Hinduism

What Is Hinduism

Hinduism is an ancient religion with no founder or known date of origin. The term “Hinduism” simply derives from the word “India” and refers to a wide variety of religious traditions and philosophies that have developed in India over thousands of years. Most Hindus worship one or more deities, believe in reincarnation, value the practice of meditation, and observe festive holidays like Diwali and Holi.

Facts on Hinduism

Meaning of name
Hinduism, from the Persian hindu (Sanskrit sindhu), literally “river.” Means “of the Indus Valley” or simply “Indian.” Hindus call their religion sanatama dharma,“eternal religion” or “eternal truth.”

Date founded: Earliest forms date to 1500 BC or earlier
Place founded: India
Founder: none
Adherents: 900 million
Size rank: third largest in the world
Main location: India, also United Kingdom and United States
Major sects: Saivism, Vaisnavism, Saktism
Sacred texts: Vedas, Upanishads, Sutras, Bhagavad Gita
Original language: Sanskrit
Spiritual leader: Guru or Sage
Place of worship: temple or home shrine
Theism: Pantheism with polytheistic elements (see Is Hinduism Polytheistic?)
Ultimate reality: Brahman
Human nature: in bondage to ignorance and illusion, but able to escape
Purpose of life: to attain liberation (moksa) from the cycle of reincarnation
How to live: Order your life according to the dharma
Afterlife: if karma unresolved, soul is born into a new body; if karma resolved, attain moksa (liberation)

Major holidays:
Mahashivarati (mid-February)
Holi (Spring)
Ramnavami (late March)
Dusserah (early November)
Diwali (mid-November)

http://www.religionfacts.com/hinduism/overview.htm

Overview of Hinduism

About 80 percent of India’s population regard themselves as Hindus and 30 million more Hindus live outside of India. There are a total of 900 million Hindus worldwide, making Hinduism the third largest religion (after Christianity and Islam).

The term “Hinduism” includes numerous traditions, which are closely related and share common themes but do not constitute a unified set of beliefs or practices.

Hinduism is thought to have gotten its name from the Persian word hindu, meaning “river,” used by outsiders to describe the people of the Indus River Valley. Hindus themselves refer to their religion as sanatama dharma, “eternal religion,” and varnasramadharma, a word emphasizing the fulfillment of duties (dharma) appropriate to one’s class (varna) and stage of life (asrama).

Hinduism has no founder or date of origin. The authors and dates of most Hindu sacred texts are unknown. Scholars describe modern Hinduism as the product of religious development in India that spans nearly four thousand years, making it the oldest surviving world religion. Indeed, as seen above, Hindus regard their religion as eternal (sanatama).

Hinduism is not a homogeneous, organized system. Many Hindus are devoted followers of Shiva or Vishnu, whom they regard as the only true God, while others look inward to the divine Self (atman). But most recognize the existence of Brahman, the unifying principle and Supreme Reality behind all that is.

Most Hindus respect the authority of the Vedas (a collection of ancient sacred texts) and the Brahmans (the priestly class), but some reject one of both of these authorities. Hindu religious life might take the form of devotion to God or gods, the duties of family life, or concentrated meditation. Given all this diversity, it is important to take care when generalizing about “Hinduism” or “Hindu beliefs.”

The first sacred writings of Hinduism, which date to about 1200 BC, were primarily concerned with the ritual sacrifices associated with numerous gods who represented forces of nature. A more philosophical focus began to develop around 700 BC, with the Upanishads and development of the Vedanta philosophy. Around 500 BC, several new belief systems sprouted from Hinduism, most significantly Buddhism and Jainism.

In the 20th century, Hinduism began to gain popularity in the West. Its different worldview and its tolerance for diversity in belief made it an attractive alternative to traditional Western religion. Although there are relatively few western converts to Hinduism, Hindu thought has influenced the West indirectly by way of religious movements like Hare Krishna and New Age, and even more so through the incorporation of Indian beliefs and practices (such as the chakra system and yoga) in books and seminars on health and spirituality.

Sources

1. “Hinduism.” Oxford Concise Dictionary of World Religions.
2. “Hinduism.” Encyclopedia Britannica. Encyclopedia Britannica Premium Service. 2004.
3. Huston Smith, The World’s Religions.
4. Linda Johnsen, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism, pp. 222-24

Basic Beliefs of Hinduism

“When you hear about the Self, meditate upon the Self, and finally realize the Self,

you come to understand everything in life.”

-Brihadaranyaka Upanisad 4.5

Hinduism is a diverse religion found primarily in India. There is variation in local practices and the worship of particular deities. However, there are central tenants that unify it as one religion. The core of Hinduism is the belief in Brahman, the underlying universal life force that encompasses and embodies existence. According to Hindu scriptures, one’s ignorance of the true nature of the self (atman) as one with Brahman is what traps one in the cycle of endless death and reincarnation (samsara). Thus, the highest goal of Hinduism is liberation (moksha) from the karmic cycle of death and rebirth.

Hindus are very conscious of the paradoxes that make up the universe. Siva is simultaneously the creator, maintainer, and destroyer of life. All phenomena is a constant interplay between hot and cold, male and female, light and dark. Vedic medicine teaches that keeping these opposing forces in balance is central to the maintenance of bodily, social, and cosmic well-being.

However, Hinduism is much more than an esoteric practice. For the millions of people who practice this religion, it is a way of life that encompasses family, society, politics, business, art, and health behaviors. The sacred scriptures contain instructions on all these aspects of life and have a strong influence on art and drama. While the practices of yoga are a well-known aspect of Hinduism, family life is also considered a sacred duty.

Most households have a shrine to a particular deity. Women conduct a household puja, the offering of fruit, raw rice, flowers, incense, and other items to the deity, on a regular basis. Visitors may be invited to join the puja on occasion, making it a communal event. After the food has been offered it is considered to have been spiritually consumed and blessed by the deity’s power. It is then redistributed and consumed by the participants as a way of receiving the deity’s blessings.

The belief that one’s karma determines one’s birth in the next life has supported the structure of the caste system in India, made up of four varnas that determine one’s occupation: Brahmins (priests), Kshatriyas (nobles and warriors), Vaishyas (commoners) and Sudras (servants). Though the former colonial government officially abolished the caste system and implemented affirmative action policies to rectify imbalances in wealth and education, there are still socioeconomic advantages to belonging to a higher caste. The hierarchy of caste is a contested subject. While the concept of caste is supported in certain scriptures, there is evidence in the Upanisads that Brahmanhood is attained by depth of learning rather than birth. The tradition of bhakti (devotion) is sometimes an expression of criticism against caste and other practices such as image worship. Bhakti is associated with devotional poems composed across all social classes and emphasizes loving God over any practice or doctrine.

Though this page has been carefully researched, the author does not claim expertise on Hinduism.

Please send questions, comments, and corrections to emuseum@mnsu.edu and include the URL of this page.

If you are Hindu, your feedback is much appreciated.

http://www.mnsu.edu/emuseum/cultural/religion/hinduism/beliefs.html

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