
Core Concepts
- Hinduism is a major world religion originating in India
- It is a collection of several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual developed over thousands of years
- Like Buddhism, a core belief in Hinduism is that we are all stuck in samsara (endless cycle of existence) and reincarnation (rebirth) is determined by karma (“actions” – good and bad deeds in life)
- The goal in Hinduism is to reach moksha (liberation from the endless cycle of existence) by seeing past the illusion and distraction of worldly existence
- The religion is organic with no founder, prophets, or a single teacher
- It is referred to as the oldest religion in the world, and according to the Hindu belief of cyclical existence, it is an eternal religion that has always been around
- Often referred to the religion of 330 million gods, Hinduism is actually considered poly-monotheistic, meaning there is one Supreme Being (Brahman) that manifests as numerous major and minor gods
- There is a saying in Hinduism, “Every path you take is a path to God.” Meaning that no matter what individual god you worship (even within another religion), all worship leads you to unite with the one Supreme Being

Hindu Vocabulary
- Samsara – cyclical existence. Specifically, life is eternal; there is no ultimate death, only infinite existence.
- Reincarnation – part of the concept of samsara, reincarnation is the act of birth, death, and rebirth
- Karma – literally, “action.” The actions that determine the condition of one’s future lives/existence
- Dharma – literally, “duty.” The moral order of the universe
- Moksha – final liberation from cyclical existence and attainment of oneness with the Universal
- Darshan – the act of seeing and being seen by the Divine
- Puja – worship; performance of rituals and offerings of flowers, food, water, and incense; a means for darshan
- Yoga – a form of physical exercise where one’s goal is to “yoke” themself to the Universal. Practitioners of yoga are referred to as yogis

Hindu Practices
Art, Images,and Darshan
- India is a visual culture. Images of gods are located in temples, in shrines that populate a family home, city streets, or in rural fields
- Images are a key element in Hindu worship. Why? Because images of gods can serve as a conduit between gods and devotees
- A main objective in Hindu worship is darshan (seeing). Specifically, to see God and for God to see you
- When a sculpture of a god is created, it is then consecrated, and therefore a god is welcome to use that image for darshan with devotees
- The eyes on a Hindu image are often quite large and are the last to be added to a sculpture or painting
- Images are supposed to be beautiful, as it is meant for an abode of a god

Worship
- Puja
- Hindu worship is referred to as puja and involves images of gods (murtis), prayers (mantras), and offerings
- The majority of Hindu worship is not in the temple, but in the home
- Private worship
- Worship is private, between you and God
- Every Hindu home has a shrine with the favorite gods of the family
- A shrine may have a sculpture of a deity of even a printed image
- The idea is that you treat God like a guest in your home, you offer water, flowers, food, and the things you would a valued guest
- Temples
- Hindus go to temples for festivals, when a image of a deity is being consecrated, or if you have a specific request from a deity
- There are not sermons or spiritual education at the temples – that is for home or an ashram (place to get away from it all and meditate for spiritual growth)
- Hindu temples are quite tall and are meant to represent mountains (the home of the gods)
- Private worship

Pilgrimage
- Because gods can come to earth, or manifest in the landscapes of earth, the very land of India is considered sacred
- This makes pilgrimage very important, as one wants darshan from multiple sacred places
- For instance, a pilgrimage to the Ganges River is important, as it is the living goddess Ganga
- One may make a pilgrimage to a famous Hindu temple, to see an ancient sculpture of Shiva
- Or one may visit the Himalayas, the abode of the gods
- Making a pilgrimage not only provides darshan, but also provides good karma

Who are the gods?
- Often referred to the religion of 330 million gods…
- However, Hinduism is actually considered poly-monotheistic, meaning there is one Supreme Being (Brahman) that manifests as numerous major and minor gods to aid people in their path towards moksha
- Three of the Hindu gods form the Trimurti “God in three forms”
- Brahma: the Creator
- Vishnu: the Protector
- Shiva: The Destroyer and/or the Liberator
- Individual goddesses are manifestations of The Goddess, “Devi”, the Divine Female
- Durga, Parvati, and Sarasvati are three popular forms of Devi
Meet the gods
Check out the Quick Guide to Hindu Deities to learn more about Hindu deities.