Tuesday, January 21, 2020
Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Religion
     Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions in existence (Srinivasan 66). It ranks as the third largest religion. Today there are about fifty million Hindus worldwide, majority of them living in India (Wangu 6). In order to understand the followers of the religion, you must first realize that Hinduism is more of a way of life than a religion (Srinivasan 66). Hinduism holds together diversity and not only for its own spiritual tradition, but for the entire subcontinent of India (Berry 3). All traditions within India are somehow associated with Hinduism. â€Å"The diversity which marks Hinduism begins with the notion of deity†(Boraks 14). â€Å"There is a strange kind of unity in the vast multiplicity of the Hindu pantheon†(14). â€Å"One never really is certain whether the Hindu religion is polytheistic or dualistic or even monotheistic: there are indications that are all of these and none of these†(14)!      The Hindus define sacredness as Brahman (Boraks 14). To Hindus, Brahman is external, is changeless, has no equal, and is infinite (14). Brahman expresses itself through creation, brought itself existence by Brahma, the creator (14). Brahma is the â€Å"sacred one†and is credited with creation, but Brahma creates and then abandons his creation to lesser gods (14).      Hinduism was not founded by one individual, and it was not always the complex religion it is today (Wangu 14). â€Å"Indians call it Sanatana Dharma - the faith with no beginning and no end†(Srinivasan 66). â€Å"It developed gradually, as a merging of beliefs and practices of two main groups - the people of the Indus Valley in India and the Aryans of Persia†(Wangu 14).      Like other religions, the Hindu religion has its own sacred literature. Hindu literature is not considered sacred because it has a Sacred Author, like in some western religions, but because they have sacred subject matter (Boraks 15).      â€Å"There are two main categories of Hindu Scripture - shruti, ‘that which is heard’ and smriti, ‘tradition’ or ‘that which is to be remembered’†(Wangu 9). The Vedas and the Upanishads are shruti texts (9). â€Å"These sacred writings are considered to be inspired by God and to have been revealed to human kind by ancient sages called rishis†(9).      Each of the shruti texts provides a foundation for Hinduism. â€Å"The four Vedas are the oldest of the texts and are primary script... ...elp the deceased reach the homes of the ancestor safely†(115). â€Å"The prenatal, childhood, marriage, and death rituals are also performed for women belonging to the twice- born castes†(115). â€Å"During these times, Vedic formulas are not recited, since women are not allowed to read or hear the Vedas†(115).      Hinduism is made up of several practices and rites. Hindus have the ability to choose their path because of the diversity of Hinduism. Hinduism has many faces (Boraks 14). It is like â€Å"an umbrella which shelters beneath its cover a whole panoply of religions ideas and expressions†(14). Hinduism may have originated in India, but its practices have spread throughout the world and it has had a profound influence on many other world religions.           Work Cited Berry, Thomas. Religions of India. New York: Bruce Publishing Company, 1971. Boraks, Lucius. Religions of the East. Kansas City, MO: Sheed & Ward, 1988. Srinivasan, Radhika. Cultures of the World - India. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation,      1993. Wangu, Madhu Bazaz. Hinduism: World Religions. New York: Facts on File Incorporated, 1991. Hinduism Essay -- Hindu Religion      Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions in existence (Srinivasan 66). It ranks as the third largest religion. Today there are about fifty million Hindus worldwide, majority of them living in India (Wangu 6). In order to understand the followers of the religion, you must first realize that Hinduism is more of a way of life than a religion (Srinivasan 66). Hinduism holds together diversity and not only for its own spiritual tradition, but for the entire subcontinent of India (Berry 3). All traditions within India are somehow associated with Hinduism. â€Å"The diversity which marks Hinduism begins with the notion of deity†(Boraks 14). â€Å"There is a strange kind of unity in the vast multiplicity of the Hindu pantheon†(14). â€Å"One never really is certain whether the Hindu religion is polytheistic or dualistic or even monotheistic: there are indications that are all of these and none of these†(14)!      The Hindus define sacredness as Brahman (Boraks 14). To Hindus, Brahman is external, is changeless, has no equal, and is infinite (14). Brahman expresses itself through creation, brought itself existence by Brahma, the creator (14). Brahma is the â€Å"sacred one†and is credited with creation, but Brahma creates and then abandons his creation to lesser gods (14).      Hinduism was not founded by one individual, and it was not always the complex religion it is today (Wangu 14). â€Å"Indians call it Sanatana Dharma - the faith with no beginning and no end†(Srinivasan 66). â€Å"It developed gradually, as a merging of beliefs and practices of two main groups - the people of the Indus Valley in India and the Aryans of Persia†(Wangu 14).      Like other religions, the Hindu religion has its own sacred literature. Hindu literature is not considered sacred because it has a Sacred Author, like in some western religions, but because they have sacred subject matter (Boraks 15).      â€Å"There are two main categories of Hindu Scripture - shruti, ‘that which is heard’ and smriti, ‘tradition’ or ‘that which is to be remembered’†(Wangu 9). The Vedas and the Upanishads are shruti texts (9). â€Å"These sacred writings are considered to be inspired by God and to have been revealed to human kind by ancient sages called rishis†(9).      Each of the shruti texts provides a foundation for Hinduism. â€Å"The four Vedas are the oldest of the texts and are primary script... ...elp the deceased reach the homes of the ancestor safely†(115). â€Å"The prenatal, childhood, marriage, and death rituals are also performed for women belonging to the twice- born castes†(115). â€Å"During these times, Vedic formulas are not recited, since women are not allowed to read or hear the Vedas†(115).      Hinduism is made up of several practices and rites. Hindus have the ability to choose their path because of the diversity of Hinduism. Hinduism has many faces (Boraks 14). It is like â€Å"an umbrella which shelters beneath its cover a whole panoply of religions ideas and expressions†(14). Hinduism may have originated in India, but its practices have spread throughout the world and it has had a profound influence on many other world religions.           Work Cited Berry, Thomas. Religions of India. New York: Bruce Publishing Company, 1971. Boraks, Lucius. Religions of the East. Kansas City, MO: Sheed & Ward, 1988. Srinivasan, Radhika. Cultures of the World - India. New York: Marshall Cavendish Corporation,      1993. Wangu, Madhu Bazaz. Hinduism: World Religions. New York: Facts on File Incorporated, 1991.
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