Religion since the ancient times has played a great role in uniting people and answering the metaphysical questions that try to explain the world as it is. Religion has, therefore, contributed to many aspects of culture that has shaped many issues and provided the foundation upon which rules and regulations that govern the society have originated. In some instances, political parties have been formed along religious lines and religious laws have shaped and have been used as the guiding principles upon which other countries laws are founded. There are many religions that exist, both ancient and modern that has performed the same function of linking believers to the spiritual world and shaping lifestyles. Religions can be identified through dress code among others and place of worship where buildings are designed and built differently, as well. However, among the many religions that exist, this paper focuses on religion of Hinduism elaborating on the key tenets of religion and beliefs.
Overview of the Hinduism religion:
Hinduism religion has no single founder and has many beliefs with several teachings and scriptures. Majority of the believers subscribes to the sacred scripture called Veda. Dharma is the common system that Hinduism draws their values that guide them in their religion. Hinduism belief that their religion originated around the Hindus valley near the river Hindus located in modern Pakistan (Narayanan, 2010). They believe in the supreme of God whose qualities are represented in the many deities that emanate from him. Regarding life, they believe that there is a cycle of birth, death and rebirth governed by Karma which is a deity representing life. They believe that people are reborn in another form of life different from what they were before death. Depending on the life that one had, it will determine the life that one gets after incarnation, and, therefore, if one had good live that was lived well respecting other people and the deities, one reincarnates in a more beautiful and respected creature. The main book that Hindus use is called the Vedas and they use other books as well relating to Vedas. They believe that the Veda provides knowledge that guides them in reaching their gods and deities and provides them with wisdom in their daily lives and decision-making. Dharma is also the book that Hinduism uses as their code of conduct and law that guide them while doing and practicing their religious practices. It is regarded as the oldest religion in the world. Brodd and Sobolewski (2009) in their article World religions: A voyage of discovery note that it has also been argued out and stated by scholars in religious practices that it relates to other religions found in the Asian religion especially of Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism. It is also noted among many believers that practice Hinduism that most are vegetarians and do not eat meat. The main reason behind this belief is that since they believe in incarnation, where people come back in various forms of lives, they; therefore, view other animals as beings, but that incarnated in other forms. The believers also have a lot of respect and value for cows, which they believe are among the most precious animals because they produce milk that was fed to the deities and their gods. They, therefore, treat ad regard cows in general as precious animals that if one do well, possibility of incarnating in the form and shape of a cow high since it is among the precious animals and creatures that their religion recognizes and respects.
How Hinduism demonstrates the religious believes.
The religion celebrates many events, but Diwali is the most known and common. It is celebrated as a symbol of many issues that include victory of light over dark. This is symbolic to success over many issues such as good over evil, knowledge over ignorance, and hope over despair among others. It generalizes all the good things that have happened in the believers lives. The festival occurs for a period of about five days. It also has other festivals such as Krishna janmastami, vishu, and Raksha Bandhan among others. Many festivals that exist are determined by the different deities that religion has, and in many situations the festivals are normally held to appreciate their deities, and occur in forms of sacrifices and performance of rituals. They pray by meditating and practicing yoga in their temples and homes while facing images and pictures representing their deities (Klostermaier, 2007). Temples also have sculptures and carvings of the deities.
The religion encourages marriages to be done in the temple where by those marrying receives blessings from their gods and deities that presided over by the religious leaders. The dead are cremated even though this does not apply to all believers especially to renouncers of the religion. When one becomes a renouncer, they perform their own funeral as symbolic of cremation. To do this, the sacred thread is cut, the normal clothes are then exchanged for ascetic’s minimal garb, and then the hair is shaved, and all burned. The burned items are symbolic to worldly life, and, therefore, by burning them it is a representation of cremation and when they die such people are buried in the normal way and not cremated. Death is a critical moment in the life of a Hindu, not only because it marks the end of life, but also it marks a transition to the next life. Death, therefore, to them is seen and viewed as a good step and promotion to glory in the other forms of life. After the process of cremation, the family of the bereaved normally takes part of the ashes from the cremation process and places it in their homes as a symbolic gesture to remember their loved ones and remain with them in spirit. A picture of their loved ones is normally placed somewhere within the house, and the ash remains next or close to it.
Description of the Festivals and rites
The festivals in most of occasions for both life and death instances occur in the temples led by leaders of the temple. Most of the festivals are marked with celebration and partying with a lot of praise and sacrifices made to their supreme through their deities in temples. Having many deities that are symbolic to many events and issues of life such as business, farming and good life that is healthy, they conduct parties and festivals that are different depending on the issues being celebrated. Most of their festivals entail singing and dancing to their deities while praising and giving thanks as noted in Narayanan (2010) piece titled Hinduism.
Hinduism is mostly practiced in the Asian region in many countries. It is among the oldest religions of the world and, therefore, has extensively spread over the region and across the world. However, India and Nepal are the two countries that record the highest number of believers, and it is said to have over 900 million adherents and faithful of the religion. The festival that is being done determines the participants that will be present at that time. Singing, meditating, Yoga and praying are among the practices that are rooted in Hinduism religion and beliefs. Therefore, depending on the activity or religious rites being done determines the practice that will be done. For instance if it is a cremation service, or celebration of festivals such Diwali, or marriage among others such as offering sacrifices and meditating, it will be regulated and determined by spiritual scriptures and writing that they use in conducting such an activity. Veda and Dharma among other religious writing are normally used (Brodd & Sobolewski, 2009). The activities and religious practice are also determined by the deity being addressed that links them to the supreme. Following the many deities that Hinduism has in general, the texts used, and writings in many occasions are read out while conducting the activity relating to the practice where by parts that talk about how that activity ought to be conducted is presented and read out to those involved whether it is a marriage, cremation, or offerings being made.
Hinduism religion as among the oldest religious practices offers one the opportunity to relate and understand the key tenets that religion in general has to offer to the society’s at large. It is easy for one to understand and tell how the lifestyles of those ancient people who first practiced the religion before it spread to other parts of the world. Therefore, choosing such a religion for discussion, which has many deities and at the same time the supreme God provides an opportunity to understand the role that both played and how they linked to the supreme. Most of other religions that have deities do not believe in the supreme, but Hinduism does, therefore, presenting a good context to understand both scenarios. The religion also embraces and respects other religions noting that no one religion wholly explains or own the means of reaching the most supreme and heaven.
In Hinduism religion, incarnation part among their beliefs is the part that I found most intriguing and exciting. They believe in continuation of life but in a different manner and form that is depended with what one was and did in the previous life. It is surprising on my case to find out the criteria that they use to classify people into groups and other forms of life after incarnation, especially in the form of animals that people change to in their next life. The link between their deities and the supreme God is quite different from other religions and practices. Many other religions do not have a mixed status and they either have the supreme God or the deities but not both as noted in Hinduism.
Personally I have had the opportunity to observe the practice especially the cremation part of their beliefs. I have also witnessed them conduct their prayers in the temples and their celebrations of Diwali which is marked and celebrated universally that captures a lot of media attention, especially through displays of lights and parties. Many Hindus are business men people, who are determined and encompassed in their religious practices. They have deities representing issues to do with business, and this makes it easy for people to have an opportunity to realize and experience them practicing their religion.
Images of relevant pictures
References
Brodd, J., & Sobolewski, G. (2009). World religions: A voyage of discovery. Winona, MN: Saint Mary's Press.
Klostermaier, K. K. (2007). A survey of Hinduism. Albany: Sate University of New York Press.
Narayanan, V. (2010). Hinduism. New York: Rosen Pub.
