Hinduism

=Hinduism= Vickie, Niuniu, Andrew Hindu Trinity: 1. Brahma: creates universe 2. Vishnu: preserves universe, peace-loving deity, sustainer of life with principles of order, righteousness, and truth 3. Shiva: destroys universe, represents death and dissolution Central Belief ** · Not a single doctrine, no single founder or teacher · Believe in a universal eternal soul called Brahman that is present in everything · Cycle of birth, death, and rebirth is governed by Karma Goal ** In Hinduism, there is not just one purpose of human life, but four: Dharma - fulfilling one's purpose; Artha - prosperity; Kama - desire, sexuality, enjoyment; and Moksha - enlightenment. · Meditation · Three paths to liberation: o Bhaktimarga: path of devotion o Jnanamarga: the path of knowledge or philosophy o Karmamarga: path of works and action Origin ** · Originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day Pakistan · Divided into three periods: the ancient (6500 BCE-1000 AD), the medieval (1000-1800 AD), and the modern (1800 AD to present) · <span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';">Hinduism is commonly thought to be the oldest religion in the history of human civilization. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN;">"BBC - Religion & Ethics - Hinduism." __BBC - Homepage__. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #262a2c; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: FR-CA;">2008. 02 Apr. 2009 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism>.
 * Major Figure**
 * Methods & practices **
 * Four stages ** (a//shramas//) over the course of their life:
 * 1) // brahmacharga, // which takes place during the school years, is focused on acquiring knowledge and developing character;
 * 2) // grastha //, the middle years, is focused on worldly pursuits and pleasures such as marriage, family and career;
 * 3) // vanaprastha //, when one's children reach adulthood, is a time of increased focus on spiritual things; and
 * 4) // sanngasu, // in the last years of life, one may abandon the world entirely for a life of contemplation
 * Works Cited:**