The document discusses key concepts in Hinduism including the caste system, Aryans, varnas, and jatis. It also outlines life-affirming goals of dharma, artha, and kama as well as the life-negating goal of moksha, which involves renouncing the first three goals to achieve spiritual release.

1. http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/dws/
images/dws-t-is-one-Hinduism.jpg
Laura B.
Keally B.
Lauren C.
Conner D.
Phil R.
Group 1
http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religi
on/hinduism/gsaraswt.jpg

2. The Caste System
 Divisions of society based on profession and ancestry
 Hindu caste – four major divisions among people
 Brahmins
 the middle men between gods and men
 entitled to study the Vedas and teach those who are not as high in
status
 Kshatriyas
 warrior class who are supposed to protect the people
 Vaishyas
 merchant and peasant class.
 trade, lend money, cultivate land, tend to cattle,
study the Vedas and offer sacrifices.
 men of the Vaishyas caste are not allowed
to marry women of a higher caste
 Shudras
 lowest caste http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/
themes/beliefsystems/graphics/caste.gif
 their only duty is to serve the higher classes
 not allowed to participate in Vedic rituals

3. Aryans
 Nomadic group living in the outskirts of Euro-Asia
 fierce and war-like peoples
 called themselves the “noble ones”
 organized themselves in small tribal units called jana
 Ruled by war-chief (raja)
 Tribes spread over northern India and Deccan Plateau
 superior on horseback and battled with chariots

4. Varnas
 English translation – color
 Brahman class = white
 stands for purity, love, and faith
 Individual looks for true knowledge in the world
 Kshatriya class = red
 Stands for energy, will, aggression, and action
 Individual seeks power and honor
 Vaishya class = yellow
 Stands for energy
 Individual looks for communication, trade, and interchange in the
world
 Shudra class = black
 stands for ignorance, inertia, and dullness
 Individual seeks nothing and depend on others for motivation

5. Jati
 Literally means quot;birth unitquot;
 Group which a person is born into and marry from
 3,000 jatis in Indian society
 Believed to descended from four large caste systems
 Brahman
 Kshatriya
 Vaishya
 Shudra
http://www.shunya.net/Pictures/Rajasthan/Udai
pur/MotiMagri2.jpg http://www.akshin.net/images/
Wheel_of_Existence.jpg

6. Life affirming goals
 considered “life is good’ virtues
 Dharma – described as virtue
 primary virtue is to fulfill duties of one’s caste
 Artha – success http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradv
isor/money_stack.jpg
 both in terms of wealth and power
 Kama – anything that brings pleasure
 ex: dance, music, and beauty
Life negating goal http://www.sju.edu/studentlife/student
 Moksha – considered as release resources/oml/Pictures/music-notes.jpg
 To successfully accomplish this goal an individual must…
 turn one’s back against the first three goals
 become a loner