Lesson video

Hi, my name's Mrs. Charalambous, and welcome to today's lesson.

Today, we'll be looking at "Hindu stories of creation.

From the Unit: Natural World.

What does dharma teach about attitudes to the planet?" Let's get started.

By the end of today, you'll be able to explain how some Hindus answer the ultimate question of how the universe appeared.

Let's take a look at our keywords.

Creation.

Creation, the act of making something.

Rishi.

Rishi, a wise person in the Hindu worldview.

Deity.

Deity, a god or goddess.

Aum.

Aum, the first sound in creation linking humanity and the divine.

Here is what your lesson outline looks like today for Hindu stories of creation.

Cycle one, who asks ultimate questions? Sofia and Alex are talking about ultimate questions.

Alex says, "What do we mean by an ultimate question?" Sofia says, "An ultimate question is a really big and important question that people ask when they want to understand life or the world better.

It's the kind of question that doesn't always have a simple answer.

Sometimes no one really knows the answer for sure." Here are some examples of ultimate questions.

Why are we here? What happens when we die? Is there a God? Can you think of any ultimate questions? Would you like to share some with me? Wow, I heard lots of different questions.

Let's check our understanding.

What is an ultimate question? A, a question with a simple answer.

B, a question that people may not know the answer to.

C, a question without an answer.

Take a moment here before I reveal the answer.

That's right.

It's B, a question that people may not know the answer to.

Let's carry on.

Sofia and Alex want to find out who might think in this way.

"What kind of people ask ultimate questions?" Says Alex.

Sofia says, "Anyone can ask ultimate questions.

But there are people called philosophers.

A philosopher thinks deeply about life and the universe.

Some famous philosophers lived in Ancient Greece." Do you know the names of any? Let's check our understanding.

What is a philosopher? A, a person who thinks deeply and asks questions.

B, a person from Ancient Greece.

C, a type of question.

Take a moment here to think about your answer before I reveal it to you.

That's right.

It's A, a person who thinks deeply and asks questions.

Sofia says, "The Ancient Greeks were not the only people who asked ultimate questions about the world." Alex says, "People from Hindu worldviews were also asking ultimate questions.

They asked them before the Ancient Greeks." What can you see in this image? What do you notice? Who might it show? Take a moment here before I hear some of your answers.

Lots of different things I'm hearing.

Let's find out together.

This is a philosopher from ancient India.

Many of Hindu Dharma's ultimate questions were pondered on by philosophers.

Indian philosophers were called Rishis.

Hindu Dharma is one of the oldest religious worldviews.

People who follow Hindu Dharma are known as Hindus.

Alex says, "This is Het, Priya and Dhanu.

They all have a Hindu worldview.

They're going to help us understand why Hindus ask ultimate questions." Het explains more about Hindu philosophy and ultimate questions.

"Rishis were wise people who ask ultimate questions.

People would come and listen to them like we listen to teachers in school." Who do you think is wise? Who would you go to for knowledge or advice? You can share some answers with me here if you like.

Yes, maybe teachers, maybe friends, older siblings, parents, grandparents.

Maybe you have a wise neighbour.

Lots of different answers I'm hearing.

Priya says, "The Rishi spent time in meditation being still, calm, and quiet meant they were able to ponder ultimate questions.

While meditating, they experience ultimate reality or the divine." Why do you think that meditating might have helped the Rishis to ponder ultimate questions? Would you like to share your answers with me? Wow, lots of interesting ideas there.

Let's carry on.

A Rishi is.

A, a wise person.

B, a God.

Or C, a type of meditation.

That's right, it's A, a wise person.

Let's carry on.

Good job everyone so far.

Alex says, "Dhanu, who is the divine?" Dhanu says, "The Rishis used the word Brahman.

Brahman is the ultimate reality who is in everything.

I believe that Brahman is God or the divine.

Brahman can take forms in deities.

Deities show us what God or Brahman is like." Let's check our understanding with a true or false.

Brahman is not the divine, true or false? That's right, it's false, why? Because Brahman is a divine and the ultimate reality in Hindu Dharma.

Well done if you got that question correct.

Let's move on.

Task A.

Can you finish these sentences using your learning so far? Ultimate questions are.

Philosophers are.

In the Hindu worldview, Rishi's are.

Rishi's found answers to ultimate questions by.

The rishi's talked about Brahman.

For many Hindus, Brahman is.

Pause the video here and when you are ready for some feedback, press play.

Task A, feedback time.

You might have said, "Ultimate questions are important questions that do not have a simple answer.

Philosophers are people who think deeply and ask questions about life and the universe.

In the Hindu worldview, Rishi are wise people who also think deeply and ask questions about life and the universe.

Rishi's found answers to ultimate questions by being calm and still in meditation.

Though Rishi's talked about Brahman, for many Hindus, Brahman is ultimate reality, the divine or God." Well done for your efforts so far.

Let's carry on.

Cycle two.

What is a Hindu creation story? Sofia and Alex are talking about creation.

Alex says, "How did the world begin? Now that is an ultimate question.

How do Hindus answer it?" Sofia says, "This is a great question.

We have all looked around the world and thought, 'How did it appear? Did someone create it?' The Rishi's also thought about this question.

Their answer was that the universe is part of Brahman." In Hindu Dharma, there isn't just one explanation for how the world began.

There are many stories, poems, and songs with different ideas.

This difference is important to Hindus to show there is not just one truth.

Let's check our understanding.

What does Hindu Dharma believe about creation stories? A, there is only one creation story in Hindu Dharma.

B, there isn't a creation story.

C, there are many creation stories in Hindu Dharma.

D, creation stories are only found in one book.

Take a moment here before I reveal the answer.

That's right.

, it's C, there are many creation stories in Hindu Dharma.

Let's carry on.

Sofia says, "Before we hear a version of the Hindu creation story, it's important to understand what aum means." Alex says, "Aum is a sacred sound.

Many Hindus believe it was the first sound in the universe and connects everything to the divine or Brahman.

Many Hindus chant this sound in meditation." Here is what om sounds like.

(people chanting) How did that sound make you feel? Yes, I felt very calm when I heard that sound.

Let's check our understanding with a true or false.

Aum is a name of a Hindu deity in the creation story.

True or false? That's right, it's false.

Why? Aum is a sacred sound.

Many Hindus believe that it was a first sound in the universe.

Well done if you got that correct.

Let's carry on.

"A Hindu story of creation." When the world had not yet begun, there was nothing.

There was no Earth, Heaven, people or animals just darkness.

Only the energy of Brahman or ultimate reality.

Everything was quiet and still.

Floating in the darkness, lay an enormous serpent called Shesha.

On top of Shesha slept a deity called Vishnu.

Vishnu represents the quality of Brahman that cares and sustains life.

He stayed asleep for a very long time.

From the choir all around him, Vishnu woke up to a sound, a soft humming that got louder and louder.

It was the sacred sound of aum.

The sound filled with the space.

Aum was the first sound of the universe.

It reverberated with great energy.

From this energy, a beautiful lotus flower grew from Vishnu's news belly button.

Sitting on the lotus flower, there was another deity called Brahma.

"It is time to create the world." Instructed Vishnu before leaving with the serpent.

Let's check our understanding before we carry on with the rest of the story.

What woke Vishnu up from his sleep? A, A thunderstorm.

B, the aum sound.

C, the bell sound.

D, the drums playing.

Take a moment here before I reveal the answer.

That's right, it's B, the aum sound.

The one we listened to earlier.

Let's carry on.

Brahma represents the quality of Brahman that is creative.

Immediately, Brahma got to work.

He split the lotus flower into three parts.

He stretched out one part of the lotus into the heavens, another part of the lotus into the Earth, and he used the final part to create the skies.

He made the sunshine bright in the day and the moon glow in the peaceful night sky.

He made the mountains, rivers, trees, birds, and other animals.

He also made people.

But things do not stay the same forever.

Seasons change.

Plants and animals grow and die.

Let's check our understanding whether true or false.

Brahma used parts of the lotus flower to create the heavens, the Earth and the skies.

True or false? That's right, it's true.

Let's carry on with the rest of the story.

There is another very important deity called Shiva.

Shiva is known as the transformer.

He represents the quality of Brahman that helps things end so new things can begin.

Hindus believe that this world is very ancient, but there have been worlds before and there will be worlds to come.

Shiva will be there to transform the world into a new world at some point.

Dhanu says, "I love this creation story.

When I hear it, I understand that the universe is part of the divine.

The world is not separate from God.

It is all one.

It also makes me realise that ultimate questions like 'Where did the world come from?' can have different answers for different Hindus." Task B.

Here are the three deities described in this Hindu creation story.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Can you describe the role they play in the story and which quality of Brahman they represent? Pause the video here and when you are ready for some feedback, press play.

Task B, feedback time.

Brahma represents the creative quality of Brahman.

He split the lotus into three parts.

Vishnu represents caring quality of Brahman.

From the energy of aum, a lotus flower grew from his belly button.

Shiva represents the transforming quality of Brahman.

He makes old things end so new things can begin.

Well done for your focus today during all of these activities.

Philosophers ask big questions about why the world is like it is, and Hindu scriptures are full of philosophical thinking about the universe.

There are a number of different creation stories in Hindu Dharma.

The universe was created by Brahma, the creator who made the universe out of himself.

All other deities flow from Brahma.

Aum is the first sound of creation and connect humans with the divine.

Well done again for today's learning and I hope to see you again soon.

Bye for now.