Hinduism

by Stella

Although most Hindus believe that their religion had no "beginning", many other people believe that it was formed by people living in what is now Pakistan, more than five thousand years ago. It is based heavily on meditation and contact with the spiritual world. The main god of Hinduism, who is said to be ubiquitous and responsible for all creation, is called Brahman. He is worshiped through various gods and goddesses, the most well-known of which are Brahma the creator, Shiva the destroyer and Vishnu the preserver. These three deities form the cycle of life at the center of Hinduism.

Many Hindus have a shrine in their home, where they worship daily. They also worship in temples, under supervision of a Brahmin, or priest. These temples are believed to be Brahman's home. Some of the important scriptures in Hinduism are the Vedas and the Bhagavad-gita, which include important teachings and hymns.

We've all heard the phrase "that's karma for you," but where does it come from? Karma is an idea involved in several religions, including Sikhism and Buddhism, as well as Hinduism. Hindu's karma is the belief that your actions in this life shape your next life. For example, if you are mean in this life, you will be reborn as a poor person or a lower species.

An important Hindu holiday is Divali. This involves putting up lamps and setting off fireworks for five days in November or October, symbolizing the triumph of good over evil. Other important ceremonies are the coming-of-age rituals, called Ritu Kala for girls and Upanayana for boys. Hindus also believe that astrology is very important, and soon after the birth of a baby, the parents are given a horoscope by a priest. Then, twelve days after the birth, a naming ceremony is held.

Hinduism is a very complex religion with many interesting traditions. Even if you are not Hindu, there are many important lessons to be learned from its writings and teachings.

Works Cited
Barnes, Trevor. Hinduism and Other Eastern Religions. Boston: Kingfisher, 2005. Print.

Dalton, David. Sikhism. Great Britain: Barrons, 2006. Print. This Is My Faith.

Mayled, Jon. Sikhism. Chicago: Raintree, 2003. Print. Living Religions.

Ross, Stephen. "Statistics Population, World, Countries, Cities, Religions, Roman Catholic, Muslims - Worldwide Missions - Wholesome Words." Wholesome Words Christian Website. 2010. Web. 28 Nov. 2010. http://www.wholesomewords.org/missions/greatc.html