3M

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HRT3M World Religions

• Hinduism
• Harmony and Tolerance

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Harmony and Tolerance
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Harmony and Tolerance
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Tolerance and Harmony
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Tolerance and Harmony
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Hinduism

• There is only one God, but endless are his
  aspects and endless are his names. Call him by
  any name and worship him in any aspect that
  pleases you, you are sure to see him Shri
  Ramakrishna, quoted in Prabhavananda (1836-1886)

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History

• Hinduism is simply the religion of the people of
  India, which has gradually developed over four
  thousand years.
• The origins and authors of its sacred texts are
  largely unknown

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History The Indus River Valley Civilization

• early as 7000 BC peaked 2300 to 2000 BC,
• traded with Mesopotamia.
• The original settlers were nomadic hunters. They
  domesticated animals and grew barley

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History The Indus River Valley Civilization
Cont.

• Our understanding of this religion is based on
  physical evidence alone.

Terracotta figures
Seal
Baths
Meaning???
Prototype for Shiva??? Or Mesopotamian seal
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History The Indus River Valley Civilization
Cont.

• religion focuses on fertility
• Sculptures suggested fertility goddess early
  version of Hindu goddesses Paravarti and Kali ??

???
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History The Indus River Valley Civilization
Cont.

• Like the Egyptians they also had a male god on a
  bull , possibly a predecessor of Shiva.
• they buried objects with their dead.
• had taboos, especially about cleanliness.

???
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History The Indus River Valley Civilization and
the Aryan Invasion

• 2 Hypothesis
• A) Aryan Invasion or
  B) Gradual Integration
• Aryans brought their Sanskrit language and Vedic
  religion
• The original inhabitants - Dravidian (language
  and culture) became subordinate to that of the
  invading peoples.
• By the end of the 2nd millennium these 2 cultures
  gave rise to what would become modern Hinduism
  a conscious expressions of Aryan ethnicity found
  in the Rig Veda (Religious Sanskrit text)

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Rig Veda
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History Aryan Culture Evolution of Hinduism

• Aryan tribal kings evolved into autocratic
  rulers.
• Kings allied themselves with priests why??
• Aryans and Dravidians settled alongside each
  other resulting in a social hierarchy caste
  system
• Caste legitimized and enforced by religious
  conviction

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Interpret!
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The Caste System
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Caste System Established 600 BC

• Ones caste is the result of their accumulation
  of Karma during past lifetimes
• The higher your caste, the more you are
  respected, the greater your religious
  responsibility
• Your route to Brahman (how you pray and how you
  work) is predetermined by your caste.

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Sacred Text

• Vedas Hinduism earliest sacred texts doctrines
  and still today, considered Hinduism
  authoritative scripture
• Sacred literature early hymns, magical chants
  spells and sacrificial formulae

The Epic Period 500-200 BC
Establishment of the caste system 600BC
Pre-Epic Period the Upanishads 800-500BC
Popular Religion
Development of The Vedas 1500-800 BC
Buddhism Jainism
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The Epic Period 500 200 BC

• The Vedas Religion for the higher castes only
• The Epics Religion for the masses
• Stories telling of the battle between good and
  evil
• Introduces religious concepts
• Cosmology
• Yoga (Yoke)
• Trinity
• Avatars

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Islam in India

• Islam arrived in North India in the 12th Century
• A history of both conflict and integration
• India / Pakistan partition 1947

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British Raj in India

• British rule in the Indian subcontinent between
  1858 and 1947
• Coined term Hindu adherents of Indian religion
  (not Muslim)
• Gandhi led India to independence and inspired
  movements for non-violence

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Hinduism Today

• The world's third largest religion, after
  Christianity and Islam
• 950 million followers -- about 14 of the world's
  population.
• It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and
  among the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

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Hinduism in Canada

• In Canada there are about 297,200 practicing
  Hindus and 70 temples (2001 census)
• Hindu Temple, Toronto

Hindu Temple Ottawa Carleton
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Hinduism Today Wrap up!

• Hinduism differs from Christianity and other
  monotheistic religions in that it does not have
• a single founder, Explain
• a single concept of deity, Explain
• a single holy text, Explain
• a single system of morality, Explain
• a central religious authority, Explain
• the concept of a prophet. Explain

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Summary

• Hinduism is the world's oldest organized
  religion. It consists of "thousands of different
  religious groups that have evolved in India since
  1500 BCE."
• Because of the wide variety of Hindu traditions,
  freedom of belief and practice are notable
  features of Hinduism.