2. Key Differences
• no recognized founder
• hundreds of gods
• multiple holy books
• combo of mono and polytheism
• lack of uniformity
3. Key Similarities
Name that faith:
• believe in a trinity
• karma and reincarnation
• yoga
• designated stages of life
• don’t actively try to convert people
• worship icons
• no specified holy day
• religious wars
4. Key Beliefs
• purpose of life = moksha (similar to nirvana)
• support reincarnation (samsara)
• worship at home or mandir
• role of “priests”
• god is like the sun...
• life has four stages or ashramas
5. 1 Four Ashramas
2
• “second birth” or student
• householder or family stage
• meditation/retirement 3
• wandering mendicant/charity
4
6. Hindu Trinity aka Trimurti
• Brahma = the creator
• Vishnu = the preserver
• Shiva - the destroyer
7. Vishnu I’m the most
• “protector popular!
of the earth” ten avatars!
• regulator
chakra
conch
• Krishna
sky color
Lotus
mace
8. Shiva
the destroyer
1,000+ names!
Lord of the Dance
creation
blessing 3 eyes
destruction
Himalayas
let’s dance
demon
9.
10. Shakti aka Kali aka Parvati
Mother Goddess wife of Shiva
power
fertility
Gene Simmons?
dangerous?
skulls =
moksha
Shiva
11. Ganesh(a)
Shiva and God of Wisdom
Parvati’s child and Strength
Lotus
elephant
head?
the universe
Om
rat? candy
12. Hindu Commandments
Do Don’t
• cleanse yourself • do not tell lies
• be content • do not steal
• discipline yourself • don’t take more than you
need
• study
• do not harm anyone
• surrender to God
• don’t be greedy
13. Holy Books
• oral tradition
• Vedas (four parts)
• Upanishads (part of the Vedas)
• Bhagavad Gita (“Song of the Lord”)
