The
Spread of Hinduism In South East Asia(SEA)
Hinduism
originated in India spread to SEA, and other parts of the world (Australia,
Europe, N. America, Africa, Caribbean).
One of
the oldest religions in the world
In the
1st c. AD, Hinduism was spread throughout SEA by
Method 1
Indian trader
|
Method
2
Brahman priest
|
Brahman
priests also instructed people on Hindu beliefs
Belief
Gods
and Goddesses
·
Hindus believe in one true god,
Brahman (Supreme Spirit)
·
Brahman has many forms.
·
Brahman contains everything: creation and destruction, male and
female, good and evil, movement and stillness.
The three main
aspects of Brahman in the express of Trimurti
The
Trinity
The three main aspects of trimurti in difference forms
Brahma, the creator
Vishnu, the preserver
Shiva, the destroyer
The
Stages of Life
Brahmacharya - The
Celibate Student:
·
This is a period of formal education.
·
Until the age
of 25
·
The young
male leaves home to stay with a guru and attain both spiritual and practical
knowledge.
·
During this period, he is called a brahmachari, and
is prepared for his future profession, as well as for his family, and social
and religious life ahead.
Grihastha - The Married Family Man:
·
This stage lasts until
around the age of 50.
·
This period begins
when a man gets married, and undertakes the responsibility for earning a living
and supporting his family.
Vanaprastha - The Hermit in Retreat:
·
This stage of a man
begins when his duty as a householder comes to an end:
At this age, he should
renounce all physical, material and sexual pleasures, leave his home, and go to
live in a forest hut, spending his time in prayers.
Sannyasa
- The Wandering Recluse:
·
At this stage, a man
is supposed to be totally devoted to God
·
He has renounced all
desires, fears and hopes, duties and responsibilities.
·
He is virtually merged
with God, all his worldly ties are broken, and his sole concern becomes
attaining moksha, or release from the circle of birth and death.
The
Soul
·
Atman (Soul) is the
real, spiritual self behind all ego and material longing.
·
Referring to you as a
spiritual, enlightened.
·
Atman can also be
considered a spirit having a human’s experience, instead of a human
experiencing a spirit.
Karma
and Samsara
·
Karma is
the belief that when you perform an act of goodness, a reaction of goodness
will happen to you.
·
This reaction
can happen immediately or in the future, maybe even in future lives
(samsara).
Salvation
(Moksha)
The ultimate end of every Hindu's life is moksha.
Which can be understood in a variety of ways: liberation from rebirth, enlightenment, Self-realization, or union with God.
This is considered to the be the highest purpose of life.
This is considered to the be the highest purpose of life.
Important
Deities
Adi Para Shakti
Adi Shakti is personification of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine Mother' in Hinduism.
Lord Kishna - Hinduism's Favorite Deity
The great exponent of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna is one of the most powerful incarnations of Vishnu, a model lover and a divine her.
Lord Rama - The Ideal Avatar
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.
Ganesha-The Lord of Success and destroyer of evils and obstacles.
He is also worshipped as the god of education, knowledge, wisdom and wealth.
Lord Hanuman
Hanuman, the mighty ape that aided Lord Rama in his expedition against evil forces, is one of the most popular idols in the Hindu pantheon
Temple
of Worship
·
A Hindu temple is
believed to be the earthly seat of a deity and the place where the deity waits
for its devotees.
·
Temple structures are
sacred spaces where gods partake of human offerings and in which the people can
be with the gods.
Domestic
Worship
·
The home is the place
where most Hindus conduct their worship and religious rituals.
·
The most important times
of day for performance of household rituals are dawn and dusk, although
especially devout families may engage in devotion more often.
Fasting
·
According
to the scriptures, fasting helps create an attunement with the Absolute by
establishing a harmonious relationship between the body and the soul
Kavadi
Attam
This
is a dance performed by the devotees during the ceremonial worship of Lord
Murugan.
·
Often
performed during the festival of Thaipusam and emphasizes debt bondage. The kavadi itself is
a physical burden through which the devotees implore for help from Murugan
Guru- Hindu Spiritual
Teacher
Guru
can be simply described as teacher or master in Indian Religion.
·
'Guru'
is a honorific designation of a preceptor as defined and explained variously in
the scriptures and ancient literary works including epics
Symbolism of Offering
InHinduism, the lotus (Sanskrit: padma) primarily represents beauty and non-attachment. The lotus is rooted in the mud but floats on the water without becoming wet or muddy. This symbolizes how how one should live in the world in order to gain release from rebirth: without attachment to one's surroundings.
The Purnakumbha is a pitcher full of water, with fresh leaves of the mango tree and a coconut (Sriphala) placed on the top.
Purnam means completion and the significance is that the endeavour undertaken must be successfully completed. It is a main part of all Hindu rituals. It is used in Grahapravesha (house warming ceremony), weddings and all auspicious functions.
The coconut (Sanskrit: Sriphala = God's fruit) alone is also used to symbolize 'God'.
Naivedya is food offered to a Hindu deityas part of a worship ritual
Puja
Puja is the
act of showing reverence to a god, a spirit, or another aspect of the divine
through invocations, prayers, songs, and rituals.
An
essential part of puja for
the Hindu devotee is
making a spiritual connection with the divine.
·
Most
often that contact is facilitated through an object: an element of nature, a
sculpture, a vessel, a painting, or a print.
