The Upanishads

The Upanishads are part of the Vedic texts, called the Vedas. The Upanishads contain a lot of important teaching for Hindus.

Topics in The Upanishads

Some of the Vedic texts focus on worship, but the main topic for the Upanishads is Philosophy, especially ontology.
- Ontology is a branch of philosophy that looks at the nature of reality.
The Upanishads consider such topics as the nature of God and the nature of existence.
- They also speak about the importance of meditation.
The key ideas found in the Upanishads are at the centre of Hindu belief.

Atman and Brahman

The Upanishads also teach that Hindus each have an ‘atman’.
- Atman means soul. It refers to the self or the individual.
- An Atman is who a person really is. No matter what changes occur in their appearance as they grow older.
- Our atman also lives on after a person dies, and their body decays. It can then be incorporated into another body.
This soul is part of the spirit of Brahman, the ultimate reality or the one God.
- In Hindu belief, the soul longs to be reunited with Brahman.

Reincarnation

Another important idea in the Upanishads is reincarnation.
- Reincarnation means ‘to take on a new body’, and is the belief that when we die, we are born again in a new form.
All livings things have their atman.
- This soul is given a new body after death as part of a long cycle of death and rebirth.
- This cycle of rebirth is called samsara.

Karma

In Hinduism, it is possible to be reincarnated into any living thing. Not just another human body, but perhaps as an animal or plant.
This reincarnation depends on a person’s karma. Karma is a measure of the quality of their behaviour in their previous life.
- Have they have been selfish or selfless?
- Have they fulfilled their responsibilities and duties in life (their ‘dharma’).

Moksha

Hindus want to be freed from this cycle of rebirth.
- This liberation is called moksha. It is not easy to achieve.
Hindus believe they will be reborn many times.
- They hope that along the way they will gradually gain more wisdom, live kinder lives, and free themselves from the desire for material things.

Moksha (cont.)

One important way to gain these qualities is through meditation.
- This helps a person grow in wisdom, and realise material things have no lasting value.
- Another is by developing a character that is naturally selfless.
Once this point has been reached, moksha is achieved; the soul is perfect and is no longer given a new physical form.
- The soul is reunited with the Ultimate Reality, or Brahman.

1Year 7

1.1Origins of Abrahamic Faith

1.2Judaism

1.3Christianity

1.3.1The Nativity

1.3.2Christian Beliefs about the Baby Jesus

1.3.3Jesus' Ministry

1.3.4The Sermon on the Mount

1.3.5The Crucifixion

1.3.6The Last Supper

1.3.7The Resurrection

1.3.8Christian Beliefs about the Resurrection

1.3.9The Council of Nicaea

1.3.10The Nicene Creed

1.3.11Saint Augustine

1.3.12Protestantism

1.3.13The Reformation

1.3.14Christianity Today

1.3.15Evangelical Churches

1.3.16The Future of Christianity

1.4Buddhism

1.4.1Religion in India

1.4.2The Caste System

1.4.3Meditation

1.4.4Caste & Religion

1.4.5Puja

1.4.6Karma & the Cycle of Rebirth

1.4.7The Four Noble Truths

1.4.8The Three Marks of Existence

1.4.9The Buddha’s Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment

1.4.10How do Buddhists Live?

1.4.11The Four Sights

1.4.12The Buddha

1.4.13The Middle Way & Enlightenment

2Year 8

2.1Islam

2.1.1Pre-Islamic Arabia

2.1.2The Prophet Muhammad & The Qur'an

2.1.3The Hijrah & The Conquest of Mecca

2.1.4The Prophet Muhammad: The Final Sermon

2.1.5The Sunni/Shia Split

2.1.6Islamic Caliphates

2.1.7The Five Pillars of Islam

2.1.8Origins of Hajj

2.1.9Hajj Rituals

2.1.10Jihad

2.1.11Islam Today

2.2Hinduism

2.2.1The Prehistoric Roots of Hinduism

2.2.2Key Ideas in Hinduism

2.2.3The Caste System

2.2.4The Vedic Period

2.2.5The Upanishads

2.2.6Alexander the Great & The Mauryan Empire

2.2.7Revelation & The Sharing of Knowledge

2.2.8Understanding the Self

2.2.9Karma, Yoga & the Self

2.2.10The Divine Presence

2.2.11Hindu Statues and Icons

2.2.12British Colonialism & Gandhi

2.3Atheism

2.3.1Where Did Atheism Come From?

2.3.2The Impact of Scientific Developments

2.3.3Plato's Cave

2.3.4Challenging the Bible

2.3.5The Enlightenment

2.3.6Evolution

2.3.7Evolution & Religion

2.3.8Morality & God

2.3.9Morality Without God

2.3.10Frederick Nietzsche - How to Live Without Religion

2.3.11Militant Atheism

2.3.12Humanism

2.3.13The Future of Atheism

2.4Philosophy of Religion

2.4.1Who is God?

2.4.2Theists, Atheists & Agnostics

2.4.3Faith & Empiricism

2.4.4The Design Argument

2.4.5Is The Design Argument Convincing?

2.4.6The Cosmological Argument

2.4.7Criticisms of The Cosmological Argument

2.4.8The Problem of Evil

2.4.9Free Will Theodicy

2.4.10Soul-Making Theodicy

2.4.11Religious Experience

2.4.12Types of Religious Experience

2.4.13Criticisms of Religious Experience

3Year 9

3.1Life & Death

3.1.1What is the Right Thing To Do?

3.1.2Thomas Aquinas - Natural Law

3.1.3Building a Moral Code

3.1.4Criticisms of Natural Law

3.1.5Joseph Fletcher - Situation Ethics

3.1.6Understanding Situation Ethics

3.1.7Criticisms of Situation Ethics

3.1.8Sanctity of Life

3.1.9Quality of Life

3.1.10Abortion

3.1.11Moral Questions About Abortion

3.1.12Euthanasia

3.1.13Moral Questions About Euthanasia

3.1.14Capital Punishment

3.1.15Arguments Against Captial Punishment

3.1.16Animal Rights

3.1.17Alternative Views on Animal Rights

3.2Extremism

3.2.1What Does Extremism Mean?

3.2.2Extremism Explained

3.2.3Why do People Become Extremists?

3.2.4What are Conspiracy Theories?

3.2.5Why do People Believe Conspiracy Theories?

3.2.6What is Anti-Semitism?

3.2.7Anti-Semitic Stereotyping

3.2.8The Holocaust

3.2.9After the Holocaust

3.2.10Religious Fundamentalism

3.2.11The Problem of Fundamentalism

3.2.12Nationalism

3.2.13Nationalism & Extremism

3.2.14What is a Terrorist?

3.2.15Political & Religious Terrorism

3.2.16Free Speech

3.2.17Hate Speech

3.2.18How do we Fight Extremism?

3.3Equality

3.3.1Introduction to Equality

3.3.2Is the UK an Equal Society?

3.3.3Religion and Equality

3.3.4Interpreting the Scripture

3.3.5Racism and Scripture

3.3.6Scripture Against Racism

3.3.7The Fight for Racial Equality

3.3.8Gender Equality and Scripture

3.3.9Gender Equality; Women in Worship

3.3.10LGBTQ+ Matters

3.3.11The Fight for LGBTQ+ Equality

3.3.12Disability Matters

3.3.13The Fight for Disability Equality

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