2. Religions of India: Buddhism
Buddhism arose in the 6th-5th centuries B.C.
in eastern North India at a time of growing
discontent with the dominance of sacrificial
orthodoxy. Siddhartha Gautama,
the Buddha believed that human problems
were brought about by cravings and the
belief in an eternal soul. His message of the
eightfold path, which leads to Nirvana,
the extinction of craving and the dissolution
of the individual, spread along trade routes
in India, travelling through Central Asia
to China and Japan.
3. Religions of India: Hinduism
Hinduism denotes the group of religious traditions
that developed by stages from the Vedic
religion brought into India by the Aryans.
The Hindu hero is loyal to dharma
or righteous behavior.
Suffering or sorrow are part
of human life and
must be endured.
4. Major Hindu deities: Vishnu
The peace-loving deity of the Hindu Trinity, Vishnu
is the Preserver or Sustainer of life with his
steadfast principles of order, righteousness and
truth. When these values are under threat,
Vishnu emerges out of his transcendence to
restore peace and order on earth. Vishnu’s
earthly incarnations have 10 major avatars. The
devout followers of Vishnu are called
Vaishnavas, and his consort is Lakshmi. Vishnu is
popularly worshipped as Lord Venkateshwara
in the southern India.
6. Shiva
The most powerful and fascinating deity in Hinduism, who
represents death and dissolution. One of the godheads in
the Hindu Trinity, and known by many names Mahadeva, Pashupati, Nataraja, Vishwanath, Bhole Nath
- Shiva is perhaps the most complex of Hindu deities.
Hindus recognize this by putting his shrine in the temple
separate from those of other deities and worshipping
Shiva as a phallic symbol called the ‘Shiva Limgam’ in
most temples.
8. Lakshmi
Goddess Lakshmi means "Good Luck" to Hindus. The
word 'Lakshmi' is derived from the Sanskrit word
Laksya, meaning 'aim' or 'goal', and she is the
goddess of wealth and prosperity, both material
and spiritual. She is the household goddess of most
Hindu families, and a favorite of women. Lakshmi is
depicted as a beautiful woman of golden
complexion, with four hands, sitting or standing on a
full-bloomed lotus and holding a lotus bud, which
stands for beauty, purity and fertility.
10. Krishna
The great exponent of the Gita, Krishna is the ninth and the
most complete avatar of Vishnu, the Godhead of the
Hindu Trinity. Of all avatars he is the most popular and
perhaps the one closest to the heart of the masses. This
blue-skinned deity has influenced the Indian thought, life
and culture in myriad ways - not only its religion and
philosophy, but also into its mysticism and literature,
painting and sculpture, dance and music, and all
aspects of Indian folklore.
13. Rama
Rama, the perfect avatar of the Supreme
Protector Vishnu, is an all-time favorite among
Hindu deities. The most popular symbol of
chivalry and virtue, Rama is “the embodiment
of truth, of morality, the ideal son, the ideal
husband, and above all, the ideal king." He is
widely believed to be an actual historical figure
- a "tribal hero of ancient India" - whose exploits
form the great Hindu epic of Ramayana or The
Romance of Rama
14. Sita
Goddess Sita is regarded as the daughter of ‘Bhudevi’ or
Mother Earth since she arose from the earth and was
found in a plough field. The king of Mithila, Janaka was
overjoyed to find a baby in his field and brought her up
with great love and care. One of her names is therefore
Janaki. This Goddess is taken to be an incarnation of
Goddess Lakshmi.
Goddess Sita is worshipped for her ideal womanly virtues
and she stands before all Hindu women as a model of
wifely attributes. Though she was subjected to intense
suffering in her life, she always bore it with a cheerful
countenance and this is what her followers are supposed
to inculcate from her.
16. Hanuman
Hanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his
expedition against evil forces, described in the epic
Ramayana, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu
pantheon. Believed to be an avatar of Lord Shiva,
Hanuman is worshipped as a symbol of physical strength,
perseverance and devotion. In times of trouble, it is a
common faith among Hindus to chant the name of
Hanuman or sing his hymn - "Hanuman Chalisa".
Hanuman temples are among the most common public
shrines found in India.
18. Homework
Read Rosenberg:
pp. 324-326
The Creation of the Universe and Human Beings
pg. 326-328
Nu Kua
pp. 328-329
P’an Ku
pp. 330-333
Chi Li Slays the Serpent
pp. 355-356
The Creation of Human Beings
pg. 356-358
The Creation of New Zealand
pp. 361-365
The Taming of the Sun
pp. 335-338
Amateratsu
