Hinduism The symbol Om, or Aum, is the principal symbol of Hinduism. It is both a visual and an oral representation of Brahmin, or God. This mark has another name, Pravana, which means "that by which God is effectively praised," and "that which is ever new."

Background Hinduism is the dominant religion, or way of life in India and Nepal Hinduism contains a broad range of philosophies, it is a family of linked religious cultures bound by shared concepts, recognizable rituals, cosmology, shared textual resources, pilgrimage to sacred sites and the questioning of authority. Various sects include: Shaivism, Vaishnavism and Shaktism Hinduism may be the oldest religion in the world Some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanātana Dharma, "the eternal law" or the "eternal way "beyond human origins. Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse roots and no founder. This "Hindu synthesis" started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE, after the Vedic times. During the 8th century CE, the Buddha was replaced by one of the Hindu gods in most royal circles. Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings (ahimsa), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, and compassion, among others.

Background Hindu is not originally an Indian word. It is a word given by the Greeks, then the Persians, to refer to the land and peoples beyond the Indus (or Sindhu) River. The term “Hinduism” came into common use only in the 19th century to differentiate themselves from Muslims and others. Being a Hindu means practicing a complex and dynamic pattern of life. The Hindu tradition is more an ethos than a set of beliefs; Complex social system and an elaborately articulated religious sensibility.

Experiential There are many forms of practice globally Who is a Hindu? When you are a Hindu, it is part of your life in every aspect and in every moment. Most Hindus self identify as Hindu Hinduism is a search, a yearning, to find that which is infinite within ones own self, a yearning to experience that which is Eternal Despite the sectarian diversity, there are Hindu assumptions about life that do have common beliefs: That living a dharmic (ethically good and balanced) life is important That cultivating the inner self is important for spiritual progress The universe is permeated with the Divine, a reality often described as Brahman; The Divine can be known in many names and forms; This reality is deeply and fully present within the human soul; The soul’s journey to full self-realization is not accomplished in a single lifetime, but takes many lifetimes (reincarnation); and That the goal of life is for the soul to merge with God The soul’s course through life after life is shaped by one’s deeds and

Experiential There are many forms of practice globally Despite the sectarian diversity, there are Hindu assumptions about life that do have common beliefs: the universe is permeated with the Divine, a reality often described as Brahman; the Divine can be known in many names and forms; this reality is deeply and fully present within the human soul; the soul’s journey to full self-realization is not accomplished in a single lifetime, but takes many lifetimes; and the soul’s course through life after life is shaped by one’s deeds.

Experiential Professor Sharma indicates in his interview: There is one root word in the term Hindu and it is the word “hidi”. Hidi means a man who moves on the path of spirituality, and who neglects all the worldly pleasures and other passions for that spiritual upliftment. He is a Hindu. There are five letters in the word Hindu. H stands for honesty, I stands for integrity, N stands for nobility, D stands for devotion, and U stands for unity. And, Any person who strives for these ideals is called patasheela, which means five good things. Hinduism has no creed by which it may be said to stand or fall. Hinduism is convinced that the spirit will outgrow the creed. For the Hindu, every religion is true if only sincerely and honestly followed. Every soul is a child of God. So, we Hindus say we are children of God. Repentance for unintentional sins are prescribed, but intentional sins have to be repaid through karmic consequences.

Experiential Professor Sharma indicates in his interview: Hindus seek perfection.—becoming the perennial child of God Perfection means to make the soul the real master. It means to be perfect spiritually — to be above the senses, to be above the passions, to be above other concerns. It means to be oneself — one’s true self. The pure and true self that is perfection. Once you attain that perfections you go and be part of the will of God. A Hindu finds, realizes or knows perfection by study, good acts, becoming free of desire, then free of ego When you’re perfect you do not feel suffering, you do not feel pleasures. If you do not feel any attachment and if you feel yourself stabilized in all these circumstances which are normally against you, it means that you are going on the correct path. You can get the process in the Bhagavad Gita, chapter two