Definition and meaning of Hinduism

Hinduism - [World History]

Hinduism evolved from an ancient Aryan religion and blended the beliefs of peoples conquered by the Aryans. It is a religion and philosophy based on one supreme force, Brahma, and other gods including Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma created the world, Vishnu preserves it and Shiva is the destructive force. Each individual has a soul which forms part of the universal soul, atman. Hindus strive to free their soul from its individual existence so it can unite with atman. This takes more than one lifetime, and reincarnation continues until the soul is freed. Hinduism is practiced primarily in India today although a form exists on the Indonesian island of Bali.

(Source: The Social Studies Center at Texas University )

Also see these pages:  Social Studies, Social Studies Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

Definition and meaning of Hinduism

Hinduism - [World History]

Hinduism evolved from an ancient Aryan religion and blended the beliefs of peoples conquered by the Aryans. It is a religion and philosophy based on one supreme force, Brahma, and other gods including Vishnu and Shiva. Brahma created the world, Vishnu preserves it and Shiva is the destructive force. Each individual has a soul which forms part of the universal soul, atman. Hindus strive to free their soul from its individual existence so it can unite with atman. This takes more than one lifetime, and reincarnation continues until the soul is freed. Hinduism is practiced primarily in India today although a form exists on the Indonesian island of Bali.

(Source: The Social Studies Center at Texas University )

Also see these pages:  Social Studies, Social Studies Sitemap, History, History Sitemap

Hinduism (Hindu Dharma): (Sanskrit) India's indigenous religious and cultural system, followed today by nearly one billion adherents, mostly in India, but with large populations in many other countries. Also called Sanatana Dharma, "eternal religion" and Vaidika Dharma, "religion of the Vedas."

Hinduism is the world's most ancient religion and encompasses a broad spectrum of philosophies ranging from pluralistic theism to absolute monism.

It is a family of myriad faiths with four primary denominations:

• Saivism,
• Vaishnavism,
• Shaktism and
• Smartism.

These four hold such divergent beliefs that each is a complete and independent religion. Yet, they share a vast heritage of culture and belief:

• karma,
• dharma,
• reincarnation,
• all-pervasive Divinity,
• temple worship,
• sacraments,
• manifold Deities,
• the guru-shishya tradition and
• a reliance on the Vedas as scriptural authority.

From the rich soil of Hinduism long ago sprang various other traditions. Among these were Jainism, Buddhism and Sikhism, which rejected the Vedas and thus emerged as completely distinct religions, disassociated from Hinduism, while still sharing many philosophical insights and cultural values with their parent faith.

Though the genesis of the term is controversial, the consensus is that the term Hindu or Indu was used by the Persians to refer to the Indian peoples of the Indus Valley as early as 500 bce. Additionally, Indian scholars point to the appearance of the related term Sindhu in the ancient Rig Veda Samhita. Janaki Abhisheki writes (Religion as Knowledge: The Hindu Concept, p. 1): "Whereas today the word

Hindu connotes a particular faith and culture, in ancient times it was used to describe those belonging to a particular region. About 500 bce we find the Persians referring to 'Hapta Hindu.' This referred to the region of Northwest India and the Punjab (before partition).

The Rig Veda (the most ancient literature of the Hindus) uses the word Sapta Sindhu singly or in plural at least 200 times. Sindhu is the River Indus. Panini, the great Sanskrit grammarian, also uses the word Sindhu to denote the country or region.

While the Persians substituted h for s, the Greeks removed the h also and pronounced the word as 'Indoi.' Indian is derived from the Greek Indoi."

Dr. S. Radhakrishnan similarly observed,

"The Hindu civilization is so called since its original founders or earliest followers occupied the territory drained by the Sindhu (the Indus) River system corresponding to the Northwest Frontier Province and the Punjab. This is recorded in the Rig Veda, the oldest of the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures, which give their name to this period of Indian history. The people on the Indian side of the Sindhu were called Hindus by the Persians and the later Western invaders. That is the genesis of the word Hindu" (The Hindu View of Life, p. 12).

See: Hindu.

(See also: Hinduism, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

hamsa: (Sanskrit) "Swan;" more accurately, the highflying wild goose Anser indicus.

The vahana, vehicle, of the God Brahma. It has various meanings, including Supreme Soul and individual soul. It is a noble symbol for an adept class of renunciates (paramahamsa) - winging high above the mundane, driving straight toward the goal, or of the discriminating yogi who - like the graceful swan said to be able to extract milk from water - can see the Divine and leave the rest.

The hamsa mantra indicates the sound made by the exhalation (ha) and inhalation (sa) of the breath.

See: paramahamsa.

(See also: Hamsa, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Harihara: (Sanskrit) "Vishnu-Siva."

Also known as Shankaranarayana, an icon of the Supreme One, in which the right half is Siva and left half is Vishnu. It symbolizes the principle that Siva and Vishnu are not two separate Deities.

See: Brahma, murti, Parameshvara, Vishnu.

(See also: Harihara, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

havana: (Sanskrit) "Fire pit for sacred offering; making oblations through fire." Same as homa. Havis and havya name the offerings.

See: Agni, homa, yajna.

(See also: Havana, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

heaven: The celestial spheres, including the causal plane and the higher realms of the subtle plane, where souls rest and learn between births, and mature souls continue to evolve after moksha.

Heaven is often used by translators as an equivalent to the Sanskrit Svarga.

See: loka, Svarga.

(See also: Heaven, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

hell: Naraka.

An unhappy, mentally and emotionally congested, distressful area of consciousness.

Hell is a state of mind that can be experienced on the physical plane or in the sub-astral plane (Naraka) after death of the physical body. It is accompanied by the tormented emotions of hatred, remorse, resentment, fear, jealousy and selfcondemnation.

However, in the Hindu view, the hellish experience is not permanent, but a temporary condition of one's own making.

See: asura, loka, Naraka, purgatory, Satan.

(See also: Hell, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

heterodox: "Different opinion." Opposed to or departing from established doctrines or beliefs. Opposite of orthodox, "straight opinion."

See: nastika.

(See also: Heterodox, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

heterosexual: Of or characterized by sexual attraction for only members of the opposite sex.

See: bisexual, homosexual, sexuality.

(See also: Heterosexual, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

hierarchy: A group of beings arranged in order of rank or class; as a hierarchy of God, Gods and devas.

(See also: Hierarchy, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

homosexual: Of or characterized by sexual attraction for members of one's own gender. A modern synonym is gay, especially for males, while female homosexuals are termed lesbian.

See: Hinduism and Homosexuality, bisexual, gay, heterosexual, sexuality.

(See also: Homosexual, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

hri: (Sanskrit) "Remorse; modesty."

See: yama-niyama.

(See also: Hri, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

hued: Having specific color.

(See also: Hued, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

humors (or bodily humors):

See: ayurveda, bodily humor, dosha.

(See also: Humors, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Himalayas: (Sanskrit) "Abode of snow." The mountain system extending along the India-Tibet border and through Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan.

(See also: Himalayas, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

himsa: (Sanskrit) "Injury; harm; hurt." Injuriousness, hostility - mental, verbal or physical.

See: ahimsa.

(See also: Himsa, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

Hindu: (Sanskrit) A follower of, or relating to, Hinduism.

Generally, one is understood to be a Hindu by being born into a Hindu family and practicing the faith, or by declaring oneself a Hindu. Acceptance into the fold is recognized through the name-giving sacrament, a temple ceremony called namakarana samskara, given to born Hindus shortly after birth, and to self-declared Hindus who have proven their sincerity and been accepted by a Hindu community. Full conversion is completed through disavowal of previous religious affiliations and legal change of name.

While traditions vary greatly, all Hindus rely on the Vedas as scriptural authority and generally attest to the following nine principles:

1)    There exists a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both creator and unmanifest Reality.

2)    The universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.

3)    All souls are evolving toward God and will ultimately find moksha: spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.

4)    Karma is the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.

5)    The soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved.

6)    Divine beings exist in unseen worlds, and temple worship, rituals, sacraments, as well as personal devotionals, create a communion with these devas and Gods.

7)    A spiritually awakened master or satguru is essential to know the transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, self-inquiry and meditation.

8)    All life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore one should practice ahimsa, nonviolence.

9)    No particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others. Rather, all genuine religious paths are facets of God's pure love and light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

See: Hinduism.

(See also: Hindu, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)

homa: (Sanskrit) "Fire-offering."

A sacred ceremony in which the Gods are offered oblations through the medium of fire in a sanctified fire pit, homakunda, usually made of earthen bricks.

Homa rites are enjoined in the Vedas, Agamas and Dharma and Grihya Shastras. Many domestic rites are occasions for homa, including upanayana and vivaha. Major pujas in temples are often preceded by a homa.

See: agni, havana, yajna, homa.

(See also: Homa, Hinduism, Body Mind and Soul)