Classifications
Is this religion mono/poly/heno?
Mono is one god/ poly is several gods/ heno is no god
Hindus worship thousands of gods which means they are polytheistic religion. Each is free to choose his or her favorite. Like many ancient people, the Aryans were polytheistic. This means they worshiped many gods.
Mono is one god/ poly is several gods/ heno is no god
Hindus worship thousands of gods which means they are polytheistic religion. Each is free to choose his or her favorite. Like many ancient people, the Aryans were polytheistic. This means they worshiped many gods.
Founding Story
How did this religion begin?
Unlike other religions, Hinduism had no precise beginning and no founder. There is no Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad, or Buddha in Hindu history. Instead, Hinduism evolved over many hundreds of years. When it finally materialized, it was a mixture of the religious beliefs of India's earliest civilization with those of northern invaders who entered the country about 1700 B.C. Hindus refer to themselves as Sanatan dharma, which means "the eternal religion" or "eternal law."
Unlike other religions, Hinduism had no precise beginning and no founder. There is no Abraham, Jesus, Muhammad, or Buddha in Hindu history. Instead, Hinduism evolved over many hundreds of years. When it finally materialized, it was a mixture of the religious beliefs of India's earliest civilization with those of northern invaders who entered the country about 1700 B.C. Hindus refer to themselves as Sanatan dharma, which means "the eternal religion" or "eternal law."
Key Figures
Important people to the story?
Their most important god was Indra, who was known as the lord of the sky. Indra was also the giver of rain and the god of war. The two other important gods were Argni, the lord of fire, and Varuna, the lord of the waters. Brahman is neither male or female. It does not have human form, because to have human characteristics would make it imperfect. Therefore cannot be described. Because it has no form, Hindus have created thousands of gods and goddesses which are believed to be different manifestations of Brahman.
Dharma
Dharma is another key figure it is different on one's family background, means of livelihood, plus other factors. If Hindus fulfill their Dharma to the best of their abilities, this will result in good karma. Karma is based off of one's action or behavior.The path of good karma yoga. It centers around people doing their dharma, or duty, as their particular social group calls for it. The path of knowledge is known as Jnana yoga it has to do with with people attaining spiritually knowledge. The path to devotion is Bhaki yoga Hindus who follow this path choose particular deity and worship him or her during their entire lifetime. The path of meditation is called Raja yoga. This is the path that people outside of Hinduism see as simply yoga. The temple where they worship their gods is called the mandir. Once in the mandir, people make offering s to their god to whom the temple is dedicated. These offerings consist of fruit, nuts, flowers, and sometimes coins. But a long time ago the official offering was called pujari. This comes from puja the Hindu word which means worship. Their most important god was Indra, who was known as the lord of the sky. Indra was also the giver of rain and the god of war. The two other important gods were Argni, the lord of fire, and Varuna, the lord of the waters. This was also known as tilak. The arti lamp was one of the main things included in and offering.
Gandhi
It was April 6, 1930, and Gandhi, the 61 year old Indian nationalist leader, had just completed a 240-mile walk from his home in Ahmadabad to the town of Dandi, on the Arabian Sea. What became known as the great Salt March had began 24 days earlier, as Gandhi and 78 followers set on foot protest British rule of India. As Gandhi emerges there had been periodic rebellions against British rule, it was after World War 1 (1914-18) that the drive for self-rule gained traction. But in 1919, Britain adopted the Rowlatt Acts, giving the government emergency powers, including the right to imprison anyone deemed suspicious. It seemed to be a betrayal of promises of self-rule, and protests broke out. After 21 years in South Africa fighting prejudice against Indian workers there, he had returned to India in 1914 and founded a religious commune near Ahmadabad. Gandhi was unlike any political leader India had ever seen. It was Gandhi who transformed the drive for Indian independence into a mass movement. The massacre galvanized Indians, and the leader they rallied around was Gandhi. They began to call him Mahatma which meant "great soul" in Sanskrit.
Their most important god was Indra, who was known as the lord of the sky. Indra was also the giver of rain and the god of war. The two other important gods were Argni, the lord of fire, and Varuna, the lord of the waters. Brahman is neither male or female. It does not have human form, because to have human characteristics would make it imperfect. Therefore cannot be described. Because it has no form, Hindus have created thousands of gods and goddesses which are believed to be different manifestations of Brahman.
Dharma
Dharma is another key figure it is different on one's family background, means of livelihood, plus other factors. If Hindus fulfill their Dharma to the best of their abilities, this will result in good karma. Karma is based off of one's action or behavior.The path of good karma yoga. It centers around people doing their dharma, or duty, as their particular social group calls for it. The path of knowledge is known as Jnana yoga it has to do with with people attaining spiritually knowledge. The path to devotion is Bhaki yoga Hindus who follow this path choose particular deity and worship him or her during their entire lifetime. The path of meditation is called Raja yoga. This is the path that people outside of Hinduism see as simply yoga. The temple where they worship their gods is called the mandir. Once in the mandir, people make offering s to their god to whom the temple is dedicated. These offerings consist of fruit, nuts, flowers, and sometimes coins. But a long time ago the official offering was called pujari. This comes from puja the Hindu word which means worship. Their most important god was Indra, who was known as the lord of the sky. Indra was also the giver of rain and the god of war. The two other important gods were Argni, the lord of fire, and Varuna, the lord of the waters. This was also known as tilak. The arti lamp was one of the main things included in and offering.
Gandhi
It was April 6, 1930, and Gandhi, the 61 year old Indian nationalist leader, had just completed a 240-mile walk from his home in Ahmadabad to the town of Dandi, on the Arabian Sea. What became known as the great Salt March had began 24 days earlier, as Gandhi and 78 followers set on foot protest British rule of India. As Gandhi emerges there had been periodic rebellions against British rule, it was after World War 1 (1914-18) that the drive for self-rule gained traction. But in 1919, Britain adopted the Rowlatt Acts, giving the government emergency powers, including the right to imprison anyone deemed suspicious. It seemed to be a betrayal of promises of self-rule, and protests broke out. After 21 years in South Africa fighting prejudice against Indian workers there, he had returned to India in 1914 and founded a religious commune near Ahmadabad. Gandhi was unlike any political leader India had ever seen. It was Gandhi who transformed the drive for Indian independence into a mass movement. The massacre galvanized Indians, and the leader they rallied around was Gandhi. They began to call him Mahatma which meant "great soul" in Sanskrit.
Religious Authority
Who or what makes the rules?
The Vedas, are four ancient books of hymns. The Upanishads was written around 600 B.C., which discusses Hindu philosophy.The word Vedas means "knowledge". The hymns are really poems praising the many gods of Aryans worshiped. The holy scriptures point out that this gives the person more time to mediate and attain moksha - release from the cycle of rebirth. Hindu scriptures point out that there are four paths or ways that lead to moksha. These are the paths of good works, knowledge, devotion, and meditation. And those who do and are able to give up their homes and possessions become holy men known as sadhus. To show respect to particular god or goddesses many family's make offerings to the murti while reciting mantras, which is a verse from the Hindu holy book.
The Vedas, are four ancient books of hymns. The Upanishads was written around 600 B.C., which discusses Hindu philosophy.The word Vedas means "knowledge". The hymns are really poems praising the many gods of Aryans worshiped. The holy scriptures point out that this gives the person more time to mediate and attain moksha - release from the cycle of rebirth. Hindu scriptures point out that there are four paths or ways that lead to moksha. These are the paths of good works, knowledge, devotion, and meditation. And those who do and are able to give up their homes and possessions become holy men known as sadhus. To show respect to particular god or goddesses many family's make offerings to the murti while reciting mantras, which is a verse from the Hindu holy book.
Core Believes
Goals:
The goal of life for a Hindu is to escape this endless cycle of rebirth. Reaching this goal, however, takes many lifetimes. In the end, one reaches a state called nirvana, where the soul becomes part of one great soul, known as Brahman. Brahman is everlasting and unchanging and many incarnations. Another way to say incarnation is avatar. The goal of every Hindu is to attain moksha. This is similar to enlightenment in Buddhism. Mosksha is not a place the soul goes to when it has overcome all evil and desire. It is not like heaven. It is when Atman, or the soul or spirit, merges or reunites with Brahman. When this occurs, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth ends.
The goal of life for a Hindu is to escape this endless cycle of rebirth. Reaching this goal, however, takes many lifetimes. In the end, one reaches a state called nirvana, where the soul becomes part of one great soul, known as Brahman. Brahman is everlasting and unchanging and many incarnations. Another way to say incarnation is avatar. The goal of every Hindu is to attain moksha. This is similar to enlightenment in Buddhism. Mosksha is not a place the soul goes to when it has overcome all evil and desire. It is not like heaven. It is when Atman, or the soul or spirit, merges or reunites with Brahman. When this occurs, the cycle of birth, death and rebirth ends.
Beliefs about the after life:
Hindus believe that every living creature has a soul, and that every soul is part of a larger spirit. According to the Hindus when people die, their souls are reborn into new bodies in a process called reincarnation. Each time people are reincarnated, they move up or down in the social order, depending on how they have lived. Good beggars may become kings, and bad kings may become beggars. Another belief they have is Karma. Which is everything a person does influences what will eventually happen to that person. Everything that a person does in this life will also add to his or her karma for the next life or reincarnation. Living right will lead that person to nirvana which is the ultimate goal.
Brahman
All Hindus believe in Brahman. Brahman is not a god; it is a supreme spirit that is everywhere. Everyone and everything is united spiritually because Brahman is a part of everything that exists. Hindus believe that all living things have a spirit, or soul. This soul is Atman. Atman comes from Brahman. This is why many or even all Hindus believe it is wrong to hurt or kill any animals. They especially hold the cow to be sacred. They are sacred because they provided transportation, milk and other things for the Hindus. Hindu believe life consists of four stages called ashramas, The stages are: the student stage, the householder stage, the retirement stage, and the renunciation stage. But is not possible for every Hindu to progress through each of these stages those guidelines are ideal for Hindu life.
Hindus believe that every living creature has a soul, and that every soul is part of a larger spirit. According to the Hindus when people die, their souls are reborn into new bodies in a process called reincarnation. Each time people are reincarnated, they move up or down in the social order, depending on how they have lived. Good beggars may become kings, and bad kings may become beggars. Another belief they have is Karma. Which is everything a person does influences what will eventually happen to that person. Everything that a person does in this life will also add to his or her karma for the next life or reincarnation. Living right will lead that person to nirvana which is the ultimate goal.
Brahman
All Hindus believe in Brahman. Brahman is not a god; it is a supreme spirit that is everywhere. Everyone and everything is united spiritually because Brahman is a part of everything that exists. Hindus believe that all living things have a spirit, or soul. This soul is Atman. Atman comes from Brahman. This is why many or even all Hindus believe it is wrong to hurt or kill any animals. They especially hold the cow to be sacred. They are sacred because they provided transportation, milk and other things for the Hindus. Hindu believe life consists of four stages called ashramas, The stages are: the student stage, the householder stage, the retirement stage, and the renunciation stage. But is not possible for every Hindu to progress through each of these stages those guidelines are ideal for Hindu life.
Concept of higher power:
Among these are Brahma, the Creator, Silva, the Destroyer, and Vishnu, the Preserver or Re-newer. In Hinduism, the Gita points to the Supreme Power when it teaches about Brahman. Brahman designates the impersonal principle and first cause of the universe. It is beyond material forms. As eternal, infinite, and conscious being, it is believed to be the subject, rather than the object, of thought. As the Absolute of all things, it is incapable of being characterized by any one thing, or even by the totality of things. Aum, Tat, Sat are the threefold symbol of Brahman. Aum expresses His Absolute Supremacy; Tat Universality, and Sat Reality. In the Gita, Brahman is quoted as saying:
Among these are Brahma, the Creator, Silva, the Destroyer, and Vishnu, the Preserver or Re-newer. In Hinduism, the Gita points to the Supreme Power when it teaches about Brahman. Brahman designates the impersonal principle and first cause of the universe. It is beyond material forms. As eternal, infinite, and conscious being, it is believed to be the subject, rather than the object, of thought. As the Absolute of all things, it is incapable of being characterized by any one thing, or even by the totality of things. Aum, Tat, Sat are the threefold symbol of Brahman. Aum expresses His Absolute Supremacy; Tat Universality, and Sat Reality. In the Gita, Brahman is quoted as saying:
Key holidays:
Some of the main Holidays are Diwali, Makar Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Ram Navami, Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Navaratri.
Diwali
Diwali is the festival of lights for Hindus and Sikhs. The celebration lasts for five days and is marked by sweets, fireworks and lights. It celebrates the triumph of good, light and knowledge over evil, darkness and ignorance. Diwali celebrates a good year of harvesting and honors the Goddess of Wealth.
Maker Sankranti
Maker Sankranti is celebrated on the January 13 and it is the first Hindu holiday on the western calendar. It is observed in different ways in various regions of India and occurs when the sun goes into the zodiac sign of Makar, which makes the days longer.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri celebrations honor Shiva, destroyer of the universe. Unlike other Hindu celebrations, this one is celebrated the night and day before the new moon. One of the Hindu traditions during Maha Shivaratri is to bathe a sculpture of Shiva with water, honey, and milk before rubbing it with sandalwood paste and adorning it with flowers.
Holi
Holi is the Hindu festival of colors. It marks the beginning of spring and all that spring symbolizes. Holi is not a religious holiday, although it does have a religious history. It is most commonly celebrated in Northern India and usually takes place in February or March. During this time (known as Phagun) Hindus build bonfires to help get the evil spirits out of the air and celebrate with gifts of food. It is a very happy time when Hindus are all recognized as equal with no difference in wealth, gender or age.
Ram Navami
Ram Navami takes place in April and celebrates the birth of Lord Rama. On this holiday, Hindus clean and decorate their houses with fruits and flowers. The youngest girl in the house leads the prayers (called puja) by putting a red mark (called a tilak) on her family. They put an image of Rama as a baby in a cradle, and at midday, they remove the cover of the cradle and feed a special food (called Prasad) to him.
Raksha Bandan
Raksha Bandan celebrates love for comrades and brothers. Hindus celebrate it when there is a full moon. This usually takes place in August. Raksha means "protection" and Bandhan means "to tie." During this festival, sisters put a bracelet called a rakhi on their brothers' wrists as a symbol of their love and affection for them. The priests put rakhis on the wrists of members of their congregation and women put rakhis on the wrists of the prime minister. When a woman puts a rakhi on a man, the man has a duty to protect her. The bracelets usually have many colors and the people say a chant in Punjabi or Sanskrit once the bracelets are tied.
Krishna JanmashtamiJanmashtami is a festival celebrating Krishna's birth. Krishna is god that Hindus worship the most. They celebrate his birthday in August, eight days after Raksha Bandhan. The celebration lasts two days.
NavaratriNavaratri is a fun and religious holiday in October. During this time, Hindus from all over India put aside their daily chores and prepare for Navaratri, a nine-day celebration honoring three goddesses of the religion: Durga, the goddess of valor; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. Hindus dedicate three days of celebration to each of the three goddesses, which are the incarnations of Goddess Shakti (the Mother Goddess).
Some of the main Holidays are Diwali, Makar Sankranti, Maha Shivaratri, Holi, Ram Navami, Raksha Bandhan, Krishna Janmashtami, Navaratri.
Diwali
Diwali is the festival of lights for Hindus and Sikhs. The celebration lasts for five days and is marked by sweets, fireworks and lights. It celebrates the triumph of good, light and knowledge over evil, darkness and ignorance. Diwali celebrates a good year of harvesting and honors the Goddess of Wealth.
Maker Sankranti
Maker Sankranti is celebrated on the January 13 and it is the first Hindu holiday on the western calendar. It is observed in different ways in various regions of India and occurs when the sun goes into the zodiac sign of Makar, which makes the days longer.
Maha Shivaratri
Maha Shivaratri celebrations honor Shiva, destroyer of the universe. Unlike other Hindu celebrations, this one is celebrated the night and day before the new moon. One of the Hindu traditions during Maha Shivaratri is to bathe a sculpture of Shiva with water, honey, and milk before rubbing it with sandalwood paste and adorning it with flowers.
Holi
Holi is the Hindu festival of colors. It marks the beginning of spring and all that spring symbolizes. Holi is not a religious holiday, although it does have a religious history. It is most commonly celebrated in Northern India and usually takes place in February or March. During this time (known as Phagun) Hindus build bonfires to help get the evil spirits out of the air and celebrate with gifts of food. It is a very happy time when Hindus are all recognized as equal with no difference in wealth, gender or age.
Ram Navami
Ram Navami takes place in April and celebrates the birth of Lord Rama. On this holiday, Hindus clean and decorate their houses with fruits and flowers. The youngest girl in the house leads the prayers (called puja) by putting a red mark (called a tilak) on her family. They put an image of Rama as a baby in a cradle, and at midday, they remove the cover of the cradle and feed a special food (called Prasad) to him.
Raksha Bandan
Raksha Bandan celebrates love for comrades and brothers. Hindus celebrate it when there is a full moon. This usually takes place in August. Raksha means "protection" and Bandhan means "to tie." During this festival, sisters put a bracelet called a rakhi on their brothers' wrists as a symbol of their love and affection for them. The priests put rakhis on the wrists of members of their congregation and women put rakhis on the wrists of the prime minister. When a woman puts a rakhi on a man, the man has a duty to protect her. The bracelets usually have many colors and the people say a chant in Punjabi or Sanskrit once the bracelets are tied.
Krishna JanmashtamiJanmashtami is a festival celebrating Krishna's birth. Krishna is god that Hindus worship the most. They celebrate his birthday in August, eight days after Raksha Bandhan. The celebration lasts two days.
NavaratriNavaratri is a fun and religious holiday in October. During this time, Hindus from all over India put aside their daily chores and prepare for Navaratri, a nine-day celebration honoring three goddesses of the religion: Durga, the goddess of valor; Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth; and Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge. Hindus dedicate three days of celebration to each of the three goddesses, which are the incarnations of Goddess Shakti (the Mother Goddess).
Sites and Symbols
Famous places and images of the religion:
A study would not be complete without Hindus symbols. One symbol is the swastika. It is an ancient symbol that resembles a cross with bent arms. To Hindus though it is peace and good luck. But Hitler used the sign for evil. Just for you not to be confused the original was symbol was for this religion. Another symbol is the sacred om (or oum, aum). Om represents the sound of Brahman. Hindus say this syllable when they begin and end a prayer. Or may even be recited when hymns are dung and mantras (holy verses) are chanted. om is the most used in Hinduism. When Hindus worship in public, they go to a temple called a mandir. Like the places worship of other religions, mandirs come in all shapes and sizes. Those in villages are small and quite simple. Those in towns and cites and may be large and brightly decorated on the exterior.
A study would not be complete without Hindus symbols. One symbol is the swastika. It is an ancient symbol that resembles a cross with bent arms. To Hindus though it is peace and good luck. But Hitler used the sign for evil. Just for you not to be confused the original was symbol was for this religion. Another symbol is the sacred om (or oum, aum). Om represents the sound of Brahman. Hindus say this syllable when they begin and end a prayer. Or may even be recited when hymns are dung and mantras (holy verses) are chanted. om is the most used in Hinduism. When Hindus worship in public, they go to a temple called a mandir. Like the places worship of other religions, mandirs come in all shapes and sizes. Those in villages are small and quite simple. Those in towns and cites and may be large and brightly decorated on the exterior.