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=== Hinduism ===

=== Hinduism ===

The key to understanding India is its ancient religion of Hinduism, an initially polytheistic religion using multiple gods who were ultimately understood to be part of one god: Brahma, the supreme god of life. The name “Hindu” comes from the word Hindustan, the word for riverland, and the birth of Hinduism was the merger of the Upanishadic and Vedic religious traditions in ancient India.  Moslem invaders of the A.D. 11th and 13th centuries started using the term to describe Indians who were not Buddhists and refused to convert to Islam.  In the A.D. 16th century European merchants and missionaries started using the term also.  But while Hinduism is not limited to one set of clear beliefs, it does represent a common belief system and today there are 1.05 billion adherents to Hinduism in the world, nearly all of whom live in India.  (There is also a significant Christian population in India today, and Mother Theresa won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for her Christian charity work there.)   

The key to understanding India lies in its ancient religion of Hinduism, a polytheistic religion using multiple gods who were ultimately understood to be part of one god: Brahma, the supreme god of life. The name “Hindu” comes from the word Hindustan, the word for riverland, and the birth of Hinduism was the merger of the Upanishadic and Vedic religious traditions in ancient India.  Muslim invaders of the A.D. 11th and 13th centuries started using the term to describe Indians who were not Buddhists and refused to convert to Islam.  In the A.D. 16th century European merchants and missionaries started using the term also.  But while Hinduism is not limited to one set of clear beliefs, it does represent a common belief system and today there are 1.05 billion adherents to Hinduism in the world, nearly all of whom live in India.  (There is also a significant Christian population in India today, and Mother Theresa won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1980 for her Christian charity work there.)   

Hinduism focuses on “The Eternal Way,” which means that certain spiritual principles are true for eternity, transcending what is man-made.  This is like a science of consciousness.  The advancement of knowledge is emphasized by Hinduism, and today many Indians can be found obtaining PhDs or medical degrees.  Hindus in the United States are predominantly Republican.   

Hinduism focuses on “The Eternal Way,” which means that certain spiritual principles are true for eternity, transcending what is man-made.  This is like a science of consciousness.  The advancement of knowledge is emphasized by Hinduism, and today many Indians can be found obtaining PhDs or medical degrees.  Many Indians are entering engineering and similar high-tech professions, and American companies are gradually hiring more and more Indians for these jobs because of the high quality of their work and their competitive prices.  Hindus in the United States are predominantly Republican.   

The practice of Hinduism is through meditation using yoga.  Historically, Hindus believe in reincarnation, a belief that spread even to the Greek philosopher Pythagoras in 560 B.C.  Visitors to India are impressed seeing by cows wandering about, disrupting traffic and commerce.  The expression “sacred cow” comes from the belief in reincarnation, and the view that a cow may be the reincarnation of one of your distant ancestors.

Hinduism is practices through meditation using yoga.  Historically, Hindus believed in reincarnation, a belief that spread even to the Greek philosopher Pythagoras in 560 B.C.  Visitors to India are impressed or surprised by seeing cows wandering about, disrupting traffic and commerce.  The expression “sacred cow” comes from the belief in reincarnation, and the view that a cow may be the reincarnation of one of your ancestors or deceased relatives.

The basic belief of Hinduism is in a cycle of life often represented by a dancing woman in a ring of fire, who is the god “Shiva” representing creation and destruction.  Other symbols are the god Brahma representing creation and the god Vishnu representing preservation or continuance of life.  In Hindu statutes a flat palm facing the onlooker represents peace, while a drum symbolizes creation.

The basic belief of Hinduism is in a cycle of life often represented by a dancing woman in a ring of fire, who is the god “Shiva” representing creation and destruction.  Other symbols are the god Brahma representing creation and the god Vishnu representing preservation or continuance of life.  In Hindu statutes a flat palm facing the onlooker represents peace, while a drum symbolizes creation.

In 1966, the Supreme Court of India defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

In 1966, the Supreme Court of India defined what Hinduism is for legal purposes:

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit).  The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C.  The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavad Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection, to be attained by adhering to a code of conduct.  The Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual guide to life’s problems, like the parable in Christianity.

1. Belief in the authority of the Vedas (an ancient hymns to the gods, written in Sanskrit).  The oldest collection of hymns in the Vedas is the Rig Veda, which was written between 1800 and 1300 B.C.  The greatest Veda hymn is the “Bhagavad Gita,” a section in the Mahabharata concerning life’s never-ending spiritual journey towards perfection, to be attained by adhering to a code of conduct.  The Bhagavad Gita is a spiritual guide to life’s problems, like the parables of Christianity.

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.  

2. Spirit of tolerance and willingness to understand and respect an opponent’s view.  

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.  

5. Belief that there are many ways to salvation.  

6. Belief that the number of gods to be worshiped may be large, although some Hindus reject the worship of idols.

6. Belief that the number of gods to be worshiped may be large, although some Hindus reject the worship of gods altogether.

   

   

7. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.  

7. Unlike most other religions, Hinduism is not defined by a specific set of philosophical concepts.  

Hidden from this modern legal definition is the caste system set forth in the Code of Manu, whereby the accumulation of a person’s good deeds (or evil acts) in his prior lives (his “karma”) determine whether he is born into a family at a higher or lower caste level, or even lower as an animal or plant.  Upon full compliance with the Hindu moral code, the person is released from the “wheel of life” and attains unity with Brahma (universal all).  This belief is known as “Moksha”.

Lacking from this modern legal definition is the caste system set forth in the Code of Manu, whereby the accumulation of a person’s good deeds (or evil acts) in his prior lives (his “karma”) determine whether he is born into a family at a higher or lower caste level, or even lower as an animal or plant.  Upon full compliance with the Hindu moral code, the person is released from the “wheel of life” and attains unity with Brahma (universal all).  This belief is known as “Moksha”.

The highest caste is the “Brahmans” (priests and scholars), a term used today in English to describe wealthy, aloof New England families, like John Kerry’s. (The English non-religious term is spelled “Brahmins”.)  The traditional goal of Hindus is to reach Brahma, or spiritual perfection, by observing dharma (DER-muh) (moral or religious duties of your caste).  Below the Brahmans in the Hindu case system are the Kshatriya (rulers), the Vaishya (peasants), and then the serfs (Shudra).  Below the lowest caste level are the “untouchables” or Harijans, who are slaves and outcasts.   

The highest caste is the “Brahmans” (priests and scholars), a term used today in English to describe wealthy, aloof New England families, like John Kerry’s. (The English non-religious term is spelled “Brahmins”.)  The traditional goal of Hindus is to reach Brahma, or spiritual perfection, by observing dharma (DER-muh) (moral or religious duties of your caste).  Below the Brahmans in the Hindu case system are the Kshatriya (rulers), the Vaishya (peasants), and then the serfs (Shudra).  Below the lowest caste level are the “untouchables” or Harijans, who are slaves and outcasts.   

A woman was generally treated like a dependent, to be taken care of and supervised by her father, husband or brother.  Government was by a local prince or “raja”, also spelled as rajah.  The English word “raj” means reign.

In Hindu society, a woman was generally treated like a dependent to be taken care of and supervised by her father, husband or brother.  Government was by a local prince or “raja”, also spelled as rajah.  The English word “raj” means reign.

The omission of the traditional caste system from the Indian Supreme Court’s modern definition illustrates how Hinduism adapts to changing times, which has helped it survive for thousands of years.  For example, Hinduism survived the threat posed by the rival religion Buddhism simply by treating the founder of Buddhism like a god.  Today India is 82% Hindu.

The omission of the traditional caste system from the Indian Supreme Court’s modern definition illustrates how Hinduism adapts to changing times, which has helped it survive for thousands of years and become one of the oldest surviving religions.  For example, Hinduism survived the threat posed by the rival religion Buddhism simply by treating the founder of Buddhism like another god and adding him to the religion.  Today India is 82% Hindu.

   

   

Hinduism holds a special reverence for all living creatures, and violence against life is prohibited.  Abortion has historically been very rare in India.  The attitude towards women in Hinduism is of special respect in the family structure.  Women obeyed their husbands under Hinduism.  A much-criticized and rare practice in India was for a wife, after her husband’s death,  to throw herself on her husband’s funeral pyre to die as a way of honoring him.  This is known as “sati” or “suttee” (suh-TEE).

Hinduism holds a special reverence for all living creatures, and violence against life is prohibited.  Abortion has historically been very rare in India.  The attitude towards women in Hinduism is of special respect in the family structure.  Women obeyed their husbands under Hinduism.  A much-criticized and rare practice in India was for a wife, after her husband’s death,  to throw herself on her husband’s funeral pyre to die as a way of honoring him.  This is known as “sati” or “suttee” (suh-TEE).

Hinduism has been the backbone of Indian culture for thousands of years.  The religion enabled Indians to survive countless invasions, such as by Alexander the Great in 327 B.C. when he conquered most of the Indus valley.  But he could not change the Indian culture much.  Hinduism has also withstood both Islam and communism.  The Hindu faith is extremely resilient to foreign beliefs, and the survival of Hinduism protected the Indian culture and way of life.

Hinduism has been the backbone of Indian culture for thousands of years.  The religion enabled Indians to survive countless invasions, such as by Alexander the Great in 327 B.C. when he conquered most of the Indus valley.  But he could not change the Indian culture much.  Hinduism has also withstood both Islam and communism.  The Hindu faith is extremely resilient to foreign beliefs, and the survival of Hinduism protected the Indian culture and way of life.

 

=== Jainism ===

=== Jainism ===