HINDUISM

HINDUISM Hinduism B. Taylor John University Of Phoenix  Abstract The growth of Hinduism is in part to several factors. Because of the warm climate, people do not feel the need to have many material possessions, such as extra clothing, housing, and things of that nature. This has, in turn, strengthened religious beliefs, practices, and values. With the growth of the modern world happening simultaneously, the religion has been faced with conflict and changes.  Hinduism Because of how isolated India's subcontinent is, the development of the Hindu religion was possible. To the north are the Himalayas, and on opposing sides is the sea. There is one route taken to reach this part of India, making it very difficult for travelers to come and go quickly and easily. "It is the relative isolation of India that has helped create a culture that is rare and fascinating" (Molloy, 2013, p. 75). The people of India are able to live outdoors most months, because the temperature is usually warm (with the exception of in the mountains). Because of the warm climate, people do not feel the need to have many material possessions, such as extra clothing, housing, and things of that nature. This has, in turn, strengthened religious beliefs, practices, and values. India can be very hot, and very dry, despite the many rivers and streams indigenous to the land. The Ganges, a very symbolic and important river to the Hindu religion, is located in India. Some call the great river "Ganga Ma," which translates to, "Mother Ganges." During certain ceremonies, Mother Ganges is celebrated and honored. Jainism Like early Buddhism, Jainism emphasizes the ideals of extreme nonattachment and nonharm (ahimsa)" (Molloy, 2013, p. 182). Jainism, a Vedic religion, expanded east toward the great River Ganges. When this happened, it was greeted with opposition. Aristocrats and nonbrahmins felt threatened by the power of the priests, and rebelled against expansion. Many people did not care for the animal sacrifices demonstrated for this religion because of their compassionate nature. This also caused friction for the Jains. "It is possible that Jainism has not spread widely because it is uncompromising: in it we find an extremist quality that is fascinating, thought provoking, and often noble" (Molloy, 2013, p. 182). One of the most recognizable characteristics of the Jain religion is the practice of nonviolence.  Ahisma Ahimsa is defined in the dictionary as, "the Hindu and Buddhist doctrine of refraining from harming any living being" ("Merriam-Wester", 2015). Ahimsa is actually much more than this, as it entails a lifelong practice of being as gentle, harmless, and careful as can be. This means restraining any acts of violence, or impulses to do so. Jains uphold this belief with the highest regard, including not harming oneself in order to achieve freedom of spirit. "Jains do accept ending one's own life, but we must understand the practice from the Jain point of view and within the context. Jains see all life as preparation for the liberation of the spirit from the body, and when a person is sufficiently evolved spiritually, that person can make the final choice to no longer create more karma" (Molloy, 2013). Jains have nonattachment beliefs, and because of this can end one's life honorably. Self-starvation is one of the most highly esteemed methods a Jain can do, because by withholding food, they are becoming more selfless. Commonalities Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism all share common factors because of having origins in the culture of Ganges in India during a period referred to as the “second urbanisation” (“Wikipedia”, 2016). Some of the similarities that Hinduism shares with Buddhism is a belief in karma, dharma, and Buddha. Sacred symbols, such as the swastika, are shared among the religions as well. Hinduism and Jainism share similar views in regards to abstinence. “The Hindu theory of Karma gave Jainism a great deal of support to start promoting asceticism. Both of these traditions attribute human greed, hatred, and delusion to the presence of impure residues…that must be cleased as the individual person moves toward ‘freedom’ (death)” (“Wikipedia”, 2016). Although Hinduism and Christianity have much different views of Heaven and Hell, the trinity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit is seen as a shared belief. In Hinduism, the Trimurti (Brahma and Shiva) are viewed as the three forms of manifestation of God. Temples Each and every Hindu temple is unique, and no two are the same. There is no specific one kin do Hinduism either. Hindu was a name given to this religion by outside people. Hindu temple owners can make their temples look any way that they please, although many of them attempt to stick to the fundamentals of ancient Hindu temples. The Hindu universe is square, surrounded by mountains. In the center of this space is a temple. It is the goal of the Hindus to reach the top of the temple, as that is where the gods live, thus reaching it is also reaching unity with them. The level of the temple they have reached is in part due to their karma from this and past lives, hopefully climbing and making progress as the lives pass. Gods & Goddesses of Hinduism There are many paintings that depict the gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion. There are approximately 300,000,000 different deities, and approximately 1,000,000,000 Hindus, therefore many believe in different gods, though still believing in Hinduism. "If then you ask the same people how their favorite Hindu gods and goddesses relate to other Hindu gods and goddesses, you will usually get the same answer: 'Well of course, all Hindu gods and goddesses are the same god or divine energy, nameless and without form - only in this particular form I like my Hindu gods and goddesses best'" ("Sanatan society", n.d.). Buddha is one of the many deities, or gods, in the Hindu religion. He is considered the ninth incarnation of Vishnu, and is regarded as very honorable. The ways that Buddha is worshipped in Buddhism is actually very similar to the ways of worship in Hinduism. Ganesha is the elephant-headed god where all spiritual worship and practice begins in the Hindu religion.  Varanasi The story of Varanasi is 3,000 years old. Varanasi is the "holiest city of Hinduism" ("Hinduism", 2004). This is also the oldest inhabited city in the world. The great River Ganges is a symbol of one Hindu god's love for the earth and the people of the earth. It also represents reincarnation and the cycle of life. Hindu's believe that life goes on for millions of years because of life, death, and rebirth. Hindu's practice a ceremony of thanksgiving called Aarti. On the banks of the great River during Aarti, priests make offerings of oil lamps to a god called Brahma. "Aarti is a ceremony of thanksgiving for the light of day and for the light of life. It is also a ceremony of humility, when the Hindu says, 'Brahma, you are everything, and I am nothing. All I can offer is this small light, which will be blown out by a passing wind.' Aarti, literally means removal of pain" ("Hinduism", 2004). Mother Ganges, another one the ceremony is dedicated to, is said to nourish the earth and heal the souls who bathe in the water of the great River Ganges. Hinduism in the Modern World Women and Hinduism “According to Hinduism, the female was created by Brahman as a part of the duality in creation, to provide company to men and facilitate procreation, progeny and continuation of family lineage” (“Hinduwebsite.com”, 2015). Even according to the Vedas is this belief instilled in the Hindu religion, reassuring those who read it that a woman’s primary duty on this earth is to aid her husband in performing “obligatory duties” by allowing him to continue his family tradition and growth. Hinduism, and many other religions in the world, are mostly male dominated, forcing women to play a secondary role. During the Gupta period, there was much more room for women to have freedom, thus allowing them to hold administrative positions, unlike ever before. These privileges were only given to upper-class families and the women in them, leaving the religion still male dominated. According to Hinduwebsite.com (2015), this is so because “…the Vedas placed comparatively greater duties and responsibilities upon men and exhorted women to help their men in performing such duties. Any respect that women enjoyed in society were as daughters, mothers and wives.” Changes Currently, the Hindu society is much more complex than ever before, so it is difficult to comparatively view the way that women were living years ago to how they are living now. There are still many restrictions compared to the men of Hinduism, but things are gradually changing over time. The women who live in more urban areas face different challenges than those living in rural areas. In urban areas there are conflicts such as the workplace, education, and financial independence. “Love marriages outside caste or community are scorned and sometimes the couple are killed or excommunicated by the elders in the family or villages” (Hinduwebsite.com, 2015). Some things that Hindu women are still facing, even today, are things like abuse, domestic violence, dowry deaths, burning, women trafficking, career discrimination, and gender- based abortions. References 1. Hinduism [Video file]. (2004). Sky Vision. Retrieved August 12, 2016, from Academic Video Online: Premium. 2. Hindu temples [Video file]. (2005). Retrieved August 11, 2016, from http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=18566&xtid=35319 3. Hinduwebsite.com. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.hinduwebsite.com/hinduism/h_women.asp 4. Merriam-Webster. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.merriam- webster.com/dictionary/religion 5. Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the world's religions: Tradition, challenge, and change (6th ed.). Retrieved from https://phoenix.vitalsource.com/#/books/1259764575/cfi/6/6!/4@0:0. 6. Sanatan society. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sanatansociety.org/hindu_gods_and_goddesses.htm#.V6yqpI-cFhF 7. Wikipedia. (2016). Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism_and_other_religions