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| A statue of Shiva in
yogic meditation. |
Hinduism
Hinduism is not only a religion but also a way of life.
Hinduism is widely practiced in South Asia mainly in
India and Nepal. Hinduism is the oldest religion in the
world and Hindus refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, "the
eternal tradition," or the "eternal way," beyond human
history.
Scholars regard Hinduism as a combination of different
Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots.
Hinduism has no founder and origins of Hinduism is
unknown.
What we now call Hinduism have roots in cave paintings
that have been preserved from Mesolithic sites dating
from c. 30,000 BCE in Bhimbetka, near present-day
Bhopal, in the Vindhya Mountains in the Madhya Pradesh.
Hinduism as a religion started to develop between 500
BCE and 300 CE, after the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500
BCE).
Hinduism contains a wide range of philosophies, and is
linked by the concepts, like rituals, cosmology, Texts,
and pilgrimage to sacred sites. Hindu texts are divided
into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered"). These
texts discuss philosophy, mythology, Vedic yajna, Yoga,
agamic rituals, and temple building, and many more.
Major scriptures in Hinduism include the Vedas and
Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Agamas.
There are 4 goals or aims of human life, namely Dharma
(duties), Artha (prosperity), Kama (desires/passions),
Moksha (liberation/freedom/salvation); karma (action,
intent and consequences), Saṃsāra (cycle of rebirth),
and the various Yogas (paths or practices to attain
moksha). Hindu rituals include puja (worship) and
recitations, meditation, family-oriented rites of
passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages.
Some Hindus leave their social world and become sanyasi
to achieve Moksha. Hinduism prescribes the eternal
duties, such as honesty, non-violence (ahimsa),
patience, self-restraint, and compassion, among others.
The four largest sects of Hinduism are the Vaishnavism,
Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism.
Hinduism is the world's third largest religion, There
are approximately 1.15 billion Hindus which are 15-16%
of the global population. The vast majority of Hindus
live in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Hindus are also
found in other countries. |
|
Beliefs
Hindu beliefs include (but are not restricted to) Dharma
(ethics/duties), Samsāra (the continuing cycle of birth,
life, death and rebirth), Karma (Every action has a
reaction), Moksha (liberation from samsara or liberation
in this life), and the various Yogas (paths or
practices).
Purusharthas (objectives of
human life)
Hindism have accepted four proper goals or aims of human
life: Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. These are known as
the Puruṣārthas:
Dharma (righteousness,
ethics)
Dharma is considered one of the most important goal of a
human being in Hinduism. Dharma is considered Important
because it is dharma which makes running of Universe and
life possible, and includes duties, virtues and "right
way of living". Hindu Dharma includes the religious
duties, moral rights and duties of each individual, as
well as behaviors that enable social order, right
conduct, and those that are virtuous. The Brihadaranyaka
Upanishad states it as:
Nothing is higher than Dharma. The weak overcomes the
stronger by Dharma, as over a king. Truly that Dharma is
the Truth (Satya); Therefore, when a man speaks the
Truth, they say, "He speaks the Dharma"; and if he
speaks Dharma, they say, "He speaks the Truth!" For both
are one.
—Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.4.xiv
In the Mahabharata, Krishna says it is Dharma which is
holding both this-worldly and other-worldly affairs. (Mbh
12.110.11). The word Sanātana means eternal, perennial,
or forever; thus, Sanātana Dharma means that it is the
dharma that has neither beginning nor end.
Artha (livelihood, wealth)
Artha is second goal of life in Hinduism which means
pursuit of wealth for livelihood, and economic
prosperity. It includes political life, diplomacy and
material well-being. The Artha includes all "means of
life", activities and resources that enables one to be
in a state one wants to be in, wealth, career and
financial security. The aim of artha is considered an
important aim of human life in Hinduism.
Kāma (sensual pleasure)
Kāma means desire, wish, passion, pleasure of the
senses, the enjoyment of life, affection or love. In
Hinduism, Kama is considered an important and healthy
goal of human life when pursued without sacrificing
Dharma, Artha and Moksha.
Mokṣa (liberation, freedom
from samsara)
Moksha or mukti is the ultimate, most important goal in
Hinduism. In one school Moksha means liberation from
sorrow, suffering and saṃsāra (birth-rebirth cycle). In
other schools of Hinduism, such as monistic, moksha
means self-realization, "realizing the whole universe as
the Self".
Karma and samsara
Karma means action, work, or deed, and also the vedic
theory of cause and effect". The theory is a combination
of (1) causality that may be moral or non-moral; (2)
moralization, that is good or bad actions have
consequences; and (3) rebirth. Karma theory means
''Whatever experience currently a man have is due to
his/her past work''. These actions may be in a person's
current life, or, in some schools of Hinduism, actions
in their past lives. This cycle of birth, life, death
and rebirth is called samsara. Liberation from samsara
through moksha is believed to ensure lasting happiness
and peace. Hindu scriptures teach that the future
depends on the current action and our past deeds.
Moksha
The ultimate goal of life,according to Hinduism is
moksha, nirvana or samadhi, but is understood in
different ways in different schools.For example, Advaita
Vedanta says that after attaining moksha a person knows
their "soul, self" and identifies it as one with Brahman
(Ultimate reality or cause of everything). The followers
of Dvaita (dualistic) schools,state that after attaining
moksha a person identify "soul, self" different from
Brahman but very close to Brahman, and after attaining
moksha one will spend eternity in a loka (higher
planes). According to theistic schools of Hinduism,
moksha is liberation from samsara, while for other
schools such as the monistic school, moksha is possible
in current life and is a psychological concept.
Concept of God
Hinduism is diverse and Hinduism include monotheism,
polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, pandeism, monism,
and atheism among others; Basically it depends on
individuals choice and that's why sometimes Hinduism is
referred to as henotheistic (i.e., involving devotion to
a single god while accepting the existence of others),
but any such term is an over generalization.
Hindus believe that all living creatures have a soul.
This soul or true "self" of every living being is called
the ātman. The soul is believed to be eternal. According
to the monistic/pantheistic (non-dualist) theologies of
Hinduism (such as Advaita Vedanta school), this Atman is
indistinct from Brahman. The goal of life, according to
the Advaita school, is to realise that one's soul is
identical to supreme soul, that the supreme soul is
present in everything and everyone, all life is
interconnected and there is oneness in all life.
Dualistic schools (see Dvaita and Bhakti) sees Brahman
as a Supreme Being separate from individual souls. They
worship the Supreme Being variously as Vishnu, Brahma,
Shiva, or Shakti, depending upon the sect. God is called
Ishvara, Bhagavan, Parameshwara, Devadu or Devi, and
these terms have different meanings in different schools
of Hinduism. Devi is typically used when refereeing to a
female goddess.
The Hindu scriptures refer to celestial entities called
Devas (or devī in feminine form; devatā used
synonymously for Deva in Hindi), which in English means
demi-gods or heavenly beings.
The devas are an integral part of Hindu culture and are
depicted in art, architecture and through icons, and
stories about them are related in the scriptures,
particularly in Indian epic poetry and the Puranas. They
are, however, often distinguished from Ishvara, a
personal god, with many Hindus worshipping Ishvara in
one of its particular manifestations as their iṣṭa
devatā, or chosen ideal. The choice is a matter of
individual preference, and of regional and family
traditions. The multitude of Devas are considered as
manifestations of Brahman.
Main traditions
Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and Hindus
do not claim to belong to any particular sect or
tradition. Four major sects in Hinduism are: Vaishnavism,
Shaivism, Shaktism and Smarthism.
Vaishnavism is the tradition that worships Vishnu and
his avatars, such as Krishna and Rama. The people of
this sect are generally non-ascetic, monastic. These
practices include community dancing, singing of Kirtans
and Bhajans, with sound and music believed by some to
have meditative and spiritual powers.
Shaivism is the tradition that focuses on Shiva. Shaivas
are more attracted to ascetic individualism, and it has
several sub-schools. Their practices include Bhakti-style
devotion but they leaned to philosply such as Advaita
and Yoga. Some Shaivas worship in temples, but some
practice yoga, striving to be one with Shiva within.
Shaivas visualize god as half male, half female, as a
combination of the male and female principles (Ardhanarishvara).
Shaivism is related to Shaktism, wherein Shakti is seen
as wife of Shiva. Shaivism is mainly practiced in the
Himalayan north from Kashmir to Nepal, and in south
India.
Shaktism focuses on goddess worship of Shakti or Devi as
cosmic mother, and it is mainly worshipped in
northeastern and eastern states of India such as Assam
and Bengal. Devi is depicted as in gentler forms like
Parvati, the consort of Shiva; or, as warrior goddesses
like Kali and Durga. Community celebrations include
festivals, some of which include processions and idol
immersion into sea or other water bodies.
Smartism worship all the major Hindu deities like Shiva,
Vishnu, Shakti, Ganesha, Surya and Skanda. The Smarta
tradition developed during the (early) Classical Period
of Hinduism around the beginning of the Common Era, when
Hinduism emerged from the interaction between Brahmanism
and local traditions. The Smarta tradition is very much
same as Advaita Vedanta, and consider Adi Shankara as
its founder or reformer, who considered worship of
God-with-attributes (saguna Brahman) as a journey
towards ultimately realizing God-without-attributes (nirguna
Brahman, Atman, Self-knowledge). |
|
Hindu texts
Hindu text are world's oldest and had been written in
Sanskrit and Tamil. The oldest Text is Rig Veda which is
about 4000 years old.Hindu Texts can be divided in two
parts: |
- Shruti (what is heard)
- Smriti (what is remembered)
|
Shruti
Shruti or Shruthi in Sanskrit means "that which is heard"
These ancient religious texts comprising the central canon
of Hinduism includes the four Vedas including its four types
of attached texts - the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the
Aranyakas and the early Upanishads
Smriti
Smriti means "that which is remembered" are a body of Hindu
texts. Smriti were the texts which were remembered and were
spread through mouth from generation to generation. Smriti
includes (the Mahābhārata and Rāmāyana), the Dharmasūtras
and Dharmaśāstras (or Smritiśāstras), the Arthasaśāstras,
the Purānas, the Kāvya or poetical literature.
Festivals
There are many Hindu Festivals celebrated throughout the
world but mainly in India and Nepal. These festivals include
worship, offerings to deities, fasting, rituals, fairs,
charity, celebrations, Puja, etc. The festivals mainly
celebrate events from Hindu mythology, changes in season,
changes in Solar System. Different sects celebrate different
festivals but festivals like Diwali, Holi, Shivratri, Raksha
Bandhan, Janamashtmi etc. are celebrated by the majority of
Hindus.
History
Periodisation
Hinduism can be divided in following ages |
- Prevedic religions (pre-history and
Indus Valley Civilisation; until c. 1500 BCE);
- Vedic period (c. 1500–500 BCE);
- "Second Urbanisation" (c. 500–200
BCE);
- Classical Hinduism (c. 200 BCE-1100
CE);
- Pre-classical Hinduism (c. 200
BCE-300 CE);
- "Golden Age" (Gupta Empire) (c.
320–650 CE);
- Late-Classical Hinduism - Puranic
Hinduism (c. 650–1100 CE);
- Islam and sects of Hinduism (c.
1200–1700 CE);
- Modern Hinduism (from c. 1800).
|
Origins
The origins of Hinduism are unknown but the earliest traces
of Hinduism come from Mesolithic in the sites such as the
rock paintings of Bhimbetka rock shelters dating to a period
of 30,000 BCE or older, as well as neolithic times. Some of
the religious practices can be considered to have originated
in 4000 BCE. Several tribal religions still exist, though
their practices may not resemble those of prehistoric
religions.
Varna
According to one view, the Varna, which later transformed
into caste system during the British rule, shows how
strongly many have felt about each person following his or
her dharma, or destined path. Many Hindus say it goes
against the true meaning of dharma. However, Varna plays a
big role in Hindu society. It's later transformation as
Caste system by the British rule of India lost favor and
became illegal after the independence of India.
Temples
Puja (worship) takes place in the Mandir (temple). Mandirs
vary in size from small village shrines to large buildings,
surrounded by walls. People can also visit the Mandir at any
time to pray and participate in the bhajans (religious
songs). Hindus also worship at home and often have a special
room with a shrine to particular gods.
Temple construction in India started nearly 2000 years ago.
The oldest temples that were built of brick and wood no
longer exist. Stone later became the preferred material.
Temples marked the transition of Hinduism from the Vedic
religion of ritual sacrifices to a religion of Bhakti or
love and devotion to a personal deity. Temple construction
and mode of worship is governed by ancient Sanskrit
scriptures called agamas, of which there are several, which
deal with individual deities. There are substantial
differences in architecture, customs, rituals and traditions
in temples in different parts of India. During the ritual
consecration of a temple, the presence of the universal
all-encompassing Brahman is invoked into the main stone
deity of the temple, through ritual, thereby making the
deity and the temple sacred and divine
Alternative cultures of worship
The Bhakti schools
The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu
term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming
love of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or
whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart.
The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to tap into the universal
divinity through personal form, which explains the
proliferation of so many gods and goddesses in India, often
reflecting the singular inclinations of small regions or
groups of people. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks
to dissolve the ego in God, since consciousness of the body
and limited mind as self is seen to be a divisive factor in
spiritual realization. Essentially, it is God who effects
all change, who is the source of all works, who acts through
the devotee as love and light. 'Sins' and evil-doings of the
devotee are said to fall away of their own accord, the
devotee shriven, limitedness even transcended, through the
love of God. The Bhakti movements rejuvenated Hinduism
through their intense expression of faith and their
responsiveness to the emotional and philosophical needs of
India. They can rightly be said to have affected the
greatest wave of change in Hindu prayer and ritual since
ancient times.
The most popular means of expressing love for God in the
Hindu tradition has been through puja, or ritual devotion,
frequently using the aid of a murti (statue) in conjunction
with the singing or chanting of meditational prayer in the
form of mantras.
Devotional songs called bhajans (written primarily from the
14th-17th centuries), kirtan (praise), and arti (a filtered
down form of Vedic fire ritual) are sometimes sung in
conjunction with performance of puja. This rather organic
system of devotion attempts to aid the individual in
connecting with God through symbolic medium. It is said,
however, that the bhakta, through a growing connection with
God, is eventually able to avoid all external form and is
immersed entirely in the bliss of undifferentiated Love in
Truth.
Altogether, bhakti resulted in a mass of devotional
literature, music and art that has enriched the world and
gave India renewed spiritual impetus, one eschewing
unnecessary ritual and artificial social boundaries. See
bhakti yoga for more.
Tantrism
According to the most famous Western Tantrik scholar, Sir
John Woodroffe (pseudonym Arthur Avalon): "The Indian
Tantras, which are numerous, constitute the Scripture (Shastra)
of the Kaliyuga, and as such are the voluminous source of
present and practical orthodox 'Hinduism'. The Tantra
Shastra is, in fact, and whatever be its historical origin,
a development of the Vaidika Karmakanda, promulgated to meet
the needs of that age. Shiva says: 'For the benefit of men
of the Kali age, men bereft of energy and dependent for
existence on the food they eat, the Kaula doctrine, O
auspicious one! is given' (Chap. IX., verse 12). To the
Tantra we must therefore look if we would understand aright
both ritual, yoga, and sadhana of all kinds, as also the
general principles of which these practices are but the
objective expression." (Introduction to Sir John Woodroffe's
translation of "Mahanirvana Tantra.")
The word "tantra" means "treatise" or "continuum", and is
applied to a variety of mystical, occult, medical and
scientific works as well as to those which we would now
regard as "tantric". Most tantras were written in the late
Middle Ages and sprang from Hindu cosmology and Yoga.
Important symbolism and themes
in Hinduism
Ahimsa and the cow
Many Hindus are vegetarians (do not eat meat) because of
their respect for life. About 30% of today's Hindu
population, especially in orthodox communities in South
India, in certain northerly states like Gujarat, and in many
Brahmin areas around the subcontinent, are vegetarian.
Most Hindus who do eat meat do not eat beef. Some do not
even use leather products. This is most likely because many
Hindus have relied so heavily on the cow for all sorts of
dairy products, tilling of fields and fuel for fertiliser
that its status as a willing 'caretaker' of humanity grew to
identifying it as an almost motherly figure. Thus, while
most Hindus do not worship the cow, and rules against eating
beef arose long after the Vedas had been written, it still
has an honored place in Hindu society. It is said that
Krishna is both Govinda (herder of cows) and Gopala
(protector of cows), and Shiva's attendant is Nandi, the
bull. With the stress on vegetarianism (which is usually
followed even by meat-eating Hindus on religious days or
special occasions) and the sacred nature of the cow, it is
no wonder that most holy cities and areas in India have a
ban on selling meat-products and there is a movement among
Hindus to ban cow-slaughter not only in specific regions,
but in all of India.
Hindu symbols
Hindus use many symbols and signs. The two most important
symbols used by Hindus are the "Aum" and the "Swastika
(Hinduism)".
Forms of worship: murtis and
mantras
Contrary to popular belief, practiced Hinduism is neither
polytheistic nor strictly monotheistic. The various Hindu
gods and avatars that are worshipped by Hindus are
understood as different forms of One truth, sometimes seen
as beyond a mere god and as a formless Divine Ground
(Brahman), akin but not limited to monism, or as one
monotheistic principle like Vishnu or Shiva.
Whether believing in the One source as formless (nirguna
brahman, without attributes) or as a personal god (saguna
Brahman, with attributes), Hindus understand that the one
truth may be seen as different to different people. Hinduism
encourages devotees to describe and develop a personal
relationship with their chosen deity (ishta devata) in the
form of a god or goddess.
While some censuses hold worshippers of one form or another
of Vishnu (known as Vaishnavs) to be at 80% and those of
Shiva (called Shaivaites) and Shakti at the remaining 20%,
such figures are perhaps misleading. The vast majority of
Hindus worship many gods as varicolored forms of the same
prism of Truth. Among the most popular are Vishnu (as
Krishna or Rama), Shiva, Devi (the Mother as many female
deities, such as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali and Durga),
Ganesha, Skanda and Hanuman.
Worship of the said deities is often done through the aid of
pictures or icons (murti) which are said not to be God
themselves but conduits for the devotee's consciousness,
markers for the human soul that signify the ineffable and
illimitable nature of the love and grandeur of God. They are
symbols of the greater principle, representing and are never
presumed to be the concept or entity itself. Thus, Hindu
image worship is a form of iconolatry, in which the symbols
are venerated as putative sigils of divinity, as opposed to
idolatry, a charge often levied (erroneously) at Hindus. For
more details on this form of worship, see murti.
Mantra
Hindus use several prayers and group of words. Some group of
words are called mantras. These words are said to give the
speaker a deeper concentration and understanding, thus
coming closer to Brahman. A well known mantra is om or aum.
It symbolizes Brahman, and is often the opening word in many
prayers. To pronounce a mantra well, you should say it
slowly, and in a deep voice. |
|
Geographic distribution
The nations of India, Mauritius, and Nepal as well as
the Indonesian island of Bali have more people who are
Hindus than people who are not Hindus.In these nations,
specially Nepal and India Hinduism is very popular.
These countries also have many Hindus:
There are also strong Hindu communities in the countries
of the ex-Soviet Union, especially in Russia and Poland.
The Indonesian islands of Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and
Borneo also have big native Hindu populations. In its
Yoga stream, Hinduism is even more widespread all over
the world with 30 million (less than one percent can not
be 30 million for US population) Hindus in the United
States alone. |
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 Kiddle: Hinduism
Wikipedia: Hinduism |
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