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(Buddhism: life of the Buddha/ origins of Buddhism (the life of buddha:…

- - - - the power that sustains the universe and its deepest reality
      - because humans are conscious beings, Hinduism holds that "the self of Brahman". the self that people experience in their consciousness is one with Brahman, the reality with the universe
      - the universe, all reality, is one of the great act of conscientiousness. conscientiousness underlies everything, and is in everything.
      - according to Hindu belief, Brahman cannot be named, and many forms of the deities are needed to express the various aspects of Brahman.
    - - for Hindus, going beyond their bodies, beyond their thoughts and feelings, they discover their true selves. Hindus call this true self Atman.
      - hindus believe that each atman is a fragment of the divine brahman. everyone, therefore, is part of the divine.
      - Hindus believe that coming to a consciousness is their way to defeat death.
    - - when people do not see things as separate from each other, they do not perceive the divine oneness (Brahman) that surges through all things.
      - to live in Maya is to be imprisoned in ignorance and distraction. realizing that Brahman or Atman is present in everyone and everything is to be set free.
- - - - The Hindu Triad
        
        Brahman is said to manifest in the form of many deities. according to some Hindu traditions, three of these deities together symbolize the cycle of existence
        
        creation: Brahma---Preservation: Vishnu--- Destruction: Shiva
        
        Brahma: the creator- brahma is the creator of the universe. he is most often shown with four faces, looking to the four compass points, showing that he is all seeing and all knowing. he is usually dressed in white and seen riding on a swan or peacock or seated on a lotus. he is considered above worship, so there are few temples to him.
        
        Vishnu: the preserver- most often dressed in yellow, with blue skin and is often pictured with his partner, Lakshmi, riding on the back of a huge half bird half man creature. hindus believe that vishnu descends to the world from time to time in human form to maintain order and to save the world from danger.
        
        Shiva: the destroyer/redeemer- the deity of the cosmic dance. shiva is dangerous, destructive, and yet he is joyful and a creative force. in his role as a redeemer, he destroys the sins of believers in order to lead them to redemption. shiva is often shown wearing a tiger skin loincloth and a snake collar. shivas dance has both a creative and destructive side. the joyful dance is associated with the creation of the cosmos. the violent dance is associated with the destruction of the cosmos, so that brahma can recreate it. for hindus, this ending may not be the worst fate, because the universe has to be destroyed in order to be created. many people believe that ultimate truth is best experienced through shiva because, they feel, that they must look at evil as well as the good.
      - Avatars: a deity who has descended into the world in earthly form
        
        incarnations of deities are called avatars. so far vishnu has appeared in human form in nine different avatars. his ninth avatar is Gautama (the buddha). hindus wait for the tenth avatar, the mighty warrior Kalkin, who will rid the world of oppression.