Critical Analysis Of The Historical And Modern Beliefs And Practices Of Hinduism In Essay.

Critical Analysis Of The Historical And Modern Beliefs And Practices Of Hinduism In Essay.

Historical context of Hinduism

 The Vedas and Puranas are regarded as the first religious works that illustrate the postulated beliefs and aggregated concepts that constitute a global religion in present times (Flood, 2022). This paper aims to provide a critical examination of the historical and contemporary beliefs and practices related to worship, rituals, and other aspects of Hinduism, using true factual data and information.

Concise Historical Analysis and Contextual Information on Hinduism
 

Table 1: Historical Context of Hinduism

(Source: Authored by the creator)

Hinduism cannot be seen as a singular religion like contemporary notions of religion; rather, it is a synthesis of several old beliefs. The primary reason for the inability to honor a singular founder of the religion is the absence of a definitive timeline, despite the traditions being considered quite ancient. Historians estimate this timeline to be approximately between 2300 B.C. and 1500 B.C. (Flood, 2022). Time might be seen as a sarcastic term in classical writings that denote the presence of four consecutive epochs or Yugas, akin to the notion of four seasons.

Geography significantly influences the formation of religious identity, since Hinduism is seen as a regional identity. Given the present demographic landscape of the religion, it can be said that around 92% of its adherents come from India and have subsequently disseminated to over twenty nations globally. The United States is home to around 12.6% of the global Hindu population, with almost 2 million adherents (Worlddata.info, 2022).

Table 2: The Principal Elements of Hinduism

(source: Authored by the creator)

The fundamental principles adhered to by Hindu adherents may be likened to Ten Commandments, including local, regional, caste, and community-specific traditions that shape beliefs in a Supreme Being, serving as a unifying thread for the notions of Truth, Dharma, and Karma (BBC, 2022). The history of worship encompasses the Vedic deities influenced by the elemental forces of fire, water, and thunder, namely Agni, Indra, and Varuna. The principal rites of the religion include the fulfillment of the sixteen samskaras throughout one's lifetime. Beliefs abound on the Trimurti, the trio of principal deities responsible for creation, preservation, and destruction: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Maheshwar (Shiva, the destroyer) (Culture and religion, 2022).

The whole cycle of reincarnation is termed “samsara,” representing a definitive commencement or conclusion, characterized by lifetimes of incessant attachments. Hindu beliefs assert that acts stemming from desire and hunger tie the jiva to an interminable cycle of life and death, fulfilling tasks within the confines of good or evil karma (BBC, 2022). The religion posits that redemption or moksha represents liberation and release from the transience of the fundamental nature of worldly life.

Principal Elements of Hinduism

Contemporary Hinduism has seen several transformations throughout time. Religion has been recognized for its impact on both secular segments of society and the inspiration it provides to other faiths. Saizar (2018) posits that the prevention of faiths like as Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism is significantly impacted by the doctrines and principles of Hindu traditional beliefs. The ideas of Atman, or the inner self, are regarded as a fundamental doctrine of Hinduism. The dissemination of the doctrines from the central areas of the Indus Valley civilization has extended to many regions of contemporary nations such as Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Nepal, and even Western countries like the United States.

The concept of compassion, or dana, is considered a fundamental principle in Hinduism, essential for fulfilling human responsibilities. The many community services offered in accordance with the teachings of Hinduism are-

Environmental Charities - The conservation of nature is regarded as a fundamental principle in Hinduism, prompting numerous organizations and groups to assume responsibility for restoring and maintaining environmental equilibrium through effective education and awareness (Wisker et al., 2020).  

The Hindu communities prioritize offering comprehensive life concepts to disadvantaged individuals and have been supporting various trustee boards to finance education for poor groups.

The pressing global concerns requiring the urgent attention of diverse religious organizations include poverty and homelessness, gender inequity, racial injustice, and existential crises. The non-exclusive doctrine of Hinduism promotes the acceptance of many faiths and religious pathways (Rangiwai, 2020). The primary objective of global religions is to reinstate the diminished faith of people in contemporary society. Faith has the capacity to influence global concerns and alter international perspectives by enhancing knowledge of socio-cultural, interfaith, and other religious interactions facilitated by global religious leaders from all world religions, including Hinduism. 

For the Advancement of the United States

The issues faced by Hindu Americans are attributed to the increasing tendency of identifying as "religious nones" in the United States, stemming from a rejection of religious worldviews and apathy towards religion (Flood, 2022). Notwithstanding the challenges, the resilience of Hinduism may be attributed to the robust immigration policies of the United States, which facilitate the adherence to the faith, with about 80% of adults identifying as Hindus. It may be regarded as the nation's greatest retention rate.

For its Advancement on the Global Stage

The global population of persons adhering to Hinduism is projected to rise from around 1 billion in 2010 to an estimated 1.4 billion by 2050 (Culture and religion, 2022).

Summary

The investigation indicates that the early history of Hinduism is contentious, since no evidence of the contemporary understanding of the religion can be identified, despite the fact that the traditions practiced by Hindus are very old. The religious lifestyles portrayed in the texts emphasize the past sacrifice system rather than contemporary behaviors. Hindus are often engaged in the theories of transmigration and reincarnation, which stem from the associated beliefs in Karma. The primary objective of Hinduism is to achieve nirvana, or moksha, after death by helping communities to accumulate good karma during one's life, so facilitating the route to salvation.

References

BBC, 2022. Dharma - The nature of human life in Hinduism - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - AQA - BBC Bitesize. [online] BBC Bitesize. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zmgny4j/revision/5> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

BBC, 2022. The nature of God in Hinduism - The nature of God - CCEA - GCSE Religious Studies Revision - CCEA - BBC Bitesize. [online] BBC Bitesize. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zbkmvk7/revision/4#:~:text=Many%20Hindus%20believe%20in%20Brahman,male%2C%20female%20and%20even%20animal.&text=Shiva%20%E2%80%93%20assists%20in%20the%20creation,end%20for%20others%20to%20begin> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

Culture and religion, 2022. [online] Tfhc.nt.gov.au. Available at: <https://tfhc.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0014/252221/nt-hinduism-fact-sheet.pdf> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

Flood, G., 2022. BBC - Religions - Hinduism: History of Hinduism. [online] Bbc.co.uk. Available at: <https://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/history/history_1.shtml> [Accessed 22 January 2022].

Rangiwai, B. (2020). The impacts on tikanga of the Hindu practice of scattering human ashes into waterways compared with the practice of disposing of blood via the wastewater system as part of the arterial embalming process. Te Kaharoa, 15(1). ISSN 1178-6035

Saizar, M. (2018). Between tradition and change: appropriation dynamics and integration processes of Hinduism in Argentina. International Journal of Latin American Religions, 2(1), 72-85. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41603-018-0042-9

Wisker, Z. L., Muniapan, B., & Rosinaite, V. (2020). Religiosity and sustainable practices in small to medium-sized businesses: A mixed-method analysis. Malaysian Journal of Business and Economics (MJBE), 147-147. ISSN 2289-6856 (Print), 2289-8018 (Online)

Worlddata.info, 2022. Hinduism - Worldwide distribution. [online] Worlddata.info. Available at: <https://www.worlddata.info/religions/hinduism.php> [Accessed 22 January 2022].