What's Hinduism?

Question

I'm an african-american chick and I am looking for a religion. I believe in god. I also have a questin called what is buddism. I have studied Christianity and Islamic and i think thats not what i'm looking for. Unlike Christiny,Islamic, and Buddism I Know NOTHING about Hinduism. Please tell me all you know. Thanks!

Answer 1

www.hinduismtoday.com is a nice place to start also. It's the online version of the magazine and very insightful into many angles of Hinduism from a Hindu perspective.

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Answer 2

Hinduism (known as Hindū Dharma in some modern Indian languages[1]) is a religion which originated on the Indian subcontinent. In contemporary usage Hinduism is also referred to as Sanātana Dharma (सनातन धर्म), a Sanskrit phrase meaning "eternal law".[2]

With its origins in the Vedic civilization [3] it has no known founder,[4][5] being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. It is the world's oldest extant religion, [6][7] and has approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India and Nepal,[8] placing it as the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as revealed and remembered and developed over thousands of years, these scriptures expound on a broad of range of theology, philosophy and mythology, providing spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among such texts, Hindus consider the Vedas and the Upanishads as being among the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Tantras and the sectarian Agamas, the Purāṇas and the epic Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Bhagavad Gītā, a treatise excerpted from the Mahābhārata, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism
http://www.religioustolerance.org/hinduism.htm
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/

Answer 3

Hinduism: (known as Hindū Dharma in some modern Indian languages[1]) is a religion which originated on the Indian subcontinent. In contemporary usage Hinduism is also referred to as Sanātana Dharma (सनातन धर्म), a Sanskrit phrase meaning "eternal law".[2]

With its origins in the Vedic civilization [3] it has no known founder,[4][5] being itself a conglomerate of diverse beliefs and traditions. It is the world's oldest extant religion, [6][7] and has approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 905 million live in India and Nepal,[8] placing it as the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.

Hinduism contains a vast body of scriptures. Divided as revealed and remembered and developed over thousands of years, these scriptures expound on a broad of range of theology, philosophy and mythology, providing spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among such texts, Hindus consider the Vedas and the Upanishads as being among the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity. Other major scriptures include the Tantras and the sectarian Agamas, the Purāṇas and the epic Mahābhārata and Rāmāyaṇa. The Bhagavad Gītā, a treatise excerpted from the Mahābhārata, is sometimes called a summary of the spiritual teachings of the Vedas.[9]

Answer 4

Hinduism does not depend on one Man/Woman or one book. Some men, whom we call sages now, strived to understand the knowledge of existence and became enlightened. They told about their experience to others sometime directly or sometime through a story. Some were lost whereas others were written down. There are many ways of being enlightened as many people tried various different paths and all are correct hence the sense of unity in diversity evolved which has flown down to material existence also.

Some people wrote down the best possible social systems and also other systems for the well being of material life. There are thousands of scriptures depicting various systems evolved over thousands of years. There is a unity and rhythm in all these systems, in fact many times they are interdependent. The rules and laws need not be strictly adhered to in day-to-day life but you can have a broad outline how a life should be lived as a human or a society? What are the responsibilities of various individuals and so on.

Thus there are two categories, spiritual and material. Whereas material life can evolve further or change with time which is allowed, perceptions about spiritual knowledge remains same. Which exactly depicts our body also as physical body can change but soul doesn't.

Answer 5

Hinduism is not fake according to these morons on here. Hinduism was a name given to a religon formerly called sanatha darhma meaning eternal law. Even though people see many gods and goddesses, hindus believe in one god with many forms. Heck you can be hindu and worship with christains jews buddhists muslims and still believing you worshippin the same god. Christains say only through christ you will find salvation, Muslims say there is not god but allah and prophet mohammed is the messenger so according to these religons where does everyone else go hell?
In hinduism krishna says all paths are to god. So as i said before you can essentially worship however you like and still be a hindu, there really is no one way. And secondly you cant convert to hinduism. No scriptures talkin about converting we dont believe in it. I mean you can read and follow the teachigns thats it. The concept of hinduism is one god from it comes a creater, perserver, destroyer , law of karma, reincarnation and moksha breaking the cycle of deaths to be one with god. I mean how can u convert to such a thing you either believe it or you dont.

Answer 6

Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world.
Hinduism differs from Christianity and other Western religions in that it does not have a single founder,
a specific theological system,
a single system of morality, or
a central religious organisation.

It consists of "thousands of different religious groups that have evolved in India since 1500 BCE."

Hinduism has grown to become the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam. It claims about 837 million followers - 13% of the world's population.

It is the dominant religion in India, Nepal, and among the Tamils in Sri Lanka.

Answer 7

hi,
The Vedas are revealed knowledge. Just as the knowledge of gravity was revealed to Newton, similarly, in India, many Rishis or Seers were awakened to certain transcendental Eternal Truths. These Rishis realized that their real nature was not concerned with or linked with 'body or mind', nor was it dependent on sense perceptions, but was in fact Divine and identical with Universal
www.hinduismtoday.com is a nice place to start also. It's the online version of the magazine and very insightful into many angles of Hinduism from a Hindu perspective.

Answer 8

Hinduism is a religion followed by those who believe in ancient Sanatana Dharma(path of righteoussness). A hindu can be by birth or by adopting it if one wants to follow it. Hinduism basically is a way of life which has no founder and is only religion that has evolved over a long road of time encorporating spiritual knowledge that has been gained from time to time. It has no dogmatic principles and its beliefs can change automatically with new kowledge. It is the oldest religion on Earth.
Dr. Raut Desai.

Answer 9

The main ideas of Hinduism are :-

1_ There is one Supreme Consciousness (called God or Aum or Brahm), who manifests as a Trinity for creation of the universe viz. Brahmaa (creator), Vishnu(Preserver) and shiva(Destroyer)

2- Hinduism gives full liberty to worship/love god in any form...like Father, Mother, friend, Guru or a child...hence different people worship the Same God with different names.

3- Hinduism has 2 parts Mythology and Philosophy. Mythology is as questionable as any other religion's..because it has a seprate cultural back ground, not understood by foreignner.

4- The philosophy of hinduism is the real Backbone of our faith. This philosophy tells us how the Universe is born, how human beings come into existence, and where they go after death and what is the way out of this loop of re-births and karma

5- Yoga and Meditation are 2 main ways of hinduism to achieve Enlightenment (Moksha)

Hinduism is the most misunderstood religion in the world...mainly due to bad publicity by westener media

Most of the poeple make fun of hinduism in the name of cows, idols, castes, sati and some rituals.They fail to understand that hinduism is the oldest religion and it has no central authority to control people...moreover it gives full liberty to its followers to worship god in any form they like.

Over the years there have been some rituals in India which have no standing in Hinduism

Our core philosophy is stated in Vedas, Upanishadas and Gita... and none of the haters have read an iota of our philosophy.

The philosophy of hinduism is deep, and deals mainly with the mysteries of the Universe, Life, Death, Re-birth, Karma, astral lives and God.

Hindus have never attacked any country in the name of religion. Hinduism does not condemn other faiths to hell

Our philosophy is - "Vasudhaiv Kuttumbakam" all human on earth is my family; and

Like all rivers rush towards ocean, all faiths point towards truth

Answer 10

Hinduism is a way of living according to one's understanding of principles of the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Vedas are revealed knowledge. Just as the knowledge of gravity was revealed to Newton, similarly, in India, many Rishis or Seers were awakened to certain transcendental Eternal Truths. These Rishis realized that their real nature was not concerned with or linked with 'body or mind', nor was it dependent on sense perceptions, but was in fact Divine and identical with Universal Consciousness.

Answer 11

It is among the 11 most prominent religions that are being practiced in the world today.

Since you seem to be keenly interested, you should be following these R&S answers, and keep an eye on the answers that I give sometimes.

We all are seeking truth and we should know it from someone who can tell us most on it. Not stories but the spiritual truth. Not interpretations by the mind but true thing by the soul.