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Hinduism

Hinduism is the religion of most Indians. Its teachings comprise a way of life and a social order, a system of laws, and poetry and philosophy. Some Hindus believe in one god, some in many. Others are mystics and have no belief in a personal deity. The beginnings of Hinduism are not clear, but it has absorbed many other beliefs over 4,000 years, and from it have developed other faiths, such as Buddhism and Jainism.

The central theme of Hinduism is that true reality is oneness i.e. all things in the world are united and the idea of separate selves is false. Other religions are accepted because they are different ways of searching for the same truth.

Brahman is the supreme spirit, the sole reality. All Hindu deities are aspects of Brahman. The three main deities are Brahma, the creator of the universe, Siva, the destroyer, and Vishnu, the preserver.

Brahman is the source of atrnan, the soul which flows through all forms of life, whether animal or vegetable. It is eternal, never dying but changing form in continual rebirths according to the law of karma, which is a system of rewards and punishments. A man who has lived a wicked life may be reborn as an unpleasant animal or as a worm. But the reward for a virtuous life is a noble birth. The final goal is union with Brahman. By practising yoga and living a life of self-discipline and concentration, man can approach this ideal.

Hindu society is divided into ranks or castes. The four main ones are brah-mans (priests), kshatriyas (nobles and warriors), vaisyas (merchants and farmers) and sudras (laborers). Those without caste are pariahs (untouchables). They live in great misery and poverty, although the practice of untouchability is illegal in India. Caste cannot be changed except through rebirth.

Of the countless Hindu scriptures, the four Vedas are a collection of hymns. The Brahmanas are texts written by the priests. The Upanishads are philosophical and theological treatises.