World Religions Hiduism

Nomadic peole who conqured the Dravidians

The eternal self or soul which is part of Brahman

• The incarnation of a Hindu
• deity, especially Vishnu, in human or animal form. There have been nine (an unfixed number
• depending on the source) avatars of Vishnu with one yet to come

–Part of Smriti scripture

–epic poem about Krishna appearing to the warrior Arjuna.

–Part of the Mahabharata

• –The Universe, of which everything is an
• indistinct part. Our goal is to dissolve into Brahman (nirvana).

• –Brahmin
• Books

• –Part
• of Vedic/Shruti
• scripture

• –Several
• ancient Hindu religious prose texts that express the philosophy of sacrifice
• and comment on the Yajur Veda.

–Priests

• –the
• highest caste

• One can only be released from the wheel by
• becoming a successful Brahmin

• •Seeing
• the deity.

Experienced while worshiping images or idols

–“the way”

• individual obligation with respect to caste, social custom, civil law,
• and sacred law. Determined by your karma

• –prehistoric
• inhabitants of India who initially lived in Indus Valley and were later
• conquered by Indo-Aryans. We don’t have their writings.

• –Worshipped
• gods of fertility

• –children
• of God”

• –A
• term that Gandhi used with reference to the untouchables. He was establishing a more charitable
• attitude.

• Vocational sub-castes to
• the major castes. Part of modern day culture

• –the
• tenth and last avatar of Vishnu, messianic.

• –Warriors
• and Nobles

• –The
• second highest of the four castes.

• –law
• of harvest, one will reap precisely as one sows, like a cosmic computer

• –“laws
• of Manu” (Manu being the first man) including caste laws, roles of men vs.
• women, rights of passage

• –a
• sacred epic Sanskrit poem of India dealing in many episodes with the struggle
• between the Pandava and the Kaurava families. Includes the Bhagavad-Gita.

• –Illusion
• of reality apart from Brahman.

• –Release. (the event itself, at death, which leads
• to nirvana)

• –the oneness with Brahman-Atman which extinguishes
• any sense of individuality and is attained after one is released from the cycle
• of reincarnation.

• –Legends. (i.e. stories of early avatars of
• Vishnu) divided into 18 books

• –smriti
• scripture

• –story
• of Rama, an avatar of the God Vishnu. He saves his wife from the demon Ravana

• –Rebirth,
• species and circumstance determined by Karma from previous lives.

• –an
• ascetic holy man (monk).

–enlightenment

• –the
• experience of oneness with Brahman-Atman attainable in this life, which leads
• to moksha

• – the endless series of
• births, deaths, and rebirths to which all beings are subject. AKA Reincarnation
• or Wheel

• –“what
• is heard” Scripture containing primary revelation, or vedic
• scripture, basically fixed for 2000 yrs.

• –Vedas,
• Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads

–Post-vedic scripture

• –Puranas,
• Mahabharata, Ramayana, Manusmriti, Vishnusmriti, Tantras

• –Servant caste: member of the lowest of the four
• major castes of traditional Indian society.

–Sittings near a teacher” or “to sit down near”

–Shruti

• –Ideas of reincarnation, identity between the soul
• and Brahman, etc.

• –Working
• class. Third caste

• –The
• foundation of the Shruti. Derived
• from Aryan scripture.

• –Rounds
• of rebirth. AKA reincarnation or samsara