Look Learn Understand & Respect. One Importance of family Through family that children Children at home learn stories and practices

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1 Hinduism About the topic In this topic pupils will learn about their Hindu sisters and brothers, how they live as a family and how they worship Where this topic fits in This topic will be taught discretely but will follow two of the CHURCH topics: domestic family, and either local community or universal world ing outcomes Key words story, Sanskrit, Vedas, Truth, Kans, Krishna, Vasudeva, Devaki, holy books, message, symbol Aum, mantra, Dharma, the law of truth, duties, Benares, pilgrimage, Ganges One Importance of family Through family that children Children at home learn stories and practices Two (a) Prayer at home Home is centre of Hindu family s The home shrine religious life. A special corner holds the shrine Two (b) We all celebrate Some of the Hindu stories Belief in one god, presented e.g. Krishna, Rama and Shiva through different names and images Three (a) People we look up to Hindu festivals Divali, Holi, There are special times for birthdays of Rama and Krishna; Hindu people light over darkness Three (b) Places of worship Hindu temple (Mandir) worship How Hindu people worship Four (a) How messages are Hindu holy books, Sanskrit; Vedas; Sacred writings are important passed on poems telling stories of Rama and Krishna. Children hear stories in the family Four (b) Importance of symbols Sacred symbols: Aum, lotus flower Sacred symbols are important Dharma the law or truth, pilgrimage Four: Other faiths: Hinduism 1

2 HINDUISM Four (a) Lesson 1 Key words: story, Sanskrit, Vedas, Truth ing intentions How messages are passed on We all enjoy stories Can you think of some you may have heard and some you remembered? What was the difference? What is your favourite story? Why do you like it, what does it teach you? Hindu holy books, Sanskrit, Vedas, poems telling stories of Rama and Krishna. Children hear stories in the family Hindus have several holy books, the oldest is called the Vedas. It is a collection of hymns which explain how to worship gods and gives advice on life. For thousands of years they were not written down but were learnt by memory. Later they were written down in a language called Sanskrit, which means well made or put together (show pupils an example). The Hindu Scriptures are made up of two parts: 1 What the holy people of old heard, i.e. Divine truth revealed in words, this is holy; it is called Vedas 2 Other texts are what was remembered they are holy but human in origin. One of these is called the Bhagavad Gita, or the Song of the Lord, it is well known by Hindus. It tells the story of the god Krishna and prince Arjuna. Their discussion teaches a way of life or ethic. Hindus find the Truth in their stories so they are very important. Every story has many meanings which can teach us. Write a story which has a message in it. Find out about the Bhagavad Gita, using ICT, perhaps an encyclopedia Many different sacred writings Hindu holy books have an important message. 2 Four A: Other faiths: Hinduism

3 HINDUISM Four (a) Lesson 2 Key words: Kans, Krishna, Vasudeva, Devaki ing intentions How messages are passed on Recall the last lesson about stories and the story you wrote read each other s stories to find the message. Hindu holy books, Sanskrit, Vedas, poems telling stories of Rama and Krishna. Children hear stories in the family Here is a story Hindu children will know. Once upon a time, there was a wicked king called Kans. He had a sister called Devaki whom he married to Vasudeva because Vasudeva could help Kans. As the couple were about to be married a wise man told Kans that he would die at the hands of their child. Kans was about to kill his sister when his chief minister stopped him and said it would not look good if he did that, and suggested that they killed the children instead. Kans threw Vasudeva and Devaki in prison. They had a baby daughter. Kans came and killed the baby, the baby turned into lightning and went to heaven, telling Kans he was evil and that her brother would kill him. Six daughters were born and each were killed like the first one and each called out that their brother would kill him. Another baby was born a boy called Krishna. His father sneaked out of prison (the doors opened for him) and took him across the river to change him with his sister s baby. The river was flooded from the monsoon rains. Vasudeva put Krishna into a basket and put it on his head. The river was rising because it wanted to touch the god Krishna s feet, Krishna knew this and put his foot over the edge so that the water would not harm his father. Then the waters parted. Vasudeva exchanged his son for his niece and returned to prison with her. Next morning Kans came in to kill the baby, this time it flew out of his hand and cried Kans you intend to do an evil thing, I am not the one you seek, he is safely tucked away. Kans was furious and ordered that all new-born babies in his kingdom should be killed. Soldiers went round killing them all but Kans didn t know that Krishna was safe because he was across the river and that was not his kingdom. What does the story tell you? Retell the story by acting or by writing in cartoons Research and find out how Krishna overcomes Kans Many different sacred writings The story of the birth of Krishna the god who is good and overcomes evil. Four A: Other faiths: Hinduism 3

4 HINDUISM Four (a) Lesson 3 Key words: story, holy books, Truth, message ing intentions We learn from stories Recall the story you heard in the last lesson. There are many kinds of stories. Some are for entertainment, some are to convey a meaning. Hindus search for Truth through their stories Here is a Hindu story. It tells how 6 blind men tried to find out what an elephant was. Each felt a different part of the elephant. Divide into groups, children give their ideas on what each part felt like draw the part of the elephant and write ideas around it. I felt the tail and said an elephant is I felt the trunk and said an elephant is I felt the ears and said an elephant is I felt the tusks and said an elephant is I felt the legs and said an elephant is I felt the hide and said an elephant is Each group has described what they think the elephant is from what they have touched. Each group is right in its own way but is only one part of the elephant, so not complete they didn t see the whole elephant. This story symbolises the different ways in which Hindus search for Truth in their stories. That Hindus search for Truth Hindus search for the Truth through their stories 4 Four A: Other faiths: Hinduism

5 HINDUISM Four (b) Lesson 1 Key words: symbol Aum, mantra ing intentions Importance of symbols Groups have symbols that have a special meaning for them. Do you belong to a group that has a symbol? Clubs school. Do people who do not belong to the group recognise it? Why is the symbol important for you? What is its meaning? Sacred symbol Aum Dharma commitment to truth, right, action, peace, love, non-violence Aum is the most sacred of Hindu words. It is a holy sound, meaning yes or so be it, but in a particularly solemn way. It is considered the seed of all mantras and to have a mystical meaning. It is used at the beginning of all prayers, readings from sacred books, and even sermons or holy instructions. It is often seen in Hindu homes and temples. It is traced on a baby s tongue in honey at the naming ceremony. Some Hindus wear it as a pendant round their neck. It is also a sound which is chanted reverently over and over as a help to concentrate during prayer. Introduce the word mantra. Have a large drawing of the symbol Aum for the class. Children draw their own or make a pendant. Listen to tape with a mantra used by Hindus. Sound each letter separately A U M listen to the sound fade away into the silence where God speaks. Sacred symbols in the home and temple Hindus have sacred symbols which help them to pray. Four B: Other faiths: Hinduism 5

6 HINDUISM Four (b) Lesson 2 Key words: symbol, Dharma, the law or truth, duties ing intentions Importance of symbols Recall the last lesson. What is your dream recipe for living in peace and harmony with each other? Think of the choices you need to make in order for them to happen. Sacred symbol Aum Dharma commitment to truth, right, action, peace, love, non-violence Dharma is the name given to the sacred law or the truth and duties by which Hindus live, it makes clear the right conduct and duties according to the person and their stage of life. There are values which everyone is committed to: truth, right, action, peace, love and nonviolence. Hindus believe God to be in all living creatures and in all that exists, that means that they have respect for life and care of the environment. The commitment to non-violence again follows from a principle of reverence for life. Many Hindus are vegetarians as a way of showing respect. How do we show respect for life? Do you support non-violence completely or sometimes? Hold a debate on vegetarianism Find a story of Rama which might illustrate an aspect of Dharma Research the life of Gandhi Something of the values of Hindus Something of the values which are important to Hindu people. 6 Four B: Other faiths: Hinduism

7 HINDUISM Four (b) Lesson 3 Key words: Benares, pilgrimage, Ganges ing intentions Symbolism of life as a journey What have been important events in your life? How have the important events been marked what was being valued? Pilgrimage to a holy place For many Hindus pilgrimages to holy places are an important part of life. In India, sometimes small groups of villagers set out together. The journey can be difficult and exciting; sometimes it would be by bullock cart, train or bus. Most Indian villages work seven days a week for most of the year. When the crops are harvested, a pilgrimage is like a holiday. Hindus might go to a temple; rivers and mountains are also considered sacred. The Ganges river is the most popular. The Hindu believes that the Ganges washes away a persons sins. Life is thought of as a journey, Hindus follow their chosen path to union with the divine according to their dharma, chosen way of life (see lesson 2). There is a strong caste system in the Hindu way of life. A caste is a group which you are born into, each caste has its own special occupations, diet and rules. Hindu must only marry people of the same caste. They believe that is possible to move to a higher or lower caste in the next life after death depending on your good deeds. However people approach me, I will welcome them, for the path people take from every side is mine. Bhagavad Gita Research about Benares, the religious centre on the Ganges maybe use a CD Rom or on the web Find out about yoga Find out about the different castes Imagine a pilgrimage journey How does the pilgrimage show our life journey? The importance of journey in the Hindu life Importance of journey in the Hindu life. Four B: Other faiths: Hinduism 7