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Hinduism Paper Victoria Day Axia College University of Phoenix Hinduism is a set of traditions and beliefs that evolved over a long period of time. I believe the Hindu religion is made up of its own diversity. Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion. It is one of the most complex religions. Hinduism is the traditional religion of India. Saguna Brahman is the ultimate God in Hindu religion. The tradition of Hinduism acknowledges that there are many paths which people may seek religious understanding. Hindu explains that everyone has the potential to achieve enlightenment.
Sanatan Dharma is one of the oldest religions known. Today, the Hinduism religion is still being practiced. Sanatan Dharma is a very important belief to the Hindus. The spiritual expressions of personal devotion to a deity to the heights of abstract philosophy (Fisher, 2005). The religion has become very ritual over the years. Rituals that are performed in Temples in India are the reflections of the Tantra traditions. The rituals that are performed by the Brahmins is the priests class that uses mantras or specific sound syllables that are believed to have specific powers.
The Aum is a sacred symbol which represents absolute reality Brahman. It can be seen in all mantras and prayers. The Aum represents God in its three aspects Brahma, Vishu, and Shiva. Hinduism is still one of the major religions in the world. The Hindu social life was originally devised for the division of labor. The Hinduism religion originated from the Ancient Vedic age. The cultural and societal influences that have Hinduism vital to the region is its religion, encompasses duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, and transcendental realization.
Other influences are karma which is the overall effect of one’s behavior or actions and consequences of actions. And then there is reincarnation which is when you rediscover your inner self. The Hindu social life is divided into four groups. The Brahmins, the highest class that performs rituals and is supposed to be the most educated in terms of religion. Then the Kshatriyas who are the warriors and ruling class. Following the Kshatriyas comes the Vaishyas, who are the business class.
Last is the Shudras who serve the upper class. (Basics of Hinduism, 2009). The Hindu way of life offered social balance in the society. They would sacrifice the rules on feeding others to provide food for the needy. The belief that confluence of the three rivers Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswathi is holy, is due to the Tantric belief that the meeting point of the three nerves centers in the body awakens the Kundalin, which is the seat of power in the human body. The chakras is a pathway to the center of the spine.
The main foundations of the Hindu literature are the four Vedas, which is thought to have been provided by Gods themselves to the benefit of mankind. Vedas form the oldest layer of Sanskrit literature and the oldest sacred text of Hinduism. Vedic literature is divided into two categories: the Sruti which is heard and (revelation) and Smriti that means is remembered (tradition not revelation). There are many other associated literature that have similar importance to the Vedas and are widely read in the Indian subcontinent are The Ramayanam , The Mahabharatam, and the Bhagavatam.
All three of the books are philosophic in nature and explains how a man must conduct himself in the society, how attain liberation and how to balance between personal life and a life that would ultimately lead him to understand the Supreme Big. (Wikipedia). Vedas thought sets higher desires and goals of attaining Godhood as a possibility for humans through correct spiritual practices. Hindus seek enlightenment, possibly before they pass away. When one has, what is called God consciousness, they are forever free from the cycle of reincarnation.
There is a belief in Karma and what ever you do will effect your evolution towards enlightenment. So the judgments are not between good and bad but just experiences. When one has not learned the lessons needed for God consciousness one must return into a body many thousands of times. That’s why we here sometimes the term “old soul”. When one dies they forget their past lives but bring along the lessons they have already learned from past lives . Souls are recycled. (Cimpean. A, 2005). References http://hinduism. ygoy. com/hinduism/religion. php http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Hindu http://www. religionfacts. com//hinduism/index. htm