Hinduism Paper Essay

Hinduism as coined by European influence, is the worlds third largest religion with nearly whizz meg followers, about 14% of the Earths human population. There be many that hypothecate Hinduism is not like any other religion that encompasses a contingent way of life that Hinduism is without a defined founder, deity, nor is Hinduism stuck to a specific constitution of theology. However, thither are those that argue Hinduism is monotheistic because it does recognize the one compulsive being of Brahman. Then some view Hinduism as Trinitarian because Brahman is visualize as one God with the three persons of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.Considering that Hinduism lacks a united opinion musical arrangement is a matter of scholarly surmisal based on the closest findings and perhaps the reason many people theorize that Hinduism is indefinite religion. The makeup of Hinduism is of diverse beliefs and traditions of the 81% of Hindus residing in present day India translated from Vedic s cripture that some scholars say date bear out to 10,000 BCE. The basal scriptures of Hinduism, referred as Shastras, are a collection of spiritual laws discovered by sages at different points in history.The Two typewrites of inviolate writings, Shruti (heard) and Smriti (memorized) comprise the Hindu scriptures. The sacred writings were passed on from multiplication to generation orally for centuries before they were written down in the Sanskrit language dating far back as 6,500 BC. The major and most(prenominal) popular Hindu texts include the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads, and the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, but in that respect are fundamental core of beliefs share by all Hindus. The basic core of Hinduism believes that there is only one overbearing Absolute called Brahman, although it does not advocate the worship of any one particular deity.The gods and goddesses of Hinduism sight measurement to millions, all representing the many aspects of Brahman that indi cate Hinduism is characterized by multiple deities. The most fundamental of Hindu deities is the Trinity of Brahma (creator), Vishnu (or Krishna, meaning creator) and Shiva (destroyer). Yet, the supreme God of any sub-God or sub-Goddesses is that of Brahma, a monotheistic approach that can be compared with many carnations to God in the Christian Bible such as Moses, Abraham, and Jesus and perhaps ignites much confer on the type of religion Hinduism is.However, there are other basic cores of beliefs that Hindus share. Amongst the core beliefs shared by Hindus is the desire for liberation from earthly existence in which Dharma, Samsara, Karma, and Moksha are facets in reaching liberation. Dharma encompasses ethics and duty within a Hindus life. Karma is the actions with in ones life and the consequences for those actions. When Karma goes unfulfilled, Samsara is experienced through and through the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.The rebirth cycle is also known as metempsychosis wh ere a Hindus uncleansed individual cycles through life subsequently life until the soul is cleansed enough to be with Brahman. While stuck in Samsara, the person then becomes limited within fourth dimension and space where monotony becomes a desire for escape from such misery. When a Hindus soul is cleansed enough to satisfy Brahman, Moksha is that escape from such earthly miseries. The desire for Moksha alter Hinduism from a religion into a culture, but there is debate as to the heathen and societal influences that have made Hinduism vital to India.The cultural and societal influences of Hinduism is in a state of constant flow with the never finish possibilities as life on the earthly plane continues to flourish, yet there is debate on the historical significance that makes a Hinduism what it is today. The Aryan surmisal argues that Hinduism traces back to the Indus valley civilization of 4,000-2,200 BCE and was influenced by many Aryan Indo-European tribes who brought with them the religion of Vedism around 1,500 BCE.The Emerge theory challenges the Aryan invasion theory in stating the inconsistencies in timelines of Hebrew Scriptures and that of the Aryan invasion in proportion to the development of the four Veda that can be traced as far back as 6,500 BCE. Archeologists and religious historian have concluded through somatogenic evidence of archeological finds along the Indus River and Indus valley show a continuality of the analogous group of people who traditionally developed Indian culture generation after generation with no evidence of Aryan influence.Another debate that continues amongst the modern day quarrel over theory is the caste system that dates back to 500 BCE. The Rig Veda defined four castes, or Varnas Brahmins were for religious leaders and educators, Kshatriyas for rulers and military, Vaishyas for farmers, landlords, and merchants, and Shudra for peasants, servants and workers. A fifth Varna was known as untouchables and anyone castigated from the Varnas were the Dalit who were denigrated to pollutant jobs. According to Religioustolerance. org (2011), although the caste system was abolished in 1949, it remains a significant force amongst Hindus throughout India.Aside from debate are the cultural rituals of the Hindu. According Living Religions by Mary Pat Fisher (2005), there are sixteen rites prescribed in the ancient scriptures to purify and give the person in his or her journey through life, including rites at the time of conception, the braiding of the pregnant mothers hair, birth, name-giving, beginning of solid foods, get-go education, investing boys with a sacred thread, first leaving the family house, starting studies of Vedas, marriage, and death. Sanatana Dharma is the true preferred title of what is better known as Hinduism where respect of one of the worlds oldest religions must be observed. The fact that there are many worshipped idols within Sanatana Dharma confuses the masses who contend that Hinduism is a polytheistic religion. Yet, it is the world overlooking the fact that other religions practice in denominations sectored by a difference of beliefs within the same core of beliefs.