What is the oldest religion? HINDUISM INTRO TO HINDUISM ORIGINS ORIGINS •The name Hinduism was given in the 19th century to describe the wide array of belief systems in India. Hinduism was originally known as “Arya Dharma” or the “Aryan Way.” ORIGINS •Between 1750 B.C.E. and 1200 B.C.E., Aryan conquerors moved to the Indus Valley and brought with them their own set of beliefs that eventually mingled with the religion of the natives. Classical Hinduism resulted in the amalgamation of their faiths. Around sixth century B.C.E., they began to settle into cities while local leaders started organizing small kingdoms for themselves (Hopfe 1983 ORIGINS •Aryans brought with them their set of beliefs based on oral texts known as Vedas. This Vedic literature, however, was chiefly composed at the time the Aryans had already settled in India and blended with the natives. Admittedly, there is much difficulty in identifying elements in the Vedas that are genuinely pre-Aryan or Aryan influenced. ORIGINS •However, certain fundamental assumptions about the Aryan religion can be stated here. •Firstly, the Aryans brought with them a polytheistic religion similar to that of other Indo-European peoples. The sun, the moon and storms, are personified in reference to the pantheon of gods and goddesses worshipped by the Aryans. ORIGINS •Secondly, sacrifice was the principal form of worship to the Aryan gods. Offerings to gods include animals and dairy products performed on altars in open spaces. Since Aryans were nomadic, they had no temples. In general, Hinduism has pre-Aryan and Aryan elements that date back to ancient times. Sacred Scriptures • The sacred texts of Hinduism have been principally passed down throughout generations by way of music, recitation, dance, and drama. Sanskrit has been the language of the earliest writings (Coogan 2005). The sacred writings of the Hindus are categorized into two classes, the shruti and smriti. Sacred Scriptures • The sacred texts of Hinduism have been principally passed down throughout generations by way of music, recitation, dance, and drama. • Sanskrit has been the language of the earliest writings (Coogan 2005). The sacred writings of the Hindus are categorized into two classes, the shruti and smriti. SHRUTI • Shruti literally means “that which is heard.” They are regarded as eternal truths that were passed orally until the beginning of the present age wherein there came the need to write them down (Bowker 1997). The four collections of texts of the Vedas form the shruti and are considered primary sources and the most authoritative texts of the Hindu faith. Other writings that form part of shruti include the Samhitas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and a few Sutras. VEDAS • The four basic Vedic books, which are sacrificial hymns compiled from an earlier oral tradition, are composed of Rig-veda, Sama-veda, Yajur-veda, and Atharva-veda. The word Veda means “knowledge” or “sacred lore.” • Vedas are the earliest known Sanskrit literature from the Brahmanic period and oldest scriptures of Hinduism. Scholars disagree as to when the Vedas were first written. The earliest hymns may have been written around 2000 B.C.E. or before the arrival of the Aryans in the Indus Valley area. VEDAS • In the great epic Mahabharata, Brahma was said to have created the Vedas. • Among the four Vedas, the Rig-Veda is the most important and oldest book that dates back to around 1500 B.C.E. to 1200 B.C.E. Apart from being the oldest work of literature in an Indo-European language, it is also the oldest living religious literature of the world. The book is a collection of over a thousand hymns and more than thousand verses dedicated to the Aryan pantheon of gods. Table 8.1 lists some of the names of these deities. • Yajur- Veda. The “Knowledge of rites”. This book is a compilation of materials recited during rituals and sacrifices to deities. • Sama-Veda. The “Knowledge of chants”. This book is a collection of verses from the basic hymns recited by priests during sacrifices. • Atharva- Veda. The “Knowledge given by the sage Atharva”. This book contains rituals used in homes and popular prayers to gods. Atharva contains numerous spells and incantations for medical purposes and magical aids to victory in battle, among others. • Upanishads. Forming the fourth part of the Vedas, the term Upanishad literally translates as “sitting down near” or “sitting close to” as it implies listening intently to the mystic teachings of a spiritual teacher who has fully understood the universal truths. It could also mean “brahma-knowledge” whereby ignorance is totally eliminated.s • The great Indian nationalist and philosopher Sri Aurobindo described the Upanishads as the “supreme work of the Indian mind.” Varying in length from one page to over fifty pages, all fundamental teachings and concepts about Hinduism are found in these profound treatises— such as karma (action), samsara (reincarnation), moksha • (nirvana), atman (soul), and Brahman (Absolute Almighty). BELIEFS • Truth is eternal. • There is one world soul/god called Brahman. All gods and goddesses are extensions of the one world soul. • The Vedas are sacred texts. • Hindus believe that their purpose on earth is to find their Dharma. BELIEFS • All souls are immortal. All souls have atman, which is the connection to the universe. • Karma is the good and bad a person does in this life, which determines their fate in the next life. • Hindus believe in reincarnation, the idea that after death the soul is born again in a new physical form. This is also called transmigration. BELIEFS • The Caste System divides Hindus into four categories based on their karma and dharma. BELIEFS • Moksha is freedom from the cycle of life and death. • Follow your Dharma, which is determined by your Karma, in order to achieve Moksha. • River Ganges is sacred. Many Hindus make pilgrimages to the Ganges. Holidays Diwali is the "Festival of Lights." It is celebrated in the fall. VIDEO: Holi VIDEO: Diwali Holi is the "Festival of Colors." It is celebrated in the spring. Summary: 5 key characteristics of Hinduism are... It is valuable to develop an understanding of religions other than our own because...
