Hinduism Research Papers

Hinduism is not a religion in the sense Western people perceive religion, such as Christianity. Hinduism should probably be understood as a code of life (Dharma) that is practiced by hundreds of millions of followers, for the most part in India. In this research paper on Hinduism a brief look at this complex practice is taken. Hinduism differs from most of the world’s leading religions in that it claims no one founder. The adherents of Hinduism also call it Santana Dharma, which means The Eternal Faith. The word Dharma, the code of life, is used to denote the verb “to hold”. Thus, Hinduism adherents abide by an inner law, which leads them from ignorance to truth. One of the Hinduism researchers once said that Hinduism as a whole, including its literature, its rites and its art, can be compressed into single affirmation: You can have what you want. This Hinduism affirmation contains three things everybody wants. They are Being, or the gift of life, knowledge, and joy. Worldly possessions or worldly pleasures are not dismissed by Hinduism, but people must obtain and enjoy them within the context of life, knowledge, and joy. It is interesting to note that Hinduism, uunlike other religions, doesn’t impose one “right” way to believe, or one right moral code. It is true that devout Hindus do practice certain rituals, in particular family rituals. However, adult children in ritual-practicing families are not forced to practice religion like their parents do. They are free to worship privately in any way they choose.