Hinduism

Unit 2

Hinduism began as a blend of Indus river valley civilization and Aryan culture and traditions. It focused on the Brahman, or world soul, that every being belonged to. One of Hinduism's primary role was establishing a basis of power, morality, and order in the Indian society, it did this by creating a caste system, where members of that caste who fulfilled their duties in life, their dharma, were moved up to a higher caste when they were reincarnated after death. Like most other religions, Hinduism features a creation myth, centered around the god Purusha who was sacrificed to form all the beings on earth as well as the gods, such as Shiva and Vishnu. When a person is reincarnated, their caste is determined by the karma they have achieved in their previous life, this karma is achieved by following their dharma. The highest point in the chain of castes is moksa, or reunification with the Brahman.

Sources:
 * The Hindu Creation - Unesco Courier: http://www.unesco.org/courier/2001_05/uk/doss24.htm
 * The Major Religions of the World - Kauai's Hindu Monastery, Image: http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/dws/dws_r5_truth-major-religions.html

Created By: Dirk Gadsden (September 23, 2008)