Hinduism
What are called the ‘Religions’ of the East – Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism – are not religions in the Western sense where you believe in a something specific. They don’t involve any idea of obedience to commandments from ‘above’. Their objective is not ideas, not doctrines, but a method. A method of the transformation of consciousness. Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. It is the world's oldest and third largest 'religion'. Arab invaders first used the term 'al-Hind' in referring to the land of the people who lived across Indus river (Shindu). By the 13th century, Hindustan emerged as a popular alternative name of India, meaning the "land of Hindus". Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and
has no single founder. It is a conglomeration of intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid
common set of beliefs (ie, dogma). It includes laws and prescriptions of "daily morality" based on the notion
of karma, dharma, and societal norms. Hindu texts can be broadly classified into two
groups, the Sruiti ("revealed) and the Smriti ("remembered"). The major scriptures include the Vedas, Upanishads,
Pura'as, Mahabharata, Ramaya'a, Bhagavad Gita and Agamas. z
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