Major Principles and Personalities of Hinduism
Introduction
There are numerous religions in the world that portray different ideology. These principles teach their followers in many ways based on the religion’s philosophy. One of the oldest religions in the world is the Hinduism. There was no specific person who founded this religion. Hinduism originated because of the linguistic and historical circumstances and refers to be nominated as Bharatiya-dharma. It dominates the Indian subcontinent, specifically Nepal and India. As part of their faith, Hinduism is a classification of rational or idealistic points of view instead of rigid common beliefs. The principles of Hinduism are based on the scripture, which is the Vedas or God’s revelation about the sages and saints’ experiences. Followers of this religion hold that the basis of this life outlook is endless as the way of life is a portrayal of basic law present in the universe. The purpose of this writing is to determine the different personalities of Hinduism in terms of their religious principles and beliefs including their ways of spreading their teachings and how it affects the lives of their followers.
Hinduism’s Personalities and Principles
Swami Krishnananda (N.D.) asserts that principles of Hinduism state that universe’s definitive reality is only one and not more. Also, the characteristic of this reality is more of spiritual in the logic consciousness or intelligence. For that reason, the reality being discussed is omnipresent, universal and thus at once omnipotent and omniscient. In addition, Krishnananda (N.D.) also wrote that the connection between these realities, which are the created universe and God, is intrinsic or the foundation, vital and organic, and not mechanistic or external (Krishnananda, N.D.).
The principles that are stated may mean that the universe and all the creations are vehicles of radiant and divinity with the inherent Godhead, everything potentially have the birthright of achieving union with the Highest Almighty through slow evolution.
Veritably, Hinduism is the fountain-head of the religions in the world, hence contains the seeds of religions all over the world because it includes all religious philosophies and none has been excluded. It covers the characteristics and personalities being taught to Hindus. Sri Swami Sivananda (1993) wrote that Good conduct is the utmost Dharma; it is the root of positive abundance in a person’s life such as righteousness, good works and truth as well as prosperity and power (Sivananda, 1993). This basic ideology of Hinduism says that positivity of life all begin with good character or behavior.
In addition, Sivananda asserts that ethics or morality is a science of conduct and is the study of being aware of what is good or not in terms of conduct (Sivananda, 1993). Therefore, his claims mean that personalities of Hinduism states that a person’s ethical behavior and morality is being founded based on the classification of a certain situation in which determinable whether or not it is good. This is an essential personality and ideology of Hinduism because without the ethics, a person may not be able to have improvement in his spiritual path.
Hindus’ ethics are profound, subtle and sublime. Religions teach ethical percepts like killing is bad as well as injuring others and even teach to give love to our neighbors as ourselves. However, there are no clear reasons as to why we should do these teachings. Sivananda (1993) added that Hinduism’s personality, as part of their principle, is based on their ethic saying that there is one omnipresent Atman, which is the all beings’ innermost soul. This omnipresent is the common and pure consciousness. It also explains that if we injure our neighbor, we actually injure ourselves. Same as if we injure other creatures, we also injure ourselves. Reason behind this is that the world as a whole is nothing but our own self (Sivananda, 1993). This means that we as humans are part of the world in which we include ourselves as part of the whole creation. It is the metaphysical reality, which underlies all ethical codes of Hindu.
One of the major principles of Hinduism is the Law of Karma. Sivananda (1993) says that karma is not just about a person’s actions, but it also includes the outcomes of an action (Sivananda, 1993). The cost of the action is not a separate thing because it is part of the action, which cannot be separated from it. Based on this Hinduism principle, any act and any thought, which causes an outcome or effect, can be called Karma. This principle also means a law of causation.
Whenever and wherever the cause arises, an effect or outcome should be produced (Sivananda, 1993). This portrays that for any reason of action, a corresponding effect must be followed. This principle affects the Hindus’ personality being more careful with their actions and deeds as they think of its effects ahead prior of their actions. As one of the fundamental doctrine, the Law of Karma in Hinduism states that a person will suffer from every bad action he commits.
Another principle of Hinduism is the supremacy or the superiority of free will. Sivananda (1993) wrote that a person is the master of his fate. We are the ones who create our own future and our own fortune. This principle also states that we are responsible for our own sufferings (Sivananda, 1993). This principle simply means that we are in control of our life and its outcomes. If a person feels miserable, then it means that he chose to be one based on his actions and decisions in life.
On the other hand, if a person acts virtuously, there will be fruitful effects that will come sooner or later. This supports the principle of law of karma in terms of being irresponsible with our actions that may cause our own sufferings and pain.
In addition to the principles of Hinduism another belief is the doctrine of karma and rebirth. This state that rebirth is an effect based on the law of karma (Sivananda, 1993). The differences of nature found between two individuals should be because of their own past actions. Their past actions implies in their past birth. Furthermore, all our karmas may not surely bear fruit in present life. Therefore, there will be a rebirth for enjoying those remaining actions.
Anuradha Sharma (2007) that In Hinduism, it is believed that God is in every creation and so people must care for others as well as for the Mother Nature. Significance of peacefulness is based on this belief (Sharma, 2007). Therefore, it means that Hinduism personalities say that a person must speak only the truth and must only be involved in moral and ethical deeds such as respect our parents, guest, teachers and everyone we meet in our lives.
Sharma (2007) added that the every Hindu’s goal is to be free from births and deaths’ cycle. Every person follows dharma’s life, morals and ethics to attain this freedom. An individual may not attain in a lifetime, but it will continue to his next life (Sharma, 2007). This means that the efforts that we give in our present life will not vanish in vain because there is another life or rebirth that is waiting for us to receive the rewards to pay off our present efforts. Additionally, freedom can be achieved through purification of mind and heart and according to its moral principle; this purification will be attained if a person is practicing values such as compassion, sympathy, non-violence, truthfulness, greedless, straightforwardness, and being able to accept our own limitations (Sharma, 2007).
The stated values are being practiced by Hindus along with their way of worshiping. Hinduism has two types of worships; the personal worship and the public worship. Part of this religion’s personalities is the way they worship in a specific place such as their homes or any private place. Hindus perform puja or ritual individually or with their family to offer devotion to Almighty during early morning and in the evening, which they do every day (Sharma, 2007). This is what the personal worship means for Hinduism. On the other hand, the public worship is being done in a commonplace such as holy temples while Hindus are sharing their prayer with others.
Most of the Hindus believe that rituals and worships are the foundation of religion. Along with it, there are also some rites and observances that the Hindus do as distinction of their religion. Waking up before the sunrise, Brahmins, a highest social classification, must not look at any unfavorable persons or objects. The right foot should be the first to touch the ground and will rinse his mouth three consecutive times. After some following rituals, he must finish his morning prayers before the sun fully rises (Hardon, 1963). This specific ritual is being done by Brahmins, who are classified as the highest traditional society of Hinduism.
Conclusion
Hinduism portrays distinctive traditions and rituals, which make the religion’s principle and personalities the sum of most of the religious ideologies in the world. Though there was no person who personally founded Hinduism, it was able to dominate the Indian subcontinent because of its principles. These are the beliefs that made Hindus practice better way of living in terms of exercising good moral values based on Hinduism’s principles and being able to keep the traditional way of their worships. It may be safe to assume that Hindus are people of good faith and God fearing followers as they live the rites and rituals of Hinduism with their everyday lives.
References
Hardon, J. A. (1963). Hinduism Chapter 3. Religions of the World, 41-85.
Krishnananda, S. (n.d.). A Catechism of Hinduism. Retrieved December 12, 2013, from http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/disc/disc_141.html
Sharma, A. (2007, April). Hinduism and the Arts. Retrieved December 12, 2013, from http://faithandthearts.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Hinduism-PDF-1.pdf
Sivananda, S. S. (1993). All about Hinduism (5th ed.). Tehri-Garhwal, U.P.: Divine Life Society.
