Main whales of Hinduism: short description of religion

Main whales of Hinduism: short description of religion

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In the world there is a set of religions and beliefs. The people living in the different countries and on different continents trust in the highest forces capable to affect the fate of the person, and worship of Religion are world — extending on the world, knowing no limit and also such which unite people of one people or group of the people living in one geographical region. So, for example, the religion Hinduism is one of the most ancient religions on the planet. What is it the Indian religion, what philosophy of Hinduism, an ultimate goal of spirituality — we will also try to understand all these questions further.

What the religion is

The Hinduism is one of the religions which arose in the territory which conditionally received the name the Indian subcontinent behind which such countries as India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, Sri Lanka and some nearby areas hide. The number of Hindus is around the world very high, and some scientists call Hinduism of the third of the largest religions of the world, after Christianity and Islam as about 1 billion people are adherents of this religion. In the second half of the 20th century the main ideas of Hinduism began to gain popularity and now are known in all corners of light, many for certain heard about yoga, vegetarianism and a karma.

In the modern world the Hindus live not only in India and neighboring countries, but also in the majority of the Asian countries and also them much in Europe, Canada and the USA. The short description of religion can be such: the Hinduism — difficult religion as her adherents believe in the 330th Gods, exists many schools of Hinduism variously treating any given concepts. However there are basic provisions, sacred texts containing the philosophical reflections, verses, stories, spells uniting all this wealth under one name. Hindus believe in existence of the most important deity in all pantheon of deities — Brahma who has no shape and can get 3 forms: Brahma Creator, Vishnu Keeper and Shiva-Razrushitel.

It is present at the Universe in each part of its reality and in soul which Hindus is called Atman, each living being. The person is a divine being. The spiritual purpose of each Hindu is to become a whole with Brahma. Process of achievement of the goal means a chain of regenerations of the person, each of which is result of his karma, acts which the person makes throughout each life. When mortal life of the person comes to an end, his flesh dies, but without smothering. It continues the way to a unification with Brahma, regenerating in other body and improving the karma.

Sources and history of emergence

The Hinduism is considered to be one of the most ancient religions existing in the world. Since ancient times the people living near Indus worshipped the deity mother, sacred trees what the stone plates found in process of excavation confirm. It is known that to the II millennium BC to these places there arrived conquerors arias in whom domination belonged to the man. They worshipped gods representing powerful forces of nature. The priests of these tribes who were called as brahmen carried out ceremonies of a sacrifice and made ritual anthems which formed further the basis of the Veda. They esteemed such gods as Varuna, Indra, Agni. Over time need of sacrifices was subjected to doubts and there was an idea of resettlement of human souls which was confirmed later with the law of a karma. It was possible to stop an infinite chain of regenerations, following by meditations, but not a gift of the victims as was considered before. By 500 BC the Hinduism became the religion which combined in itself many provisions of the Buddhism and Jainism. Believers began to profess the ideas of vegetarianism and refusal of alcoholic beverages, to avoid violence. Added Buddha to a pantheon of Hindu gods.

Blossoming of Hinduism it is considered to be the period from 6-5th century BC — the period of intensive philosophical searches when there were not less than 6 philosophical schools offering an effective way of achievement of the treasured purpose. Splits and contradictions of Hindu schools and currents led to development of national Hinduism in the 7-8th century. Now honoring of a great number of gods from whom Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti were main was recognized. Confirmation of it it is possible to call the literary work Ramayana written in Hindi in which it is told about Old Indian governors and wars how deities go down on the earth, struggle with demons, help and treat people kindly.

To reach harmony and to learn internal I it is possible about the help Bhagavad Gita, an ashram and a mantra.

In the course of gaining lands the Indian people by Islamic soldiers the Hinduism gradually was exposed to some violent, against the will of people in the won territories, or to household changes, in the course of assimilation of the people, marriages, the birth of children. At the same time the part of the Indian territory was colonized by British where the Hinduism was subject to influence of Christianity. Here the cruel ritual of Satie when after the death of the husband his living spouse needed to be burned on a fire together with a body deceased did not admit and also despised weddings between children. In the 6-10th century in India the movement of a bkhakta which read god Vishnu and his embodiment in Krishna and Rama's mortal bodies actively developed.

Types of Hinduism

There are many traditions and the beliefs united by the general name Hinduism. The recognized authority of the Veda is fundamental, but there are also such religious trends which have own traditions and the cult writing. Thus, it is impossible to give exact definition to the Indian religion as it is set of beliefs and traditions.

Learn more about that how to become on the way of a bodhisattva, and to devote own lives to rescue all existing in the world.

Typology

It is accepted to allocate such main types of Hinduism among which main it is possible to call:

  1. Folk beliefs. The most ancient form of religion of Hindus when people worship deities and forms who are allocated with divine force. Each area or the tribe had the idols.
  2. Vedic Hinduism. The Scripture of Veda, its collection of religious anthems under the name Rigveda forms its basis.
  3. Vedantichesky Hinduism. The adherents of one of philosophical schools of Hinduism of Vedanta recognizing religious and philosophical treatises Upanishada — a part of Veda in which there are reflections about meditation and God's nature.
  4. Religious and philosophical school of yoga. It is presented in Yoga-sutrakh — the basic text of this branch of Hinduism which influenced further adoption of yoga and many Indian rituals around the world.
  5. Dharmichesky Hinduism. Does not treat completely one philosophical school, but contains certain moral foundations which need to be followed daily. A Dharma — set of norms and rules.
  6. Bkhakti-induizm. He assumes devoted worship and service to God who can be present at various forms, live and lifeless substances or objects. The monotheism and worship of god Vishnu and his avatars, the embodiments in a mortal being is characteristic of this type of religion sometimes called Vaishnavism or Vaishnava.

Whether you know? The Hinduism grants the right to choose the deity to which each person wishes to worship. So, even members of one family can esteem different gods and glorify them.

Directions

As in Hinduism there is no accurate religious concept and the system of concepts, the religion is a complex of traditions and beliefs, according to researches of scientists, one may say, that the dominating directions are:

  1. The most popular religion of Hindus. Followers worship the one God Vishnu, his phenomena in various forms and images and to his embodiments in terrestrial beings Krishna and Rama. This religious doctrine includes such basic and most known concepts of Hinduism as a karma, circulation of souls, a sansara, yoga, meditation. Has 4 theological traditions, samprada, each of which has the teacher founder.
  2. Honoring of Shiva personifying space consciousness. Has about 6 philosophical schools having regional and temporary differences in the ideology. The Shaivism is based on meditation, love for all living beings and yoga.
  3. The direction appeared as a result of transformation of brahmanical tradition. A philosophical system is Advaita Vedanta created by the Indian thinker Shankara. Worship of 5 gods is characteristic, however each believer can choose to what divine being he wishes to worship or what his form.
  4. Followers esteem Divine Mater Shakti, the spouse or female creative strength of Shiva, and its embodiments in such forms as Kali, Lakshmi, Durga, Sarasvati. The direction is characterized by liberal views, believers consider themselves Shakti's children and try to follow her main desire — to live in consent and harmony with other people and the world around.

What Hindus trust in: basic provisions

The main beliefs of Hindus, despite all distinctions philosophical schools, traditions, and the esteemed deities and their manifestations, it is possible to call a number of concepts which became distinctive for Hinduism among other religions of the world.

Transformation of souls (sansara)

The sansara is one of the central concepts of Hindu ideology. It is possible to call conditional it a wheel of regenerations, the infinite births and death of a terrestrial body and the movement of soul to Moksha, disposals of results of acts in antecedents and its releases. The sansara occurs according to the law of a karma according to which all actions of the person, good and bad, determine his future and achievement by soul of Moksha or nirvana. Its ignorance and neoconsciousness of true itself, acceptance of uniform with a material body is the reason of finding of soul in a wheel of a sansara. This identification keeps soul in Kama, sensual pleasures, and forces it to accept new bodies, regenerating again and again.

Important! Hindus believe in the fact that the human body unites in itself such elements as air, fire, air, water and the earth. Therefore the material body after death has to be cremated and returned in the nature.

Law of punishment

The karma is the law of action and consequences. According to it, each act of the person involves certain consequences and defines his future, sufferings and pleasures which he will meet on the course of life. The law of a karma is the cornerstone of a wheel of a sansara and regulates a chain of regenerations. Following the law, each human act, kind or bad, will have consequences in the future and forces the person to think of each business, to be responsible for the life. It concerns last and future lives as soul changes only a material cover. And the main thesis of the law of a karma is in consonance with a proverb: What you will seed, you will reap.

Exit from a chain of regenerations

Moksha is release of soul from sufferings, material existence and an exit from a circle of a sansara, a chain of regenerations. This philosophical concept means the sublime, quiet concentrated condition of the person in which matter, time, a karma and space are considered as the special force and energy hiding true nature of the world and opening variety of its manifestations. Way of achievement of Moksha is the consciousness or atama-dzhana, awareness of the true inner world and unity good luck, achievement of pure love for God and total freedom from material desires.

Whether you know? Ablution in the sacred Ganges River in India is considered the sacred action capable to wash away sins from the Hindu's soul.

Varna and caste

The Indian society traditionally can be divided into estates, or Varna. In total they are allocated by 4:

  1. The highest Varna societies of Hindus. The social group exists in all states of India, carry priests, teachers, scientists and officials to it. Since ancient times ranked as it also priests and monks.
  2. Social group, the second most important after brahmen, into which influential soldiers, noblemen and governors enter. In ancient times kshatriya became leaders of troops, influential statesmen, land owners. Their debt was to protect brahmen, children, women, elderly people and sacred cows. Kshatriyam such qualities as ambition, the developed mind, skillful possession of weapon, force and endurance are characteristic.
  3. Representatives of this Varna are farmers, dealers and razvodchik of the cattle. Now it is businessmen, they try to avoid physical work, being engaged in trade and management of economy.
  4. Representatives of this estate are hired workers who perform the dirtiest and hard work.

Castes call social groups of Hindu public way. Are characteristic of castes:

Dharma

By this concept it is accepted to designate a complex or the set of rules and norms to which it is necessary to adhere for observance of a space order. According to Hindu philosophy, the person living by rules of a Dharma can reach nirvana or Moksha.

Hindu deities

There is a set of Hindu deities, their avatars and the idolized forms to which Hindus worship. Among other it is possible to allocate following.

Trimurti

It is the divine triad which united in uniform shape of 3 most important deities of Hinduism: Brahma Keeper, Vishnu Founder, Shivu-Razrushitelya. Trimurti represents the spiritual beginning of the Brahman or world soul which is a basis of all things and phenomena.

Lokapala

Lokapalami are called the deities masters protecting the parts of the world which are support and defenders of the world. Each part of the world sponsors the god, at worship of which the special mantra is read. Each deity has the tool and an animal who to it serves for movement. In modern Hinduism exists 8 lokapat though before them there was 4. Their names sound so, moving from the North on a compass arrow: Kubera, Som, Indus, Surya, Hole, Agni, Varuna, to Wai.

The all-Indian

All currents of Hinduism recognize and will read such gods:

  1. Ayapp — Shiva and Vishna's son who accepted female shape. Symbolizes unity and harmony. Represent god Ayapp often in the form of the young man - the yogi with gemstone on a neck.
  2. Ganesh is god symbolizing wisdom and wellbeing in Hinduism. Has an appearance of a being with a human trunk and the head of an elephant with one tusk, can have from 2 to 32 hands.
  3. Durga — the goddess-warrior, Shiva's wife. Seeks for creation of balance and harmony, happiness and rest. Has an appearance of the 10-armed woman sitting astride a tiger or a lion. Her fingers are weaved in mudra, and she holds tools for a zashchina of gods and attack on demons in hand.
  4. Kali is the goddess-mother who is a destruction symbol. She pulls down ignorance and releases the people wishing to know God, cares for a world order. She is represented in the form of the thin woman with long black hair, 4 hands, 3 eyes and blue skin. She can be nude or in a skin of an animal. In hands at it a sword, the head of the demon, and others she banishes fear and blesses to fulfillment of desires.
  5. Lakshmi is the goddess of material welfare, abundance, happiness, success and good luck. She also personifies beauty and grace. Being Vishnu's spouse, she in the embodiments is married to Rama and Krishna. The goddess can be represented with 2, 4 or 8 hands, she is dressed in golden or red clothes. Often near her draw elephants.

Also it is possible to carry to the all-Indian deities such as Kam, Parvati, Sarasvati, Skanda, Hanuman.

Important! In Hinduism the cow is considered a sacred animal and personifies motherhood. To kill an animal it is prohibited by the law, and in some states the ban on consumption of beef in food works.

Vedic

By the most famous deities of Vedic mythology it is possible to call such:

And also the Mitre, the Hole, Som, Ushas, Pritkhivi, Rudra concern them.

Vishnu's avatars

Avatars, or the embodiments of god Vishnu, are in detail described in the Scripture Puranakh. Their list is rather big and over time was supplemented. Avatars whose mission was the most significant in Hinduism and whose shape accepted Vishnu, were the following:

Sacred texts

Since ancient times the literary writing, the important shrines, had the poetic form and were handed down as it was so easier to remember their contents. Texts of the sacred writing registered in Sanskrit. As a rule, they are divided into 2 such views: Shruti and Smriti.

Shruti

It is considered to be that Shruti is the revelations of god transmitted through Saint wise men literally it is translated as heard. Shruti is called by four most important Veda:

In turn, each book of the Scripture is divided into 4 parts:

Author: «MirrorInfo» Dream Team

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