Hinduism: The World's Oldest Known Religion

Hinduism Origins and Beliefs

Hinduism is the world's oldest known religion, it can be traced back all the way to 5,000 7,000 B.C. This very complex and peaceful religion originated around the Indus Valley near the river Indus (India). ‘Hindu’ is derived from the Sanskrit word sindhu used by the Aryans. The word Hindu or Indu was used by Greeks and Persians to denote the country and the people living beyond the Indus river. Unlike most other religions, hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no single governing body.

Hinduism is known as a “way of life” or a “family of religions” rather than a single religion. It is referred to as Sanatana Dharma, the eternal law or the eternal

This is the foremost goal in Hinduism. Dharma makes life and the universe possible and includes duties, rights, laws, conduct, virtues and the “right way of living”. The second objective is Artha (livelihood, wealth). This is the virtuous pursuit of wealth for livelihood, obligations and economic prosperity. The third objective is Kama (desire, sensual pleasure). This is the desire, wish, passion, longing, pleasure of life, affection or love, with or without sexual connotations. And finally, the fourth objective in life is Moksha (liberation, freedom from Samsara). This is the ultimate goal in Hinduism. Moksha is associated with liberation from sorrow, suffering and

One is Economic gain, this is usually when one country tries/wishes to take another's wealth. In pre-industrial times, the gains sought might be precious materials such as gold and silver, or livestock such as cattle and horses. In more modern times the resources sought are more likely to take form of things like oil, minerals or materials used in manufacturing. The second cause is Territorial gain. This happens when a country decides it wants more land, therefore seeking out for new land, then causing war between whoever owns the land and the country. The third cause is Religion. Religion wars can often be tied in with other reasons of conflict, such as nationalism, or seeking revenge for a perceived historical event. And the last main cause of war would be Nationalism. Nationalism in this context essentially means attempting to prove that your country is superior to another by violently subjugation - often takes form as