Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world existing primarily in India and Nepal. The term Hindu originated as a geographical term for the inhabitants of the Indus Valley, located in Northwest region of India, around 2000 B.C.E. The Indo-Aryan civilization began when the Aryans migrated to the Indus Valley in 1500 B.C.E. This civilization is responsible for the original Hindu teachings. In the 14th century, Hindu became a reference used for a person who was not a follower of the Islamic faith (Flood, 1996). In the 18th and 19th centuries the British Raj attempted to define Hinduism as a particular sect, due to the complexity of the religion (King, 1999). This sect only focused on one branch of Hinduism, which the Advaita’s practiced. Advaita refers to “not two” meaning they believed that everything that comprises the universe is one expression of reality. Hence, there is no difference between a human being and god. Overtime, Hinduism developed into a religion characterized as a way of life or a path to seek enlightenment. Today, many Hindu’s practice polytheism, where they believe that all reality is one, known as Brahman, but also accept and worship many different gods and goddesses.
A significant establishment in Hinduism’s concept of the divine comes from the Vedas and the Upanishads, which are known as the sacred Hindu texts. These texts are written in Sanskrit, which is known as the primary Hindu language. There are four Vedas: Rig-Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda,
“Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma ("eternal spiritual path") began about 4000 years ago in India. It was the religion of an ancient people known as the Aryans ("noble people") whose philosophy, religion, and customs are recorded in their sacred texts known as the Vedas” (United Religions). Vedas are written in the ancient language of India, called Sanskrit. Vedas means “knowledge” or “sacred lore.” The Vedas gives great intelligence about the variety of Gods from the Vedic period, 2000 to 500 BCE (Molloy,78).
Hinduism is a religion practiced all over the world and has gained a large following. Hinduism got its start in the Indus Valley civilization and since then has evolved into a open and tolerant religion upon which every and anybody from all walks of life are welcome. In Hinduism there is a divine reality which can best be described as all reality is ultimately one for monistic Hindus or that there is no distinction between the divine reality and the rest of reality for dualistic Hindus. Either way it is put Hindus try to understand divine reality through their different gods, images, nature, and avatars.
The second trace of Hinduism is the Aryan or Indo-Europeans, who, was said, to enter the Indic subcontinent from the North-West in migratory waves. The Indo-European is associated with the Vedic period of Indian history, which were named after a series of book or text collectively known as the Vedas; written in Sanskrit, the ancient language used back then. The performance of ritual and the
In Chapter ten the history of Hinduism is discussed in America and India. Instead of illustrating the religious doctrines of Hinduism. The author lists statistics about the livelihoods of Asian Indians. For example, there are eighteen different official languages in India. As the author emphasizes that doctrines have nothing to do with Hinduism, but the actions that individuals commit. The orthodoxy is a set of responsibilities that Hindus must carry out. If they wish to be reincarnated into a higher caste. In addition, the origin of Hinduism is mentioned within the chapter. That Hinduism is the only major religion that does not have a founder and has no beginning as there is not a specific known date of when it originated. Moreover, Hinduism is the oldest major religion and is the only polytheistic faith among the five popular creeds.
Hinduism also has many texts but the most important of all is the Vedas. The oldest is the Rig-Veda, which was developed in an ancient form of the Sanskrit language in northeast India. It consists of 1028 hymns to many gods. Two other Vedas were added to the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda which is a book for sacrifice, and the Sama-Veda which I the hymnal. A fourth book added around 900 BC, which is a collection of magic spells, is called the Atharva-Veda. The Brahmans, long Sanskrit texts, were also composed around this time and the Upanishads were composed around 600 BC. These Vedas and writings are considered revealed canon or
(Bass, 2004) What little establishments of Hinduism can be found in the teachings of unknown antiquated sages or rishis were initially transmitted orally. We know almost nothing about Hinduism past what can be found out from the Vedas. (Bass, 2004) The Vedas are Hinduism sacred texts found in the Smriti works and were the earliest of sacred texts going back to the season of the Aryans. The Vedas are separated into 4 unmistakable accumulations: The Rig-Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama-Veda, and Atharva-Veda and contain more than 1000 psalms, the expressions of custom penance, and legendary stories about the divine beings. The Vedas likewise discuss with the strategies for blood and non-blood penance, points of interest of household custom, and a clarification of more profound importance behind penance. The Vedas tell stories and psalms that investigate comparative subjects with different religions like keeping up equalization and request in the universe. (The Rise of Hinduism,
About 7,000 years ago in India, the Hinduism religion was created. This religion does not have a known founder. Out of all the existing religions, Hinduism is the oldest religion that was established. Today, most people who follow this religion live in India, Nepal, and Sri Lanka, but Hindus are still found in other parts of the world. “Hindus believe in one God named as “Brahman” but view other Gods and Goddesses as manifestations of Him” (“Hinduism Facts”).
The Hindu sacred texts were grouped into Vedic texts and post Vedic texts. Examples of the Vedic texts are the Rig Veda which was the earliest text of the Hinduism which compromised of 1,028 hymns that was devoted to various gods and goddesses (Hinduism 1, p2). Another text that we come across in Hinduism is the Dharma which stated how a person should live their life from one stage to another, also the Upanishads which talked about reincarnation and the afterlife. All these texts were part of the Vedic canon. As we go further we also see the laws of Manu, the Epics and Puranas which are used more these days in the Hindu religion; these are the post Vedic
Did you know that Hinduism is the #3rd most popular religions around the world? The religion Hinduism was created in what is now Northern India. The Hinduism way of spreading the culture was by trading. The religion Hinduism has so many beliefs. Some basic beliefs that the hindus believe in one honest god who as they call Brahman described as limitless, everlasting, and complete. They also believed all life is cherished, to always be loved and admired. The county is being practiced today at many place like India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, United States, Myanmar, United Kingdom, South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji and Canada. Hinduism has changed over the past 7-8 thousand years in circumstances of what the hindus call Purva
Hinduism is the oldest religions. The most interesting thing about Hinduism is that they have no specific founder or date of origin. Based on their beliefs Hindu’s are divided in to two casts. In the current world, there is still a big conflict about whether Hinduism is a monotheistic religion or a polytheistic religion. Because according to Hindus believe it’s one God with many different faces. This concept regarding Gods is accepted by some scholars, but not all of them. Hinduism has four sacred text Vedas, Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Epics. The two most common sacred texts are the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita. The authors of all sacred texts are still unknown.
Hinduism is estimated to have its roots beginning as early as 2500 BCE; it is the third largest religion in the world (900 million followers.) It is a complex system of beliefs that is closely intertwined with the similarly complex culture and society of India. It started in its infancy in the Indus Valley near what is now known as Pakistan where an Aryan invasion brought the influence of the Sanskrit language to the developing religion. Its teachings were prehistorically transmitted orally, and it now encompasses multiple languages and races. The ancient texts of Hinduism – the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Epics, and the Puranas – gave the religion a written set of scriptures and creeds starting in 1500 BCE. The Maurya and Gupta empires facilitated
Hinduism is the name given to a family of religions and cultures that began and still flourish in India. The word “Hindu,” comes from the name of the river Indus, which flows from Tibet through Kashmir and Pakistan to the sea. It originally referred to the people living in that particular region of the world, regardless of their faith. Hinduism has no original founder and is one of the world’s largest religions following Christianity and Islam, with approximately a billion adherents. Hinduism is henotheistic, which is the devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of other gods. Their god is present in everything, and they believe that their soul repeatedly goes through a cycle of being born into a body, dying, and then becoming reborn into another body, whether it is human, animal or spirit. Hindu’s also strongly believe in karma, which is a force that determines the quality of each life, depending on how well one behaved in a past life. Hindu’s do not separate religion from other aspects of their life. Hinduism in India dictates Hindu’s lives in that it involves a caste system which controls their position in society, assists them in earning a living, helps manage how they raise their a family and controls their diets. Hindu’s believe that freedom or liberation is the true goal in life. True freedom is the freedom from all external conditioning influences, whether of body or mind. This is the freedom of Self-realization,
Hinduism’s diverse, unspecified worldview allows for flexibility for its adherents within the religion itself; a Hindu can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic, or humanist. A large reason for
When thinking of Hinduism, one is immediately reminded of karma, reincarnation, and India. It is the third largest religion in the world. In reality, there is no single definition of what Hinduism actually is. Being a religion that is built on an undefined background, the only solidarity that holds the ‘idea’ of Hinduism together is the basic ideals that the many sects are based on, which creates an animistic basic religion, or a collection of overlapping religions that we call Hinduism today.
Hinduism originated in India over four thousand years ago. The India-based religion lacks an individual founder. In the beginning, the term “Sanatana Dharma” erupted; but Sanatana Dharma soon transformed to “Hindu” after Islamic invasions occurred: “the Muslim invaders pronounced H for I” (Patheos), thus, the inhabitants along the Indus River were called “Hindus” as a result. The primary goal Hindus hope to achieve is to become reincarnated – thus reaching closer and closer to the state of nirvana every Hindu is called to with each transformation after death.