Religion Hinduism
Hinduism
The roots of Hinduism are found in the Vedic religion of Indo-European settlers of Northern India, but began to be formed from the 5th century a.e.c., taking numerous new elements from different sources. Therefore, results varied, because it includes many gods and distinct ways to express it.
What does such diverse paths followers say they are all Hindus is that follow the dharma, understood as the correct order to behave according to who you are, the stage of life in which it is and what it was in previous lives.
The four ages of the world
In Hinduism, in works such as the Mahabharata, there is talk of four yugas or ages of the world.
The time in Hinduism is not linear, but circular, and an age succeeds another. After an era like today, considered decadent, go back to the golden age, which will mark the beginning of a new world and a return,
Hindu guru meditation State
The current era is the greater decay, thekaliyuga, because evil reigns, and conform to the dharma is very difficult. The kaliyuga was preceded by ages of decay proportionally smaller until get kritayuga, the golden age in which perfection ruled in the world, in a cycle of four yugas (mahayuga). In that order, the first is thekrita yuga, era of harmonious unity between dharma, God, Rite and veda. Then comes the treta yuga, the division between dharma, Rite and veda. The next moment is the dvapara yuga, when the rites lose harmony, and there are four vedas, but few follow them.The final step is the kaliyuga, the complete decay of dharma and rites.
The concept of dharma in Hinduism
The concept of dharma is vital in Hinduism, but it is complicated to explain. Gavin Flood, in his book the Hinduism, offers some keys to understand what he means: "the closest equivalent to dharma in Portuguese would be religion, but including the meanings of truth, duty, ethics, law (...).
Is the power that sustains and justifies the society and the cosmos (...) that converts things into what are (...).
A flashy stroke of Hinduism is that what you do is more important than what you believe. Follow the dharma is not, therefore, accept certain beliefs, but fulfil certain specific duties and (...) behave according to certain rules concerning purity and marriage and performing the required rituals, usually directed at any of the Hindu deities. "
In light of this explanation, be Hindu would act in accordance with the dharma, which encompasses all aspects, since the completion of solemn rites until the correct behavior in each moment with the obligations that this brings. Therefore, dharma identifies, in Hinduism (since in Buddhism has other connotations), understood as transcendent obligations and eternal, but that are expressed or manifested among humans in concrete actions. of Singapore.
Hindu beliefs
The religious beliefs of Hinduism vary according to multiple factors, among which stands out the conduct.
The many lives of Hinduism
An ascetic at Ganga
To the Hinduism, the conduct is very important. The acts of each and its consequences called Karma, that goes beyond the limits of a single lifetime. This is so because in Hinduism believed in reincarnation, and future rebirths are conditioned by all the actions of the present life. After dying, the rebirth, and this chain of births, deaths and rebirths is called samsara. If the karma of previous lives is not good, the reincarnation will be either: the person who was violent in a life will suffer violence in the following. The differences between human beings, the fact that there are people who suffer and are poor and others who have everything, can be explained by karma.
The main purpose of life for Hindus is to live according to the dharma. They believe so can even achieve moksha, which is liberation from samsara and karma. So, for the Hindus, life is a constant learning process.
The many paths of Hinduism
In Hinduism, there are many ways to understand the religion and many ways to practice it, depending on the character of each of their favourite gods and the stage of life in which it is. There are four main paths.
The first is the path of action (Karma), which consists of fulfilling every act of life as an offering to the deity, so detached as to the results that derive from there.
The second is the path of devotion (bhakti), which consists of worshipping the deity by visiting temples and making pilgrimages, watching the festivities and daily worship, and also praying constantly. Usually follow this path the vaisnavas and, in particular, the devotees of Krishna.
The third is the path of wisdom (jnhana), which aims to understand reality had come last of divinity through the study of sacred texts and intellectual analysis.
In the fourth way, the Yoga, the release is sought by means of physical exercises and breathing and meditation. This path is usually followed by shaivas.
Those cults in Hinduism
In India, the ways to celebrate the cults are very diverse and range from intimate ceremonies in his own house until festivities that bring together millions of people.
The cult and Hindu festivities
In the homes of Hindus there is a shrine with images in which the worship every day, praying, offering flowers, butter and other products, lighting lamps and burning incense.
Men pitando an elephant to the party of elephants
The cult is more spectacular in the temples because they reach people from all parties, the offerings are more numerous and larger statues. It is believed that the deity may enter the statue to receive offerings from the faithful and grateful for them in the form of blessings.Are treated as if they were gods themselves that arrive as guests: are welcomed, adorned, bathed, fed, fragrant, and then worshipped, getting applications before the bachelor party.
In large festivities, besides, the statues are placed in large cars and make processions that have important role in purifying baths in large rivers, which are sacred in India.There are many great festivities in India, and they all tend to last for several days.
Holi is one of the most important. Culminates with the full moon of March and looks like a Carnival party where people throw colored powders and liquids, fires and drink a lot.
Divali celebrates the victories of Krishna and Rama about the demonic forces and is a celebration of good luck.Light up lamps, which are placed in paper boats on the rivers.
The Festival of Janmashtami celebrates the birth of Krishna. There are houses with depictions of Krishna child and celebrated a festive family meal.
The pilgrimage in Hinduism
Religious ceremony on the banks of the Ganges
In Hinduism, the pilgrimages are very important and are intended to reach a sacred place, which used to be a river, in particular the most sacred, the Ganges. There are Hindus who, abandoning all they have, are dedicated to pilgrimage to death.
There are many routes of pilgrimage that depend on each person's favorite gods. There is, for example, large influx of people to the pilgrimage to the four extremes of India, which can last for many years if the foot and usually end in the mountains of the Himalayas.
There are also pilgrimages to visit the Holy cities of the gods and that pass for Ayodhya (Rama), Mathura (Krishna) and Benares, the sacred city of Shiva on the banks of the Ganges. It is often said that whoever dies journeying towards Benares if free of the cycle of reincarnations.
Category: Religion History
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