Monday, 21 July 2014

Religion

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.
    





Important Deities

Adi Para Shakti





Adi Shakti is personification of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine Mother' in Hinduism.
 She is regarded as the one who remote controls trinity, Devas, planets and other heavenly bodies

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

  Fasting in Hinduism indicates the denial of the physical needs of the body for the sake of spiritual gains.
·         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.








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