HinduismOrigins, Beliefs, and the Caste System

Essential Questions1. How did Hinduism originate?2. What are the beliefs of Hinduism?3. What is the Caste System?4. How does the Caste System

influence and affect society in India?

Where is it practiced?

1. OriginsHinduism is one of the oldest religions in and

the worldIt is the third largest todayThere are over 1 billion Hindu followers in the

world2 million followers in the USStarted around 1500 B.C.E. and found in the

VedasWhat are the Vedas?Which early civilization is the Vedas from?

2. BrahmanismBrahmins (priests) recited the Vedas and were

written down in Sanskrit much laterAryan religion changed and borrowed ideas from

other people the Aryans encounteredThe mix of beliefs eventually became HinduismHinduism grew out of the religious customs of many

people over thousands of yearsEven though Hinduism has many deities Hindus

believe they are part of one universal sprit which is Brahman.

3. UpanishadsAncient sacred texts that say that every living

being has a soul that wants to be reunited with Brahman

This happens when a person diesUpanishads describe how a person united with

Brahman“A soul that becomes one with Brahman is like a

lump of salt thrown into water. The lump of salt is gone, but the water tastes salty. The salt has become part of the water.”

4. BeliefsReincarnation: the idea of passing through many

lives to reach Brahman

Soul is not joined to the Brahman right after death but a person passes through many lives first

Soul may be reborn into a higher caste unless a person lived a bad life then maybe into a lower caste

Influences how Hindus live their daily lives and even how they treat animals (because all life is sacred)

4. BeliefsDharma: the divine law

To earn the reward of a better life in the next life, Hindus believe they must perform their duty

Requires people to perform the duties of their casteA farmer has different duties than a

priestMen have different duties than a woman

4. BeliefsKarma: the consequences of how a

person lives

If Hindus do their duty and live a good life, they will have good karma

Having good karma will move them closer to Brahman in their next life

Having bad karma will have negative effects

5. The Caste SystemOriginates in the early religious ideas of the

Aryan people that were written about in the Vedas

The Vedas laid out the early forms of Hinduism and the Caste System

The Caste System divides people according to their occupations and roles in societyHereditary (passed down) differences between

individuals and groups

6. VarnasVarnas: the classification of the Hindu

society into four castes that were created by the Brahmins and their sacred texts

Four main varnas (divisions)Brahmins: priestsKshatriyas: rulers and warriorsVaisysas: farmers, craftspeople,

tradersSudras: laborers

7. Caste RulesTo keep their classes distinct, the Aryans

developed guides which listed all the rules for the caste system

Rules included:You cannot marry someone from a different classYou cannot eat with people from another class

If you broke the rules you could become an untouchable

8. Hinduism and the Caste SystemAccording to reincarnation, a person who has died

is reborn in a new physical form but this depends on karma (do good things and good things will happen to you)

People with good karma are born into a higher caste in their next life

Discussion QuestionThe Caste System really enslaves the

poverty stricken in India. How is life in India influenced by

Hinduism and its beliefs and rules?Why don’t the people living in

poverty try to make their lives better?

Discussion Question AnswerUntouchables make up a large part of India (the

poorest of poor)They are unable to reborn into a higher casteThese people follow dharma (be happy with the

situation you are in). If they don’t follow the rules that would be bad karma and bad karma means you won’t be reincarnated. If you aren’t reincarnated you won’t move into a higher caste which means you will never get out of poverty.