Hinduism

Learning Objective

• To identify basic beliefs contained

in the Vedas
Key Understanding
• Knowledge of basic beliefs contained in
the Vedas is key to understanding
Hinduism.

Key Question
• What are the basic beliefs contained in
the Vedas?
 What is Hinduism?
• Hinduism is a religion of the Dharma, which is the timeless order
of all life.
• Dharma, according to Hindu belief and practice, is what holds
the universe together, and means “duty”, “correct practice,” and
“truth.”
• Hindus consider the Dharma to be so central that they consider
it a privilege to be able to uphold its teachings and apply them in
their everyday life.
• The Dharma is all-encompassing: it covers cosmic, personal,
and social orders of one’s life.
 What is Hinduism?
• Adherence to the Dharma means that one recognizes different
aptitudes, capabilities, and roles that people play in maintaining
the social and cosmic balance of the universe.
• The emphasis on the Dharma makes Hinduism more a religion
of action rather than a religion of belief. A significant portion of
the Hindu scriptures called the Vedas, emphasize the
cultivation of virtues according to the person’s standing in
society.
• There is a lot of emphasis on compassion, non-violence, purity,
restraint, and self control in one’s dealings with others.
 Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’
• Like any religious system, Hinduism was able to preserve
important teachings in sacred writings that contain foundational
elements of doctrine, morality, and worship. These sacred
writings are called the Vedas, for which reason Hinduism is
also referred to as Vaidika Dharma or “Religion of the Vedas”.

• The term “veda” in Sanskrit means “knowledge”, and have

already been committed to memory by sages and passed on to
disciples before they were recorded in writing.
Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’

• The earliest Vedic literature is a collection of

hymns to the gods, while later chapters and
volumes include dialogues, stories, and sagely
advice from ascetics and religious masters.

• There are two types of scriptures in the Hindu

tradition: the Shruti and the Smriti scriptures.
Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’

• The Shruti scripture (meaning “that which is

heard”) contains fundamental elements of Hindu
philosophy and morality.
• The Shruti scriptures, which are primarily the four
Vedas, are considered to be of divine origin as
revealed to sages (called rishis) who received
these truths through deep meditation.
Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’
• Each of the four Vedas are further subdivided into
four types of religious literature:
(a) Samhitas, hymns dedicated to gods and
goddesses
(b) Brahmanas, explications of the samhitas
and other ritual acts performed by
priests
(c) Aranyakas, philosophical interpretations of
ritual acts
(d) Upanishads, explanations of general
philosophical knowledge
 Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’
• The Smriti (meaning “that which is remembered”) are
considered “secondary scriptures” and mostly contain
stories and advice from sages.
• Unlike Śruti, the Smriti are considered to be of human
origin, although they are important because they expound
on the Vedas.
• It also gives ordinary people access to the teachings of
the Vedas, as the latter are only accessible to males of
higher castes and the Brahmins.
 Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’
• The Smriti scriptures include the following:
(a) Mahabharata is an epic poem that is fifteen
times longer than the Bible. It narrates the
story of an ongoing war among family
members. It highlights the importance of
virtues and devotion to the gods, particularly
to Krishna.
(b) Ramayana is a shorter epic poem about
kingship and royal virtues. It tells the story of
the battles that Rama had to fight in order to
save his wife Sita from the demon Ravana. It is
one of the epics that depict the battle
between good and evil.
Hinduism as ‘Vedic Religion’
(c) Dharma Shastras are legal treatises that
emphasize the importance of practicing
virtue.
(d) Bhagavad Gita, meaning “Song of the Lord”,
is actually one of the books in Mahabharata.
It is considered by many Hindus as an
important religious text that extols the power
and benevolence of Krishna and his
instructions to Arjuna.
(e) Puranas are stories that depict the sectarian
divisions within Hinduism. There are multiple
creation stories, legends, and war stories by
the different Hindu sects.