Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of no beginnings; it has no single founder or revelation, it is regarded by believers as having existed forever. Scholars believe that the faith originated in the Indus Valley (modern day Pakistan) roughly five thousand years ago as a merging of the practices of the native peoples and invading Aryans.

SOMETHING DIVINE

The center of Hindu faith holds that there is something divine within the human heart and all of creation- this is Brahman. Brahman is the energy that sustains the universe, an eternal and absolute reality. Atman is the inner soul, the unchanging essence of an individual. The aim of Hinduism is to unite the Brahman and Atman through realization they are the same. In doing this one reaches moshka and is released from the cycle of reincarnation. As long as a person believes that the Brahman and the Atman are separate, the cycles of death and rebirth continues.

The law of Karma ensures accountability for every thought, action and word. Each has an effect on this and future lives.

Gods

Hindus believe in one ultimate supreme being, Brahma, who has unlimited manifestations. The many deities of Hinduism are understood as symbols of the single reality of Brahman. Some of the most prominent manifestations include:

Brahma- the creator god.
Vishnu- preserver of the Universe, a kind and loving god with many incarnations including Krishna and Rama.
Shiva- god who embodies creative and distructive forces.
Sarasvati- goddess of wisdom, learning, and music.
Lakshmi- lover of Vishnu, goddess of wealth and good fortune.
Durga- protector of the Universe.

To help Hindus on their quest for moshka, God enters this world as an avatar, "one who descends." The best known avatars are the ten incarnations of Vishnu, among whom are Krishna, Rama, and Buddha.

THE VEDAS

There are four collections of Hindu scripture called the Vedas. The earliest of the four is the Rig Veda, a collection of hymns. The Rig Veda primarily details early Hindu rituals and gods. The Upanishads shift emphasis from sacrificial rituals to a more personal style of religious practice. In the Upanishads, the idea of a human soul searching for spiritual perfection through reincarnation is developed. The Puranas shifts emphasis from the philosophical ideas in the Upanishads to a focus of devotion to personal gods. The Ramayana Veda sets forth a model of the ideal Hindu life and is a source of inspiration for many Hindus.

Though the Mahabharata is not included in the Vedas, it is said to express the whole of Hinduism. Within the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most famous Hindu writings. It is an epic poem that emphasizes union with God by love, devotion and selflessness. The Bhagavad Gita is the longest poem ever written.

YOGA

There are 4 main yogas (disciplines) that are pathways of spiritual life:

bakti yoga- (devotion) a follower devotes himself or herself to the love of one of the gods.
karma yoga- (action) one on this path performs good works in order to counteract the negative karma that continues the cycle of reincarnation.
jnana yoga- (knowledge) followers use the power of the mind through meditation to attain the truth of Hindu scriptures.
raja yoga- combines action, devotion and knowledge of the above yogas into one pracitce.

Hinduism encompasses a huge variety of beliefs and rituals. Temple or private worship is important in some disciplines; whereas, others practice no external worship. There is no sabbath day so expressions of group devotion are rare.

Hinduism Links Red Diamond

References for Hinduism