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Running head: OVERVIEW OF HINDUISM
Overview of Hinduism
Amanda Buisman, Amy Higgins, Stephanie Kimbrel, Diane Morris
Washburn University
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OVERVIEW OF HINDUISM
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Overview of Hinduism
Biographical Background and Historical Context of Hinduism
Hinduism was founded in India and is often regarded as the world’s oldest religion.
Today Hinduism in practiced by almost 80% of India’s population. Hinduism differs from the
Western religions in many ways, with the most notable differences being that Hinduism does not
have one founding Father or Mother nor do they have just one divine book of scriptures.
Hinduism rather, cites “incredibly old books”, the oldest of which is called the Veda. The Veda
is believed to be over 5,000 years old and is the foremost source of documented Hindu traditions
and sacraments (Johnsen, 2009).
Rather than focusing the written texts as testament to the history of their religion, Hindu’s
consider their religion to be eternal. Hindu’s feel their religion is eternal because instead of
being based on the words of man or woman; their religious laws are based on and stem from
nature. All things in nature are thought of as divine beings, each with its own unique energy; all
living things are believed to contain the reincarnated spirit of past Hindu believers. All things in
nature are constantly changing and evolving, therefore so is Hinduism; this is the main reason
that written texts are not the main focus of this dynamic religion (Johnsen, 2009).
Nature gives Hinduism what is thought of as “natural-law”, or what is referred to as Rita.
Rita is derived from the natural rhythms of the mind, and the observable natural rhythms of
nature. The basic laws of Rita include the following thoughts; (Johnsen 2009, p. 8)
Pure awareness is always the same; everything else changes.
Everything that dies is re-created in another form.
Everything in the universe is directly or indirectly related to everything else.
The consequences of an action always return to the person who performed it.
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The only lasting peace we experience comes when we rest our awareness in the
lucid stillness hidden behind our thoughts.
Hindu’s practice meditations, participate in certain rituals. They also believe in karma and
reincarnation. Hinduism’s scared language is Sanskrit, similarly as Latin is the sacred religion
of Roman Catholicism. Hinduism cites yogis, gurus, and swamis as leading authorities on
current Hindu practice, much as a priest or preacher is thought of in Western religions (Johnsen,
2009).
The Hindu view on the world is very different in comparison to the Western view;
Westerners tend to focus on the tangible truths of life and the universe, where as Hindu’s believe
in a completely different law of physics. A Hindu world consists of dimensions unfamiliar to the
Western world. There is also the belief that the mind is the sixth sense, able to perceive fields of
energy, entities, and objects our other five senses cannot register. The truth that defines the
Hindu religion comes from beyond space and time, and therefore it will be forever true (Johnsen,
2009).
Hindu’s worship many different God’s, but their most notable being Brahma, the creator of
the local word in which we are currently living. Another major God is Vishnu, which is the lord
of the local universe in which we live. Hindu’s believe in multiple universes, therefore the
distinction is made as to what universe each God is representing. Hindu’s typically have statue
representations of different God’s placed throughout their houses, often times even having a
special shrine area in the home.
Hinduism represents a unique, dynamic religion that does not have one founder. Hinduism
is ever changing and growing much like the world around us. A deep connection with nature is
essential, as is one’s actions in this life.
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Ethical Principles with an Explanation of Each Significant Principle
The Hindu religion has five basic principles: 1) God exists, 2) Human beings are divine, 3)
Unity exists through love, 4) Religious harmony, and 5) Knowledge of three G’s. In God exists
there are three subcategories: One Absolute Om, One Trinity: Brahma, Vishnu, and
Maheshuara (Shiva), and several divine forms. The concept of One Absolute Om, the syllable
OM (Aum) is the most sacred symbol in the Hindu religion. It is used both as a symbol and a
sound in religious worship, ritual chanting, performance of sacraments and rituals, yoga and
trantra. Om has not value if it is chanted by someone who has not been initiated on the spiritual
path by a guru. Om is mainly used with other mantras in prayers, by doing this Hindus believe it
will enhance their potency, vibrancy, sanctity and purity.
The belief in One Trinity includes Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, which occupy the second
highest tier. In the life of an individual, the Trinity appears as three phases of life. Brahma
represents childhood which is regarded as the phase of celibacy and studentship. This phase is
also the preparatory phase for the spiritual journey for each individual. Vishnu represents the
second phase of adulthood. This is the phase of the householder when an individual spends his
time preserving himself, his family, society and religion by performing his duties towards his
ancestors, nature gods and others. Siva refers to the third phase, old age or the phase of
withdrawal from the active life he was living and detachment from all relationships. At this
phase, the individual focuses on the real purpose of his life and prepares himself for the
liberation of the cycles of birth and death. During this phase, it is the tradition where the person
hands over his individual responsibilities and the ownership of his personal belongings to his
children and retires to a forest or a secluded place (Jayaram, 2010).
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The Hindu concept of humans are divine beings goes back to the Hindu texts and the
perception of the individual self or “atman” as the immortal pure essence of each being. Human
beings are positioned in the all-embracing “Brahman” or the absolute frequently linked with the
cosmic dimensions of the universe. Hindus have a great devotion of Brahman and the locus in
the caste systems that are associated duties with god and society. These are inert components of
their existence and spiritual pursuit. Ultimately all human beings are divine and each being has
the responsibility to represent their respective god, community and family to consciously attempt
to uphold the purity of their eternal atman.
Unity exists through love and religious harmonies are together. One life vibrates in all
beings. Life is common in all living animals, birds and humans. One of the first things learned
in the Hindu religion is the concept of unity of all selves. If a person injures another man, then
he/she should injure him/herself. If one helps another person, one helps him/herself. There is
one life, one common consciousness in all beings (Sivananda, 2010).
Knowledge of the three G’s includes: Ganga, Gita, and Gayatri. The first G is the river
Ganges which is very sacred to Hindus. They say that if one takes a dip in the river, one is free
of all sins and attains immortality. The second G stands for Gita, which is considered to be one
of the most sacred and popular religious scriptures in Hinduism. The scripture guides how
Hindus should conduct themselves in their day to day lives, keeping their god at the center of
their awareness and activities. Those who read the Gita regularly are apt to benefit in many ways
physically, mentally, and spiritually. The third G represents the Gayatri Mantras, which gives
prayer of praise that is believed to awaken the vital energies and give liberation (Jayaram, 2010).
The mantras are as follows:
We meditate on the glory of the Creator;
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Who has created the Universe;
Who is worthy of Worship;
Who is the embodiment of Knowledge and Light;
Who is the remover of all Sins and Ignorance;
May he enlighten our Intellect
Application/Usefulness of the Theory in Today’s Healthcare Environment
Hinduism is considered one of the five most common major world religions; therefore it
is imperative that healthcare agencies/providers be informed as to the implications of Hinduism
with regard to healthcare, when caring for Hindu patients and their families (Campbell, 2006).
Whenever possible, every attempt should be made by both healthcare agencies and providers to
consider and facilitate religious and cultural observance in healthcare. Several key concepts in
Hinduism may potentially impact the healthcare of the Hindu patient, including: family, purity,
kharma, and dharma. These concepts will influence healthcare topics related to modesty of care,
birth, death, organ donation, and euthanasia.
“Traditional teachings deal with the duties of individuals and families to maintain a
lifestyle conducive to physical and mental health” (Coward & Sidhu, 2000, p. 1168). As a
practitioner, sensitivity and respect for culture and religion is important when caring for the
Hindu patient. Understanding the intimate involvement of the family unit is critical. For
Hindus, ethical decisions, including those involving healthcare are not made autonomously by
the patient, as in Western culture but by the family. The individual person is seen not as
autonomous, rather intimately integrated with his or her extended family with a strong male
dominance to matters of consent (Coward & Sidhu, 2000).
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Purity is an important value for Hindus. The two terms for purity are Suddha and Sauca.
Suddha relates to the image of the human body in its most pure, perfect and desired state of
being. Suaca means “pure” but relates more to personal cleanliness (Coward & Sidhu, 2000).
General Hindu tradition favors males over females. This concept is carried over into the idea of
purity, as women are thought to have more bodily discharges (i.e. menstruation and childbirth)
than men, so are thought to be more impure. Both the mother and child are considered impure
due to the process of childbirth; however the infant goes through rituals of purification during the
11 to 13 days after birth (Coward & Sidhu, 2000). “Babies and children who die before puberty
are buried and not cremated, as their bodies do not need purification by fire. They are deemed to
be without sin” (Campbell, 2006, p. 24). Interestingly, women do not attend these burials.
Healthcare agencies and providers should also have an understanding of the Hindu view
on death. For Hindus, death is “attained” and merely the karmic idea of the end of one life and
preparation for the next. Hinduism views death as a natural and wonderful event that is not to be
feared (Darr, 2002). Moreover, an emphasis on family participation in the dying process should
be expected. Generally, if one’s death yields opportunity for organ donation, the Hindu idea of
“dharma” (righteous living) lends acceptance of this practice. “The important issue for a Hindu
is that which sustains life should be accepted and promoted as Dharma” (Sarma, 2008, p. 52),
however, there are some schools of thought which place concern on the idea of kharma being
transferred with the donated organ to the recipient.
Euthanasia is controversial in most cultural and religious arenas and is no exception in
Hinduism. The Hindu religion “identifies three basic types of death: natural, unnatural (being
killed), and self-willed (killing oneself)” (Darr, 2002, p. 31). It is thought that passive euthanasia
is being practiced in India. For instance, if a patient is terminally ill with an incurable disease
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and cannot be saved, often doctors are motivated by compassion and do not always resort to
heroic life-saving measures (Darr, 2002). Most Hindus agree that human life, being of infinite
value, should be promoted, protected, and preserved. Hindus have always considered care of the
dying the primary responsibility of the family, making physician-assisted suicide morally
unacceptable and illegal (Darr, 2002). It would seem this creates a rather gray area for
healthcare providers, similar to those seen in Western culture.
Abortion is another somewhat gray area in Hinduism. Birth is viewed as a cyclical event
from the moment of conception and is merely the rebirth of a fully developed person who has
already lived many previous lives (Darr, 2002). Since the fetus is considered a reborn person
from conception, abortion at any stage of fetal development is considered murder, except in
circumstances where abortion is needed to preserve the life of the mother (Coward & Sidhu,
2000). While the sanctity of life dominates healthcare decisions, abortion is generally
considered immoral.
Drawbacks, Limitations/Critiques of the Theory
Every religion has drawbacks or limitations. Religion has been critiqued since the
beginning of time; the Hindu religion is no exception. The roots of Hinduism go back to 2000
BC, making it the oldest surviving religion; thus there are many things about the Hindu religion
that are unknown. The early history of Hinduism is based on scholar’s educated guesses, there
are still ancient scripts that have not been deciphered, and moreover, the founders of Hinduism
and authors of the ancient scripts remain unknown. This causes discord for Westerners who try
to understand the Hindu religion. Westerners are accustomed to very strict belief systems with
creeds and confessions, that have centuries upon centuries of history to back them up. One of the
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most common Hindu sayings about religion is: “Truth is one; sages call it by a different name”
(ReligionFacts- Hindu Beliefs, 2004).
Another issue of discord is the diversity of beliefs that exists in the Hindu religion.
Hindu followers can believe in many different ideas yet all say they are Hindu. There are few
fundamental beliefs that are considered throughout the religion, allowing room for interpretation
and flexibility in practice. Hinduism is considered the most open-minded religion. The
fundamental Hindu belief of reincarnation is also a difficult concept for Western thinkers.
“Rebirth” or reincarnation, whether as a plant, animal, or another human, is the Hindu ideal of
repeatedly attempting to become closer to their deity/God.
To get away from the Westerners critique, let’s look at the number one thing we found
that resulted in criticism of the Hindu religion: the caste system. Hindu religion has been
associated with the government for some time, thus getting the blame for the development of the
caste system in India. Though none of the ancient texts or anywhere in the religion does it
endorse the use of caste system. Per Hindu website a caste is a division of society based on
occupation and family lineage. The Hindu caste system has four distinct divisions among their
people based on criteria and enforced through a rigid code of conduct. The three out of four
upper classes were given preferential treatment. There were strict laws enforced to not allow
movement between the classes as well. Essentially, where one is born is where one would stay,
not allowing for upward mobility to those who were smart enough to pursue other careers or
places in life. The caste system was used to preserve the identity of the people. The caste system
was justified by the Vedas, the scared scriptures of the Hindu. Justification in the Karma, meant
one was born where he/she was meant to be based on one’s past lives. Justification by the theory
of Gunas, “all beings and objects in the world contain the triple gunas or qualities of Prakritie.
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Their dominance or suppression causes people to act and behave differently and make them fit
for certain types of occupations” (Jayaram, 2010). Justification of this process is outlined by the
religious laws in the various literature and scriptures. The caste system exploited the weak,
disunity and division of loyalties, foreign domination, and preferential treatment. It had political
and military implications that prevented the healthy exchange of knowledge and ideas. Because
of the caste system, many converted to other religions. The caste system was an instrument of
oppression in the hands of the privileged caste. It created a class of people known as the
‘untouchables’ who were treated like they were less then humans. It also produced a low self
esteem in the lower castes. The caste system continues today (Jayaram, 2010).
The Hindu religion also is criticized for various practices such as the “Sati” or widow
immolation or “bride burning”. This is a form of domestic violence perpetrated against women in
India (Criticism of Hinduism: Wikipedia, 2010). There are a few different meanings for Sati. All
are violence against woman. A woman will either cover herself or be forcibly covered in
gasoline or some sort of immolate and burned. The other definition is a form of violence in
which the groom’s family would burn the woman because her dowry is not paid. This stated to
be outlawed by the Hindu religion; however the act is rationalized within it. Hundreds of women
die each year from this very practice, it is considered a leading health problem for India
(Criticism of Hinduism: Wikipedia, 2010).
Hinduism Related to the ANA Code of Ethics
The American Nurses’ Association Code of Ethics is a fundamental document for the
profession of nursing. It provides practicing nurses with ethical and legal guidance, as well as a
social contract with the society that is being served by the profession. The Code of Ethics
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currently serves to inform nurses, patients and the public about the core values of the profession
of nursing (Lachman, 2009). While the Code of Ethics is a concrete, well-defined set of
standards; it possesses the dynamic ability to relate to the fluid and abstract concepts of
Hinduism.
In Provision 1 in the ANA Code of Ethics, it is stated that, The nurse, in all professional
relationships, practices with compassion and respect for the inherent dignity, worth and
uniqueness of every individual, unrestricted by considerations of social or economic status,
personal attributes, or the nature of health problems (Spring, MD, n.d.). This is in relation
to the main concept of Hinduism, which is that one must have respect and act with
compassion for ones self, other living beings, and all things in nature. Hinduism teaches
that all actions taken by and individual will eventually come back them, therefore acting
with respect and compassion is essential to having a pleasant life in this current dimension
as well as having a pleasant life in the next dimension.
In Provision 5 of the ANA Code of Ethics, it is stated that, the nurse owes the same duties
to self as to others, including the responsibility to preserve integrity and safety, to maintain
competence, and to continue personal and professional growth (Spring, MD, n.d.).
Hinduism also believes in the value of preserving ones self, through meditation, yoga, and
healthy living. The quest for personal growth is a great task to a Hindu, whose purpose in
life is to grow not only as an individual, but serve the greater religion of Hinduism’s
growth and development. Both the ANA Code of Ethics and Hinduism, place great
emphasis on the importance of self-preservation and development of personal character;
each reflects on one another a positive manner (Lachman, 2009).
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While other subtle similarities can be drawn between the ANA Code of Ethics
and the theory of Hinduism, these above discussed provisions have the most striking and obvious
congruencies.
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References
Campbell, A. (2006, December). Spiritual Care of Sick Children of Five World Faiths.
Paediatric Nursing, 18(10), 22-25.
Coward, H., & Sidhu, T. (2000, October 31). Bioethics for clinicians: 19. Hinduism and
Sikhism. Canadian Medical Association Journal, 163(9), 1167-1170.
Darr, K. (2002, Winter). Cultural, Ethic, and Religious Diversity in Service Delivery. Hospital
Topics, 80(1), 29-33.
Jayaram, V. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.hinduwebsite.com
Johnsen, L. (2009). The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Hinduism (2nd ed.). New York, New York:
Penguin Group.
Lachman, V. D. (2009). Practical Use of Nursing Code of Ethics: Part I. MEDSURG Nursing,
18(1), 55-57.
Lachman, V.V. (2009). Practical Use of Nursing Code of Ethics: Part II. MEDSURG Nursing,
18(3), 191-194.
Sarma, D. (2008, Spring). “Hindu” Bioethics?. Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 36(1), 51-58.
Sivananda, S. S. (2010). Hindu Ethics: The Foundational Principles of Hindu Ethics. Retrieved
from http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/Hindu Ethics/id/22798
Spring, S., MD (n.d.). Code of Ethics of Nurses with Interpretative Statements. Retrieved from
http://nursingworld.com