How to define Hinduism?

[Samkhya 0]

Well, I think that Hinduism is a hazy concept, hard to grasp in its wholeness. There were definitions of hinduism which proceeded by elimination: Hinduism is what is not islam, buddhism, jainism, etc...

 

However, I think that we can get an agreement on some basic features on hinduism:

 

- The system of castes, though its interpretation may vary.

 

- The belief in reincarnation

 

- The faith in the authority of the Vedas.

 

- The belief in the existence of an eternal soul.

 

- The belief that the ultimate goal of the life is the liberation of the soul from the bondage of this world (moksha)

 

I don't include the belief in Brahman, because Mimamsa, Yoga and Sâmkhya seem not to acknowledge it. Mimamsa and Sâmkhya are more atheistic and Yoga is theistic. I don't include either the belief that individual souls are manifestations of a unitary great soul, Atman, because Sâmkhya and Dvaita Vedanta are pluralistic.

 

Do you agree?

[maadhav 0]

hindu dharm is not a belief system.

it is spritual truths, proven true.

one may accept them or not.

those who accept and livey by are called hindus.

 

e.g. gravity is there, whether you belive in it or not.

same for the spiritual laws given in gita.

 

 

 

[Samkhya 0]

But what are these spiritual truths? It's precisely what I am looking for.

 

I forgot an important point of the hindu creed: the law of karma, closely associated, but not only, with reincarnation.

[Guest guest]

 

Hinduism is not another religion in the sense of Buddhism or Christianity. Hinduism is defined as a collective beliefs existing in India today which have their roots in the Puranas and partly on the now defunct Vedic religion.

 

It is a wide range of hotch-potch systems, which somehow co-exist with one another. The Vaishnava who claims Vishnu superiority and the Shaiva who claims Shiva superiority are all part of Hinduism. By this definition, you will have to include Mimamsa into Hinduism, irrespective of belief in Brahman or the lack thereof. The same applies to Yoga and Sankhya as well.

 

To it's credit, this is the religious system along with Jainism which did not give way to Islam inspite of being ruled by Islam rulers for several centuries.

 

Cheers