Download Hinduism - University of Windsor

Hinduism
Hinduism differs from Christianity and other Western religions in that it does not have a single
founder, a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious
organization. It consists of thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India
since 1500 BCE.
Hinduism is the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam, with approximately a
billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India. Other countries with large Hindu
populations include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Indonesia (Bali), Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, Fiji,
Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Canada, and the United States.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern day
Pakistan.
About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as Hindu.
Hindus believe in a universal eternal soul called Brahman, who created and is present in
everything. However, they worship other deities such as Ram, Shiva, Lakshmi and
Hanuman, recognizing different attributes of Brahman in them.
Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma.
Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next
incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived.
The Vedas are the most ancient religious Hindu text and define the truth.
Hindus believe that the texts were received by scholars directly from God and passed
onto generations by word of mouth.
Hindus celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights, Diwali, is the most well
known.
One feature of Indian society, despite attempts by Hindu reformers to outlaw it, is the
caste system (jati) which ranks society according to occupation. Today, caste barriers
have largely broken down in the large cities. The caste system has been abolished by law.
Hindus believe in one God, Brahman, who was the originator of everything. They believe that
his work is now done, however, and the task of creating, maintaining and destroying the world is
up to three main gods, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and other lesser gods. Hindus worship various
gods depending on the characteristics they wish to emulate and according to their needs.
• Brahma is the first god in the Hindu triumvirate, or Trimurti. He is regarded as the senior
god and his job was creation.
• Vishnu is the second god in the Hindu triumvirate of Brahman, Vishnu and Shiva, and is
therefore one of the most important characters in Indian belief.
• Shiva is the third god in the Hindu triumvirate. He is the destroyer, but also the recreator. Shiva is the source of both good and evil who combines many contradictory
elements.
• Lakshmi is the consort of the god Vishnu. She is one of the most popular goddesses of
Hindu mythology and is known as the goddess of wealth and purity.
Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives (samsara) and its next
incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived (karma). In a lifetime people
build up karma, both good and bad, based on their actions within that lifetime. This karma
affects their future lives and existences. People must take responsibility for their actions either
within this life time or the next. Death is a key part of this cycle and is treated with specific
importance. Death is the last samsara (cycle of life) referred to as the 'last sacrifice'.
The Patel Aum, a religious symbol of Hinduism.
References
1) Canadian Centre for Diversity –
http://www.centrefordiversity.ca/resources/pdfs/BASIC-HINDUISM-FINAL.pdf
2) Hinduism – Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism
3) Adherents – http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html#Hinduism
4) Religious Tolerance – Hinduism - http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm
5) BBC Religion & Ethics – Hinduism - http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/