Hinduism is a collective term applied to many philosophical and religious traditions in India. About 80 percent of India’s population consider themselves Hindus. Hinduism is the third largest religion in the world. Hinduism has no founder or date of origin. Modern Hinduism can be described as the product of religious development in India that spans nearly 4000 years, making it the oldest surviving world religion. In fact, the tradition understands itself to having always existed. The many manifestations of Hinduism go from highly intellectual philosophies concerning numerous and puzzling metaphysical concerns, many rituals, mental and physical exercises such as Yoga to simple tales and legends. The oldest known Hindu civilization is that of the Indus River Valley tracing back to 2000 BCE. …show more content…
Overall, the Hindu belief is grounded in the doctrines of “samsara” (the cycle of rebirth) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect). Hindus also believe that one’s actions and thoughts directly determine one’s life, current and future. Hindus pursue knowledge and understanding of the Truth, which is the very essence of the universe and the only reality. Hindus believe in Brahman as the one true God who is formless, limitless, all-inclusive, and eternal. Brahman is not viewed as an abstract concept; it is a real entity that encompasses everything seen and unseen in the universe. The Vedas, Hindu scriptures that contain revelations received by ancient saints and sages, give a lot of information about the gods and worship. There is also belief of a caste system that divides the society into 5 different social