HINDUISM
-
Religion of the One God Who Is Many.
|
| Hinduism
encompasses a wide variety of beliefs
originating in India. Most Hindus believe
that God takes many forms and is
worshipped by many different names.
|
Each person and every
creature embodies a spark (Amman)
of the universal soul, equated with God.
After death the atman is reborn in a new
body. Thus God is in every object in the
universe, and everything that exist --
humans, animals, earth, air, water, fire
-- is part of God:
"I'm pervading the universe. All
objects rest on me as pearl in the tread
of a garment." (Bhagacad Gita) |
| Hindus believe that every
action, good or bad, hurtful or
compassionate, has an effect on this life
and on future lives. This is called karma.
By accumulating positive karma Hindus can
eventually break free from the cycles of
berth and death to achieve liberation or moksha,
which is complete union with God. |
| On the symbol is the
written form of the sacred sound
"Aum", (sometimes spelt
"Om"). According to the Hindu
scriptures, Aum was the first sound, out
of which the rest of the universe was
created. |
| There are nearly 750
million Hindus worldwide, almost all
living in southern Asia. In India, where
the Hindu religion began, there are 650
million Hindus. Their tradition and
beliefs have shared the unique culture of
the country. |
| There
are Hindu pilgrimage sites all over
India. Among the most important are the
Himalayas and the river Ganges,
especially where it flows through the
city of Varanasi (Benares). |
| There
are many sacred books, mostly written in
the ancient Indian language Sanskrit. The
major tests are the Vegas, the
Upanishads, the Puranas, the Mahabharata
and the Ramayana. |
|
|
|
Mystical
Stories from the Mahabharata
Am
I A Hindu?/the Hinduism Primer
Bhagavad
Gita (Penguin Classics)
