Five Faiths Project
HINDUISM
Further Research and Points for Discussion
- Hinduism is a religious tradition filled with varied expressions and practices. Students may wish to uncover more of this diversity by looking to textbooks, art books and other print resources to find additional images of Hindu names and forms of God. It may also be possible to find images of Hindu worship practices.
- Understanding neti, neti. Ask a student secretly to choose an object and place it inside a box or bag so that it cannot be seen by the rest of the class. Ask the student to describe the object in terms of what it is not. For example: a spoon is placed in the bag. The student might say, “It is not a shovel. It is not made of clay. It is not a fork.” Select increasingly complex objects. The more complex the object, the greater the number of descriptors needed before the class can identify the object. Ask students to consider how this idea has an impact on faith in Hinduism and a true understanding of Brahman. The number of negative descriptors for Brahman is virtually endless because Brahman is infinite.
- The Story of the Elephant. In one Hindu story, in the Land of the Blind, a land in which all people were born without sight, a mysterious beast appears. The children in the land come up to the beast. Each touches a different part of the animal. One says, touching the side of the beast, “It is like a wall.” Another while touching a leg announces, “It is like a tree.” Others say, “It is like a fan.” Touching the ear. “It is like a snake.” Touching the truck. “It is like a rope.” Touching the tail. Each child is comparing a particular part and aspect of the elephant to other things which are familiar, but no one can see the whole. How is this a useful story in illustrating some of the central aspects of Hinduism? How might the children in the story come to know what they are touching?
- Using an atlas, find modern India. Research the population, its culture and diversity. Create a fact sheet for modern India. Students may include information such as per capita income, industry, arts and technology in modern India. Ask students to consider how the climate, landscape, population density and other factors might have influenced the growth of Hinduism. Remind students that while stories from this tradition are ancient, the practice is contemporary.
- Create a postcard. India has become a popular destination for travelers. Imagining that the students have traveled to India, what images might they choose to send home to family and friends that would illustrate the Hindu culture of India, its beliefs and practices. Check with local travel agencies for brochures and other resources, as well as newspapers and periodicals.
- Using the Hindu stories recorded on the CD as a starting point, encourage students to check the local library and the Internet for additional stories of Hindu gods and goddesses. Once a story has been found, students may wish to tell the story to the class. Ask students to practice the story, work on including details which are evocative, calling on the imaginations of listeners. Students should retain a copy of the original story, as well as drafts of their story. Teachers may wish to record the story as part of a larger unit on storytelling and reader’s theatre (see Interfaith Lesson Plans).
- Using the library, newspapers and periodicals, as well as the Internet as resources, ask students to find images and stories of contemporary Hindu practice. Gandhi was a famous Hindu whose life exemplified many of the teachings and practices of Hinduism. Research the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Teachers may also wish to present segments of the movie, Ghandi, as part of the course of study. Copies of the movie are readily available to rent on video cassette.
- As mentioned in the introductory materials, there are four main types of yoga in Hinduism. In each type, physical exercises may be included as a way to discipline the body. In America today, many people practice yoga movements and stretches as part of a health regimen. Students may wish to research and demonstrate several such postures and moves to the class. One aspect of the physical demands of yoga is the concentration necessary to maintain the postures. Ask students to reflect on how this compares with other exercises, such as jumping jacks or push ups. Does it seem that yoga might be more conducive to meditation practice than jumping jacks might be? Why? Why not?
Contemporary Research Options
- Hinduism identifies four stages of life: student, householder, retiree and wandering holy one. Ask students to find four people who (loosely) fit these categories. Interview each one, asking how his or her stage of life influences the ways in which he/she views life, priorities, money concerns, health, death, faith.
- Hinduism also places a high value on duty, sometimes referred to as dharma. Ask students to discuss what their duties are. How do they define duty? How do they demonstrate their duty? What are our duties as American citizens?
- Within the past decade, world music has become widely available in America. Students may wish to find recordings of Indian music. Hinduism, like most religions, teaches that the most meaningful worship involves the whole person, body and soul. Music and dance are two of the ways that the body may be engaged in worship. Some formal Hindu dances tell the stories of the gods and goddesses. Not all Hindu people consider dance to be an appropriate expression of devotion because the physical pleasure of dancing may become a distraction from their spiritual disciplines.
