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Hindu - probably first used in 15th/16th c. Geographical, cultural and religious term

Hindu - probably first used in 15th/16th c. Geographical, cultural and religious term 900 million Hindus, esp. in India and Nepal. c. 2500 BC Indus Valley civilisation Power of water Female fertility deities Male fertility deity in yoga posture or represented by phallic symbol.

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Hindu - probably first used in 15th/16th c. Geographical, cultural and religious term

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  1. Hindu - probably first used in 15th/16th c. Geographical, cultural and religious term 900 million Hindus, esp. in India and Nepal

  2. c. 2500 BC Indus Valley civilisation Power of water Female fertility deities Male fertility deity in yoga posture or represented by phallic symbol

  3. c. 1900 BC Indus Valley civilisation dies out Aryans (“noble ones”) 3 classes: warriors, priests and herders/producers Veda (knowledge)

  4. Rig-Veda Over 1000 hymns Worshipping and nourishing gods Gods living in sky, atmosphere, earth Varuna, god of the sky Indra, the storm god Agni, god of sacrificial fire Atman (breath/soul)

  5. Later parts of Rig-Veda Brahmanas (interpretative/ritual texts, c. 800 BC) Upanishads (further revelations of Vedic truths, c. 600 BC on): upa (near), ni (down), sad (sit) Rituals in cosmological and internal aspects

  6. The “One” In Rig-Veda: Purusha, sacrificed to create world Brahmans (priests, from mouth) Kshatriyas (warriors, from arms) Vaishyas (merchants/workers, from thighs) Shudras (servants, from feet)

  7. Samsara (cycle of death and rebirth) Law of karma (action): every action has a consequence Goal: moksha (liberation) of atman (soul) Knowledge of the One (Brahman) gained through meditation, leading to moksha

  8. 6th BC c. on Instability in India, incl. Persian and later Greek intervention, leading to new religious movements c. 400 BC-400 AD Major developments in Hinduism, including…

  9. Development of yoga (same root as “yoke”) Attain moksha through controlling attachment to outer world, withdrawing inward Various forms

  10. Emphasis on dharma Eternal order of everything Individual duty Tension between dharma and goal of moksha

  11. Important texts: Ramayana Mahabharata incl. Bhagavad Gita (Story of the Beloved One) Arjuna Krishna avatar(a) Vishnu

  12. Shiva Divine yogi/yogin Creator/sustainer Lingam (phallus?) Devi Creative power of primal matter

  13. c. 400-1800 Growth of movements related to bhakti (devotion to one’s god) Growth of cults, esp. Vishnu, Shiva, Devi Writing of texts Festivals, etc.

  14. Vishnu and Lakshmi (goddess of beauty and wealth) Krishna Rama Shiva, as creator, sustainer, destroyer Great yogi Shakti as Devi, Parvati/Uma, Durga, Kali

  15. Followers of Vishnu = Vaishnavites Followers of Shiva = Shaivites

  16. Tantrism Seeking moksha through union of Shiva and Shakti Right-hand path: mantras, mandalas, yogic rituals Left-hand path: forbidden elements: wine, meat, fish, parched grain, sexual intercourse

  17. Discussions of Hindu philosophy Samkhya-Yoga school: dualism of pure nature/matter (prakriti) and pure spirit (purusha) Vedanta school: Brahman as ultimate reality. Need for jñana (correct knowledge) of Brahman and atman

  18. Foreign influences 13th-19th c. Muslims 18th-20th c. British Leading to reform movements

  19. Mohandas Gandhi (1869-1948) 1947 Indian independence dalitsharijans (children of God) Bharatiya Janata Party International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)

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