Upload
robert-mitchell
View
222
Download
2
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
Unit 2 Hinduism
Beliefs
Key Beliefs
Brahman is the only ultimate reality Monism the cosmic spirit that
underlies everything, all experience, all phenomena.
The paramatman (universal soul).
Key Beliefs
Everything is temporary and illusionary maya (all forms, including the present world)
Key Beliefs
The goal of every Hindu is to break free of this imperfect world (maya) and achieve moksha
Moksha - a blissful union with Brahman.
To have one’s individual
soul, the atman reunite with the paramatman
Key Beliefs
Optimism – everyone will reach this goal (moksha) at some point.
No damnation
Key Beliefs – Human Life
Human life has no significance. It is part of an unending and essentially meaningless cycle of life, death and rebirth.
It is through this cycle of successive rebirths – reincarnation, that one reaches upwards to its ultimate goal of moksha
Key Beliefs - Karma
Humans are further up the ladder of reincarnation than other organism.
Because of karma, (the totality of one’s actions in life that determines the form that same soul takes in their next life) humans are the creators of their own fate
Key Beliefs
330 Million gods → all different expressions of the one universal god / essence, Brahman
Key Beliefs - Key Gods
Brahma – The creator god
Wife – Saraswati (goddess of learning and the arts)
Key Beliefs - Key Gods
Vishnu – Preserver god (4 arms)
Wife – Lakshmi (goddess of wealth, happiness and good fortune)
Key Beliefs - Key Gods
Shiva - Destroyer and restorer god (rides on a dancing bull)
Wife – Parvati (mother goddess / Durga/ Kali Shakti female energy)
Key Beliefs - Trimurti
The Trimurti – Hinduism’s holy trinity
Time is cyclical – this cycle repeats itself every 4,320,000,000 years vs Western time which is linear.
BrahmaThe creator
god
VishnuThe Preserver god
Avatars – Reincarnates as needed: Rama, Krishna, Buddha….
ShivaThe Destroyer and Restorer
god