Hinduism
Running head: HINDUISM
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Feb 15, 2009
According to many historians, Hinduism originated about 5000 years ago. The word "Hindu" is derived from the name of River Indus, which flows through northern India. In ancient times the river was called the 'Sindhu', but the Persians who migrated to India called the river 'Hindu', the land 'Hindustan' and its inhabitants 'Hindus'. Thus the religion followed by the Hindus came to be known as 'Hinduism’. Hinduism is thought to be the oldest religion in the history of human civilization.
Unlike Islam or Christianity, it does not have a single belief system, a central religious organization, a single Prophet/Messianic founder, or a single system of law/morality. It is considered the world's oldest extant religion, and has approximately a billion adherents, of whom about 890 million live in India, placing it as the world's third largest religion after Christianity and Islam. Other countries with large Hindu populations include Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
Hinduism is an extremely logical and inspirational religious system that offers experiential results to those who practice its various forms.So then, what "makes up" the Hindu religion is the fact that it works and that it is able to exist within such internal and external diversity.
Hinduism provides a vast body of scriptures. These scriptures expound on a broad of range of theology, philosophy and mythology, providing spiritual insights and guidance on the practice of dharma (religious living). Among such texts, Hindus revere the Vedas and the Upanishads and consider these as being among the foremost in authority, importance and antiquity.
In whatever way any Hindu defines the goal of life, there are several methods (yogas) that sages(yogis) have taught for...
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