Hinduism

Hinduism is a religion followed by more than 1 billion people: 97% of Hindus live in South Asia, with 95% residing in India. It is quite likely that you haven’t met many Hindus in your life. However, you have probably heard of—or even practiced—certain elements derived from Hinduism.

For example, reincarnation, yoga, meditation, or the idea of “becoming one with God” are all concepts rooted in Hinduism, which have significantly influenced our culture. Think of one of the most iconic bands of the 20th century: The Beatles promoted Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a Hindu spiritual guide, and composed a song titled “My Sweet Lord.” This song is an act of worship to Krishna, one of the main deities of Hinduism (explicitly mentioned in the lyrics).

Scriptures

The Vedas, the Upanishads, the great epics (the Mahabharata and the Ramayana), the Puranas, and the Bhagavad Gita make up the foundational texts of Hinduism. It is one of the oldest organized religions in the world. Hinduism encompasses a family of complex sects that wrote their sacred scriptures (their holy books) over a period of about 2,000 years, giving rise to various belief systems. Hinduism has no formal creed and does not recognize a final, absolute truth. It has a primarily animistic background, in which the forces of nature and human heroes are personified as gods and goddesses. These deities are worshiped through prayers and offerings.

Hinduism can be divided into popular Hinduism (characterized by the worship of gods through offerings, rituals, and prayers) and philosophical Hinduism, which is a complex system of beliefs understood mainly by those who can study the ancient texts, meditate, and practice yoga.

God

God (Brahman) is impersonal. He is the ultimate but indescribable spiritual reality. Sectarian Hinduism personalizes Brahman as Brahma (a four-headed creator symbolizing creative energy), Vishnu (the preserver, the god of stability and order), and Shiva (both a protective and benevolent god, and the god of time with the power to create and destroy everything). Most Hindus worship two of Vishnu’s ten mythical incarnations: Krishna and Rama. In specific circumstances, Hindus may also worship other gods, whether families of deities or individual divinities.

Hindus claim that there are 330 million gods. In Hinduism, beliefs in astrology, demonic spirits, and curses are also prevalent.

Creation

Hindus accept various forms of pantheism and reject the Christian account of creation. According to Hinduism, only Brahman truly exists, and everything else is merely an illusion (maya). God emanates from Brahman to create the illusion of creation.

There is no beginning or end to creation, but only endless repetitions or cycles of creation and destruction. History holds little value since it is based on an illusion.

Man

The eternal soul (atman) of a human being is a manifestation, or a “spark,” of Brahman mysteriously imprisoned in the physical body. Samsara, the cycle of repeated lives or reincarnations, is required before the soul can be liberated (moksha) from the body. A person’s present life is determined by the law of karma—the actions, words, and thoughts of previous lives. The physical body is ultimately an illusion (maya), with little intrinsic or lasting value. Generally, bodies are cremated, and the eternal soul enters an intermediate state of punishment or reward before being reborn into another body.

Reincarnation continues until all karma is removed. The ultimate goal is for the soul to return to Brahman.

Sin

For Hindus, the concept of rebellion against a holy God does not exist. The true problem of humanity is our ignorance of the unity with Brahman, along with desire and the violation of dharma (a person’s social duty).

Salvation

There is no clear concept of salvation in Hinduism. Moksha (the final liberation of the individual soul) is the ultimate goal of existence. Yoga and meditation (especially Raja Yoga), taught by a guru (a religious teacher), are among the ways to achieve Moksha. Other valid paths to attain Moksha include: the path of works (karma marga), the path of knowledge (jnana marga), and the path of love and devotion (bhakti marga).

It is important to understand that what Hindus ultimately hope for is to escape the cycle of reincarnation. They believe the illusion of personal life will end and they will become one with the impersonal God.

Worship

Most Hindus worship each day before an image of the deity they choose. This may involve chants, mantras, flowers, and incense. Worship, whether practiced at home or in a temple, is primarily an individual act rather than a collective one.