HINDUISMTHE RELIGION OF INDIA

I can describe the beliefs of people who worship the religion of Hinduism as well as explain the key aspects of Hinduism.

Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. An estimated 950 million people are Hindus (14% of the world’s

population).

Hinduism is the world’s oldest organized and continued religion.

This is the most important symbol of Hinduism (Aum).

Unlike other major world religions such as Christianity, Islam, and Buddhism, Hinduism has no founder. The ideas and beliefs of Hinduism developed over thousands of years. Hinduism is the combination of religious practices found from different people throughout India’s history.

MANY GODSHindus worship many gods (polytheists). Although they believe in many

gods, Hindus also recognize one supreme God or life force (Brahman). Hindus consider the other gods to be parts of the one universal God. The three most important of the other gods are Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the protector; and Shiva, the destroyer. Hindus believe that there is a part of Brahman in everyone called the Atman.

Brahma Vishnu Shiva

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There are an estimated 33,000,000 different Hindu gods.

Many LivesIMPORTANT VOCAB TERM: Reincarnation: A belief that each person has many lives.

Hindus believe in reincarnation. What a person does in each life determines what he or she will be in the next life, according to the doctrine called karma. Good deeds allow a person to be reborn as a higher being. Evil deeds cause a person to be reborn as a lower being, such as an insect. Hindus believe that animals, like humans, have the supreme force in them. For that reason, many Hindus are vegetarians.

Reincarnation creates a repeating cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. The cycle ends only when a person achieves a mystical union with God. To achieve that, a person must come to realize that his or her soul and God’s soul are one. This idea is called Moksha (the main spiritual goal of Hindus).

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4 MAIN GOALS OF HINDUS1) Moksha: The release of the soul from the cycle of

rebirth.2) Dharma: The code for leading one’s life.

3) Artha: The pursuit of material gains through lawful means.

4) Karma: Through good acts being reincarnated to a higher level.

Many Paths to GodHindus believe they connect with God by following their own

individual path. Part of that path concerns one’s job, which is linked to the caste system. Devout Hindus must faithfully carry out their assigned duties in life.

Hindus have a choice of spiritual practices to grow closer to God. Two of these are also popular in Western countries. Meditation is the practice of making the mind calm. Yoga is a complex practice that includes exercise, breathing techniques, and diet.

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