Hinduism

Table of Contents

Introduction
Overview
- The term Hinduism
- General nature of Hinduism
- The five tensile strands
  - Doctrine
  - Practice
  - Society
  - Story
  - Devotion
- Central conceptions
  - Veda, Brahmans, and issues of religious authority
  - Doctrine of atman-brahman
  - Karma, samsara, and moksha
  - Dharma and the three paths
  - Ashramas: the four stages of life
The history of Hinduism
- Sources of Hinduism
  - Indo-European sources
  - Other sources: the process of “Sanskritization”
- The prehistoric period (3rd and 2nd millennia bce)
  - Indigenous prehistoric religion
  - Religion in the Indus valley civilization
  - Survival of archaic religious practices
- The Vedic period (2nd millennium–7th century bce)
- Challenges to Brahmanism (6th–2nd century bce)
- Early Hinduism (2nd century bce–4th century ce)
  - The rise of the major sects: Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and Shaktism
  - The development of temples
  - The spread of Hinduism in Southeast Asia and the Pacific
  - Questions of influence on the Mediterranean world
- The rise of devotional Hinduism (4th–11th century)
- Hinduism under Islam (11th–19th century)
  - The challenge of Islam and popular religion
  - Temple complexes
  - Sectarian movements
  - Bhakti movements
- The modern period (from the 19th century)
  - Hindu reform movements
    - Brahmo Samaj
    - Arya Samaj
  - New religious movements
    - Ramakrishna Mission
    - Theosophical Society
    - Aurobindo Ashram
    - Other reform movements
  - The struggle for independence
    - Mahatma Gandhi
    - The religious situation after independence
  - Hinduism outside India
Sacred texts
- Vedas
  - Importance of the Vedas
  - The components of the Vedas
  - The Rigveda
  - Elaborations of text and ritual: the later Vedas
    - The Yajurveda and Samaveda
    - The Atharvaveda
  - The Brahmanas and Aranyakas
  - Vedic religion
    - Cosmogony and cosmology
    - Theology
    - Ethical and social doctrines
    - The sacred: nature, humanity, and God
    - Vedic and Brahmanic rites
  - The Upanishads
- Sutras, shastras, and smritis
  - The Vedangas
  - Dharma-sutras and Dharma-shastras
  - Smriti texts
- Epics and Puranas
  - The Ramayana
  - The Mahabharata
  - The Bhagavadgita
  - The Puranas
    - Cosmogony
    - Cosmology
  - Myths of time and eternity
  - Stories of the gods
- Vaishnavism and Shaivism
  - Vaishnavism
  - Shaivism
  - Narratives of culture heroes
  - Myths of holy rivers and holy places
- Philosophical texts
  - Mysticism
  - Philosophical sutras and the rise of the Six Schools of philosophy
- Tantrism
  - Tantric traditions and Shaktism
    - Shaiva Agamas
    - Vaishnava Samhitas
    - Shakta Tantras
  - Nature of Tantric tradition
  - Tantric and Shakta views of nature, humanity, and the sacred
  - Tantric ritual and magical practices
  - Tantric and Shakta ethical and social doctrines
- Vernacular literatures
Practical Hinduism
- Devotion
- Deities
- Worship
- Divination, spirit possession, and healing
- Women’s religious practices
- Pilgrimage
Rituals, social practices, and institutions
- Sacrifice and worship
  - Domestic rites
    - Samskaras: rites of passage
    - Daily offerings
    - Other private rites
  - Temple worship
  - Shaiva rites
  - Vaishnava rites
- Sacred times and festivals
- Ritual and social status
  - Social structure
  - Castes
  - Social protest
  - Renunciants and the rejection of social order
- Religious orders and holy men
  - Initiation
  - Yoga
  - Sectarian symbols
- Cultural expressions: visual arts, theater, and dance
  - Types of symbols
    - Yantra and mandala
    - Lingam and yoni
    - Visual theology in icons
  - The arts
    - Religious principles in sculpture and painting
    - Religious organization of sacred architecture
    - Theater and dance
Hinduism and the world beyond
- Hinduism and religions of Indian origin
- Hinduism and Islam
- Hinduism and Christianity
- Diasporic Hinduism

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Key People

Shankara

Shankara

Indian philosopher

Ram Mohan Roy

Ram Mohan Roy

Indian religious leader

Prominent leaders of the Indian independence movement

Lajpat Rai

Indian writer and politician

Kabir

Indian mystic and poet

Suryavarman II

king of Khmer empire

Keshab Chunder Sen

Hindu philosopher and social reformer

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Hindu and Indian nationalist

Gilbert John Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 4th earl of Minto

British official

Chaitanya

Chaitanya

Hindu mystic

Shirdi Sai Baba temple

Shirdi Sai Baba

spiritual leader

Debendranath Tagore

Hindu philosopher

Sāhibdīn

Indian painter

Ramanuja

Ramanuja

Hindu theologian and philosopher

Swami Vivekananda, 1897

Vivekananda

Hindu leader

Ramatirtha

Hindu religious leader

R.C. Zaehner

British historian

S.N. Dasgupta

Indian philosopher

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