Hinduism 1

• Hinduism


  The world's third largest religion with around 15% of the entire population practicing the Hindu faith
• Countries with considerable Hindu populations

  • India (80% of population)
  • Nepal (23 million)
  • Bangladesh (15 million)
  • Indonesia (3.9 million in Bali)
  • Mauritius
  • Guyana
  • Fiji
  • Bhutan
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Suriname
  • Sri Lanka
• Hinduism was never a missionary religion unlike Christianity or Islam
• There have been proselytizing activities by Hindu missionaries in some Western cities in recent times
• Jainism and Buddhism appeared around sixth century B.C.E. to challenge traditional Indian beliefs and practices
• Sikhism arose in the fifteenth century C.E. featuring Hindu and Islamic influences
• Hinduism


  The oldest and most complex of all world religions
• Elements and themes of Hindu belief may have begun around the third millennium B.C.E.
• Hinduism had no one identifiable founder
• The term "Hindu"


  Originated from the Persian word "hindu" (in Sanskrit "sindhu") meaning "river" and referring to the people of the Indus Valley
• The name "Hinduism" was given in the nineteenth century to describe the wide array of belief systems in India
• Hinduism was originally known as "Arya Dharma" or the "Aryan Way"
• Thriving civilizations existed in India as early as 3000 B.C.E. in places like Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro
• The foundations of Hinduism may have originated from the customs of the early peoples of the Indus valley around 2500 B.C.E. to 1500 B.C.E., the Dravidians, and the Aryans who invaded northwest India around 1500 B.C.E.
• Archaeological excavations in Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro revealed a flourishing pre-Aryan civilization with well-planned cities and a written language that has not yet been deciphered
• Images of fertility gods and goddesses, and figures in the lotus position were found in the pre-Aryan artefacts
• Between 1750 B.C.E. and 1200 B.C.E., Aryan conquerors moved to the Indus Valley and brought their own set of beliefs that eventually mingled with the religion of the natives
• Around sixth century B.C.E., the Aryans began to settle into cities while local leaders started organizing small kingdoms
• Vedas


  The oral texts brought by the Aryans that formed the basis of their polytheistic religion
• Sacrifice was the principal form of Aryan worship, with offerings of animals and dairy products on altars in open spaces
• Shruti


  The sacred texts of Hinduism regarded as eternal truths passed down orally until written down, including the Vedas, Samhitas, Brahmanas, Upanishads, and some Sutras
• Smriti


  The Hindu sacred writings that reinforce shruti, including stories, legends, codes of conduct, and guidebooks for worship, such as the epics Ramayana and Mahabharata
• Brahman


  The ultimate reality, one and undivided, who is seen in three forms or functions: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer (the Trimurti)
• Samsara


  The cycle of death and rebirth
• Moksha


  Escape from the cycle of death and rebirth
• Hindu scriptures state there are 330 million gods or devas
• Puja


  Hindu worship involving images (murtis), prayers (mantras), and diagrams of the universe (yantras)
• Darshan


  Seeing and being in the presence of the deity
• Major Hindu festivals


  • Holi
  • Diwali
  • Dusserah
• Diwali, the "Festival of Lights", is India's biggest and most important holiday of the year, similar to Christmas for Christians