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Hinduism was the religion of the Hindu Vedic Scriptures (Vedas), and the Universal Wisdom for the Hindus (Sangtana Dharma). Hinduism was an ancient and complex religion with no single founding Hindu prophet or religious leader. The roots of Hinduism dated back to before 3,000 BCE and encompassed an entire Hindu Culture and Way of Life for the Hindus. There were numerous Hindu sects but Hinduism had no clearly delineated religious organization. Due to the extreme hierarchical nature of the Hindu castes; as well as, the divergent rituals, beliefs and daily habits of the Hindus, the forms of Hindu worship varied considerably between the Hindu groups and locales. The complex system of hereditary Hindu groups, ranked Hindus by their social strata and occupations Brahmans (priests, scholars), Kshatriyas (rulers, warriors), Vaishyas (farmers, merchants), Shudras (peasants, laborers) and Panchamas (menials, untouchables).
Although the Hindu castes also adhered to the principle of the four stages of life for the Hindus. Brahmacharya (celibate student), Grihastha (householder), Vanaprastha (forest hermitage) and Sannyasa (spiritual renunciation), in practice the Hindu householder and the ascetic continued to be the main alternatives. One billion adherents follow Hinduism today, mostly in India but there are large populations in other countries. Hinduism was a family of myriad faiths that ranged from an absolute monistic triad, Brahma (the Creator), Vishnu (the Preserver) and Shiva (the Destroyer) to a pluralistic Hindu theism (the Supreme Being manifesting as many gods and goddesses). The scriptures and Vedic hymns of the Hindus espoused many different viewpoints on Ultimate Reality but there were still many beliefs shared by all Hindus. Brahman was the ultimate, unchanging reality, composed of pure being and consciousness. The all pervasive Brahman was both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality. Brahman as the primal soul existed behind the apparent multiplicity of the phenomenal world. Brahman was fundamentally identical to the inner essence of the human being. This all encompassing balanced divinity, harmonic order, principled law, pure consciousness and unified intelligence underscored, emanated and resonated throughout all of existence.
Hindus also believed in
Reincarnation (Transmigration of Souls). After the death of the body, the individual soul enters a new existence based on
karma (the actions of the body and mind) which determines the quality of
rebirth (making it important to follow the dharma, doing what is right for
the both the individual and the universe). This cycle of rebirth occurs
until the attainment of mukti releases the soul from the wheel of incarnations.
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