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hindu: Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the founder of Hindu dharma or Hinduism ?

Unlike the other religions of the world, Hindu dharma or Hinduism did not originate with any single prophet or at a particular period of human history. Its uniqueness lies in its being based on the super conscious experiences and spiritual realizations of a galaxy of saints, sages and seers, each of whom could claim prophethood. Built on such a firm foundation of spiritual experiences which are verifiable, the Hindu religious tradition has been flowing continuously like the river Ganga for several millennia. ...
Unlike the other religions of the world, Hindu dharma or Hinduism did not originate with any single prophet or at a particular period of human history. It has been there from prehistoric times. It is based on the spiritual concepts discovered by numerous Rishis (enlightened sages). These concepts are impersonal like other concepts in science. These concepts have been validated by innumerable people. ...

How does a Hindu avoid tragedy? How does Hinduism provide for a sense of security against the unknown?

A knowledgeable Hindu will not be afraid of tragedy because he knows that he is part that indestructible ‘Brahma’ (God) and all the tragedies as well as happiness that appear are just because of Avidya and Maya (illusion that is inherent to creation). As said before a knowledgeable Hindu will not be afraid of ‘Unknown’ because for him nothing is ‘unknown’ – everything including you are manifestation of God, so he is not afraid. ...

What is Hinduism?

Hinduism is the world’s oldest religion and is indigenous to India. With approximately 900 million followers worldwide, Hinduism is the third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Hindu teachings originate from ancient Sanskrit texts known as the Vedas and encompass a wide spectrum of tradition and philosophy. ...
Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma is the world’s oldest religion. It is the native religion of India. It predates recorded history and has no human founder. Vedic records dating back 6,000 to 10,000 years show that even in that time period, Hinduism was considered an ancient religion. Today, there are almost 1 billion Hindus spread around the world. That makes one out of every sixth person in the world a Hindu. ...

Who is a Hindu?

I believe anyone who search after truth is a Hindu. There is One and only God and One Truth. The very first book of Hindus named Rig Veda proclaim, " Ekam Sat, Viprah Bahudha Vadanti ". (There is only one truth, only men describe it in different ways). So a Jew or a Christian or a Moslem who is in search after truth is automatically a Hindu. There are about 800 million Hindus in the world. There are more than 800,000 Hindus in the U.S. , and about 160,000 in Canada .
Summary Answer : A Hindu is a follower of Hinduism, the native religion of the people of India. Explanation : A Hindu accepts the authority of Vedic scriptures and follows the common practices of Hinduism. A Hindu is inclined to revere the divine in every manifestation and is tolerant of the peaceful practices of other faiths. The word “Hindu” was originally coined by the ancient Persians to describe the people living east of the “Sindhu”, or Indus River. ...
A Hindu accepts the authority of Vedic scriptures and follows the common practices of Hinduism. A Hindu is inclined to revere the divine in every manifestation and is tolerant of the peaceful practices of other faiths. The word “Hindu” was originally coined by the ancient Persians to describe the people living east of the “Sindhu”, or Indus River. The term spread westward, and eventually it became popularized throughout the world. ...
A Hindu is anyone who believes in the diverse traditions that have evolved out of Bharat (India), and includes Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Vaishnavas, Saivites, Vedantins, and Saktis.
Source: hssuk.org

Is Hinduism polytheistic?

Hinduism believes in one all-pervading Supreme Reality which in Sanskrit is called "Brahman". Brahman is that infinite, undivided, unchanging reality behind all that we experience, behind the entire universe. The infinite nature of Brahman prevents It from being comprehended by the mind, or described with words. The various gods and goddesses for which Hindiusm is famous, are therefore regarded as the highest representations of That which cannot be entirely represented. ...
Source: vedanta.org

Are there conversion to Hinduism?

Today there is hardly any organized conversion missionary for Hinduism. There is no unique authority. Any one who proclaims himself/herself as Hindu and can convince any one who cares to know that, can become a Hindu.

Is there a Devil in Hinduism and what is the devil in Hinduism?

Once again we have a question here that highlights the difference between Hinduism and Christianity. Or, actually, the difference is more generally between Eastern religions, such as Hinduism and Bu... Full Answer - Gerhard Wohlberg

What is Hinduism ? When was Hinduism founded ?

The name 'Hinduism' is of a much recent origin, coined by the Greeks and Arabians to refer to the religion of the people living around and to the East of the river Indus. The earliest records of this religion are in the Rig Veda, the oldest known human literature. Some portions of the Rig Veda have been dated to before 6000 BC. This implies that the religion was in vogue at least a few centuries earlier than that. ...

Is Hinduism life-denying?

Some sects of Hinduism emphasize the illusory nature of the world and the futility of taking part in it. Mainstream Hinduism, however, recognizes four main goals in life: Dharma (pursuit of righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (sense and artistic pleasures), and Moksha (liberation). Although the world is illusory compared with Brahman, it is still a manifestation of divinity and a temporary reality. ...
Source: vedanta.org

Is Vedanta the same as Hinduism?

Vedanta is the predominant philosophy of Hinduism. Hinduism includes all the social and religious customs of anyone living in the subcontinent of India who is not a Muslim, Christian, Jew, Jain, Sikh, Zoroastrian, or Buddhist. There are many sects in Hinduism. It is a complex collection of many religious traditions. Vedanta is the underlying philosophy.
Source: vedanta.org

Who is the founder of Hinduism?

It is one of the distinctive features of Hinduism that it has no founder. It does not depend for its authority on the life-history of any man.
No body in particular. It is the research output of countless learned men called Rishis who were Christ like masters, through centuries.

Are the Vedas then the authorities for Hinduism?

Yes. Vedas claim to teach a man the highest truths that can know and to lead him to his highest good. They are therefore supremely authoritive. And as Truth is eternal, the Vedas which have revealed it to the Hindus are also considered by them to be eternal.

What was the original name of Hinduism?

Sanatana Dharma or Righteousness Forever was the original name of Hinduism. It was Persians who invaded India during 6th century B.C. who gave the name Hinduism meaning the religion of people living near the Indus river. In Persian the letter H and S are pronounced almost the same so they mistook the word Sindhu (Sanskrit name for Indus ) to H and then started calling Hindus and Hinduism.

Is Sikhism a sect of Hinduism?

Though the founder of Sikhism, Guru Nanak Dev, was from a Hindu family, he himself rejected the Hindu religion, setting the founding stone for the Sikh faith.

WHAT ARE THE CORE CONCEPTS OF HINDUISM?

Modern Hinduism evolved from the ancient Vedic tradition (Vaidika parampara). Prominent themes in Hinduism include Dharma (individual ethics, duties and obligations), Samsara (rebirth), Karma (right action), and Moksha (salvation). Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism all share some traits in common with Hinduism, as all these religions originated in India, and all focus on self-improvement with the ultimate aim of attaining personal spiritual

What is Hinduism's sacred text ?

Hinduism is not based on one single text book. The entire science of living is derived from the Vedas - which means knowledge. it is actually a large collection of many books, and can be divided into many disciplines like Upanishads, Puranas, Vedas, and epics like Ramayan and Mahabharat. (There are 4 vedas namely Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharvana and 108 Puranas.). ...

Why is Hinduism so confusing ?

There are multiple reasons for that. Trying to do an in and out analysis without getting on to taste its fruit by practicing would make one feel exhausted. Because it is not a religion of limited contours. It is really an ocean of knowledge.

Is this movement Hindu?

There was even a court case in India to settle this question and the court ruled that this movement is not Hindu. It is more of a philosophy which accepts and embraces all religions.

What is the Hindu view on creation?

Several ancient texts in both the classical languages of India, Sanskrit and Tamil talk about creation. The Tamil text Thiruvaaachagam, has the following simple words about creation, in the chapter Thiru-anda-pagudhi, lines 1 to 10:- This vast universe got formed from an extremely powerful small fire ball, which burst into 101 crore (1.01 billion) pieces. The smallest atom and the largest piece are all of the same matter, which was created from that energy. ...

Is Hindu fundamentalism growing?

The fundamental Hinduism is too tolerant and passive and could probably be easily exterminated by any other religion. The passive Hindu fundamentalism is not growing. Militancy/violence/intolerance is what is growing. The militancy is a survival/insecurity response of political nature. It has no relation to the religion or philosophy.

What is the Hindu concept of time?

There are two distinct yet inseparable parts of any belief system’s “concept of time.” The first is “time” and the second is “history.” The difference is subtle and a little tricky, b... Full Answer - Ren Shengli

WHAT IS THE HINDU CONCEPT OF CREATION?

From the Hindu body of literature there are several accounts which allude to creation 1) Rg Veda alludes to immortal Purusa who is divided and parts of him becomes the physical universe, living and n... Full Answer - Dayal V.

What is a Hindu adoption?

Hindu adoption is an adoption that is completed in India. There are basic requirements as to who qualifies to complete a Hindu adoption, and then different Indian States have specific court requirements. The adopting father must be Hindu, and if the family has a boy and is adopting a boy, they cannot complete a Hindu adoption; they must go through the guardianship procedure. This same rule applies if the family has a girl and is adopting another girl. ...
Source: www.ftia.org

What are the Hindu scriptures?

The Hindu scriptures can be broadly classified into two groups. One is Sruti ("that which is heard") literature and the other is Smriti ("that which is remembered") Literature. Both these literatures are considered as "revelations of God".
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