Author: Amanda McGarrigle

Year 4 Term 5 — Hinduism
What do Hindu people believe about God?

Background Information
Hinduism is an Indian faith tradition. All rivers are sacred and holy for Hindu people and water and rivers are very important in religious rituals too. Hindu people have many ideas and beliefs about God. Hindu people use BRAHMAN to mean God beyond human terms, without form or attributes. It’s a bit like a ‘world soul’ that is in everything. Hindu people talk about the ‘spark’ of BRAHMAN that is in all living things. Explain that Hindu people believe that their real ‘self’ is the divine spark of Brahman inside them, which is called Atman. Hindu people believe in respect for the divine in living things.

Bhagavad Vita (7:8,9)
stories of Svetaketu
Story of the Blind Men and the Elephant

In this unit the children will be able to …
Know Hinduism describes the many religious beliefs and practices that developed in India over the past 4500 years
Know Hindu people believe in the supreme being Brahman that is in every living thing
Know Hindu people worship many aspects of Brahman through different deities
Know some Hindu stories and can talk about how these may impact the lives of Hindu people

By the end of this unit….
All children can:
Understand that Hinduism is an Indian faith tradition. (T)
Identify some Hindu stories and can talk about how these may impact the lives of Hindu people. (T)
Most children will:
Begin to understand that Hindu people have many ideas and beliefs about God. (I)
Express how Hindu belief in BRAHMAN may affect the way Hindu people see the world. (I)
Some children will:
Discuss the similarities and differences in the Hindu creation story with those of other faith traditions that I know. (C)
Know that Hindu people worship many aspects of Brahman through different deities (c)

Key Vocabulary
Deity
Faith
India
Brahman
Vishnu
Shiva
Namaste
Darshan
Atman
Reincarnation