Hinduism

One of the oldest religions, originated in India, with a focus on divinity, reincarnation, karma, and following the Dharma (duty or moral obligations).

How many followers does Hinduism have worldwide?

- "Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers."

What does the term "Hindu" mean and why is it used?

- "The word Hindu is an exonym."

What is the alternative name for Hinduism?

- "Hinduism has also been described as sanātana dharma (Sanskrit: सनातन धर्म, lit. ''the eternal dharma'')."

What are some key characteristics of Hinduism?

- "Hinduism is a diverse system of thought marked by a range of philosophies and shared concepts, rituals, cosmological systems, pilgrimage sites, and shared textual sources."

What are the four Puruṣārthas in Hindu beliefs?

- "Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include the four Puruṣārthas, the proper goals or aims of human life; namely, dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions) and moksha (liberation/freedom from the passions and the cycle of death and rebirth)."

What are some of the prescribed eternal duties in Hinduism?

- "Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings (ahiṃsā), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, virtue, and compassion, among others."

What are some Hindu practices?

- "Hindu practices include worship (puja), fire rituals (homa/havan), devotion (bhakti), fasting (vrata), chanting (japa), meditation (dhyāna), sacrifice (yajña), charity (dāna), selfless service (sevā), learning and knowledge (jñāna), recitation and exposition of scriptures (pravacana), homage to one's ancestors (śrāddha), family-oriented rites of passage, annual festivals, and occasional pilgrimages (yatra)."

What are the major scriptures in Hinduism?

- "Hindu texts are classified into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered"), the major scriptures of which are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Purānas, the Mahābhārata, the Rāmāyana, and the Āgamas."

How do scholars view the origins of Hinduism?

- "Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of Brahmanical orthopraxy with various Indian cultures, having diverse roots and no specific founder."

What are the four major denominations of Hinduism?

- "The four major denominations of Hinduism are Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and the Smarta tradition."

Where is Hinduism the most widely professed faith?

- "Hinduism is the most widely professed faith in India, Nepal, Mauritius, and in Bali, Indonesia."

In what other regions can Hindu communities be found?

- "Significant numbers of Hindu communities are found in other countries of South Asia, in Southeast Asia, in the Caribbean, Gulf states, North America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and other regions."