A Hindu View of Life . . .
And Death
BRAHMAN
AHIMSA
universal spirit
SAMSARA
non-violence
cycle of life
SAMSKARA
rites of passage
HOUSEHOLDER
2nd Ashrama
REINCARNATION
born again
HINDU
CONCEPTS
ATMAN
soul
ASHRAMA
stage of life
KARMA
effects of action
MOKSHA
release
CASTE
class/status
DHARMA
duty
HINDUISM
a very Brief Summary
• HINDUISM IS A WAY OF LIFE
• To be a good Hindu, you must perform
your Dharma
• Your dharma is set out by who you are
and what you are born as.
• Good Dharma = Good Karma
HINDUISM
PURPOSE IN LIFE
DHARMA
• Perform Your Duty
• Includes
– Caste
– Social Duty
– Family Duty
• Ashramas
– Religious duty
CASTE
• Social Class
• 4 Traditional Castes
– Brahmin
– Kings / Warriors
– Merchants
– Peasants
• Outcasts
• Be the best you can
in that role
HINDUISM
DEALING WITH SIN
KARMA
• Law of consequences
• Good deeds
– Good Karma
• Bad Deeds
– Bad Karma
• Karma is carried forward
through many lives.
HINDUISM
AT DEATH
• Body Dies
– Funeral rites
– Body Cremated
• ATMAN (soul) released
– Immortal Souls
SAMSARA
• Cycle of life
– Life
– Death
– Rebirth
• Atman reincarnated
• Good Karma
– Higher Caste
• Bad Karma
– Lower Caste
– Outcast?
– Animal??
HINDUISM
RELEASE
MOKSHA
After Many Lives:
• Atman is cleaned
– No Bad Karma
• Released from Samsara
• Atman becomes one with
Universal Spirit
– BRAHMAN (GOD)
GOD - BRAHMAN
• “We are all God”
• “We don’t know it.”
Purpose of life:
• Recognise ALL life is
part of Brahman
–including you.
•“You Are IT”
HINDUISM
PURPOSE IN LIFE
• Do your DHARMA
– Duty
– Social, family, religious
• Be true to your CASTE
– What social role are you
born into
– Be the best you can in that
role
HINDUISM
DEALING WITH SIN
•
KARMA
– All Actions have
consequences
• Good deeds = Good KARMA
HINDUISM
AT DEATH
• Body Dies
– Funeral rites
– Body Cremated
• Soul ATMAN released
– Immortal Souls
• Bad Deeds = Bad KARMA
SAMSARA
• KARMA is carried forward
through many lives.
• ATMAN reborn into a new
body to begin the journey
again.
• If GOOD KARMA last life,
then higher CASTE this life.
• If BAD KARMA last life, lower
CASTE this life – even down to
an animal!
HINDUISM
RELEASE
• MOKSHA
• After Many (thousands,
generations, millions) of lives, the
ATMAN is cleaned of any bad
KARMA.
• It is released from the Cycle of Life
and Death and Rebirths –
SAMSARA
• ATMAN returns to become one with
the universal Spirit – BRAHMAN
(GOD)
• HINDU view – we are all God, we
just don’t know it. The quest in life is
to recognise that all life is part of
BRAHMAN including you.
•“You Are IT”
Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family
Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family
ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life
Stage 1 – Student Life
Stage 2 – Householder Life
0 – 24
25 – 50
Studying & learning roles to serve:
• Family
Perform the family duty - Dharma
Marriage
• Society
Works to help raise a family
• Religion
Stage 3 – Retired Life
Stage 4 – Renounced Life
50 – 75
75 – 100
Retires & oversees extended family
Gives up on family & material life
Begins study of spiritual matters
Wholly focused on spiritual matters
• Yoga & Meditation
• Following a Guru
• Studying scriptures
Quest for Moksha (release)
Unit 3 – Marriage & The Family
ASHRAMAS – 4 Stages of Life
Stage 1 – Student Life
Stage 2 – Householder Life
0 – 24
25 – 50
Studying & learning roles to serve:
• Family
Perform the family duty - Dharma
Marriage
• Society
Works to help raise a family
• Religion
Stage 3 – Retired Life
Stage 4 – Renounced Life
50 – 75
75 – 100
Retires & oversees extended family
Gives up on family & material life
Begins study of spiritual matters
Wholly focused on spiritual matters
• Yoga & Meditation
• Following a Guru
• Studying scriptures
Quest for Moksha (release)
BRAHMAN
Universal Spirit
ATMAN
Individual Spirit
Soul
MOKSHA
Release from
cycle
CASTE
Class / status