Download Hinduism Reading handout

Introduction
Hinduism, the major religion of India, is one of the oldest living religions in the world.
The roots of Hinduism date to prehistoric times in India. About 870 million people practice
the religion. Although most Hindus live in India, Hindu literature and philosophy have
influenced people throughout the world.
Hinduism developed gradually over thousands of years, and many cultures and
religions helped shape it. Many sects (groups) arose within Hinduism, and each
developed its own philosophy and form of worship. Like most religions, Hinduism has
basic beliefs about divinities (gods), life after death, and personal code of conduct.
Sacred Writings
Hinduism has no single book that is the source of its beliefs and practices. But it has
many sacred writings, all of which have contributed to its fundamental beliefs. The most
important include the Vedas, the Puranas, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata. The Vedas
are the oldest Hindu scriptures and are older than the sacred writings of any other major
religion. The teachings of the Vedas existed for centuries before they were finally written
down. There are four Vedas—the Rigveda, the Samaveda, the Yajurveda, and the
Atharvaveda. These different parts contain:
 prayers and hymns
 explanation of theology (beliefs)
 philosophy written as dialogues (like stories)
Divinities
Early Hindus worshiped gods that represented powers in nature, such as rain and the
sun. Gradually, some Hindus came to believe that, though divinities (gods) appear in
separate forms, these forms are part of one universal spirit called Brahman. These Hindus
believe that many divinities make up Brahman. The most important ones are
 Brahma, the creator of the universe
 Vishnu, its preserver
 Shiva, its destroyer.
One of the most important Hindu divinities is Shiva's wife, who has several names. She
is best known as Durga, Kali, Parvati, or Uma. As Parvati or Uma, she is the beloved
goddess of motherhood. As Durga or Kali, she is the feared goddess of destruction. For
many Hindus, these contrasting natures of the goddess represent the way in which time
and matter constantly move from birth to death and from creation to destruction. Many
Hindus find great religious truth in this symbolism and worship the goddess as their most
important divinity. One important thing to keep in mind is that in certain sects, certain
deities are worshipped more widely than others.
Brahma
Vishnu
Shiva
According to Hindu doctrine, animals as well as human beings have souls. Hindus
worship some gods in the form of animals. Cows are sacred, but Hindus also revere
monkeys, snakes, and other animals.
Castes
Caste is India's strict system of social classes. The caste system may have existed
in India from before 1500 B.C. The caste system may have been used as first to keep
native peoples and invading peoples separate. Later, the caste system became more
elaborate and one of the teachings of Hinduism. The Hindu castes are grouped into four
main categories, called varnas. These ranks are hereditary, meaning you are born into
your caste. In order of rank, the castes are
(1) Brahmans, the priests and scholars
(2) Kshatriyas, the rulers and warriors
(3) Vaisyas, the merchants and professionals
(4) Sudras, the laborers and servants.
The caste system includes thousands of sub-castes, each of which has its own rules
of behavior. For centuries, one large group, the untouchables, has existed outside the
four varnas and has ranked below the lowest caste. Traditionally, the untouchables have
had such occupations as tanning (turning animal skin into leather), which Hindu law
forbids for a member of any caste in the four varnas. The Indian constitution of 1950
outlawed untouchability and gave the group full citizenship. But discrimination against
untouchables has not been eliminated.
Through the years, the caste system has weakened somewhat, but continues to be
a strong influence in Indian life. Some social distinctions have been abandoned, especially
in the cities. Many educated Hindus of different castes intermix and work with one
another. Formerly, they would have dined with and would have married only members of
their own caste.
Reincarnation and Karma
Hinduism teaches that the soul never dies. When the body dies, the soul is reborn.
This continuous process of rebirth is called reincarnation. The soul may be reborn in an
animal or in a human being, but Hindu doctrine (philosophy) is not clear on this point.
The law of karma states that every action influences how the soul will be born in the
next reincarnation (the next life). If a person lives a good life, the soul will be born into a
higher state, perhaps into the body of a brahman. If a person leads an evil life, the soul will
be born into a lower state, perhaps into the body of a worm. A person's reincarnation
continues until he or she achieves spiritual perfection. The soul then enters a new level of
existence, called moksha, from which it never returns.
Worship
Hinduism considers temples as buildings dedicated to divinities. Its followers
worship as individuals, not as congregations. Most Hindu temples have many shrines,
each of which is devoted to a divinity. Each temple also has one principal shrine devoted
to a single important god or goddess.
The shrines portray the divinities in sculptured images. Hindus treat these images
as living human beings. Every day, for example, priests wash and dress the images and
bring them food. Hindus do not consider this custom idol worship (worshipping an object).
They believe the divinities are actually present in the images. Hindu temples hold annual
festivals celebrating events in the lives of the divinities. Huge crowds gather for these
festivals. They come to worship and to pray for assistance. Millions of Hindus visit
temples along the Ganges River, the most sacred river in India.
Many observances of Hinduism take place in the home. Most homes have a shrine
devoted to a divinity chosen by the family. In most homes, the husband or wife conducts
the daily family worship. A number of important ceremonies are performed at home,
including the one in which boys officially become members of the Hindu community. Other
religious ceremonies include marriage ceremonies and rituals that are connected with
pregnancy and childbirth.