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47 Class System 2/28. Do you think people should be judged in society by how much money they make? Why?. Hinduism & the Caste System. The Beginnings of Hinduism. About 1500 BC, when the Aryans invaded India, they brought with them parts of their culture
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47 Class System 2/28 • Do you think people should be judged in society by how much money they make? Why?
The Beginnings of Hinduism • About 1500 BC, when the Aryans invaded India, they brought with them parts of their culture • Their language Sanskrit, which the Aryans believed was a holy language, was spoken by the gods. • The Aryans’ holiest books, the Vedas are written in Sanskrit. • These four books describe the Aryan religion.
Hinduism • Hinduism is one of the oldest religions still practiced today. • They worship three main gods, (polytheistic) • Brahma the Creator • Vishnu the Preserver • Shiva the Destroyer • Below these gods are many other lesser gods.
Brahma the Creator • Creator of the Universe • Believes all other gods originated from Brahma. • 4 faces= 4 corners of universe • Holds a sacrificial ladle, 4 vedas, a jar of holy water from the Ganges River, has a necklace of prayer beads, and sits on a lotus flower
Vishnu the Preserver • Preserves the universe. • He is all powerful and all knowing • Role is to maintain a balance between good and evil powers. • In the universe to do this he returns to Earth in many forms.
Shiva the Destroyer or Purifier • Shiva is responsible for change both in the form of death and destruction. • Many forms but most famous is Lord of the Dance. • Halo of Fire-circle of birth and death • Crushes Dwarf- demon of ignorance
Hinduism Teachings • Hinduism teaches that people live many lives until they reach spiritual perfection • Believes in reincarnation, the soul lives on after death and returns to life in a new body. • Those who live good lives will be reborn into a higher social caste • Those who live bad lives will return as lower caste, could be an animal or an insect.
Other Hindu Beliefs • Dhrama: ultimate moral balance of all things, person must balance religion, social life, and family. If a person makes a promise it must be kept at all costs. • Karma: duty everyone must do duty with out expecting a favor in return • Moksha: like heaven, state of changeless bliss. Ultimate reward= release from reincarnation and united with God.
Caste System • The priests used the Vedas and the belief in reincarnation to give order to their society. • The Aryan social classes are divided into 4 castes. • Priests • Soldiers and Rulers • Farmers and merchants • Common people
The Caste • A person born into one caste could never change castes or mix with members of another caste. • Caste members live, marry, and work within their own group. • To the Indian people the caste system was like the human body
The Untouchables • Below all the castes were the untouchables. • They did all the unpleasant jobs of society, such as garbage, cleaning stable, or the dead. • Were though to be impure • They had to avoid all contact with the rest of society.
Accepting the Caste System • What made life under the caste system bearable was reincarnation. • Hindus believe that each person has a soul. The soul is reborn, born again, in another body. • They believe that even though life might be hard, if you obey the rules of your caste, there is hope that you will be reborn into the next life in a better caste.
