Hinduism

An attitude towards religious belief has made Hinduism one of the more open-minded religions when it comes to evaluating other faiths. Probably the most well-known Hindu saying about religion is: "Truth is one; sages call it by different names."

There are complex scientific reasons behind every aspect of true Hinduism, but most of it has been kept far from the reach of the common person’s understanding due to explanations being in Sanskrit.

A hindu must recognise the presence of God in every creation, including human beings. A hindu must realise that the human mind is the abode of god, and that it should be kept free from any form of malice.

The term "Hinduism" have an incredibly diverse array of beliefs and practices, to the point that Hindus in one part of India might hold particular beliefs and engage in particular practices that would be virtually unrecognizable in another part of India. That said, there are two underlying principles in the Hindu world that are and have been shared by all Hindus: dharma and karma. These principles fundamentally inform Hindu conceptions of moral thought and action.

Hinduism describes dharma as the natural universal laws that enables humans to be contented and happy, and to save himself from degradation and suffering. Dharma is the moral law combined with spiritual discipline that guides one's life. Hindus consider dharma the very foundation of life. Dharma is the "law of being" without which things cannot exist.

Hinduism accepts the concept of reincarnation, and what determines the state of an individual in the next existence is karma which refers to the actions undertaken by the body and the mind. In order to achieve good karma it is important to live life according to dharma, what is right. This involves doing what is right for the individual, the family, and also for the universe itself. Dharma is like a cosmic norm and if one goes against the norm it can result in bad karma. So, dharma affects the future according to the karma accumulated.

These are the basic beliefs which are generally regarded as boundaries outside of which lies either heresy or non-Hindu religion. These fundamental Hindu beliefs include:

Authority of the Vedas and Brahmans

The authority of the ancient scriptures known as the Vedas as well as the Brahmans are two concepts that are fundamental to Hinduism and differentiate the faith from Buddhism and Jainism.

Brahman: Ultimate Reality

So who, or what, is the Ultimate Reality that is behind the universe and all the gods? In the Rig Veda, it is referred to as "the One." In the Purushasukta, it is given the name "Purusha," and in the Upanishads it is called "Brahman," "the One," and several other names.

Karma

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