Hinduism is largely based on the teachings from vedas. A hindu is anyone born within india,belonging to the indus valley civilisation. The cultural and social influences that have made hinduism vital to the region in which it originated, is pretty much the same of any other religion in any other part of the world. Hindu online sanskar, sacrament, wedding, marriage. Hinduism download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf e. Populated by an infinite amount of gods, the belief system is open to adopting any of the gods produced by younger religions. A cultural perspective is filled with extremely helpful and insightful information on hinduism.
Major scriptures include the vedas and the upanishads, the puranas, the. When he was in harvard, he studied many books related to eastern and western philosophies including hindu philosophies. Vedic to refer not only to the ancient religious texts known as the vedas but also to a. The religious scriptures are not followed word to word. The upanishads are also called as vedantas or the end of the vedas. Mantras are invocations, praise and prayers that through their meaning, sound, and chanting style help a devotee focus the mind on holy thoughts or express devotion to godthe deities. For most foreigners and most illinformed indians,jainism,sikhism,buddhism, are different from hinduism. An introduction to hinduism by gavin d flood providing a muchneeded thematic and historical introduction to hinduism, this text traces the development of hindu traditions from ancient origins and the major deities to th. Theres some debate over who influenced who more during this time.
May 11, 2009 it is foolish to say that cultural diversity is unique to hinduism. Bhagavad gita the technical part of book 6 of the mahabharata is also the world famous one. Vedic writings refer to the worship of images, tutelary divinities, and the phallus. The temple is also a cultural center where songs are sung, holy texts read aloud in sanskrit and vernaculars, and sunset rituals.
Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as sanatana dharma, the eternal tradition, or the eternal way, beyond human history. Book on hinduism, hindu religious beliefs and practices. Today, with about 900 million followers, hinduism is. These texts are glorious tales of the hindu trinity brahma, vishnu and maheshwar shiva. It also focuses on the geographical ties of hinduism with the land of india, the social order created by hinduism, and the various systems of hindu thought.
Hinduism, major world religion originating on the indian subcontinent and. But if you dig deep, then there are philosophies embedded in the religious hindu books, and these philosophies, as well as the teachings, have influenced western philosophers too. Hinduisms impact on todays society tremaurice johnson medium. The vedic religion was influenced by local cultures and traditions adopted by indoaryans as. These values were brought forth experientially by methods of great spiritual discipline. Hinduism is the worlds oldest religion, according to many scholars, with roots and customs dating back more than 4,000 years.
Of all the basic books on hinduism, this rather thin volume of 160 pages is the most balanced introduction to the religion. These 8 western philosophers were influenced by hinduism. Find here a list of selected books on the various aspects of hinduism, history, philosophy, scriptures and sects of hinduism, gods and goddesses, the vedas, puranas and the upanishads, vedic rituals, art and temple traditions. Hinduism also influences the laws on the treatment of animals. Hinduism was the unifying umbrella that brought peace to the land. Influences of ancient hinduism on early christianity. In europe and the americas, this cultural expectation isnt present, though it undoubtedly was in the past. Hinduism is the dominant religion in india, where hindus form about 84 per cent of the total population.
Although religious aspects of culture and gender attitudes are two of the most important factors in the relationship between. Its interesting to note that the book noted hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. Hinduism a brief overview of the development of hinduism there are several important historical facts about hinduism that are relevant to the humanist context. Hinduism can be traced to the indus valley civilization that took place in 4000 bc to 2200 bc. Why is an understanding of cultural stereotyping important, and what can students do to prepare for cultural stereotyping by looking at social institutions. Hindu culture and traditions remain indispensable to the lives of hindus and hindu temples today as sources of religious practices, spiritual inspiration, cultural expression, and social bonding. Hinduism has done more than influence the nonreligious side of society. The scriptures of the vedas are meant to guide hindu believers in their daily lives. It is perhaps the best book for someone who has no prior knowledge of the religion, a stable stepping stone for the student of religious studies, and an. Indeed, over the centuries, numerous historians and sages have pointed out that not only has hinduism had a predominant influence on christianity, but that many of the christian rites could be directly borrowed from hindu vedic india. Almerico also believes that culture has a strong relationship to anthropology and focuses on the fact that humans create culture as a way of making sense of their social and physical worlds.
Hinduism encourages family members to take a role in the care of family members. Read and learn for free about the following article. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation etc. Hinduism is worlds third largest religion after christianity and islam. Traditionally, people are born in a certain caste, or class, and they can never change that. Despite indias enormous diversity, a common grammar of ritual behaviour connects various places, strata, and periods of hindu life. Hinduism in india cultural heritage india,cultural tourist. The holy books in hinduism are there only for guidance.
Oct 06, 2007 the cultural and social influences that have made hinduism vital to the region in which it originated, is pretty much the same of any other religion in any other part of the world. Although religious aspects of culture and gender attitudes are two of the most important factors in the relationship between culture and smoking, other cultural norms can play a role too. The vedas and these other works are further divided into two sections. They bind all hindus together irrespective of the regional and ethnic diversity. The name hindu is given by the people outside of india, especially greeks and arabs, to those living in the vicinity of the sindhu river. Hinduism hinduism religion hindu religion cultural india. Social, environmental, cognitive, and genetic influences. Something like do religious traditions alter suicide rates. Unlike christianity or islam, it is a not a religion that is governed by the book.
Hindus value many sacred writings as opposed to one holy book. Hinduism developed over many centuries from a variety of sources. There are four main castes in hinduism namely brahmans, kshatriyas, vaisyas and the sudras. Every culture has influenced every other culture during mutual interactions. There are many cultural and societal influences that have made hinduism vital to the region in which it originated. Social influences are among the most robust and consistent predictors of adolescent smoking. Think there are many dieties like for chinese they pray to. Some hindus leave their social world and material possessions, then engage in. Hinduism is also known as sanatan dharma or the everlasting religion. The knowledge imparted by the vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Hinduism as a religion has no single founder, no single holy book, no organisational hierarchy or structure. It is only because of this influence that humanity has achieved a lot.
Apr 03, 20 the puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india. Hinduism, major world religion originating on the indian subcontinent and comprising several and varied systems of philosophy, belief, and ritual. Social, environmental, cognitive, and genetic influences on. There is a sense of pride associated with the countrys rich religious history as the traditions of hinduism, buddhism, sikhism and jainism all emerged out of india. One of the most remarkable aspects of hinduism has been its ability to absorb and adopt an array of cultural and religious influences, in the process transforming seemingly nonhindu ideas and. You should read enough of the materials presented in this section concerning the tradition of hinduism in order to understand how this tradition displays the characteristics or elements that make a tradition one that would be termed a religion. Really good introduction to hinduism, and all its many facets. Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the mahabharata. The second strand in the fabric of hinduism is practice. These texts attempt to debate the value of the realworld versus the spiritualworld. It is considered a family obligation to care for the elderly and the sick.
Tantric practices cross religious boundaries, and manifest themselves in aspects of hinduism, jainism, and buddhism. India was a land of diverse cultures, religions, races and ethnicities. Hinduism is rich in its unique festivals and customs which are being celebrated through centuries. Civilizations in southeast asia focused on an appreciation to nature, which resulted in a harmonious and equal relationship between man. You may find it surprising that much of christianity originated from india. The third edition includes chapters on the origins of. Peer influences seem to be especially salient, perhaps because adolescence is a time during which school and peer group affiliations take on particular importance. I would encourage you to tease apart the culturalsocietal aspects as. Hinduism has a number of holy books, bhagavadgita, the ramayana and mahabharata, the vedas, the upanishads and the puranas. Culture is defined as the beliefs, values, and attitudes practiced and accepted by members of a group or community almerico, 2014. Hinduism factshinduism facts revealing facts about hindu. Brahmans priests are at the top of the social caste system and at the very bottom are the socalled.
Hinduism is an indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practiced in the indian subcontinent and parts of southeast asia. Religion, especially hinduism, have had a major impact on indian society and culture. The name hindu is given by the people outside of india, especially greeks and arabs, to. The effects of hinduism in india high school american. This influence prevails in all of his writings such as poetry. Hinduism is the harmonious working together of these three worlds. Today, with about 900 million followers, hinduism is the thirdlargest religion behind christianity and islam.
While it is true that various elements of vedic ritual survive in modern practice and thereby serve a unifying function, much. Hinduism and buddhisms influence of indian culture in. The way hinduism and buddhism entered southeast asia was not the same, as well as when it entered and its influence of indian culture that emerged into the area. Hinduism download books, sacred, spiritual texts and pdf. It is a religious symbol representing divine sight and shows that one is a hi foreward magazine. From diwali the festival of lights to holi, bengali new year, the festival of colors to rakshabandhan, a special festival for brothers and sisters, hindu festivals are colorful, fun yet with a deep social and religious significance.
It causes them to be more aware of the needs of others and to be more caring and considerate. It is a way of life, upholding the principles of virtuous and true living. Pdf the influence of hinduism on the writings of ralph. Hinduism especially emphasizes respect for all older people, with children having a special responsibility towards their parents. A comprehensive survey of the hindu tradition, the book deals with the history of hinduism, the sacred writings, the hindu worldview, and the specifics of the major branches of hinduismvaisnavism, saivism, and saktism.
The rise of hinduism world civilization lumen learning. Hinduism is considered to be a religion, most of the times. The cultural influences that have made hinduism essential to the region in which it originated is that thousands of years ago, the beliefs in the vedas were broken into various schools of thought by philosophers. Hinduism, also known as the oldest religion on earth. Because of this, indian law bans the killing of cows. In addition to these communities, there are charismatic teachers gurus who.
Its origin can be traced back to the prehistoric era with its ancient scriptures dating back more than four thousand years, but no specific point of origin can be cited. What are the cultural and societal influences that have made hinduism vital to the region in which it originated. Their words and wisdom permeate hindu thought, ritual and meditation. Religious and cultural influences on the selection of menu. Its origin can be traced back to the prehistoric era with its ancient scriptures dating back more than four. But many people today call such crosscultural interactions, influences, adaptations etc as copyin. The combination of these factors is what accounts for the varied and diverse. Meaning seeker, sramana refers to several indian religious movements that. If the indus valley civilization 3rd2nd millennium bce was the earliest source of these traditions, as some scholars hold, then hinduism is the oldest living religion on earth.
I really got a lot out of this book, and ended up going really well wthe other book i am currently reading, which takes place in india. The reference provides an overview of the hindu religious tradition and describes the essence of the hindu vision of reality. Hinduism is an indian religion and dharma, or way of life, widely practiced in the indian. There are many communities within hinduism, and many of them have their own chains of leaders. Influences of ancient hinduism on early christianity a. Its many sacred texts in sanskrit and vernacular languages served as a vehicle for spreading the religion to other parts of the world.
Most of his ideas are quite similar to the concepts of hinduism. The four books of the vedasrig, yajur, sama and atharvainclude over 100,000 verses. The word hinduism actually has no real meaning because hinduism was not founded as a religion. About that dot on the forehead, the ten questions people ask about hinduism says this.
Ramayana and mahabharata are the two important holy books of hinduism. Culture and religion information sheethinduism 3 hinduism. If the indus valley civilization 3rd2nd millennium bce was the earliest source of hindu traditions, then hinduism is the oldest living religion on earth. However, despite these observations, cultural scholars often find examples where cultural realities don. The puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india. The majority of the vedas are considered the shruti, which is translated to that which is hard. What we call hinduism has for thousands of years been in a constant process of change. Provides a historical and analytical discussion of hindu mythology, art, rituals, and social structure. Hinduism associates many symbols, which include the lotus, chakra and veena, with particular deities. One way is affected is that around 80% in india is hindu. Learn hinduism beliefs social studies with free interactive flashcards.
In the wars that occur in the holy books, as in mahabharta, the different sides had different war weapons which had characters similar to modern day war weapons. Within this framework, a who task force on religious and cultural aspects of hand hygiene was created to explore the potential influence of transcultural and religious factors on attitudes towards hand hygiene practices among hcws and to identify some possible solutions for integrating these factors into the hand hygiene improvement strategy. One of the most obvious examples of this is the caste system. Choose from 500 different sets of hinduism beliefs social studies flashcards on quizlet. Based on the prehistoric vedic text, it is a faith in constant change. The impact of hinduism and buddhism in the world newsblaze news. However, the holy books in hinduism are the basis on which we have evolved our culture and way of. Hindus believe that the cow is a holy animal and therefore, would never partake in any beefbased foods. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world, and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as sanatana dharma, the eternal tradition, or. Books which studied are gita, upanishads, manu, vedas and vishnu. Is christianity in india largely influenced by hinduism. Religion has historically influenced indian society on a political, cultural and economic level. The caste system is a social hierarchy in india that divides hindus. How does hinduism affects indian culture by daniel collins.
Hinduism and buddhism are the identities and cultural assets of nepal. Hindu customs and traditions, culture, indiahinduism facts. They are affected by believing in reincarnation, to pass many lives to reach brahman, a spirit. The most holy of the hindu books is written in sanskrit and is referred to as the vedas.
Some of the other holy works and books of hinduism are stories and epic poems. Not once are either of these words mentioned within the various sacred texts of hinduism. Hinduism a brief overview of the development of hinduism. The vedasthe oldest texts of the hindu religiondescribe deities. Religious and cultural aspects of hand hygiene who. The above sections provided you with some strong insights into cultural differences. Some customs are so important for the people that sometimes, they sacrifice their lives for them. The earliest manifestation of what we now call hinduism seems to be the product of the melding of two religious and cultural influences. However, the puranas are supposed to be complied by muni vyasa. As hinduism is the oldest religion on the earth, there are a lot of hindu customs and traditions observed in india. Customs and traditions have always been an important part of every religion and culture. It is wonderful to discover the why and the wherefore of hinduism, but it is disconcerting to see a lack of apparent scholarship. The rigveda is a collection of hymns dedicated to 33 gods especially to indri and agni.
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