Hinduism

Hinduism is a very old way of life.

It has many different ideas and traditions. Some people follow one god. Other people believe in many gods.

Many people believe in karma. This means your actions have results. They also believe in rebirth. This is a cycle of life.

People use special books to learn. They also do yoga to feel calm. Many people live in India. It is a large group of people. It is the third largest religion in the world.

Hinduism is a very large group of traditions.

It is the third largest religion in the world. About 1.17 billion people follow these ways. Most Hindus live in India and Nepal.

Many people also live in Indonesia and Mauritius.

There is no single founder for Hinduism. It grew from many different cultures over a long time. People follow many different ideas. Some follow one god. Others believe in many gods.

Some thinkers say all gods are parts of one big reality.

Many Hindus follow the idea of dharma. This means living in a right way. They also believe in karma. Karma means your actions have results. They believe in samsara. This is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth.

People use many special books to learn. These include the Vedas and the Upanishads.

Hindus also practice yoga and meditation. They may perform puja, which is a way to worship. Some groups focus on different gods. For example, Vaishnavism focuses on Vishnu. Shaivism focuses on Shiva.

Each group has its own special ways.

Hinduism is a very large group of spiritual traditions.

It is the third largest religion in the world today. About 1.17 billion people follow these traditions. This is about 14.7% of all people on Earth. Most Hindus live in India and Nepal.

Many others live in Mauritius and Bali, Indonesia. Large Hindu communities also exist in North America and Europe. Some live in the Caribbean and Africa too.

Many different ideas make up this tradition. It is often called an umbrella term. This means it covers many different ways of thinking. There is no single founder for Hinduism. Instead, it grew from many Indian cultures over a long time. This synthesis emerged between 200 BCE and 200 CE.

Some thinkers call it Sanatana Dharma. Others use names like Vaidika Dharma or Arya Dharma. It is a mix of many different roots.

Followers often follow the idea of dharma. Dharma is a cosmic order or a right way to live. People maintain this order through rituals and good living. Many also believe in karma. Karma is the idea that actions and intentions have consequences.

Another important idea is samsara. This is the cycle of death and rebirth. People also look toward the four Purusharthas. These are the proper goals for human life. They include dharma, artha, kama, and moksha.

There are many important holy books. These are divided into two groups called Shruti and Smriti.

The major scriptures include the Vedas and the Upanishads. The Puranas are also very important texts. Other famous books are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana. The Bhagavad Gita is part of the Mahabharata. People also use the Agamas for guidance. These texts help explain theology and mythology.

People practice their faith in many ways. Some use meditation or Yoga to focus their minds.

Others practice bhakti, which is intense devotion. Many perform puja, which is a way of worship. Some perform yajna, which are sacrificial rites. There are four major groups of followers. These are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism. Each group has its own focus or special deity.

Hinduism is an umbrella term for a diverse range of Indian religious and spiritual traditions.

These traditions are unified by an adherence to the concept of dharma. Dharma is a cosmic order that followers maintain through rituals and righteous living. This concept is expounded in the Vedas, which are foundational sacred texts. Because it encompasses many different systems of thought, Hinduism is often described as a synthesis of various Indian cultures. It has no single founder and no central doctrinal authority. This diversity allows for many different viewpoints on theology and mythology.

Followers of these traditions often navigate several core spiritual concepts. One major concept is karma, which involves action, intent, and their subsequent consequences. Another is saṃsāra, the continuous cycle of death and rebirth. To guide human life, many look to the four Puruṣārthas. These are the proper goals or aims of human existence. They include dharma (ethics and duties), artha (prosperity and work), kama (desires and passions), and moksha. Moksha is the ultimate goal of liberation or emancipation from passions and the cycle of saṃsāra.

Hindu scriptures are categorized into two distinct groups: Śruti and Smṛti. Śruti refers to texts that are heard or revealed. Smṛti refers to texts that are remembered or composed. The major scriptures include the Vedas and the Upanishads. Other vital texts are the Puranas and the Agamas. The great epics, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, are also central. The Bhagavad Gita is a famous part of the Mahabharata. These texts provide the framework for much of the tradition's mythology and theology.

Religious practices vary widely among the community. Some followers engage in bhakti, which is intense devotion to a deity. Others practice puja, which is a form of worship. Sacrificial rites known as yajna are also performed. Many use meditation, known as dhyana, or Yoga to achieve spiritual focus.

Scholars recognize four major modern denominations. These are Vaishnavism, which focuses on Vishnu, and Shaivism, which focuses on Shiva. Shaktism focuses on the Goddess Adi Shakti. Smartism treats five different deities as equals. There are also six Āstika schools of philosophy that recognize the authority of the Vedas. These include Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mīmāṃsā, and Vedanta.

Historians trace the development of this synthesis to specific periods. While traditional chronology suggests the tradition is thousands of years old, scholars see a specific emergence. This synthesis appeared after the Vedic period, between 200 BCE and 200 CE. This occurred during the period of the second urbanization and the early classical period. It was during this time that the epics and the first Puranas were composed. The tradition flourished further during the medieval period. This coincided with the decline of Buddhism in India.

The term "Hindu" has a complex etymological history. It is an exonym, meaning a name given by outsiders. It is derived from the Sanskrit word Sindhu, referring to the Indus River. Between 850 and 600 BCE, a sound change occurred in Proto-Iranian languages. The "s" sound became an "h" before a following vowel. Ancient records like the Avesta use the term heptahindu. In the 6th century BCE, Darius I mentioned Hindush in an inscription. For a long time, "Hindu" was a geographical term for people living beyond the Indus. It was not originally used to describe a specific religion.

Today, Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion. It has approximately 1.17 billion followers. This accounts for about 14.7% of the global population.

Most Hindus are centered in India and Nepal. There are also large populations in Mauritius and Bali, Indonesia. Hindu communities are found globally, including North America, Europe, and the Caribbean. Since the 19th century, modern Hinduism has gained appeal in the West. This is seen in the popularity of Yoga and movements like Transcendental Meditation.