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How did Hinduism shape culture and society
Introduction to reincarnation
Introduction to reincarnation
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1. Hinduism has stood the test of time and remains relevant in modern times with a billion followers and counting. It is vastly different than the other popular religions. The poem Bhagavad Gita reveals an abundant of important Hindu thought.
One important aspect that is constantly mentioned or implied in the poem is the concept of reincarnation. For example the poem states that, “There has never been a time when you and I…’nor will there ever be a time when we will cease to exist (pg. 47)’”, which suggest the Hindu’s form of thought of the afterlife. It implies that one will not perish because the soul is eternal and will continue to live through rebirth. Furthermore, the poem adds “As the same person inhabits the body…’so too at the time of death he attains another body (pg. 47)”, it further informs about what the Hindu faith revolves around. It explains the basic process of reincarnating into another body. Another powerful phrase mentioned in the poem is “The impermanent has no reality; reality lies in the eternal (pg. 47)”. Understanding what the phrase truly means is the key to attain the end of all knowledge. It also suggests that the living is not as important as the souls who remain everlasting.
Aside from one of the most important aspects in the Hindu culture of re-embodiment, one also has to live a life of morality and be responsible of their destiny. For instance the poem declares, “When the senses contact sense objects…’these experiences are fleeting; they come and go. Bear with them patiently (pg. 47)”’. It specifies that one has to be responsible for their destiny and take things in moderation. Another example is when the poem reveals that when going through the process of reincarnation, “The wis...
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...peal is Hinduism itself. The reason for my statement is that, like many other religions, it gives those who believe in it total control to choose their destiny. One has the decisions to make to either ruin the opportunity at an afterlife or achieve it. The way Hinduism approaches this idea lets the follower know that one can face anything. No matter if death is nearing or someone else’s death happened; the individual learns to cope with it with no sign of sorrow because they will know that they will meet once again in another afterlife.
Hinduism is a very intriguing religion. Its viewpoints have an appeal to compete with that of the other religions and to worship comfortably. Ultimately it is something worth taking n in depth look at.
Works Cited
Lockard, Craig A. Societies, Networks, and Transitions. 2end ed. Vol. 1. Boston: Wadsworth, 2011. 47. Print.
...nd mortality in order to portray Siddhartha’s journey to Enlightenment. Time, love, and mortality all share one unique characteristic—they are all eternal. Throughout Siddhartha’s journey, he looses love; however he does not feel sorrow for he knows love is everlasting. While loosing love, he encounters death, and again feels no distress. Siddhartha learns one will soon return in another life—mortality. Not only are death and love endless, but also time shares this representative. As Siddhartha grows, he seems to struggle with the aspect of time until he realizes time is does not exist. Time is immortal. “Death is not an event in life: we do not live to experience death. If we take eternity to mean not infinite temporal duration but timelessness, then eternal life belongs to those who live in the present” (“Brainy Quotes” 1). Time, love, and mortality are infinite.
Other than a religion, Hinduism is a way of life through philosophy that is mostly concerned with spirituality and enlightenment. The impracticality of the Hindu religion comes from the Vedas. Vedas are the oldest scriptures in the Hindu religion that are considered to be a straight ...
Early on in this religious scripture, the statement “you too shall pass away” engrains itself in the reader’s mind (Chapter 1). A reminder that humans do eventually perish similar to everything else in the world exemplifies the Buddhist belief of Anitya. Also referring to the temporary nature of human beings, the Buddha states that “the body is a fragile jar” and “that the body is merely the foam of a wave”: both comparisons prove forever fleeting and always temporary (Chapter 3, Chapter 4). Humans tend to forget that even they have a definite timespan to live; therefore, this propensity leads the Dhammapada to remind them that individuals must recognize the brevity of their existence and thus urges them to experience a pure and joyous life. Later referring to the human body as “a
What is Hinduism? Hinduism, the largest of the eastern religion and one of the oldest in the world. (Curry). Hinduism denotes the religions of majority of the people in India and Nepal and of some communities in other continents, who refer to themselves as Hindus. (Flood). It is said to have existed from 1500-300 BCE.
...onsibility in life which is decided by the caste they are born into. However, living amongst other people, one’s soul might become “forgetful of the Lord” which leads to “[attaching] itself to pleasure” which would make it “bound” to the wheel of the universe. For a soul to escape this cycle birth, death, and rebirth, it is necessary to connect with this god. The Hindu people believed that “by uniting oneself with him…one ceases to be ignorant” and this means “Birth, death, and rebirth will be no more.” This credence of rebirth and karma highly influenced the way the Hindu society developed.
Unlike most religions, Hinduism has no specific founder, scripture or set of teachings. Hinduism has over nine hundred million followers today. The history of Hinduism is that it was found in the Indus Valley and it is an oral religion. Hindu’s believe in the three gods named Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Brahma is believed to be the creator of the world and creatures.
Hinduism is unlike many other religions in that it does not have a single founder or text, but is more like an umbrella in ways of life. In death and life for the Hindu, “The ultimate goal of the soul is liberation from the wheel of rebirth, through reabsorption into our identity with the Oversoul (Brahma)-- the essence of the universe, immaterial, uncreated, limitless, and timeless” (Leming & Dickinson, 2011, p. 134).
Hindus believe that when a soul expires, it acquires rebirth in a new body. This cycle is called samsara. To be set free from the endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth one must discover their true nature in order to be with the Brahman in Nirvana. In figure G a picture of a Cambodian statue of the A.D. 900 of Brahma meditating is presented. Nirvana is a state where pain, worry and the outer world do not exist. When a person in Hindu religion has bad Karma, they must take rebirth multiple times. The sacred source of all existence is divided among three gods. Brahma is the creator, Vishnu is the preserver, and Shiva is the destroyer. All three contribute to a person’s life and death and afterlife. In figure H a picture of a Vishnu sculpture is shown, and in figure I a picture of a sculpture of Shiva is
Hinduism is a very unique religion; it is the oldest living religion and does not have a single founder unlike Buddhism. Hinduism
Hinduism is easily the oldest major world religion that is still in use today. It has not only survived countless attacks but has also thrived and has changed little to none in the last 2500-3000 years. "The Aryans are said to have entered India through the fabled Khyber Pass, around 1500 BC. They intermingled with the local populace, and assimilated themselves into the social framework. The Aryans did not have a script, but they developed a rich tradition. They composed the hymns of the four vedas, the great philosophic poems that are at the heart of Hindu thought" (The Aryans and the Vedic Age, 2004, par. 2).
Most people in the world derive their religious beliefs and traditions from their parents and peer influences. From a religious point of view, “There are many definitions for the term ‘religion’ in common usage. [Broadly defined], in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: ‘Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life’” (Robinson, 1996). However, in examining Hinduism, it is difficult to label the practices as a religion. This paper will expound upon the Hindu traditions, taking into account the characteristics of sacred elements, their meaning, and significance.
Hinduism is a very complicated religion from an outsiders prospective. When I think about it I never have really given any thought to what Hinduism is, so what is this religion, what do they believe in, what are the social and cultural influences and what is the desire for liberation from earthly existence?
Today, Hinduism stands as India’s primary religion. In fact, India houses 90% of the world’s Hindi population and 79.8% of India’s population follows the Hindu religion, according to the 2011 census. It is thought by some to be the oldest religion in the world and the “eternal law” (Fowler). This culture is truly one as defined by Edward Taylor: “A complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capability and habit acquired by man as a member of society.” In order to have somewhat of an understanding about what the Hindu religion entails, one must study the Hindu conception of God, its basic concepts and key beliefs, as well as symbolism.
Hindu mythology has been around for ages; it is the world’s oldest surviving religion. Hinduism was formed through diverse traditions in the year 2,000 B.C.E. There is no single person that gets the credit of developing Hindu Mythology because one person did not create it. Hinduism was originated in India, where it is the most practiced now. Hinduism has over a billion followers and about two-thirds of those people are in India. There are many temples open to worship gods and goddesses. “The needs of the gods would be met by the worshipers who have to prepare themselves through purification rites to draw near to their god” (Organ,193) Hinduism is not only the oldest religion but one of the biggest, with Islam then Christianity being above it.
When I first started to read about the Hinduism religion I was not sure what to expect. I have heard about the religion but did not know much about it. What I learned about it was fascinating and caused me to reflect on just how different the religions of the world are. We do not know when Hinduism was founded by whom. It has been said to have always existed. It has been traced to the olden Indus Valley civilization.