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Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduˌɪzəm/)[1] is an umbrella term[2][3][a] for a range of Indian religious and spiritual traditions (sampradayas)[4][note 1] that are unified by adherence to the concept of dharma, a cosmic order maintained by its followers through rituals and righteous living,[5][6][7][b] as first expounded in the Vedas.[c] The word Hindu is an exonym,[note 2] and while Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world,[note 3] it has also been described by the modern term Sanātana Dharma (lit. 'eternal dharma') emphasizing its eternal nature.[note 4] Another endonym for Hinduism is Vaidika Dharma (lit. 'Vedic dharma').[web 1]
Hinduism entails diverse systems of thought, marked by a range of shared concepts that discuss theology, mythology, among other topics in textual sources.[8] Hindu texts have been classified into Śruti (lit. 'heard') and Smṛti (lit. 'remembered'). The major Hindu scriptures are the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Puranas, the Mahabharata (including the Bhagavad Gita), the Ramayana, and the Agamas.[9][10] Prominent themes in Hindu beliefs include karma (action, intent and consequences),[9][11] saṃsāra (the cycle of death and rebirth) and the four Puruṣārthas, proper goals or aims of human life, namely: dharma (ethics/duties), artha (prosperity/work), kama (desires/passions) and moksha (liberation/freedom from passions and ultimately saṃsāra).[12][13][14] Hindu religious practices include devotion (bhakti), worship (puja), sacrificial rites (yajna), and meditation (dhyana) and yoga.[15] Hinduism has no central doctrinal authority and many Hindus do not claim to belong to any denomination.[16] However, scholarly studies notify four major denominations: Shaivism, Shaktism, Smartism, and Vaishnavism.[17][18] The six Āstika schools of Hindu philosophy that recognise the authority of the Vedas are: Samkhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Mīmāṃsā, and Vedanta.[19][20]
While the traditional Itihasa-Purana and its derived Epic-Puranic chronology present Hinduism as a tradition existing for thousands of years, scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion[note 5] or synthesis[note 6] of Brahmanical orthopraxy[note 7] with various Indian cultures,[note 8] having diverse roots[note 9] and no specific founder.[21] This Hindu synthesis emerged after the Vedic period, between c. 500[22] to 200[23] BCE, and c. 300 CE,[22] in the period of the second urbanisation and the early classical period of Hinduism when the epics and the first Purānas were composed.[22][23] It flourished in the medieval period, with the decline of Buddhism in India.[24] Since the 19th century, modern Hinduism, influenced by western culture, has acquired a great appeal in the West, most notably reflected in the popularisation of yoga and various sects such as Transcendental Meditation and the Hare Krishna movement.
Hinduism is the world's third-largest religion, with approximately 1.20 billion followers, or around 15% of the global population, known as Hindus.[25][web 2][web 3] It is the most widely professed faith in India,[26] Nepal, Mauritius, and in Bali, Indonesia.[27] Significant numbers of Hindu communities are found in the countries of South Asia, in Southeast Asia, in the Caribbean, Middle East, North America, Europe, Oceania, Africa, and other regions.[28][29][30]
- ^ "Hinduism". Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved 19 April 2021.
- ^ Lochtefeld 2002a.
- ^ Flood 2022, p. 339.
- ^ Holberg (2000), p. 316; Nicholson (2013), pp. 2–5; McDaniel (2007), pp. 52–53; Michaels (2004), p. 21.
- ^ Flood 2003a, p. 9.
- ^ Thomas 2012, p. 175.
- ^ Bhattacharya 2006.
- ^ Michaels 2004.
- ^ a b Klostermaier 2007, pp. 46–52, 76–77.
- ^ Zaehner 1992, pp. 1–7.
- ^ Brodd 2003.
- ^ Bilimoria, Prabhu & Sharma 2007.
- ^ Koller 1968.
- ^ Flood 1996, p. 7.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
ellinger70was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Werner 2005, pp. 13, 45.
- ^ Flood 1996, pp. 113, 134, 155–161, 167–168.
- ^ Lipner 2009, pp. 377, 398.
- ^ Holberg 2000, p. 316.
- ^ Nicholson 2013, p. 2–5.
- ^ Fowler 1997, pp. 1, 7.
- ^ a b c Hiltebeitel 2002, p. 12.
- ^ a b Larson 2009.
- ^ Larson 1995, pp. 109–111.
- ^ "Hindu Countries 2023". World Population Review. 2023. Archived from the original on 11 March 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
- ^ Hiltebeitel 2002, p. 3.
- ^ Gonda 1975; Bakker 1997; Howe 2001; Stuart-Fox 2002.
- ^ Vertovec, Steven (2013). The Hindu Diaspora: Comparative Patterns. Routledge. pp. 1–4, 7–8, 63–64, 87–88, 141–143. ISBN 978-1-136-36705-2. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024. Retrieved 18 July 2017.
- ^ "Hindus". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 9 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2015.
- ^ "Table: Religious Composition by Country, in Numbers (2010)". Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project. 18 December 2012. Archived from the original on 1 February 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2015. }}
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