Exploring Hinduism

Hinduism Overview

• Another name for Hinduism is Sanātana Dharma, which means "eternal law" and implies that its origins lie beyond human history.

Goals of Human Life

• The four proper goals or aims of human life in Hinduism are not specified in the text.

Hinduism Statistics

• Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers.

Hindu Textual Sources

• Some shared textual sources in Hinduism include not specified in the text.

Key Hindu Concepts

• The cycle of death and rebirth in Hinduism is referred to as Samsara.
• The eternal duties prescribed in Hinduism, such as honesty and refraining from injuring living beings, are referred to as Sanatana Dharma.
• The exonym for Hinduism is Hindooism.
• The endonym for Hinduism, which refers to the dharma related to the Vedas, is Sanatana Dharma.

History of Hinduism

• Hinduism is considered the oldest religion in the world, according to Hindu beliefs.

Hindu Beliefs

• Some prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include not specified in the text.

Caste System

• Before British influence, communities in India were categorized into Jatis, which were not rigid or fixed.

Definition of Hinduism

• It is difficult to arrive at a comprehensive definition of Hinduism because it is a complex and diverse religion.
• One of the notable characteristics of Hinduism is its diversity and complexity.

Classification of Hinduism

• McDaniel classifies Hinduism as a polycentric religion.
• The oldest form of Hinduism is the Vedic religion.
• The major kinds of Hinduism, according to Michaels, include Shaivism, Vaishnavism, Shaktism, and Smartism.
• The belief system associated with Dharmic Hinduism is that of living a life of duty and morality.

Hindu Practices

• Some common Hindu practices include not specified in the text.
• The six āstika schools of Hindu philosophy include Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mimamsa, Vedanta, Yoga, and Sankhya.

Hindu Scriptures

• The major scriptures of Hinduism include the Vedas, Upanishads, Puranas, and Epics.

Hindu Denominations

• The four major denominations of Hinduism include Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism.

Hindu History

• The Hindu synthesis emerged between 500 BCE and 300 CE.
• Hinduism is the most widely professed faith in India.

Etymology of Hindu

• The word 'Hindū' derives from the Persian word for the Indus River.
• The term Hindu first occurred as a Persian geographical term in the 6th century CE.
• The term Hinduism was first used in the 19th century CE.
• European merchants and colonists began to refer to the followers of Indian religions as Hindus in the 16th century CE.