Hinduism information and comparisons
| Picture: |  |
| Use of statues and pictures: | Common |
| Belief of God: | Many gods, but realize that they all come from Atman. |
| Place of worship: | Temple (Mandir) |
| Place of origin: | Indian Subcontinent |
| Clergy: | No official clergy. Gurus, Yogis, Rishis, Brahmins, Pundits, priests, priestesses, monks, and nuns. |
| Founder: | Not credited to a particular founder. |
| Literal Meaning: | The followers of Vedas are called as Arya, noble person. Arya is not a dynasty, ethnicity or race. Anyone who follows the teachings of Vedas is considered Arya. |
| Life after death: | A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached. |
| Practices: | Meditation, yoga, contemplation, yagna (communal worship), offerings in the temple. |
| View of the Buddha: | Some Hindu sects claim Buddha was an avatar of Vishnu. Others believe he was a holy man. |
| Marriage: | Man may marry one woman. However, kings in mythology often married more than one woman. |
| Human Nature: | Depends on sects. |
| Means of salvation: | Reaching enlightenment by the Path of Knowledge, the Path of devotion, or the Path of Good Deeds. |
| Goal of religion: | To break the cycle of birth, death and reincarnation, and attain salvation. |
| Followers: | Hindus. |
| Population: | 1 Billion. |
| Original Language(s): | Sanskrit |
| Scriptures: | Vedas, Upanishad, Puranas, Gita. Smrti and Sruti are oral scriptures. |
| Confessing sins: | Repentance for unintentional sins are prescribed, but intentional sins have to be repaid through karmic consequences. |
| Religious Law: | Dharma shastras |
| Geographical distribution and predominance: | Mainly in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Has significant population in Fiji, Bhutan, UAE, etc. |
| View of other Dharmic religions: | They believe that Buddhists, Jains, & Sikhs should reunite with Hinduism (which is the original Dharmic religion). |
| Religion which atheists may still be adherents of: | Charvakas and Sankyas are atheistic groups in Hinduism. |
| Symbols: | Om, Swastika, etc. |
| Status of Vedas: | Vedas are generally regarded as sacred in Hinduism. Post-Vedic texts like the Gita are also revered. |
| Authority of Pope: | N/A. |
| Views on Other Religions: | Believe all religions have some truth in them. |
| Holy days/Official Holidays: | Diwali, Holi, Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. |
| Goal of Philosophy: | Salvation, freedom from the cycle of birth and reincarnation. |
| Place and Time of origin: | Indian Subcontinent, beginning with the Vedic civilization circa 3000 BC |
| No. of Gods and Godesses: | Ultimatly monotheistic, however it believes in infinate representaitions of their god. |
| Status of women: | Women can become priestesses or nuns. Women are given equal rights as men. |
| Principle: | To follow dharma, i.e. eternal laws |
| Time of origin: | circa 3000 B.C.E |
| Can atheists partake in this religion's practices?: | Yes. |
| Second coming of Jesus: | N/A. |
| Holy Days: | Diwali, Holi, Ram Navami, Hanuman Jayanti, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc. There are many holy days in Hinduism which differ from region to region. |
| Position of Mary: | N/A. |
| Prophets: | No prophets, but Rishis could be considered equivalent in Vedic times. Avataras of Vedic God are different from human reincarnations, but could be considered equivalent to Christian idea of God in flesh. |
| Belief: | Diverse beliefs depending on sects. |
| Jesus: | N/A. |
| Position of Abraham: | N/A. |
| Day of worship: | Orthodox schools prescribe three prayer times a day: at dawn, noon and dusk. |
| Abrahamic Lineage: | N/A. |
| About: | Devotion to the various gods & goddesses of Hinduism. |
| Use of Statues: | Allowed, but not compulsory |
| Virtue on which religion is based upon: | Follow righteousness. |
| Birth of Jesus: | N/A. |
| God's role in salvation: | Beliefs vary by sect. Upanishads (scripture) say God chooses who gets salvation. Salvation is attained via good deeds and righteousness (following the "dharma" and avoiding sin) |
| Branches: | Shaivism, Shakti, and Vaishnavism |
| Death of Jesus: | N/A. |
| On Clothing: | Differ from region region. |
| Identity of Jesus: | N/A. |
| Related Religions: | Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism |
| Promised Holy one.: | Kalki, the 10'th avatar of Vishnu. |
| On Women: | Mainly women are considered equal to men and there are many Goddesses in Hinduism. |
| Names of God: | Brahman and many other names in other languages |
| Status of Muhammad: | N/A. |
| Virtue(s) in which religion is based upon: | Follow dharma (righteouness), eternal law. |
| View of God: | Monists believe only Brahman exists, Pantheists believe all things/entities are God, Monotheistic sects consider God as immanent and transcendent and different from others. The Nasadiya Sukta even explores creation-ex-nihilo. |
| Rites: | Some Hindus believe in a "thread ceremony" for men. |
| Promised Holy One: | Kalki, the 10th Avatar of Vishnu |
| Views on the afterlife: | A constant cycle of reincarnation until enlightenment is reached after which moksha is attained. |
| Use of statues, images: | Common. |
| Status of Adam: | N/A. |
| imams identified as: | N/A. |
| Concept of God: | God is in everything and everything is God. |
| sects: | Vaishnava, Shaivaya, & Shaktism. |
| Angels: | The concept of angels does not apply in Hinduism. Some mythological stories include rishis, who sometimes serve as the messengers of God. |
| View of Oriental religions: | Buddhism and Jainism were considered sister religions by traditional Hindu schools. Buddhists do not consider Buddha an avatar of Vishnu and believe that Hindu priests made that claim to stem the spread of Buddhism, which threatened Hinduism. |
| Geographical predominance: | India, Nepal |
| Definition: | The word Hindu has geographical significance and was used originally for those people who lived beyond the river Sindhu or the region watered by the river Indus. Hindus themselves, call their religion "Sanatana Dharma, " meaning "Eternal Law." |
| View of Dharmic religions: | Believe that Buddhism, Jainism, & Sikhism should reunite with Hinduism. |
| Status of Brahman: | God |
| Status of Brahma: | Creator |
| Status of Shiva: | Destroyer |