The Catholic Approach:
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Experiential
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The experiential level of a religion is an extremely difficult aspect to grasp. One can truly only know what it means to be a Hindu if they are a Hindu. The way for non-Hindus to learn about the experiential element is through the testimonies of Hindus themselves.
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Mythic & Historical
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The history of Hinduism is typically divided into multiple various periods of development. The first period, or the historical Vedic religion, originated around 1750 BC. The time of the Vedic religion is regarded as the religion of the Indo-Aryans of northern India. The Vedic religion is the historical predecessor to modern Hinduism. The next large time period in Hindu history was the subsequent period, in which there was a substantial turning point between the Vedic religion and Hindu religions. This time period took place between 800 BC and 200 BC. The next periods, The Epic and Early Puranic period, occurring from 200 BC to 500 BC, was the time of the classical "Golden Age" of Hinduism (which also occurred at the same time as the Gupta Empire). The late Classical period lasted from 650 to 1100 AC. This was the time in which the classical Pauranic Hinduism was established. Down the road from this was the colonial period, which saw the emergence of various Hindu reform movement (which were inspired by western movements). When discussing Hinduism's historical roots, it is also very important to mention Mahatma Gandhi. Ghandhi lived from 1869-1948 in India. He lived a life of non-violent civil disobedience which caused him to become one of the most prominent leaders in the Indian independence movement against British-ruled India. Not only did Ghandi greatly influence the Hindu faith, but he changed the world forever. These are just a few of the many events that made Hinduism the great faith that it is today.
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Doctrinal
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The Hindu faith does not have a common doctrine or a single source of scripture for its various teachings. While there is no core teaching that lays out all Hindu beliefs, there are many teachings about what is to be expected from a practicing Hindu. Hinduism strongly teaches the idea of ahimsa, or non-violence. Hindu dharma teaches that all forms of life are different manifestation of Brahman, therefore no form of life shall be harmed. Along with this, Hinduism stresses the teaching of karma and dharma (see Ethical for a detailed description). With this, Hindus believe that cows hold a special place in the faith. Hindus respect and honor cows because it acknowledges their reverence for all life. The cow symbolizes all other creatures, the sustenance of life, the vitality of life, and the Earth, the provider of all. The cow also symbolizes generosity, grace, and abundance. In this belief, Hindus hold cows to a very high esteem and respect them very much. Another main teaching of Hinduism is the idea of reincarnation. Reincarnation is the process of birth, death, and rebirth. Hindus believe that the soul undergoes a series of cycles of birth and death and rebirth. The way to break this cycle of reincarnation is through the central Hindu teaching of moksha. Moksha is the liberation, release, or emancipation of the soul. The ultimate goal of a Hindu's life is moksha, the freedom from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. The Hindu tradition also teaches monism. Monism is the belief that reality is made up of only one substance, and that all things share a common essence. This means that all things can be explained in terms of a single reality and that one thing is basic to all other things. These are just a few of the many doctrinal teachings of Hinduism.
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Ethical
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In Hinduism, a Hindu must live a very specific life in order to attain salvation. This journey to attaining salvation begins with the four paths to salvation. These paths are as follows: Karma-yoga, Jnana-yoga, Raja-yoga, and Bhakti-Yoga. Karma-yoga is the path of selfless action. It begins with the understanding that selfish action binds the soul, and leads one to choose more selfless actions. Jana-yoga is the path of philosophical research and wisdom. It promotes knowledge through seclusion, study, and self abnegation. Raja-yoga is the path of physical exercise and meditation. It helps the yogi fix his or her mind on God within. The final path, or the Bhakti-yoga path, is the path of devotional service. It combines all types of yoga, encouraging external and symbolic worship and also inner-development. These are the four paths in which a Hindu can take in order to reach salvation. Another major, important aspect of Hindu ethical beliefs is karma and dharma. Karma is the Hindu belief that a person's actions in life will determine their fate in the next life. If one acts with kindness and selflessness, he or she will be rewarded in the next life. If one acts with cruelty and selfishness, he or she will be punished in the next life. Dharma, on the other hand, is the moral force that orders the universe. It is maintained through personal duty, which makes it universal and circumstantial. Both karma and dharma determine how Hindus will live in their daily life and in their next life.
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Ritual |
There are many sacred rituals practiced in Hinduism. One major ritual in the Hindu faith is the practice of Bhakti yoga. This is the yoga of devotion, the yoga that practices love. All four of the different kinds of yoga can be considered rituals. Another ritual in Hindu tradition is sati. Sati is the funeral custom of a widow to burn herself to death on her dead husband's pyre. It was (and in some parts of the world still is) considered that ultimate form of womanly devotion and sacrifice to her husband. The practice of sati is now illegal in present-day India, but it was a major ritual in classic Hindu tradition. Hindus also carry out a very ritualistic cow veneration. In this ritual, the cow is honored, garlanded, and given special feedings at festivals all over India. This brings us to another important aspect of Hindu rituals, the festivals. Some major festivals include Diwali (the Hindu New Year), Janmashtami (the birthday of Krishna), and Rama Navami (the birth of Rama, son of King Dasharatha of Ayodhya). At the festivals, Hindus both fast and feast, distribute food, give to charity, visit various temples, visit friends and family, and decorate houses and other objects. Another main ritual in Hinduism is puja. Puja is the act of showing devotion and reverence to a god through prayers, invocations, and songs. In puja, the devotee is making a spiritual connection with the divine through the repetition of prayers and decorations of statues and images of the gods. Though there are numerous rituals in Hinduism, these are just of the few major practices of the Hindu faith.
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Material |
There are numerous important material aspects of Hinduism. The most prominent material object of the Hindu faith is the Hindu mandir. It is the space and structure designed to bring the human and the divine together. This is the place where the man can cross over from our world of illusion to a world of truth and knowledge. Hindus also pray at small, street-side shrines. These shrines can be inside or outside, small or big, intricate and elaborate or plain and simple. The shrine is the place where the Hindu can come to pray throughout the day. Another important material aspect of Hinduism is the Ganges Rives. The Ganges River is believed to cause a remission of sins and facilitate moksha. This pure and sacred river is located in India. Other major material objects of the Hindu faith are the sacred texts. These texts include the Bhagavad-Gita, the Ramayana, the Rig Veda, the Upanishads, and the Brahmanas. All these materialistic objects play a pivotal role in the Hindu faith.
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