Hinduism

A Brief History
The first known use of the term Hindu is from the 6th century BCE, used by the
Persians. Originally, then, Hinduism was mostly a cultural and geographic label, and
only later was it applied to describe the religious practices of the Hindus.

The term Hinduism is derived from the word ‘Hindu’, which is a Persian distortion
of ‘Sindhu’, the ancient name for the river Indus running through northern India.
Hinduism today is the largest religion practiced in India, and some people also
believe is the oldest religion in the world.

Hinduism has no one founder but is instead a fusion of various beliefs.

 A Brief History
- Hinduism was originally known as Sañatana Dharma

- Brahman is the Supreme being

- 3 representation of Brahman (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva)

- Hinduism is all about attaining salvation

A. The religion's concept of good.

Hindus work to uphold dharma, a code of conduct that places an emphasis on

morality and good behavior.

Hindus cherish all forms of life and see cows as sacred animals. Hindus place a lot of
importance on food. The majority are vegetarians, and many don't consume beef or
pork. The whole of Hindu spiritual life is aimed at liberation, freedom from the bad
karma which attaches to human souls and leads to rebirth or reincarnation.

Being good is worth it: good karma leads to a better life in this and the next world,
and eventually to total freedom.
B. The religions concepts of evil.

The majority of Hindus think that moral evil is a cause of

other people. They believe that Hindus should treat all living
creatures with kindness and nonviolence. This belief is
known as "ahimsa." Hindus hold the belief that those who
cause harm to others or the environment will suffer the
karmic consequences. The Hindus believe that God does not
force evil upon mankind, evil occurs because of the law of
karma and is a natural element of life.
C. THE STEPS NEEDED BY A PERSON TO BECOME GOOD AND
PREVENT HIMSELF FROM BECOMING EVIL.

THE QUALITIES OF GOOD OR DIVINITY ARE PURITY (SATTVA), LIGHT,

BALANCE, IMMORTALITY, ORDER, VIRTUE, AND SELFLESSNESS.

ACCORDING TO HINDU SCRIPTURE. IMPURITY (TAMAS), DARKNESS,

IMBALANCE OR EXTREMISM, CHAOS, WICKED BEHAVIOR, AND
SELFISHNESS ARE ALL SYMBOLS OF EVIL.
D. Are they also engaged into politics?

Hinduism is engaged in Politics

Hinduism is an important source of political discourse in India.

 Similarities
Buddhism and Hinduism have many characteristics. Buddhism sprang from Hinduism, and
both religions hold the same beliefs on reincarnation, karma, and the path to salvation and
enlightenment being one of fidelity and honor. But there are also significant distinctions
between the two faiths: Buddhism rejects the caste structure of Hinduism and does away with
the rituals, priests, and deities that are central to that religion.
 Differences

Hinduism differs from many other religions in that no one must adhere to a set of precepts in
order to be a Hindu. Instead, it embraces a wide range of occasionally incompatible
viewpoints. Everyone who practices Hinduism has a different understanding of what it is.
Hinduism also has a wide variety of different gods and goddesses to worship. It often
depends on a person's region of India which deity or goddess they revere the most. Hinduism
differs from most other religions in that it believes in reincarnation, which is another
distinguishing feature.
THE END