Agreed syllabus supplementary information on Hinduism.  Please select the appropriate level below.

For levels 1 & 2 For levels 3 & 4 For levels 5 & 6 For levels 7 & 8 Glossary for Hinduism up

 

Hinduism 1 & 2

When relating teaching and learning objectives at levels 1 and 2 to Hindu experience, the teacher should draw on the following in an appropriate context

[Top]

 

  • Hinduism is mainly an Indian religion. Hindus living in Britain have come from various parts of the world, though many were born here. Some have strong family links with India. Family love and loyalty are important to Hindus and grandparents, who are specially revered, often live with the family. Hindus stress honesty and truthfulness. They try to respect and care for people and all living things. Many Hindus are vegetarians out of respect for animals.

  • Hindus believe in one God but represent him through different names and images (e.g. Rama, Krishna, Ganesha) because it is so difficult to imagine what God is like. Hindus may choose to worship one or two particular deities. Pictures or images of these are kept in a family shrine and are often highly symbolic e.g. many arms represent great power.

  • Home is the centre of a Hindu family's religious life. A special room or corner may be set aside as a shrine. Murtis (images) or pictures of the gods, sacred books and utensils for worship are kept here. The murtis are a reminder of God's presence; he is a guest in the house and not to be ignored. Puja (worship) normally takes place twice a day in front of the shrine and may involve the whole family. A small lamp, incense, water, flowers and food may all be used during worship.

  • There are many stories of Hindu gods and goddesses. Children hear stories of Rama's exile and return, of the childhood of Krishna and of the elephant-headed Ganesha. They may have the stories in comic form.

  • Hindus celebrate many different festivals. Some of the best known are: Divali, Raksha Bandhan, with the giving of rakhis, and the birthdays of Rama and Krishna. Everyone enjoys the stories, drama, food, singing and dancing connected with the festivals. The lights and fireworks of Divali are especially popular.

  • Many Hindus visit a temple or mandir for festivals and some attend the daily arti ceremonies. Inside, the mandir may be bright with pictures, images, coloured lights and tinsel. Shoes are removed and a bell rung to announce the worshipper's presence. Food and flowers are offered in thanks to God. A priest performs arti. Prayers and chanting accompany the ceremony. Blessed food (prashad) is distributed after the worship.

  • Hindu holy books may be written in Sanskrit, an ancient language. There are books of laws, hymns and poetry. Some are widely read, others less so. Some Hindus read from their holy books before the day begins. One of the books, the Ramayana, is a long poem containing many stories (e.g. the story of Rama and Sita), which are often acted out.

  • Hindu children are often named after a god or goddess. They believe the right name gives good fortune in life. A priest may help select the name. At the naming ceremony a special symbol 'aum' (\ ) may be drawn on the baby's tongue in honey; it represents God and is a prayer for a 'sweet' life.

[Top]

 

 

 

Hinduism 3 & 4

When relating teaching and learning objectives at levels 3 and 3 to Hindu experience, the teacher should draw on the following in an appropriate context

[Top]

 

  • Hinduism is the religion of most people in India and, although many Hindus live in other parts of the world, most have contact with families in India. The words 'India' and 'Hindu' are derived from the great River Indus. The religion has its roots among the people of the Indus valley over 4,000 years ago; it encompasses many traditions and does not have one particular founder or sacred text.

  • Hindus believe God has many different aspects, rather like people have various sides to their personalities, and can be worshipped in many forms e.g. Vishnu, Krishna, Hanuman, Lakshmi, Ganesha. They believe Vishnu has taken human form many times; Rama and Krishna are the best known of these 'avatars'. Hindus also believe that each creature has a soul which leaves the body at death and is reborn in a new body: "As a man leaves an old garment and puts on a new one so does the soul leave the mortal body and takes on a new one."

  • Hindus have many holy books which teach about God, about how to offer worship and about right and wrong. The Indus valley people passed on their beliefs orally, teaching their children stories and hymns. Later these teachings formed the Vedas (sacred writings) which contain hymns and prayers for worship, fire rituals, debates between teachers and pupils and mantras (verses) used at Sacred Thread (initiation) and wedding ceremonies. Many Hindus include the Gayatri mantra from the Rig Veda in their morning worship; it praises the sun god. There are two epic poems: Ramayana, telling the story of Rama, and Mahabharata, containing the Bhagavad Gita, about Krishna. The Puranas tell of Ganesha, to whom prayers are said on a child's first day at school or before a journey. Many Hindus learn the content of the scriptures when they are read in the temple or when stories are enacted in festivals.

  • A Hindu temple (mandir) contains images of gods and goddesses. These murtis may he made of marble, dressed in fine fabrics and decorated with ornaments and garlands of flowers. When visiting the mandir Hindus remove their shoes, show respect to the god by folding their hands, bowing or lying prostrate and making offerings of food or money. The Arti ceremony is performed several times a day in the temple. Much Hindu worship is very personal. Hindus choose how and when and which god or goddess they worship. They treat the deities as honoured friends, visit them at the mandir, greet them at a home shrine, offer them food before they eat and seek their blessing and help in daily life. Hindus in Britain may meet regularly for worship, but there is no set day for congregational worship and large gatherings tend to be for festivals or family events. The mandir may also be used for social activities, children's groups and so on.

  • Children learn Hindu values and rituals by watching parents and grandparents, especially at home and at festivals. They learn the importance of respect for God, and all forms of life, especially other people and the cow. They learn Hindu beliefs from stories about gods (e.g. Rama's exile and return, Krishna's childhood, Ganesha's elephant head) and moral stories (e.g. from the Panchatantra).

  • Hindu festivals celebrate the lives of the gods or goddesses as well as harvest and new year. Statues of gods and goddesses may be carried through the streets. There may be singing, dancing, plays, story-telling, presents, new clothes and special food. Divali, Holi and Navaratri are celebrated in various ways by all Hindus. Ganesh Chaturthi and the birthdays of Rama and Krishna are also important. Samskars are religious rituals celebrating important 'milestones' in life e.g. birth, initiation, marriage and death. Friends and family gather for the ceremonies; customs vary but include readings from holy books, prayers and 'sacred fire' (haven).

  • The sacred symbol 'Aum' ( \ ) is seen in Hindu homes and temples. It is a sound representing the great God Brahman, who is above and beyond everything and yet also in everything. 'Aum' is chanted reverently, often at the start of a hymn or prayer. Other symbols are the lotus flower and the swastika, which in Hinduism stands for good fortune and God's blessing.

 

[Top]

 

 

 

Hinduism 5 & 6

When relating teaching and learning objectives at levels 5 and 6 to Hindu experience, the teacher should draw on the following in an appropriate context

[Top]

 

  • Hindus believe in rebirth (samsara) or reincarnation. This means that when a person dies, their soul (atman) is born into another body (human or animal), This continues to happen until the soul is ready to break free from the cycle of samsara and be reunited with God. In each life a person must try to fulfil their religious duties (Dharma) because their actions (karma) will determine what happens to them in their next life and how close they will be to moksha (freedom from being reborn, salvation). An important and related Hindu belief is that of respect for life or Ahimsa, it also means doing no harm or violence to any living thing. The cow is probably the best example of this. Many Hindus are vegetarians as a result of Ahimsa.

  • An important Hindu understanding of God is of Brahman, the ultimate reality, from which everything emanates, in which it rests and into which it is ultimately dissolved. God is both utterly different from the world and yet in everything that exists. Consequently, Brahman is difficult to perceive or to think about, but aspects of Brahman can be perceived through distinct representations in deities such as Brahma (The Creator), Shiva (The Destroyer) and Vishnu (The Preserver) and who can be worshipped. Vishnu, for example, is believed to have come to earth in various forms (avatars or 'descents'), the most important being Rama and Krishna, both of whom have many devoted followers.

  • Dharma means 'right conduct' in life and is an important concept in Hinduism. The Laws of Manu say, "it is better to do your own duty badly than another's well." Each person's Dharma is related to their family and caste. Hindu society is divided into 4 castes or varnas (i.e. classes): Brahmins, teachers and priests; Kshatriyas, rulers and warriors; Vaishyas, merchants and peasants; Sudras, labourers. Within a varna lie thousands of sub-castes (jati). The caste system dictates who a person can marry and the job he can do; its link with the idea of rebirth (e.g. into higher or lower castes) has led to discrimination although this is illegal in India. A Sacred Thread ceremony (Upanayana) is held by upper castes when a boy is 8 or maybe 11. A twisted thread is placed over the left shoulder as a symbol of God's presence and a reminder to control body, mind and speech. The service is led by the boy's new teacher (acharya) and involves an exchange of promises and commitments between them. Afterwards the boy can represent his family in religious rituals and begins a more disciplined religious life, studying the holy books.

  • Prayer is an important part of Hindu worship; it may include dance, puja, arti and such things as: meditation, pranayam (a breathing technique) andjapa (quiet or silent repetition of mantras). Before praying at a home or the temple, Hindus bathe, don clean clothes and stand, sit or bow before the images in a shrine. Hindus believe it is easier to pray to images they can see and which show them something of what Brahman is like. Songs of praise and devotion (bhajans) may be sung and incense used to symbolise the worshippers' prayers rising to God. The Gayatri mantra is a well-known prayer used in morning worship. The sacred syllable 'aum' may be spoken at the start and end of a prayer; 'aum shanti' is a much used prayer for peace.

  • Worship may include talks (pravachan) on Hindu holy books, which include hymns, prayers, stories and rituals. These may be: Shruti ('revealed' scriptures) e.g. Vedas and Upanishads and Smriti ('remembered' scriptures) e.g. Laws of manu and Bhagavad Gita. The scriptures were transmitted orally at first, then written in ancient Sanskrit on birch bark or palm leaves and later put into other Indian languages and printed on paper. Few Hindus today read Sanskrit but they sing many hymns in this language. They revere many holy books e.g. the Bhagavad Gita, which teaches that true satisfaction in life is found in doing your duty. Dance and drama are used to tell stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata at festivals and puranikas (public storytellers) are popular.

  • Hindu festivals often celebrate the victory of good over evil. Some e.g. Divali, Holi, Navaratri, are celebrated by all Hindus; others are not. Ramnavami celebrates Rama's birth; worshippers sing bhajans, rock a model cradle and think about how Rama opposed evil and fulfilled his duty. Janmashtami is Krishna's birthday; the Bhagavad Gita is recited and people stay up late as Krishna was born at n-midnight. Bhajans centre on love for Krishna who also fulfilled his duty in life and offers followers his help. At Holi the story of Prahlada shows godliness overcoming death and evil; children are carded round a bonfire and prayers said to protect them in life.

  • For Hindus, pilgrimage is a way of showing devotion to God. They may make pilgrimages in fulfilment of vows, on the birth of a child, as atonement, to develop humility or to discover their heritage. There are many holy places in India e.g. Gangotri (source of the Ganges), Vrindavan (where Krishna grew up), Ayodhya (birthplace of Rama). At Varanasi pilgrims bathe in the Ganga (Ganges) hoping for forgiveness of sins. Many hope to die there, -or at least have their ashes scattered there and gain freedom from rebirth.

[Top]

 

 

 

Hinduism 7 & 8

When relating teaching and learning objectives at levels 7 and 8 to Hindu experience, the teacher should draw on the following in an appropriate context

[Top]

 

  • Hinduism has no single founder or single creed. 'Hinduism' is a Western term that refers to the diverse religious and cultural traditions stemming from the Vedas, the ancient Sanskrit writings of India. Adherents or believers often prefer the term 'Sanatan Dharma' because it characterises their belief in the revealed and universal nature of religion (i.e. All religions offer a path towards spiritual reality). Sanatan Dharma allows the widest freedom in matters of faith and worship, with regard to beliefs in the nature of God, the soul and forms of worship. It does not pressure people to accept particular dogmas or rituals. The theist and the atheist, the sceptic and the agnostic may all be Hindus if they accept the Hindu system of culture and life ... what counts most is conduct, not belief. Generally, Hindus do not aim to convert non-Hindus to Hinduism, but do encourage spirituality.

  • There is diversity of belief within Hinduism concerning the nature of the divine. Many Hindus believe that God (Brahman) is one, either as an impersonal absolute or as a supreme person. They believe that Brahman is infinite, Omniscient (i.e. all-knowing), Omnipotent (i.e. all-powerful) and Omnipresent (i.e. present everywhere at once). The Supreme, however conceived, is worshipped in (or through) a variety of forms, but principally three: Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti (the goddess). Especially popular amongst British Hindus today are Rama and Krishna, two of the incarnations (avatars) of Vishnu. A person, a family or a community may choose a particular deity as their 'route' to the divine. Non-Hindus may wonder why Hindus worship 330 million gods. This stemmed from the view that each Hindu has his or her own god, or view of God, and at the time when this statement was made there were 330 million Hindus in India. To a Hindu, the millions of gods are really the manifestation of the many aspects of one truth (Brahman).

  • Practically all Hindus believe in the doctrine or re-incarnation, whereby the eternal soul (atman) transmigrates through different species, from one body to another. This operates according to the law of action and reaction, commonly called 'the law of Karma'. The ultimate aim of human life, for most Hindus, is liberation (Moksha) from the cycle of birth and death through union with the Supreme (Brahman). In order to achieve Moksha, Hindus believe that a person must achieve three objectives in life (i) Dharma - righteous conduct or service of the divine; (ii) Artha - acquisition of economic welfare, the life of earthly prosperity; and Kama - regulated enjoyment of the good things in life. These objectives, together with Moksha are known as The Four Aims.

  • Hindus have a number of core ideal values which are interpreted variously: an appreciation of the equality of all living beings and the sanctity of life (ahimsa); a general adoption of vegetarianism; sacredness of the cow whose milk sustains human life; tolerance of all races and religions; controlled relations between the sexes in which marriage is considered sacred and divorce, premarital or extramarital sexual relationships are firmly discouraged.

  • The shrutis (i.e. the vedas and the Upanishads) are believed to have been revealed by God to the ancient seers of India. There are four Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Artharvaveda. All four vedas contain high philosophical and divine knowledge (veda means knowledge). Their aim is permanent peace, prosperity and eternal liberation. Shrutis are generally the more highly regarded sources of authority, but not by all. The Smriti include the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. For the vast majority of Hindus the scriptures remain unread. The stories, particularly from the Mahabharata, the Ramayana and the Puranas, are told through drama, story-telling, music and dance.

  • Hindu society is divided into four main castes (varnas). A person's varna traditionally indicates his or her status and responsibility, and thus the kind of duty which he or she must execute to transmigrate into a higher existence. Traditionally members of the four varnas are seen as being interdependent although each have separate and distinct roles: In addition, there are those who fall outside this traditional system and who have been called 'untouchables', often suffering social discrimination as a result. Mahatma Gandhi called them Harijans - Children of God. Within each varna a person belongs to a jati (specific group). Although these groups may indicate the traditional occupational backgrounds of a person's ancestral group, in the UK they do not usually define a person's social or economic position in wider society.

[Top]