Hinduism

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Hinduism

Hinduism is considered one of the oldest religions in the world. Hinduism precedes recorded history. Hinduism is unique as a religion as there is no single founder but grew over a period of 4,000 years in the region of the Indus River, better known today as the subcontinent of India. Hinduism does not have a specific theological system, a single system of morality, or a central religious center of organization. The word Hinduism “is derived from a name applied by foreigners to the people living in the region of the Indus River, and was introduced in the nineteenth century under colonial British rule as a category for census-taking” (Axia College, 2005).

Today Hinduism is the third largest religions in the world, following only Christianity and Islam, with 837 million followers. This comes to about 13% of the world’s population (Religioustolerance.org, 2008). There are thousands of forms of Hinduism worshipped developed in India, Nepal and among the Tamils of Sri Lanka. In the U.S. it is estimated that there are about 1.1 million Hindus. The preferred term today is Sanatana Dharma, translated to be eternal or ageless religion (Axia College, 2005).

Hinduism is sometimes considered henotheistic, meaning “involving devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of others” (Reference.com, 2008). Any such term is actually considered to be an overgeneralization. Hindus believe that the true self of a person or the soul, called the Atman, is eternal. This Atman is ultimately indistinct from Brahman, the supreme spirit. The goal of life is to realize that one's Atman is identical to Brahman, the supreme soul. “Whoever becomes fully aware of the Atman as the innermost core of one's own self realizes an identity with Brahman and thereby reaches Moksha (liberation or freedom)” (Reference.com, 2008).

Moksha is “the liberation or freedom from the limits of space, time and matter through realization of the immortal absolute” (Axia College, 2005). This will take several incarnations, or lifetimes, to achieve. Hence Hindus believe in Reincarnation and Karma. Reincarnation is the soul leaving a dead body and being reborn in a new body again and again to continue working towards the ultimate goal of Moksha. Karma is action and the consequences for these actions in an incarnation. What one does in one’s lifetime will have consequences in this lifetime and for all the lifetimes to come afterward.

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