3. Hinduism (2)

Basic Teachings

Prominent themes in Hinduism include:

• Dharma (individual ethics, duties and obligations). A comprehensive ordering of life according to principles and practices appropriate for one’s age and station (“caste”) in life. This includes the basics of the Indian caste system, which segments people from birth into certain levels in society, placing each person in the caste where they will live out their life. Although the caste system was abolished by national law in 1949, it remains a significant force throughout India .
• Samsāra (rebirth or reincarnation). According to the doctrine of reincarnation (Samsāra), the soul is immortal, while the body is subject to birth and death. Many Hindus believe in reincarnation and they believe the action in one’s life can determine one’s fate in a subsequent reincarnation. Virtuous actions take the soul closer to the supreme divine and lead to a birth with higher consciousness. Evil actions hinder this recognition of the supreme divine, and the soul takes lower forms of worldly life.
• Karma (fate or right action). The doctrine of karma relates to the law of cause and effect. It states that everything people do (karma) leaves impressions in their mind, which determines what kind of people they will be in the future, and hence their fate.
• Moksha (deliverance from the cycle of birth and death). When the cycle of rebirth comes to an end, a person is said to have attained moksha. All schools of thought agree that moksha implies the cessation of worldly desires and freedom from the cycle of birth and death, the exact definition depends on individual beliefs.

In whatever way a Hindu might define the goal of life – and multiple definitions are allowed – several methods (yogas) have developed over the centuries for people of different tastes and temperaments. Paths one can follow to achieve the spiritual goal of life include: Bhakti Yoga (the path of love and devotion), Karma Yoga (the path of right action), Rāja Yoga (the path of meditation), and Jñāna Yoga (the path of knowledge).

The Founder

Hinduism is not really a single religion, but many beliefs that interact and blend with one another. Hinduism has no known founder, there are no creedal statements of faith, and no agreed upon authority.

The Writings

Hinduism relies on numerous religious texts developed over many centuries, each containing spiritual insights and practical guidance for religious life. Among such texts, the four Vedas (“knowledge”) are the most ancient, and form the foundation of Hindu philosophy. Other writings include the Brahamanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads. These are all known as the Vedic literature and are considered supernaturally inspired.

Hinduism is said to rest upon “the accumulated treasury of spiritual laws discovered by different persons in different times." The scriptures were transmitted orally, in verse form to aid memorization, for many centuries before they were written down. Through the years teachings were refined by other sages, and the canon expanded. The great majority of the sacred texts are composed in the Sanskrit language.

While the Vedas are not commonly read by most Hindus, they are yet revered as eternal knowledge with sacred sounds that help bring spiritual and material benefits, and more importantly, for the revelations about the Brahman.  The Hindu scriptural canon is not closed; even today Hindus believe that, because the spiritual truths of the Vedas are eternal, they may continue to be expressed in new ways throughout the future. New scriptures can continue to be written to express the truths of the Vedas in ways accessible to people of different times and places. Many Hindus even venerate the scriptures of other religions, since it is believed that the “one divinity” can reveal itself in innumerable ways.  

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