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Hinduism
What is Hinduism?Hinduism is the major religion of India, 80 percent population of India believes in the Hinduism. It has no founder to show differences when comparing to other religions, carefully weighed the oldest religion in the world, it dates back, perhaps, Belonging to or existing in times before recorded history. No single statement of belief or set of guidelines binds Hindus together. In an intellectual manner there is complete freedom of belief, and one can be monotheist (A believer in one god), polytheist (One who believes in a plurality of gods), or atheist (Someone who denies the existence of god). Hinduism religion is a characterized by syncretism, Very cordial and integrating a variety of outside determines. The most ancient sacred texts of the Hindu religion are written in Sanskrit and called the Vedas (Veda means "knowledge"). There are four Vedic books, The Rig-Veda, The Yajur-Veda, The Sama-Veda and The Atharva-Veda. In all of Rig-Veda is the oldest Veda. It discusses multiple gods, the universe, and creation. The dates of these works are unknown (1000 B.C.?). Present-day Hindus rarely refer to these texts but do venerate them. The Upanishads (dated 1000-300 B.C.), commentaries on the Vedic texts, speculate on the origin of the universe and the nature of deity, and atman (the individual soul) and its relationship to Brahman (the universal soul). They introduce the doctrine of karma and recommend meditation and the practice of yoga. Further important sacred writings include the Epics, which contain legendary stories about gods and humans. They are the Mahabharata (wrote between 200 B.C. and A.D. 200) and the Ramayana. The former includes the Bhagavad-Gita (the Song of the Divine One), an prestigious text that describes the three paths to saving someone or something from harm or from an unpleasant situation. The Puranas (stories put into verse, probably written between the 6th and 13th centuries) detail myths of Hindu gods and heroes and also comment on religious practice and cosmology. According to Hindu beliefs, Brahman is the principle and source of the universe. This divine intelligence spread or diffuses through all beings, including the individual soul. Thus the many Hindu deities are expressions of the one Brahman. Hinduism is based on the concept of renascence, in which all living beings, from plants on earth to gods above, are caught in a cosmic cycle of becoming and perishing. Life is strongly motivated to succeed by the law of karma-one is reborn to a higher level of existence based on moral behavior in a previous phase of existence. Life on earth is regarded as fugacious and a burden. Liberation from the cycle of rebirth is the goal of existence and moksha (liberation) into the inexpressible state of death and entrance. The practices of Hinduism originate of rituals and a formal event performed on a special occasion centering on birth, marriage, and death. There are many Hindu temples, which are considered to be home places of the deities and to which people oblations. Places of journey to a sacred place include Benares on the Ganges, the most sacred river in India. Of the many Hindu deities, the most popular are the cults of Vishnu, Shiva, and Shakti, and their various incarnations. Also important is Brahma, the creator god. Hindus also venerate human saints. |
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