HINDUISM

ORIGINS:

• Formed in 2000 BC in India
• Many recognize a vast diversity of gods.
• Thought to be the oldest religion in history.
• The word Hindu orginated not as the name of a religion,
• But as a geographical marker.

ORGINS CONT.

• Name deprived from the River Indus
• which is now known as the river Sindhu
• Immigrating Persians called the River Hindu

MAJOR BELIEFS

• Hindus believe in one Supreme being who is both creator and un manifest reality
• Believe in the 4 Vedas, ancient scripture.
• They believe that the universe undergoes and endless cycle of creation,preservation, and dissolution.
• They believe in karma. The law of cause and defect.
• They believe the soul reincarnates continuously until all cause and effects have been resolved.

AFTER LIFE

• Some texts, such as the Rig Veda, suggest that different people go to different places after they die
• This was simply not the focus of the religion.
• Rather, the concern was the proper performance of rituals
• that would keep the gods satisfied, and thus keep the cosmos in order.

SALVATION

• They believe there are 4 way to be saved
• One: Way of action
• Two: Way of knowledge
• Three: way of devotion
• Four: The royal road

WAY OF ACTION

• Doing religious deeds unselfishly

WAY OF KNOWLEDGE

• Cultivating your mind and learning philosophy to completely comprehend the universe.

WAY OF DEVOTION

• Salvation based of acts of worship

ROYAL ROAD

• Use of meditation and yoga used by monks

HOW THEY VEIW THE WORLD

• They compare Christianity to Hinduism
• They have a great respect for all living things.
• They believe in being non violent.
• They believe in reincarnation that most people were animals at one point.

HOW THEY VIEW OTHER RELIGIONS

• They believe it's more a lifestyle than religion.
• They believe there is one god but all other religions call him by another name.