HinduismHinduism is NOT a polytheistic religionAt the center of everything is Brahman Brahman is the Absolute RealityThe ONE TRUTH Brahman is eternal, omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and ultimately indescribable in human language

HinduismBrahman NirgunaSupreme RealityThe Absolute without qualitiesBrahman SagunaBrahman revealedBrahman made fleshEach Hindu is permitted and encouraged to choose or invent a form of Brahman that satisfies his/her personal spiritual cravings

HinduismThree main incarnations of Brahman

Brahma (creator)

Vishnu (preserver)

Shiva (destroyer)

HinduismBrahma (creator)4-headed, 4 arms, red skin; holding a cup, a book of prayers, a spoon, and the Vedas; seated on a lotusUnlike other incarnations does not carry a weaponHindu tradition sustains that the universe exists for one day of Brahma. At the end of this day (lasting, by human measurements for four billions years) the whole universe is dissolved. At this point, Brahma rests for one night, just as long as the day. This process repeats for such 100 years, a period that represents Brahma's lifespan. After Brahma's "death", it is necessary that another 100 of his years pass until he is reborn and the whole creation begins anew.

HinduismVishnu (preserver)Peace loving, with steadfast principles of order, righteousness, and truth Vishnu emerges to preserve these principles when these values are under threat 10 avatars of Vishnu: Matsyavatara (fish), Koorma (tortoise), Varaaha (boar), Narasimha (the man lion), Vaamana (the dwarf), Parasurama (the angry man), Lord Rama (the perfect human of the Ramayana), Lord Krishna (the divine diplomat and statesman), and the yet to appear 10th incarnation called the Kalki avatar.

HinduismKing of the DancersThis cosmic dance of Shiva symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and deathShiva is 'Shakti', Shiva is power, Shiva is the destroyer, the most powerful god of the Hindu pantheonShiva dissolves in order to create, since death is the medium for rebirth into a new lifeShiva is two opposite things: archetypal ascetic and archetypal dancer. On the one hand he is total tranquillity, absorbed in the void of the Absolute, where all distinctions merge and dissolve, and all tensions are at rest. But on the other hand he is total activity- lifes energy, frantic, aimless and playful.Shiva (Destroyer)

HinduismAtmanthe World Soul, from which all individual souls derive, and to which they return as the supreme goal of existenceevery object of creation (not limited to humans)atman the individual self, known after enlightenment to be identical with BrahmanImmortalIt is the atman that is reincarnated

Hinduism SACRED TEXTSVedas - "the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different timesrituals concerning hymns for sacrificeRigveda YajurvedaSamaveda Atharvaveda Upanishads constitute the core teachings of Vedantaconcerned with the self-realisation by which one understands the ultimate nature of reality

HinduismBhagavad Gita Krishna counsels Arjuna on the greater idea of dharma or universal harmony and dutytrue enlightenment comes from growing beyond identification with the 'False Self,' so that one identifies with the truth of the AtmanRamayana"Rma's Journeytells the story of Lord Rma, whose wife Sita is abducted by the demon king of Lankathe epic explores themes of human existence and the concept of dharma

HinduismHinduism has no central doctrinal authority and many practising Hindus do not claim to belong to any particular denominationDenominations differ in the god with whom they identify with and worshipSamskara (Sacraments)Naming of the child 10-12 days after birthUpanayana (initiation) 8-12 years of age (usually boys only)Vivaha (wedding rites)Usually last 3 days (union between families)Antyes ti (funeral rites)CremationTarpan 2 week celebration/remembrance of ancestors

HinduismThe Caste System (Varnas)Brahmin "scholarly community," includes the priests, scholars, law specialists, ministers, and diplomatsKshatriyas "high and lower nobility" includes kings, noblemen, soldiers, and administrators.Vaishyas mercantile and artisan community" includes merchants, shopkeepers, businessmen and farm owners.Shudra - "service-providing community" includes mostly manual and farm labourers.Dalit (untouchables) either a lower class of Shudra or outside the caste system all together. Typically performed unclean tasks such as butchers, leather workers, morticians, streets sweepers, etc.Harijan was a term for untouchable, coined by Mahatma Gandhi, which means Children of God

HinduismReincarnationto be made flesh againSamsaraEndless circle of birth, life, death, and rebirth Worn out garments/ Are shed by the body:/ Worn out bodies/ are shed by the dwellers (Bhagavad-Gita)MokshaLiberation from SamsaraKarma Moral law of cause and effectif we sow goodness, we will reap goodness; if we sow evil, we will reap evilDharmathe religious and moral doctrine of the rights and duties of each individualthe regulatory moral principle of the Universe

HinduismThree paths may take a thousand lifetimes to attain mokshapleasure (goods, wealth, success)renunciation (service, protection) liberation/ moksha (release from the finite, the restraints)Philosophies of lifeAhimsa (Non-violence)respect for all life because divinity is believed to permeate all beings, including plants and non-human animalsTruth is one; sages call it by different namesAll religions are different paths to the same destination

Hinduism