Chapter 3: Ancient Indian Civilizations
Section 3 – Hinduism and Buddhism
Hindu Om / Aum
represents the Supreme
Being, Brahman
Buddhist Wheel of Life
III. Hinduism
Hinduism became India’s major religion,
deeply interwoven with the caste system
The Trimurti: The Supreme
Triad consisting of three great
gods: Brahma, Visnu, and
Siva. This Triad represents all
aspects of the Supreme
Being:
Creation
Preservation
Destruction
III. Hinduism
Hinduism teaches that Brahman, a divine
essence, fills all things in the universe
III. Hinduism
Brahman and Atman, an individual’s essence,
are one and the same; all things are of the
same essence as God
III. Hinduism
This belief in the unity of God and creation is
called monism
Monism: "Doctrine of oneness."
1) The philosophical view that there is only one
ultimate substance or principle.
2) 2) The view that reality is a unified whole without
independent parts.
A. Hindu Beliefs
Hinduism teaches that the material world we
see is an illusion, called maya
Maya is the power that deludes. It is caused through the
senses. The Bhagavad Gita explains the process: "By
constantly thinking of the sense objects, a mortal being
becomes attached to them. Attached thus he develops
various desires, from which in turn ensues anger. From
anger comes delusion, and from delusion arises
confusion of memory. From confusion of memory arises
loss of intelligence ,and when intelligence is lost, the
breath of life is also lost.”
A. Hindu Beliefs
People only gain salvation by recognizing and
rejecting maya; it may take many lifetimes
Useful Example - Mistaking a rope for a snake:
Maya literally means "that which is not." In the
twilight, one may easily mistake a rope for a
snake. In so doing, we feel fear. Hence fear and
other emotions may often be based on illusion,
an incorrect perception of reality.
Related Proverbs/Sayings:
"All that glitters is not gold."
"Being led up the garden path"
"A wild-goose chase"
"The grass is always greener”
“A red herring”
A. Hindu Beliefs
Hindus believe in reincarnation - a soul does
not die but is reborn in another human or
animal
According to Hinduism a soul reincarnates again and
again on earth till it becomes perfect and reunites with
its Source (Moksha.) During this process the soul enters
into many bodies, assumes many forms and passes
through many births and deaths. This concept is
summarily described in the following verse of the
Bhagavad Gita:
"Just as a man discards worn out clothes and puts on
new clothes, the soul discards worn out bodies and
wears new ones." (2.22)
A. Hindu Beliefs
Souls advance in the next life through
dharma, doing one’s moral duty in this life
Hinduism describes dharma as the natural universal
laws whose observance enables humans to be
contented and happy, and to save themselves from
degradation and suffering. Dharma is the moral law
combined with spiritual discipline that guides one's life.
Hindus consider dharma the very foundation of life.
A. Hindu Beliefs
Karma is the good or bad created by one’s
actions that affect one’s rebirth
Karma is a sum of all that an individual has done and is
currently doing. The effects of those deeds actively
create present and future experiences, thus making
one responsible for one's own life.
With good karma, a person can be reborn into a higher
caste, or even to godhood. Bad karma can relegate
one to a lower caste, or even to life as an animal in
their next life.
A. Hindu Beliefs
Souls who grow spiritually can reach nirvana,
a perfect spiritual peace and unification with
Brahman
The goal of Hinduism is to escape the cycle of rebirth
by reaching Nirvana. Nirvana is a Sanskrit word that
means ending. Hindus and Buddhists believe Nirvana
is a state of happiness without change or pain.
A. Hindu Beliefs
The Hindu god Brahma can be represented
as Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva the destroyer
Brahma
The Creator
Vishnu
The Preserver
Siva
The destroyer
A. Hindu Beliefs
Other gods that are a part of Brahman are
represented as trees, animals, or people
Lord Krishna
Ganesh
B. Hindu Religious Practices
Many Hindus practice yoga to bring the body
and soul together
Sri Tat Wale Baba, about 85 years old
B. Hindu Religious Practices
Festivals represent the seasonal course of
nature,combining ceremonies and rituals with
celebration
Ganesha Chaturthi, the great Ganesha festival, is celebrated
by Hindus around the world as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.
B. Hindu Religious Practices
Some animals are sacred to Hindus
III. Buddhism
A. The Buddha
Buddhism was founded in India by Siddhartha
Gautama
Siddhartha seeking enlightenment
A. The Buddha
ca. 563 BC - Siddhartha was born a prince’s
son, raised in luxury and shielded from the
realities of life
A. The Buddha
At age 29, he left his palace and was shocked
to see disease, poverty, and death
In his outings through the
four gates of the city,
Prince Siddhartha realizes
the true circle of life: birth,
old age, illness and death.
A. The Buddha
He gave up his life of luxury and left his wife
and loved ones - The Great Renunciation
Prince Siddhartha looks at his wife
and son before leaving the palace
Prince Siddhartha leaves the
city and starts a homeless life
A. The Buddha
He spent years wandering, meditating, and
fasting in a search to understand suffering
For six years, Siddhartha
underwent hardships by the banks
of the Nairanjana River. So great
were his austerities that the ribs of
his back could be seen. He drank
one drop of water a day. He ate
only one grain of rice a day and in
this way achieved the highest
meditative state
A. The Buddha
He discovered the truth that forms the basis
of life and became the Buddha - the
Enlightened One
Prince Siddahartha attained
Enlightenment on the eighth of
December under the Bodhi tree
after defeating the three daughters
of Mara the Evil One - Craving,
Discontent, and Lust
B. The Buddha’s Teachings
Salvation comes from knowing the “Four
Noble Truths” and following the “Eightfold
Path”
The Four Noble Truths:
There is suffering.
There is a cause of suffering,
which is attachment and desire
There is a way out of suffering,
which is to eliminate
attachment and desire.
The path that leads out of
suffering is called the Eightfold
Path
B. The Buddha’s Teachings
The Buddha stressed ethics more than
ceremony – Dharma
Dharmachakra -- Wheel of
Truth: The Dharma Wheel
represents the truth about our
situation and the many ways of
understanding it more clearly.
Buddha encouraged people to
rely on their own experience,
rather than depending upon or
worshiping authority figures or
gods. His teaching is often
called "turning the wheel of the
dharma."
B. The Buddha’s Teachings
People of any caste could reach nirvana if
they practiced virtuous conduct, nonviolence,
and poverty
Nirvana is an eternal state of being. It is the state in
which the law of karma and the rebirth cycle come to
an end. It is the end of suffering, a state where there
are no desires and individual consciousness comes
to an end.
C. The Spread of Buddhism
Between 200 BC and 200 AD Buddhism split
into two branches – Theravada and
Mahayana
C. The Spread of Buddhism
Theravada Buddhists believe the Buddha to
be a great teacher and spiritual leader
Shakyamuni Buddha Statue in Taiwan. World’s Largest Seated Buddha Statue
C. The Spread of Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhists regard the Buddha as a
god and savior
C. The Spread of Buddhism
Buddhism spread from India and reached its
greatest strength in other parts of Asia