What is hinduism

The 7 Oldest Religions In The World Humans are religious by nature. There is no way around that reality. Wherever you are, wherever you go, people believe in right and wrong, good and bad, and everything in between. People have been turning to religion to seek answers to life's most profound questions for thousands of years. But it begs the question: does having an older religion make it more correct? In today's post, we are on a quest to locate and name the seven oldest religions on Earth. So buckle up; it is going to be a bumpy ride! Read More 3. Judaism (9th – 5th century BCE) Group of Orthodox Jews dances next to ancient limestone wall known as Wailing Wall in the Old City of Jerusalem in Israel. Editorial credit: Fotokon / Shutterstock.com The father of Judaism is believed to be Abraham. A man that the Tora (the Jewish scripture and 6. Buddhism (6th – 5th century BCE) Monks light candles and pray to the Buddha statue in Phan Tao Temple , Chiang Mai ,Thailand. Buddhism began in 500 B.C., and as such, it predates Taoism by a mere 100 years. However, unlike Taoism, this religion has a founder. His name was Siddhartha Guatama, a young rich prince from Lumbini, which is part of modern-day Read More 7. Taoism (6th – 4th century BCE) Shuili taoism carnival held every 12 years at Shuili Township, Nantou County, Taiwan. Editorial credit: elwynn / Shutterstock.com Taoism started in China about 2,400 years ago and was officially recognized as a religion during the Tang dynasty. ...

puja after initiation into the community of the “twice-born.” puja, also spelled pooja or poojah, in puja is derived from the pu (“flower”). In its simplest form, puja usually consists of making an offering of flowers or fruit to an image of a god. The components of a puja vary greatly according to the sect, puja, a deity, upacharas) paid to him begin in the morning, when he is gently roused from sleep, and extend through the day, including A puja may also include a circumambulation ( pradakshina) of the image or shrine and, in an elaborate ritual, a bali) and oblation to the sacred fire ( homa). Special ceremonies according to the festival calendar may also be observed, such as swinging the god or playing games according to the season.

The term Hinduism as a religious label refers to the indigenous religious philosophy of the peoples living in modern day India and the rest of the Indian subcontinent. It is a synthesis of many spiritual traditions of the region and does not have a clearly defined set of beliefs in the same way that other religions do. It is widely accepted that Hinduism is the oldest of the world's religions, but there is no known historical figure credited with being its founder. Hinduism's roots are diverse and are likely a synthesis of various regional tribal beliefs. According to historians, the origin of Hinduism dates back to 5,000 years or more. Origins of the Word Hindu The term Hindu is derived from the name of River Indus, which flows through northern India. In ancient times the river was called the Sindhu, but the pre-Islamic Persians who migrated to India called the river Hindu knew the land as Hindustan and called its inhabitants Hindus. The first known use of the term Hindu is from the 6th century BCE, used by the Persians. Originally, then, Hinduism was mostly a cultural and geographic label, and only later was it applied to describe the religious practices of the Hindus. Hinduism as a term to define a set of religious beliefs first appeared in a 7th century CE Chinese text. Timeline: Early History of Hinduism • 3000-1600 BCE: The earliest of Hindu practices form their roots with the rise of the Indus Valley civilization in northern Indian sub-continent around 2500 BCE. • 1...

With nearly a billion adherents worldwide, Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. 1 Hindus often focus on individual disciplines such as meditation, yoga, chants, and the burning of incense to deities. Many of these practices have been popularized in recent years through the Transcendental Meditation Society, Hare Krishna, and New Age groups in the West. But Hinduism is largely an Eastern religion. About 90 percent of all Hindus live in India. Hinduism emerged in South Asia around 2000 BCE, thousands of years before The Hindu Worldview Hinduism is extremely diverse. Each adherent may follow a unique philosophy and worship different gods. 2Nevertheless, in Hinduism, karma is a unifying concept. Hindus believe that karma is the foundation of life. It unites all living things and is the defining energy in the universe’s cycle of cause and effect. Karma has been described as the sum or essence of an individual derived from past and present thoughts and actions. It is what you have earned, and therefore it determines your future. “Bad karma” leads to negative consequences in this life or the next. On the flip side, “good karma” brings rewards. This way of thinking in Hinduism means that what one does—which produces good or bad karma—is much more important than what one believes. Hindus also view life as cyclical rather than linear. Each individual’s existence involves a continuous cycle of birth, death, and rebirth known as reincarnation. I...

Unlike Christianity or Buddhism, Hinduism did not develop from the teachings of a single founder. Moreover, it has diverse traditions, owing to its long history and continued development over the course of more than 3000 years. The term Hindu originally referred to those living on the other side of the Indus River, and by the thirteenth century it simply referred to those living in India. It was only in the eighteenth century that the term Hindu became specifically related to an Indic religion generally. Hindus adhere to the principles of the Vedas, which are a body of Sanskritic texts that date as early as 1700 B.C.E. However, unlike the Christian or Islamic traditions, which have the Bible and the Koran, Hinduism does not adhere to a single text. The lack of a single text, among other things, also makes Hinduism a difficult religion to define. Hinduism is neither monotheistic nor is it polytheistic. Hinduism’s emphasis on the universal spirit, or Brahman, allows for the existence of a pantheon of divinities while remaining devoted to a particular god. It is for this reason that some scholars have referred to Hinduism as a henotheistic religion (the belief in and worship of a single god while accepting the existence or possible existence of other deities). Hinduism can also be described as a religion that appreciates orthopraxy—or right praxis. Because doctrinal views vary so widely among Hindus, there is no norm based on orthodoxy or right belief. By contrast, ritualized...

A Definition of Hinduism Unlike other religions, Hindus view their faith as an all-encompassing way of life with a complex system that comprises beliefs and traditions, an advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy, and theology. Hinduism is characterized by belief in reincarnation, called Samsara; one absolute being with multiple manifestations and related deities; the law of cause and effect, called Karma; a call to follow the path of righteousness by engaging in spiritual practices ( yogas) and prayers ( bhakti); and the desire for liberation from the cycle of birth and rebirth. Origins Unlike Islam or Christianity, Hinduism's origins cannot be traced to any one individual. The earliest of the Hindu scriptures, the Rig Veda, was composed well before 6500 B.C., and the roots of the faith can be traced as far back as 10,000 B.C. The word "Hinduism" is not to be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term "Hindu" was introduced by foreigners referring to people living across the River Indus or Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is believed to have originated. Key Scriptures The basic scriptures of Hinduism, which are collectively referred to as Shastras,are essentially a collection of spiritual laws discovered by different saints and sages at different points in its long history. Two types of sacred writings comprise the Hindu scriptures: Shruti (heard) and Smriti (memorized). They were passed on from generation to generation o...

Recent Examples on the Web Peers representing Islam, Sikhism, Hinduism, and Judaism had key responsibilities in a ceremony that skillfully celebrated a multi-faith society amidst the ritual of Christian Holy Communion. — Victoria Murphy, Town & Country, 9 May 2023 In another break from tradition, Charles’ ceremony will actively spotlight leaders from non-Christian faiths, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Islam and Sikhism, as well as female bishops and hymns and prayers sung in Welsh, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic. — Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 May 2023 More generally, the Ayodhya movement, the movement for the building of the temple in Ayodhya, has enabled the B.J.P. to capitalize on this appetite for Hinduism and pride in a Hindu identity. — Isaac Chotiner, The New Yorker, 31 Mar. 2023 Drawn from the museum’s South and Southeast Asian collection, the selection deftly guides us to different ways of seeing Hindu deities, Hinduism more generally and the art created in its service. — Lee Lawrence, WSJ, 13 Aug. 2022 On June 14, the subject is Hinduism. — Susan Dunne, courant.com, 23 Mar. 2022 These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'Hinduism.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.

The origin of the varnas. Modern theorists, however, assume that varna system was ever more than a theoretical socioreligious ideal and have emphasized that the highly complex division of Hindu society into nearly 3,000 castes and subcastes was probably in place even in ancient times. In general, a caste is an endogamous hereditary group of families bearing a common name, often claiming a common descent, as a rule professing to follow the same hereditary calling, adhering to the same customs—especially regarding purity, meals, and marriages—and often further divided into smaller endogamous circles. Moreover, tribes, guilds, or religious Traditional Hindus maintain that the ritual impurity and “untouchability” From the traditional Hindu point of view, this social system is the necessary complement of the principles of Social protest For many centuries certain Indian religious communities have been dedicated in whole or in part to the elimination of caste discrimination. Many have been guided by bhakti bhakti poetry throughout India has been the ridicule of caste and the etiquette of ritual purity that relates to it. In North India this element is stronger among the bhakti poets who accept the concept of saguna, which maintains that brahman possesses qualities. This tendency is not evident among bhakti poets of South India. Other religions have provided members of low-ranked castes with a further hope for escaping social bhakti. Other Dalits, especially members of the adi dh...

• a belief in many gods, which are seen as manifestations of a single unity. These deities are linked to universal and natural processes. • a preference for one deity while not excluding or disbelieving others • a belief in the universal law of cause and effect (karma) and reincarnation • a belief in the possibility of liberation and release (moksha) by which the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara) can be resolved Courtesy of the Asian Art Museum, Museum purchase, B70S1.Hinduism is bound to the hierarchical structure of the caste system, a categorization of members of society into defined social classes. An individual’s position in the caste system is thought to be a reflection of accumulated merit in past lives (karma). Observance of the dharma, or behavior consistent with one’s caste and status, is discussed in many early philosophical texts. Not every religious practice can be undertaken by all members of society. Similarly, different activities are considered appropriate for different stages of life, with study and raising families necessary for early stages, and reflection and renunciation goals of later years. A religious life need not be spiritual to the exclusion of worldly pleasures or rewards, such as the pursuit of material success and (legitimate) pleasure, depending on one’s position in life. Hindus believe in the importance of the observation of appropriate behavior, including numerous rituals, and the ultimate goal of moksha, the release or ...