Understanding Hinduism: Basics of the Religion

Some people believe that, at the heart, all religions are essentially the same. However, when considering religions that carry such ancient and complex traditions as those of Hinduism, that assertion becomes tenuous. With its very lack of a unified belief system, Hinduism nearly defies definition as a religion. Despite its many variations, Hinduism forms a tangible presence in the personal and spiritual lives of its followers. From its most ancient teachings through its contemporary adaptations, Hinduism serves as a guiding force for many different peoples who strive to achieve a state of infinite purity and release from earthly concerns.

Unlike many organized religions, Hinduism does not rely upon a central belief system. Hinduism, in fact, is a collective term for various Indian beliefs and ways of life. The concept of Hinduism is labeled more appropriately today as Sanatana Dharma, or an enduring spiritual commitment to the wellbeing of all things (Fisher, 2005). At its simplest, Hinduism can be described as a variety of corresponding or similar beliefs and practices, loosely categorized under an umbrella term that refers more to the Indian culture than to a prescribed religion. According to Fisher, Hinduism as a religion is difficult to define due to its several thousand years' worth of enfolded traditions and variations, all of which-old and new-coincide today. To develop even a broad-based understanding of Hinduism, one must first break it down into manageable components, as Fisher has done by identifying "its philosophical and metaphysical elements, then its devotional and ritual aspects, and finally, its features as a way of life" (p. 70).

Hinduism encompasses beliefs in hundreds of millions of deities and an underlying (or over-arching) "Unseen Reality" (p. 72) composed of all the ruling forces of the cosmos (Fisher, 2005). Today, it is common for Hindu people to devote themselves to personal deities of choice. While Hinduism does contain a large share of ritualistic behaviors, its overall focus is on inner spiritual exploration that ultimately yields union with a transcendental reality, according to Fisher. Important concepts contained within Hindu belief, such as reincarnation and karma, revolve around the interconnected, infinite nature of the self or the soul as well as all things living and dead. Personal ethics are key to rising above the consequences of karma and escaping the cycle of reincarnation to liberate oneself from physical limitations and enter the Unseen Reality.

Compared to Christianity, which dictates that human beings must live only one decent life in order to attain heavenly rewards, Hinduism requires much more commitment, trial, and error on the parts of its believers before they achieve everlasting life. In order to escape their "earthly miseries" (p. 75), Hindu believers must undergo many reincarnations and focus, in each life, on achieving a state of perfection through karmic deeds before they are ready to be liberated from the material world and become part of the Unseen Reality (Fisher, 2005). What happens on Earth through one's physical body matters only as far as it impacts one's ascent toward liberation from Earth. Each of one's multiple reincarnations represents a forward-moving opportunity to further better oneself and seek eventual release from the physical into the infinite, a state of purity and bliss.

The search for release from one's earthly presence is tied into a major philosophical underpinning of Hinduism: a belief that all misery results from one's own actions and ignorance (Fisher, 2005). By disciplining oneself to be pure and good in deed and thought, one achieves worthiness to leave one's miseries behind. Fisher states that, throughout one's personal path to discovery, the earthly life of a Hindu is marked by a succession of 16 rites, conducted at specific times throughout one's life, to purify and prepare one for elevation beyond the physical. Hindu worship revolves around deities, which are represented through statues that receive reverential care and treatment, as well as ritualistic sacrificial and ceremonial traditions. Because religious ritual is so ingrained in Hindu behavior, there is little divide between one's spiritual life and one's "normal" life.

Hinduism, in large part, even still defines one's place in modern society, although adherence to social classes set out in the religion's ancient writings has been tempered over time by contemporary attention to the injustice of the system. According to Fisher (2005), the traditional class system involved a division of labor that placed people in one of four categories, called "castes" (p. 96), including holy people, nobility, farmers and businesspeople, and manual laborers or artisans. Below all the castes were the "untouchables" (p. 96), who were reviled for their unclean-but necessary-occupations. Over time, the concept of the untouchables was outlawed, but the traditional castes still define many Hindu people's sense of self and interactions with others. According to Fisher, the purpose of the castes was to school Hindu people to accept and be happy with their places in society, regardless of where they were placed in the social order. Belief in the purpose of these divisions was-and, in part, still is-considered essential to the keeping of social order. In addition, according to Fisher, Hinduism has been credited for creating political unity in India and reinforcing a sense of identity for Hindu peoples.

Although Hinduism, like every other religion, has not escaped its share of corruption and injustice, its traditions and beliefs urge followers to turn an inner eye toward finding and defining their own spiritual paths. While most religions focus on drawing out the good in mankind, Hinduism makes goodness a way of life. Acceptance, tolerance, ethics, and social order are fundamental elements of Hinduism. In modern India, Hinduism defines one's very actions and aspirations throughout life on Earth. The religion forms the foundation of an entire culture and, in many ways, allows its believers to conduct the orderly lives it dictates.

References

Fisher, M.P. (2005). Living Religions (6th ed.). Prentice-Hall.