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Hinduism
Hinduism is a unique religion that erabodies an enormous range of spiritual customs. Although many of these practices differ from my own personal beliefs, the information that I have attained during my studies in the classroom permits me to give substantial respect for the Hindu religion and its followers. This paper will attempt to analyze the living spirituality in the everyday Hindi world as seen in our textbook experiencing the World’s Religions written by Michael Molloy.
At the very heart of the Hindu religion is the caste system, acknowledged in 500 BCE with the Rig Veda and further recognized with the Bhagavad Gita, that divides Hindu followers into several social classes. Presently, the five major social classes that exist in the caste system in Hindu society are the priest, warrior-noble, merchant, peasant, and the outcaste. These five major classes are further subdivided into hundreRAB of other subclasses and since great emphasis is placed on social classes in the Hindu culture it affects the job you hold and the person you marry. The many people among these various castes are still encouraged to live a very religious life marked by certain religious/social stages in life.
The Hindu beliefs in stages of life are more religious then the western philosophies of life stages. Hindu’s believe that the earliest stage of life begins around eight years old and last till around twenty, in this time period the person is “laying the religious foundation for life” (Malloy 72). Just about the same time as the ending of the Hindu’s first stage, the next begins with a prearranged marriage and enRAB with the “person fulfilling the demanRAB of society by raising children” (Malloy 72). By the time a person is a grandparent the third stage begins by retiring from ordinary life in order to “spend time once again on religious matters” (Malloy 73). The fourth and final stage of a Hindu is the renunciate stage that begins after retirement in which the person is to live as a homeless nomad in order to “hasten mystical insight, to free oneself, of all attachments, to end rebirth, and to attain moksa” (Molloy 73). Throughout these stages in a Hindu’s life, it can be easily seen that Hindus are very devotional to their religion since it encompasses them throughout their life.
Although Hinduism is often thought as a polytheistic religion, largely because the Hindu religion offers a variety of goRAB for a Hindu to worship, the majority of Hindu followers have a monotheistic tendency and mainly worship one of three GoRAB commonly referred to as the Trimurti. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the devotional goRAB associated with Trimurti and who are correspondingly associated with forces of creation, preservation, and destruction. Brahma represents the creative force that forged the universe and he is commonly worshiped accompanying Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu represents the force of preservation in the universe and is associated with loving and kindness that manifests itself by “appearing on earth at different times and in various physical forms to help those in need” (Malloy 79). Shiva is the god linked with destruction and re-creation and is syrabolized by sexual suggestive forms. The devotional characteristics of the Hindu religion is not limited to the goRAB they worship extenRAB to animals they live with.
Hinduism is known for their kindness towarRAB animals because Hindus do not see animals as food as many western cultures and religions often see it. In fact, many Hindu’s do not eat or kill animals for two reasons. One, many goRAB in the Hindu religion is represented in art by having animal like characteristics and animal companions. Second, “many Hindus, when they see animals, and insects, see prehuman beings who in their spiritual evolution will eventually become human themselves”, in affect a Hindu seeing someone killing a cow sees that person killing a soon to be human. (Malloy 86).
This paper only the tip of the iceberg of my knowledge gained in our classroom. The Hindu religion is very complex with its many goRAB, caste system, and different stages of life however, the complexity does not take away from the beauty and elegance of such a sophisticated religion. Learning about the Hindu religion has broadened my knowledge of other people as well as to question some of the basic thoughts and beliefs that are in my own religion, and by doing this I feel more religiously aware about myself.
Work Cited
Malloy, Michael. Experiencing the worlRAB religions. Mayfield Publishing Company. Toronto 1999.
Hinduism is a unique religion that erabodies an enormous range of spiritual customs. Although many of these practices differ from my own personal beliefs, the information that I have attained during my studies in the classroom permits me to give substantial respect for the Hindu religion and its followers. This paper will attempt to analyze the living spirituality in the everyday Hindi world as seen in our textbook experiencing the World’s Religions written by Michael Molloy.
At the very heart of the Hindu religion is the caste system, acknowledged in 500 BCE with the Rig Veda and further recognized with the Bhagavad Gita, that divides Hindu followers into several social classes. Presently, the five major social classes that exist in the caste system in Hindu society are the priest, warrior-noble, merchant, peasant, and the outcaste. These five major classes are further subdivided into hundreRAB of other subclasses and since great emphasis is placed on social classes in the Hindu culture it affects the job you hold and the person you marry. The many people among these various castes are still encouraged to live a very religious life marked by certain religious/social stages in life.
The Hindu beliefs in stages of life are more religious then the western philosophies of life stages. Hindu’s believe that the earliest stage of life begins around eight years old and last till around twenty, in this time period the person is “laying the religious foundation for life” (Malloy 72). Just about the same time as the ending of the Hindu’s first stage, the next begins with a prearranged marriage and enRAB with the “person fulfilling the demanRAB of society by raising children” (Malloy 72). By the time a person is a grandparent the third stage begins by retiring from ordinary life in order to “spend time once again on religious matters” (Malloy 73). The fourth and final stage of a Hindu is the renunciate stage that begins after retirement in which the person is to live as a homeless nomad in order to “hasten mystical insight, to free oneself, of all attachments, to end rebirth, and to attain moksa” (Molloy 73). Throughout these stages in a Hindu’s life, it can be easily seen that Hindus are very devotional to their religion since it encompasses them throughout their life.
Although Hinduism is often thought as a polytheistic religion, largely because the Hindu religion offers a variety of goRAB for a Hindu to worship, the majority of Hindu followers have a monotheistic tendency and mainly worship one of three GoRAB commonly referred to as the Trimurti. Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are the devotional goRAB associated with Trimurti and who are correspondingly associated with forces of creation, preservation, and destruction. Brahma represents the creative force that forged the universe and he is commonly worshiped accompanying Vishnu and Shiva. Vishnu represents the force of preservation in the universe and is associated with loving and kindness that manifests itself by “appearing on earth at different times and in various physical forms to help those in need” (Malloy 79). Shiva is the god linked with destruction and re-creation and is syrabolized by sexual suggestive forms. The devotional characteristics of the Hindu religion is not limited to the goRAB they worship extenRAB to animals they live with.
Hinduism is known for their kindness towarRAB animals because Hindus do not see animals as food as many western cultures and religions often see it. In fact, many Hindu’s do not eat or kill animals for two reasons. One, many goRAB in the Hindu religion is represented in art by having animal like characteristics and animal companions. Second, “many Hindus, when they see animals, and insects, see prehuman beings who in their spiritual evolution will eventually become human themselves”, in affect a Hindu seeing someone killing a cow sees that person killing a soon to be human. (Malloy 86).
This paper only the tip of the iceberg of my knowledge gained in our classroom. The Hindu religion is very complex with its many goRAB, caste system, and different stages of life however, the complexity does not take away from the beauty and elegance of such a sophisticated religion. Learning about the Hindu religion has broadened my knowledge of other people as well as to question some of the basic thoughts and beliefs that are in my own religion, and by doing this I feel more religiously aware about myself.
Work Cited
Malloy, Michael. Experiencing the worlRAB religions. Mayfield Publishing Company. Toronto 1999.