What are Hinduism's Central Ideas?

Answer 1

The Brahman is more or less the equivalent of God. Everything in the world is an emanation of the Brahman, including our consciousness, the gods, and matter. Things eventually return to the Brahman. Hindus are reincarnationists in this sense: Your existence is a facet of God (Brahman) - therefore, death is only a return to your true self. You are expected to reincarnate in a new form, or emanation. This is how the world is illusion.
Hindus are polytheist. They pray to many Gods. These Gods are also emanations of the Brahman, so they are representations of something greater. The forms of Gods are not naively believed to be those of beings existing somewhere; it is understood that these forms appear to facilitate human worship. In other words, the Gods appear in a certain forms so that they can be recognized by the human mind.
There are also beliefs about chakras and human spiritual, mental and physical health associated with them, but I'm not very versed in these, sorry.

Answer 2

*** sh chap. 5 pp. 95-98 Hinduism—A Search for Liberation ***

Chapter 5

Hinduism—A Search for Liberation

“In Hindu society, it is the religious custom, first thing in the morning, to bathe in a nearby river or at home if no river or stream is at hand. People believe that it makes them holy. Then, still without having eaten, they go to the local temple and make offerings of flowers and food to the local god. Some will wash the idol and decorate it with red and yellow powder.

“Nearly every home has a corner or even a room for worship of the family’s favorite god. A popular god in some localities is Ganesa, the elephant god. People will especially pray to him for good fortune, as he is known as a remover of obstacles. In other places Krishna, Rama, Siva, Durga, or some other deity might take first place in devotion.”—Tara C., Kathmandu, Nepal.

WHAT is Hinduism? Is it just the oversimplified Western concept of venerating animals, bathing in the Ganges, and being divided by castes? Or is there more to it? The answer: There is much more. Hinduism is a different way of understanding life, to which Western values are totally alien. Westerners tend to see life as a chronological line of events in history. Hindus see life as a self-repeating cycle in which human history is of little importance.

2 It is no easy task to define Hinduism, since it has no definite creed, priestly hierarchy, or governing agency. However, it does have swamis (teachers) and gurus (spiritual guides). A broad definition of Hinduism given by one history book states that it is “the whole complex of beliefs and institutions that have appeared from the time when their ancient (and most sacred) scriptures, the Vedas, were composed until now.” Another one states: “We might say that Hinduism is adherence to or worship of the gods Vishnu, or Shiva [Siva], or the goddess Shakti, or their incarnations, aspects, spouses, or progeny.” That serves to include the cults of Rama and Krishna (incarnations of Vishnu), Durga, Skanda, and Ganesa (respectively the wife and sons of Siva). It is claimed that Hinduism has 330 million gods, yet it is said that Hinduism is not polytheistic. How can that be?

3 Indian writer A. Parthasarathy explains: “The Hindus are not polytheistic. Hinduism speaks of one God . . . The different gods and goddesses of the Hindu pantheon are mere representatives of the powers and functions of the one supreme God in the manifested world.”

4 Hindus often refer to their faith as sanatana dharma, which means eternal law or order. Hinduism is really a loose term that describes a host of religions and sects (sampradayas) that have developed and flourished over the millenniums under the umbrella of the complex ancient Hindu mythology. So intricate is that mythology that the New Larousse Encyclopedia of Mythology states: “Indian mythology is an inextricable jungle of luxuriant growths. When you enter it you lose the light of day and all clear sense of direction.” Nevertheless, this chapter will cover some of the features and teachings of that faith.

Answer 3

There is one universal force Brhama the ultimate reality, there are castes in society according what you are, workd and position, reincarnation

Answer 4

tolerance