Hinduism 1

Hinduism

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Hinduism is a complex religion full of variances based on the individuals belief system. Some Hindus believe in no gods and hold faith in a philosophy, and some believe in many gods. Some Hindus believe in forsaking material possessions, while others possess or visit objects for worship. Some believe in self deprivation while some believe in practices such as deep sensuality. It is not hard to see that though the common bonds of Hinduism link Hindus together, there is no specific uniting belief system. However, there are commonalities among these different varieties of Hinduism. All these beliefs are deeply rooted in Vedas belief that Karma is the reason for one having suffering in life, and ignoring Self is the reason for suffering in life. The religion is essentially made up of many different practices, and a variety of beliefs. Hinduism is preferably referred to as Sanatana Dharma. Sanatana Dharma essentially means eternal beliefs for the good of all (Fisher, 2005). This spiritual belief is thought to have originated in the Indus River region. The term Hinduism was attached to the religion during a 19th century census conducted by the British (Fisher, 2005). The British did not know how to classify these many different religions, thus they were all given one common name, Hinduism. The Sanatana Dharma religion is believed to have originated from the aboriginal tribes from the Vedic Age. Each different tribe had its different methods of practicing Sanatana Dharma. It is believed that when these aboriginal tribes were invaded by the Aryans these many different versions of Sanatana Dharma flourished throughout the Indus River region. This theory has been debated by many scholars. If the theory turns out to be false, this will cause the past 150 years of Sanatana Dharma to be re-examined for accuracy. Currently it is believed that there are 330 million deities in India (Fisher, 2005). This is because it is believed that the divine have many different faces. There are many different gods

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and goddesses that are worshiped in Sanatana Dharma. It is estimated that 50 million Hindus worship some god or goddess (Fisher, 2005). Another important belief is reincarnation. Karma is a part of the Upanishad doctrine. The Upanishad doctrine is considered to be very spiritual. The teachings of the Upanishad were revealed to sages. These teachings were then verbally passed down until they were written down. This written recording of the Upanishad teachings took anywhere from 800 to 900 years to write down (Fisher, 2005). These teachings came about from philosophies revealed to sages during meditations that took place in the forests. Reincarnation is the belief that when one dies, the soul leaves the body and moves on to the next body. This movement is not uncontrolled; Karma decides the body the soul will next inhabit. If one leads a life of bad Karma one will not experience an uplifting. It is believed that one should be uplifted when experiencing reincarnation. It is rare for one to be reincarnated as a human. To experience such is precious. Hindus try to live a life free of negative Karma. Essentially all are trying to achieve Moksha. Moksha is liberation from life on earth to live life as an immortal in Absolute Reality. In order to achieve Moksha, one must escape Karma to prevent being punished in the next life. In traditional Vedic belief, women were allowed to participate in their own spiritual growth. However, in todays Hinduism women are spiritually linked to their husbands. It is believed that husband and wife complement each other. Many women even offered themselves to be cremated in an attempt to join their husbands in the spiritual afterlife (Fisher, 2005). This constant quest for good Karma brings about the qualities that Hinduism is known for. Duty and ethics are top qualities to be found in a Hindu seeking good Karma. This need to seek good Karma is what gives Hinduism its reputation for being a peaceful religion. The influence

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of Hinduism on the surrounding area has had a positive impact. Hindus have been able to coexist with their surrounding Muslim areas. Though Islam is a powerful religion in that area, Hindus have been able to keep peace in that part of the world. Peace and good deeds are words that echo through Sanatana Dharma.

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References
Fisher, M.P. (2005). Living religions (6th ed.). New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.