Discovering Sacred Texts www.bl.uk/sacred-texts

Teachers’ Notes

Curriculum subject: Religious Education

Key Stages: 4 & 5

Theme: Hinduism

Discovering Sacred Texts contains numerous articles, collection items and film clips that explore different aspects of Hinduism. However, not all aspects of the curriculum for Hinduism at Key Stages 4 and 5 are covered by Discovering Sacred Texts. Instead, the site focuses on those aspects of the curriculum best supported by items from British Library’s collections.

Key Stage 4 – Beliefs and Teachings

Manifestations of the divine (trimurti, deities, avatars)

• Article: The Hindu sacred image and its iconography by Julius Lipner • Collection item: Album of Vaisnava paintings • Collection item: Album of images of Hindu Deities

Key Stage 4 – Sources of Wisdom and Authority

Shruti (revealed scripture) and Smriti (remembered scriptures)

• Article: Sacred Texts in Hinduism by Julius Lipner • Article: Spreading Hindu texts: tellings and translations by Jacqueline Hirst

Key texts: Vedas; Upanishads; Ramayana; Mahabharata; Bhagavad-gita; Puranas

• Article: Sacred Texts in Hinduism by Julius Lipner • Article: Spreading Hindu texts: tellings and translations by Jacqueline Hirst • Film: Hinduism • Collection item: Mewar Ramayana • Collection item: Bhagavad Gita

Discovering Sacred Texts | www.bl.uk/sacred-texts The Sanskrit language

• Article: Sacred Texts in Hinduism by Julius Lipner

Key Stage 4 – Practices

The four paths towards yoga

• Article: Bhakti by Rishi Handa • Collection item: Bhagavad Gita

Forms of worship and meditation

• Article: Hindu Deities by Julius Lipner • Film: Hinduism

Places of worship

• Article: Hindu Deities by Julius Lipner

Deities as focusses of worship and representations of the divine

• Article: Hindu Deities by Julius Lipner • Article: The Hindu sacred image and its iconography by Julius Lipner

Pilgrimage

• Article: Hindu Deities by Julius Lipner

Discovering Sacred Texts | www.bl.uk/sacred-texts