With a billion followers, Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion, and it is also the oldest. Hinduism originated in India as a hodge-podge of various religious beliefs, and as such, it can’t be easily explained or compared to any other religion. More than a religion, Hinduism is a way of life.
Most religions can be traced back to a single person who originated it, or a group of people who spread the word. Hinduism’s past is so deep, it is impossible to pinpoint where it actually began. What scholars do know is that the earliest of Hindu scriptures, “The Rig Veda,” was created around 6500 B.C. Other texts are suspected to have been written much earlier, possibly as early as 10,000 B.C.
Ironically, the word “Hindu” came into use much later, when foreigners coined the term as a way of describing the people who lived near the River Indus or Sindhu, in the northern part of India.
The key scriptures in Hinduism were passed down by word of mouth for many generations before they were finally written in Sanskrit. The basic scriptures are called “Shastras” and are a collection of writings collected over many centuries.
Hinduism believes in one supreme being, called “Brahman.” However, it’s not as simple as assigning a name to the supreme being! Hinduism doesn’t worship one particular diety, but has many gods and goddesses that number in the thousands. The most basic diety in Hinduism is the Trinity, including Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer.
For a person to embrace Hinduism and become a Hindu, they simply must accept and agree with the teachings of Hinduism, and use the teachings in their path toward spiritual enlightenment. The way a person lives determines whether they are truly intent on following the Hindu religion. Being truly ethical in both body and spirit are just two of the basic tenants of the Hindu religion.