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Two religions that attracted most of my attention, but which I knew least about, are Hinduism and Buddhism. The main reason for my interest in Hinduism is its diversity of beliefs and practices. Hinduism is a religion with “no single founder, no specific theological system, no single system of morality, or a central religious organization (Robinson). Basically, Hinduism is a religion composed of many different religious groups or sects that worship many gods. The word Hinduism derives from an ancient Sanskrit term meaning “dwellers by the Indus River” which refers to the locations of India’s earliest known civilization in what is now Pakistan. It is one of the oldest world religions; it dates back more than 3,000 years. It is estimated that there are between 800 million and 1 billion Hindus in the world; 90% of them are in India, while the rest of them are in Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, South Africa, Trinidad, Europe and U.S. (Robinson). Although Hinduism permits worship of many different deities, it still holds a belief that there is only one true god – Brahman, and all other divinities are just aspects of the Brahman. “Brahman, the nonpersonal Supreme One, pervades all things and transcends all things. Of this great Principle, the Rig Veda states, “Though men call it by many names, it is really One” (Ross). Hindus believe that a man can attain union with Brahman by using inner knowledge while still on earth. Another significant belief held by Hindus is the Transmigration of the Soul (a.k.a. Samsara) – transfer of one’s soul after death into another body which produces a continuing cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth.
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