Everything about Hinduism totally explained
Hinduism is a
religious tradition that originated in the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism is often referred to as by its practitioners, a
Sanskrit phrase meaning "the eternal path" or "the eternal
law".
Hinduism is one of the world's oldest major religions that's still practiced. Its earliest origins can be traced to the ancient
Vedic civilization. A conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, Hinduism has no single founder. It is the
world's third largest religion following
Christianity and
Islam, with approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in
India and
Nepal. Other
countries with large Hindu populations include
Bangladesh,
Sri Lanka,
Pakistan,
Indonesia,
Malaysia,
Singapore,
Mauritius,
Fiji,
Suriname,
Guyana,
Trinidad and Tobago,
United Kingdom and
Canada.
Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as
Śruti (revealed) and
Smriti (remembered) and developed over millennia, these scriptures expound on
theology,
philosophy and
mythology, and provide spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of
dharma (religious living). In the orthodox view, among such texts, the
Vedas and the
Upanishads are the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the
Tantras, the sectarian
Agamas, the
[[Puranas|]] and the
epics [[Mahabharata|]] and
[[Ramayana|]]. The
[[BhagavadGita|]], a treatise excerpted from the, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the
Vedas.
Etymology
The
Persian term
Hindū is derived from
Sindhu,
Sanskrit for the
Indus River. The
Rig Veda mentions the land of the
Indo-Aryans as
Sapta Sindhu (the land of the seven rivers in northwestern
South Asia, one of them being the Indus). This corresponds to
Hapta Həndu in the
Avesta (
Vendidad or Videvdad: Fargard 1.18)—the sacred scripture of
Zoroastrianism. The term was used for those who lived in the
Indian subcontinent on or beyond the "Sindhu". Some argue that the term itself is an attempt to give one term to "that many-sided and all-enfolding culture which we in the West have chosen to call Hinduism" However, the term "Hindu" has been used in subcontinental sources since at least 1323 CE, as attested by South Indian and Kashmiri tetxs, and increasingly so during
British rule. Since the end of the 18th century the word has been used as an umbrella term for most of the religious, spiritual, and philosophical traditions of the sub-continent, excluding the distinct religions of
Sikhism,
Buddhism, and
Jainism.
Beliefs
Hinduism is an extremely diverse religion. Although some tenets of the faith are accepted by most Hindus, scholars have found it difficult to identify any doctrines with universal acceptance among all denominations. Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include
Dharma (ethics/duties),
[[Samsara|]] (The continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth),
Karma (action and subsequent reaction),
Moksha (liberation from
samsara), and the various
Yogas (paths or practices).
Concept of God
Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning
monotheism,
polytheism,
panentheism,
pantheism,
monism and
atheism. It is sometimes referred to as
henotheistic (devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of others), but any such term is an oversimplification of the complexities and variations of belief.
Most Hindus believe that the spirit or soul—the true "self" of every person, called the
ātman—is eternal. According to the monistic/pantheistic theologies of Hinduism (such as
Advaita Vedanta school), this Atman is ultimately indistinct from
Brahman, the supreme spirit. Brahman is described as "The One Without a Second;" hence these schools are called "non-dualist." The goal of life according to the Advaita school is to realize that one's ātman is identical to Brahman, the supreme soul. The
Upanishads state that whoever becomes fully aware of the ātman as the innermost core of one's own self, realizes their identity with Brahman and thereby reaches Moksha (liberation or freedom).
Other
dualistic schools (see
Dvaita and
Bhakti) understand Brahman as a Supreme Being who possesses personality and worship Him or Her thus, as
Vishnu,
Brahma,
Shiva or
Shakti depending on the sect. The ātman is dependent on God while Moksha depends on love towards God and on God's grace. When God is viewed as the supreme personal being (rather than as the infinite principle) God is called
Ishvara ("The Lord"),
Bhagavan ("The Auspicious One" There are also schools like the
Samkhya which have
atheistic leanings.
Devas and avatars
The Hindu scriptures refer to celestial entities, called
Devas (or
[[Devi|]] in feminine form; used synonymously for Deva in Hindi), "the shining ones", which may be translated into English as "gods" or "heavenly beings". The
devas are an integral part of Hindu culture and are depicted in
art,
architecture and through
icons, and mythological stories about them are related in the scriptures, particularly in the
Indian epic poetry and
Puranas. They are however often distinguished from
Ishvara, a supreme personal god, with many Hindus worshiping Ishvara in a particular form as their, or chosen ideal; the choice being based upon their individual preference, and regional and family traditions. and can be described as the "moral law of cause and effect". According to the
Upanishads, an individual, known as the
jiva-atma, develops
samskaras (impressions) from actions, whether physical or mental. The "linga sharira", a body more subtle than the physical one, but less subtle than the soul, retains impressions, carrying them over into the next life, establishing a unique trajectory for the individual. Thus, the concept of a universal, neutral and never-failing karma intrinsically relates to
reincarnation as well as one's personality, characteristics and family. Karma threads together the notions of
free will and
destiny.
This cycle of
action, reaction, birth, death, and rebirth is a continuum called
samsara. The notion of reincarnation and karma is a strong premise in Hindu thought. The
Bhagavad Gita states that:
moksha (liberation) is believed to ensure lasting happiness and peace. It is thought that after several reincarnations, an
atman eventually seeks unity with the cosmic spirit (Brahman/Paramatman).
The ultimate goal of life, referred to as
moksha,
nirvana or
samadhi, is understood in several different ways: as the realization of one's union with God; as realization of one's eternal relationship with God; realization of the unity of all existence; perfect unselfishness and knowledge of the Self; attainment of perfect mental peace; or as detachment from worldly desires. Such a realization liberates one from
samsara and ends the cycle of rebirth. The exact conceptualization of moksha differs among the various Hindu schools of thought. For example,
Advaita Vedanta holds that after attaining moksha an atman no longer identifies itself with an individual but as identical with Brahman in all respects. The followers of
Dvaita (
dualistic) schools identify themselves as part of Brahman and after attaining moksha expect to spend eternity in a
loka (heaven), in the company of their chosen form of
Ishvara. Thus, it's said, the followers of
dvaita wish to "taste sugar," while the followers of Advaita wish to "become sugar."
The goals of life
Classical Hindu thought accepts two main life-long
dharmas:
Grihastha Dharma and
Sannyasin Dharma.
The Grihastha Dharma recognize four goals known as the
puruṣhārthas. They are:
- [[Kama(Purusharthas)|]]: Sensual pleasure and enjoyment
- Artha: Material prosperity and success
- Dharma: Correct action, in accordance with one's particular duty and scriptural laws
- Moksha: Liberation from the cycle of samsara
Among these, dharma and moksha play a special role:
An individual may prefer one or some yogas over others according to his or her inclination and understanding. For instance some devotional schools teach that
bhakti is the only practical path to achieve spiritual perfection for most people, based on their belief that the world is currently in the age of
Kali yuga (one of four epochs part of the
Yuga cycle). Practice of one yoga doesn't exclude others. Many schools believe that the different yogas naturally blend into and aid other yogas. For example, the practice of
jnana yoga, is thought to inevitably lead to pure love (the goal of
bhakti yoga), and vice versa. Someone practicing deep meditation (such as in
raja yoga) must embody the core principles of
karma yoga,
jnana yoga and
bhakti yoga, whether directly or indirectly.
History
The earliest evidence for elements of Hinduism date back to the late
Neolithic to the
early Harappan period (5500–2600
BCE). The beliefs and practices of the pre-classical era (1500–500
BCE) are called the "
historical Vedic religion". Modern Hinduism grew out of the
Vedas, the oldest of which is the
Rigveda, dated to 1700–1100
BCE. The Vedas center on worship of deities such as
Indra,
Varuna and
Agni, and on the
Soma ritual. They performed fire-sacrifices, called
[[yagna|]] and chanted Vedic mantras but didn't build
temples or
icons. The oldest Vedic traditions exhibit strong similarities to
Zoroastrianism and with other
Indo-European religions. During the Epic and
Puranic periods, the earliest versions of the epic poems
Ramayana and
Mahabharata were written roughly from 500–100
BCE, although these were orally transmitted for centuries prior to this period. The epics contain mythological stories about the rulers and wars of ancient India, and are interspersed with religious and philosophical treatises. The later Puranas recount tales about
devas and devis, their interactions with humans and their battles against
demons.
Three major movements underpinned the naisance of a new epoch of Hindu thought: the advents and spread of
Upanishadic,
Jaina, and
Buddhist philosophico-religious thought throughout the broader Indian landmass. The Upanishads,
Mahavira (24th Tirthankar of Jains) and
Buddha (founder of
Buddhism) taught that to achieve
moksha or
nirvana, one didn't have to accept the authority of the Vedas or the caste system. Buddha went a step further and claimed that the existence of a Self/soul or God was unnecessary. Buddhism adapted elements of Hinduism into their beliefs. Buddhism (or at least Buddhistic Hinduism) peaked during the reign of
Asoka the Great of the
Mauryan Empire, who unified the Indian subcontinent in the 3rd century
BCE. After 200
CE, several schools of thought were formally codified in
Indian philosophy, including
Samkhya,
Yoga,
Nyaya,
Vaisheshika,
Purva-Mimamsa and
Vedanta.
Charvaka, the founder of an atheistic materialist school, came to the fore in
North India in the sixth century BCE. Between 400
BCE and 1000
CE, Hinduism expanded at the expense of Buddhism.
Though Islam came to India in the early 7th century with the advent of Arab traders and the conquest of Sindh, it started to become a major religion during the later
Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent.
Indology as an academic discipline of studying Indian culture from a European perspective was established in the 19th century, led by scholars such as
Max Müller and
John Woodroffe. They brought
Vedic,
Puranic and
Tantric literature and philosophy to Europe and the
United States. At the same time, societies such as the
Brahmo Samaj and the
Theosophical Society attempted to reconcile and fuse Abrahamic and Dharmic philosophies, endeavouring to institute societal reform. This period saw the emergence of movements which, while highly innovative, were rooted in indigenous tradition. They were based on the personalities and teachings of individuals, as with
Shri Ramakrishna and
Ramana Maharshi. Prominent Hindu philosophers, including
Sri Aurobindo and
Swami Prabhupada (founder of
ISKCON), translated, reformulated and presented Hinduism's foundational texts for contemporary audiences in new iterations, attracting followers and attention in India and abroad. Others such as
Swami Vivekananda,
Paramahansa Yogananda,
B.K.S. Iyengar and
Swami Rama have also been instrumental in raising the profiles of
Yoga and
Vedanta in the West.
Scriptures and theology
Hinduism is based on "the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times."
The scriptures were transmitted orally in verse form to aid memorization, for many centuries before they were written down. Over many centuries, sages refined the teachings and expanded the canon. In post-Vedic and current Hindu belief, most Hindu scriptures are not typically interpreted literally. More importance is attached to the ethics and metaphorical meanings derived from them. some devotees don't associate the creation of the Vedas with a god or person. They are thought of as the laws of the spiritual world, which would still exist even if they were not revealed to the sages. Hindus believe that because the spiritual truths of the Vedas are eternal, they continue to be expressed in new ways.
There are four
Vedas (called
, Sāma- Yajus- and
Atharva-). The
Rigveda is the first and most important Veda. Each Veda is divided into four parts: the primary one, the
Veda proper, being the
[[Samhitapatha|]], which contains sacred
mantras. The other three parts form a three-tier ensemble of commentaries, usually in prose and are believed to be slightly later in age than the . These are: the
[[Brahmana|]],
[[Aranyaka|]], and the
Upanishads. The first two parts were subsequently called the (ritualistic portion), while the last two form the (knowledge portion). While the
Vedas focus on rituals, the
Upanishads focus on spiritual insight and philosophical teachings, and discuss
Brahman and
reincarnation.
Hindu texts other than the
Shrutis are collectively called the
Smritis (memory). The most notable of the smritis are the
epics, which consist of the
[[Mahabharata|]] and the
[[Ramayana|]]. The
Bhagavad Gītā is an integral part of the
Mahabharata and one of the most popular sacred texts of Hinduism. It contains philosophical teachings from
Krishna, an incarnation of
Vishnu, told to the prince
Arjuna on the eve of a great war. The
Bhagavad Gītā is described as the essence of the
Vedas. The Smritis also include the
Purāṇas, which illustrate Hindu ideas through vivid narratives. There are texts with a sectarian nature such as
[[DeviMahatmya|]], the
Tantras, the
Yoga Sutras,
Tirumantiram,
Shiva Sutras and the
Hindu Āgamas. A more controversial text, the
Manusmriti, is a prescriptive lawbook which epitomizes the societal codes of
the caste system.
Practices
Padma Purana states that the isn't to be thought of as mere stone or wood but as a manifest form of the Divinity. A few Hindu sects, such as the [[AryaSamaj|]], don't believe in worshiping God through icons.
Hinduism has a developed system of symbolism and iconography to represent the sacred in art, architecture, literature and worship. These symbols gain their meaning from the scriptures, mythology, or cultural traditions. The syllable
Om (which represents the
Parabrahman) and the Swastika sign (which symbolizes auspiciousness) have grown to represent Hinduism itself, while other markings such as
tilaka identify a follower of the faith. Hinduism associates many symbols, which include the lotus,
chakra and
veena, with particular deities.
Mantras are invocations, praise and prayers that through their meaning, sound, and chanting style help a devotee focus the mind on holy thoughts or express devotion to God/the deities. Many devotees perform morning ablutions at the bank of a sacred river while chanting the
Gayatri Mantra or
Mahamrityunjaya mantras. The epic
Mahabharata extolls Japa (ritualistic chanting) as the greatest duty in the
Kali Yuga (what Hindus believe to be the current age). Many adopt Japa as their primary spiritual practice.
Rituals
The vast majority of Hindus engage in religious rituals on a daily basis. Most Hindus observe religious rituals at home. However, observation of rituals greatly vary among regions, villages, and individuals. Devout Hindus perform daily chores such as worshiping at the dawn after bathing (usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foodstuffs before the images of deities), recitation from religious scripts, singing
devotional hymns,
meditation, chanting mantras, reciting scriptures etc.
Occasions like birth, marriage, and death involve what are often elaborate sets of religious customs. In Hinduism, life-cycle rituals include
Annaprashan (a baby's first intake of solid food),
Upanayanam ("sacred thread ceremony" undergone by upper-caste children at their initiation into formal education.),
Shraadh (ritual of treating people to feasts in the name of the deceased). For most people in India, the betrothal of the young couple and the exact date and time of the wedding are matters decided by the parents in consultation with astrologers. However, academics categorize contemporary Hinduism into four major denominations:
Vaishnavism,
Shaivism,
Shaktism and
Smartism. The denominations differ primarily in the god worshipped as the Supreme One and in the traditions that accompany worship of that god.
Vaishnavas worship
Vishnu as the supreme god;
Shaivites worship
Shiva as the supreme;
Shaktas worship
Shakti (power) personified through a female divinity or
Mother Goddess,
Devi; while
Smartists believe in the essential oneness of five deities
Shanmata as personifications of the Supreme.
Other denominations like
Ganapatya (the cult of
Ganesha) and
Saura (
Sun worship) are not so widespread.
There are movements that are not easily placed in any of the above categories, such as Swami
Dayananda Saraswati's
Arya Samaj, which rejects image worship and veneration of multiple deities. It focuses on the
Vedas and the Vedic fire sacrifices (
[[yajna|]]). The
Tantric traditions have various sects, as Banerji observes:
Heresy is therefore generally not an issue for Hindus.
Ashramas
Traditionally the life of a Hindu is divided into four
Āshramas (phases or stages; unrelated meanings include monastery).
The first part of one's life,
Brahmacharya, the stage as a student, is spent in celibate, controlled, sober and pure contemplation under the guidance of a
Guru, building up the mind for spiritual knowledge.
Grihastha is the householder's stage, in which one marries and satisfies
kāma and
artha in one's married and professional life respectively (see the
goals of life). The moral obligations of a Hindu householder include supporting one's parents, children, guests and holy figures.
Vānaprastha, the retirement stage, is gradual detachment from the material world. This may involve giving over duties to one's children, spending more time in religious practices and embarking on holy pilgrimages. Finally, in
Sannyāsa, the stage of
asceticism, one renounces all worldly attachments to secludedly find the Divine through detachment from worldly life and peacefully shed the body for
Moksha.
Monasticism
Some Hindus choose to live a
monastic life (Sannyāsa) in pursuit of
liberation or another form of spiritual perfection. Monastics commit themselves to a life of simplicity,
celibacy, detachment from worldly pursuits, and the contemplation of God. A Hindu monk is called a
sanyāsī, sādhu, or
swāmi. A female renunciate is called a
sanyāsini. Renunciates receive high respect in Hindu society because their outward renunciation of selfishness and worldliness serves as an inspiration to householders who strive for
mental renunciation. Some monastics live in monasteries, while others wander from place to place, trusting in God alone to provide for their needs. It is considered a highly meritorious act for a householder to provide sādhus with food or other necessaries. Sādhus strive to treat all with respect and compassion, whether a person may be poor or rich, good or wicked, and to be indifferent to praise, blame, pleasure, and pain. Although the scriptures, since the Rigveda (
10.90), contain passages that clearly sanction the
Varna system, they contain indications that the caste system isn't an essential part of the religion. Both sides in the debate can find scriptural support for their views. The oldest scriptures, the
Vedas, strongly sustain the division of society into four classes (varna) but place little emphasis on the caste system, showing that each individual should find his strengths through different ways such as his astrological signs, actions, personality, and appearance, and do his job for the good of that individual as well as society. Being casted into a class because of what parents he was born from was a political problem and not from the actual science of the religion. A verse from the
Rig Veda indicates that a person's occupation wasn't necessarily determined by that of his family:
In the Vedic Era, there was no prohibition against the
Shudras listening to the Vedas or participating in any religious rite, as was the case in the later times. Some mobility and flexibility within the varnas challenge allegations of social discrimination in the caste system, as has been pointed out by several sociologists.
Many social reformers, including
Mahatma Gandhi and
B. R. Ambedkar, criticized caste discrimination. The religious teacher
Sri Ramakrishna (1836-1886) taught that
Ahimsa and vegetarianism
Hindus advocate the practice of (non-violence) and respect for all life because divinity is believed to permeate all beings, including plants and non-human animals. The term appears in the
Upanishads, the epic Mahabharata and is the first of the five
Yamas (vows of self-restraint) in
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.
In accordance with, many Hindus embrace
vegetarianism to respect higher forms of life. While vegetarianism isn't a requirement, it's recommended for a
satvic (purifying) lifestyle. Estimates of the number of
lacto vegetarians in India (includes inhabitants of all religions) vary between 20% and 42%. The food habits vary with the community and region, for example some castes having fewer vegetarians and coastal populations relying on seafood. Some Hindus avoid
onion and
garlic, which are regarded as
rajasic foods. Some avoid meat on specific holy days.
Observant
Hindus who do eat meat almost always abstain from
beef. The largely pastoral Vedic people and subsequent generations relied heavily on the cow for
protein-rich milk and dairy products, tilling of fields and as a provider of fuel and fertilizer. Thus, it was identified as a caretaker and a maternal figure. Hindu society honors the cow as a symbol of unselfish giving. Cow-slaughter is legally banned in almost all states of India.
Conversion
Concepts of conversion, evangelization, and proselyzation are absent from Hindu literature and in practice have never played a significant role, though acceptance of willing converts is becoming more common. Early in its history, in the absence of other competing religions, Hindus considered everyone they came across as Hindus (Sanathan Dharm) and expected everyone they met to be Hindus. Hence, there was no need to convert into Hinduism. With the advent and rise of hierarchical and hereditary caste system, conversion into Hinduism became problematic. As a person's position and status in society, under the caste system, was largely determined by birth, the open theory of conversion into Hinduism under Sanathan Dharm became a closed by-birth-only theory under the caste system. Although, the caste system still permitted assimilation of migrating communities into Hinduism over several generations.
The modern view of conversions into Hinduism is influenced by the demise of caste system combined with the persistence of age old ideas of Sanathan Dharm. Hindus today continue to be influenced by historical ideas of acceptability of conversion. Hence, many Hindus continue to believe that Hinduism is an identity that can only be had from birth, while many others continue to believe that anyone who follows Hindu beliefs and practices is a Hindu, and many believe in some form of both theories. However, as a reaction to perceived and actual threat of evangelization, prozelyzation, and conversion activities of other major religions many modern Hindus are opposed to the idea of conversion from (any) one religion to (any) other per se.
Hindus in Western countries generally accept and welcome willing converts, whereas in India acceptance of willing converts is becoming more common. With the rise of Hindu Revivalist movements, reconversions into Hinduism have also picked up pace. Reconversions are well accepted since conversion out of Hinduism isn't recognized. Conversion into Hinduism through marriage is well accepted and often expected in order to enable the non-Hindu partner to fully participate in their spiritual, religious, and cultural roles within the larger Hindu family and society.
There is no formal process for converting to Hinduism, although in many traditions a ritual called dīkshā ("initiation") marks the beginning of spiritual life after conversion and a ritual called suddhi ("purification") marks the return to spiritual life after reconversion. Most Hindu sects don't seek converts because they believe that the goals of spiritual life can be attained through any religion, as long as it's practiced sincerely. However, some Hindu sects and affiliates such as Vedanta Society, Arya Samaj, International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and the Self-Realization Fellowship accept those who have a desire to follow Hinduism.
In general, Hindu view of religious freedom isn't based on the freedom to proselytize, but the right to retain one’s religion and not be subject to proselyzation. Hindu leaders are advocating for changing the existing formulation of the freedom of religion clause in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights since it favors religions which proselytize.
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