Hinduism for Beginners

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Hinduism for Beginners By Subhamoy Das

 

What is Hinduism?:Hinduism is the world's oldest extant religion, with a

billion followers, which makes it the world's third largest religion.

Hinduism is a conglomeration of religious, philosophical, and cultural

ideas and practices that originated in India, characterized by the

belief in reincarnation, one absolute being of multiple manifestations,

the law of cause and effect, following the path of righteousness, and

the desire for liberation from the cycle of births and deaths.

Read More: How do you define Hinduism?

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/definition. htm>

How is Hinduism unique from other religions?:Hinduism cannot be neatly

slotted into any particular belief system. Unlike other religions,

Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all

action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics,

meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology. The religious tradition of

Hinduism is solely responsible for the creation of such original

concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotish, Yajna, Puja,

Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc.

Read More: The Uniqueness of Hinduism

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/uniqueness. htm>

How and when did Hinduism originate?:Hinduism has its origins in such

remote past that it cannot be traced to any one individual. Some

scholars believe that Hinduism must have existed even in circa 10000

B.C. and that the earliest of the Hindu scriptures – The Rig Veda

– was composed well before 6500 B.C. The word "Hinduism" is not to

be found anywhere in the scriptures, and the term "Hindu" was introduced

by foreigners who referred to people living across the River Indus or

Sindhu, in the north of India, around which the Vedic religion is

believed to have originated.

Read More: Theories About the Origin of Hinduism

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/origin. htm>

What are the basic tenets of Hinduism?:There is no "one

Hinduism", and so it lacks any unified system of beliefs and ideas.

Hinduism is a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions, in which

the prominent themes include:

* Dharma (ethics and duties)

* Samsara (rebirth)

* Karma (right action)

* Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara)

It also believes in truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness,

contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious

company.

Read More: The Main Tenets of Hinduism

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/tenets. htm>

What are the key Hindu scriptures?: The basic scriptures of Hinduism,

which is collectively referred to as "Shastras", are essentially a

collection of spiritual laws discovered by different saints and sages at

different points in its long history. The Two types of sacred writings

comprise the Hindu scriptures: "Shruti" (heard) and "Smriti"

(memorized). They were passed on from generation to generation orally

for centuries before they were written down mostly in the Sanskrit

language. The major and most popular Hindu texts include the Bhagavad

Gita, the Upanishads, and the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Read More: The Sacred Texts of the Hindus

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/scriptures. htm>

What are the major Hindu deities?:Hinduism believes that there is only

one supreme Absolute called "Brahman". However, it does not advocate the

worship of any one particular deity. The gods and goddesses of Hinduism

amount to thousands or even millions, all representing the many aspects

of Brahman. Therefore, this faith is characterized by the multiplicity

of deities. The most fundamental of Hindu deities is the Trinity of

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - creator, preserver and destroyer

respectively. Hindus also worship spirits, trees, animals and even

planets.

Read More: Gods & Goddesses in Hinduism

<http://hinduism. about.com/ od/hinduism101/ a/gods.htm>

Who is a Hindu and how to become one?:A Hindu is an individual who

accepts and lives by the religious guidance of the Vedic scriptures.

While the teachings of the Hindu tradition do not require that you have

a religious affiliation to Hinduism in order to receive its inner

teachings, it can be very helpful to formally become a Hindu because it

provides one a formal connection to the "world's oldest continually

existing enlightenment tradition." Thanks & Regards,Sudhir SrinivasanB.Arch, Dip.ID, Dip.CAD, Dip.PM, AIIA, IIID, ARIAI| Architect | M: +353-87-285 9086 |