Running head: HINDUISM

Hinduism An Assignment Submitted by Name of Student Name of Establishment Class XXXX, Section XXXX, Fall 2012

HINDUISM Hinduism Origin and Founder: It is believed that Hinduism began when Aryans added the gods of the Indus Valley people to their own. After this other people began to bring in other gods, beliefs, and practices as well. Hinduism does not have a founder and there is no unified system of beliefs or common doctrine. God - gods: Most Hindus believe in the universal God, who also is inside every living being and who can be approached in different ways. The principal gods of Hinduism is the divine triad which consists of gods Brahma, Shiva and Vishnu. Scripture/Book: For many centuries the Hindu scriptures were transmitted orally and in verse form. Later, they were recorded. Most of sacred texts are written in Sanskrit. They are divided into two categories Sruti and Smriti. The four Vedas are considered to be the most ancient scriptures. His/Their relationship, interaction with humans: Hindu religious practices are primarily focused on the awareness of God which helps to receive blessings from Devas. Therefore, in Hinduism there are various rituals that help a person to think of God in daily life. For example, Hindus perform Puja. Mantras and prayers (their meaning, sound and repetition) help to concentrate the mind on the spiritual level or to express devotion to gods, or Devas. Creation-Origin of the universe: In Hinduism, there are at least three versions of the creation of the universe: from the "cosmic egg", from "primary heat" and from the first man Purusha (from part of his body).

HINDUISM Creation-origin of man/woman: Hindus believe that humans appeared fully formed nearly trillion years ago. In addition, there is a belief that animal species and humans came down from a high state of pure consciousness. Mankinds problem: The main problem of the mankind does not refer to the moral but to the metaphysical field. A person is not guilty of violating the moral law of Gods, he/she just somehow forgot about their true nature. Thus, a human is not a sinner, he/she simply does not know their true I. Solution to mankinds problem: Salvation in Hinduism comes down to awareness of so-called "true essence". It is when we are able to change our minds and reach the higher level of consciousness. Over the past thousand there was developed a number of ways to influence the human nervous system in order to change the mind. These methods are combined under the yoga practice. Their afterlife: The concepts of heaven and hell can be found in the Puranic literature of Hinduism. It describes innumerable heavenly and hellish lokas, where the dead are rewarded or punished according to their good deeds or sins. How one attains their afterlife: A Soul can be rescued from hell by the sacrifices of food and water, which must be held by the children and grandchildren. After spending some time in the heavenly or hellish planet, the soul passes through the various material elements (earth, water, air, fire, etc) and, finally, is re-born in one of the 8.4 million types of bodies that fill the universe, thus obtaining a new opportunity to achieve selfrealization. Philosophical Reason #1 why I would follow this religion: I think that the most positive aspects of Hinduism are that Hinduism does not have a concept of holy wars,

HINDUISM crusades, martyrdom or Jihad on its behalf, and, therefore, its members do not clash with other religions or even non-believers for the sake of religious righteousness. Philosophical Reason #2 why I would follow this religion: Hinduism promotes love and care for other human beings and everything living in the world, in that by understanding our own spiritual nature, and by also being able to comprehend that same nature in all other living beings. By nature, Hindus are concerned about and care for all others. Philosophical Reason #3 why I would not follow this religion: On the other side, the most negative aspect of Hinduism is that Hinduism uses a unique caste system, whereby the Indian society has been divided based on occupation and family lineage. This has been majorly responsible for the ever-increasing poverty levels in India, in spite of the country having one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. Philosophical Reason #4 why I would not follow this religion: Hinduism places restrictions on the rights of women. In Hinduism, it is believed that women should always get married and remain virgin and pure at all costs. This world religion could beneficially address the global issue religious wars because the Hinduism culture does not demonstrate God as a Sikh, Christian, Hindu or Muslim God. Thus, this is why Hinduism followers can live while being at peace with those members of other religions. Define the Rig-Veda, the Upanishads, and the law of Manu. Show how these three bodies of literature demonstrate basic Hindu religious concepts. Rig-Veda is regarded as the most important of the Vedas. It not only is the oldest Vedic scripture, but perhaps the most ancient Indo-European text. Vedantic Hinduism is based on the

HINDUISM Upanishads which are the religious and philosophical treatises, adjacent to the four Vedas. The law of Manu is a collection of ancient Indian regulations, attributed to the legendary progenitor of mankind Manu, in the exercise of the social, religious and moral duty. These three holy texts demonstrate the most important religious concepts: unity of the gods and humans. List the three major gods of modern Hinduism and give a brief description of each. Brahma is a god of creation in Hinduism. Vishnu is a supreme God in the Vaishnava tradition of Hinduism. Vishnu acts as the guardian of the universe. Shiva is the embodiment of the Hindu universe and the beginning of the destructive transformation (creation). Shiva embodies both destructive and constructive beginning. The nature of the Brahman: In the Indian idealist philosophy, Brahman is the concept of denoting impersonal, indifferent absolute, "the soul of the world," the fundamental principle of all things and phenomena. Brahman cannot be given any positive definition. We can characterize it only through negation: infinite, immutable and motionless. In Vedic philosophy, the concept of Brahman (i.e. God the Absolute) is closely linked to the personal perception of Brahman as the individual Atman - its highest transcendental "I".