One of the oldest and largest religions in the world, it is in fact more accurate to describe Hinduism as a compilation of many traditions and philosophies, or a “family of religions,” many of which originated over 4,000 years ago in the Indus River Valley.

History & Beliefs

Hinduism cannot be traced back to one specific founder or event, therefore there is speculation as to the exact origin of the religion, though sacred texts do help to provide a timeline and provide insight into the early years of the faith.

• Vedic Period/Religion: the formative years of the earliest forms of Hinduism, from approximately 2500-800 B.C.E. (some followers of Hinduism insist that the way of life existed before this)

  • Around 1500 B.C.E., Indo-Europeans known as Aryans invaded the Indian subcontinent, and it is debated whether they influenced what is now recognized as Indian culture and Hinduism, or vice versa. 

  • During the Vedic years, the earliest accounts of Hinduism known as the Vedas were written; these contain ancient sources of wisdom, the oldest example being the Rig Veda, thought to be written around 1800 B.C.E.

  • Also during these early years, the ancient language of Sanskrit was developed, and rituals such fire sacrifice were commonly practiced.

    • Today, more than 100 languages are spoken in India, with Hindi and English being the official languages.

• Over the centuries, Hinduism has evolved similar to Buddhism and expanded into different branches of thought and faith. The most common types of Hinduism are:

  • Samkhya Hinduism - world is divided into two states: spirit and matter (purusha and prakriti).

  • Vedanta Hinduism - there is only one single realty: the combination of Brahman (ultimate reality within) and Atman (self).

  • Tantric Hinduism - uses bodily practices to experience the unity of purusha and prakriti within self.

• In 1966, the Indian Supreme Court listed the following as official characteristics of Hinduism:

  • Acceptance and reverence for the Vedas

  • A spirit of tolerance

  • Belief in vast cosmic periods of creation & destruction

  • Belief in reincarnation

  • Polytheism

  • Philosophical flexibility (no single dogma)

• Along with the Vedas, other sacred texts that have become crucial to understanding Hinduism are:

  • The Upanishads (philosophical reflections on the Vedas, 600-400 B.C.E.)

  • Epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata (contains the Bhagavad-Gita)

• Caste System: a social hierarchy system developed in the Vedic Period, which witnessed the priests holding the most power, would gradually cause oppression until its legal end in 1948, though still loosely practiced. The system was hereditary, and one could only move down in status, never up. The categories included:

  • Brahmin – priestly caste.

  • Kshatriyas – nobility of feudal India: kings, warriors, and vassals – expected to guard and preserve society.

  • Vaishyas – the economic specialists including farmers and merchants.

  • Shudras – manual laborers and the artisans.

  • Untouchables – ‘outcastes’ who remove human waste, sweep streets and work with leather.

• Four Purposes of Life:

  • Dharma ("law," "duty," "custom") related to one's place in the family and community

  • Artha (wealth, work, business) making a living within the family, community, and kingdom or state

  • Kama (desire, pleasure) pursuit of legitimate erotic and aesthetic activities

  • Moksha (release), practices to end samsara, or reincarnation.

• Similar to the Holy Trinity in Christianity, the Hindu religion contains the Trimurti, which is the sacred trio of three different gods: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the preserver), and Shiva (the destroyer).

Hinduism in the United States

As Hinduism grew and adapted to the world around it, numerous spiritual paths were formed, practiced and taught in order for followers to connect and access their true self:

• Bhakti Yoga - the path of love and devotion to a deity representing ultimate reality (Brahman).

• Karma Yoga - the path of helpful action in the world.

• Jnana Yoga - the path of rational inquiry.

• Raja Yoga - the path of mental concentration

Famous writers in the early 19th Century such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau were intrigued and influenced greatly by aspects of Hinduism such as the message of the Bhagavad-Gita and the path of Jnana Yoga (aspects can be seen in transcendentalism)

• In 1893 during the World’s Parliament of Religions taking place in Chicago, Hinduism was prominently introduced to the United States by an Indian monk named Swami Vivekananda.

  • During this period Indian gurus were gaining popularity in areas such as Europe and parts of North America.

  • In 1894, Vivekananda founded the first Vedanta Society in New York.

    • These societies spread the teachings of Vivekananda and focused on raja yoga through meditation and mystical practices. As the societies developed they appealed to many Americans for their similarities to certain Christian practices and their emphasis on the good in humans.

• In 1920, Swami Yogananda founded the Self-Realization Fellowship (SRFA) in Boston, combining elements of both religion and science

  • Utilizing hatha yoga, the practice of postures in order to access the energy within the body, this has inspired the popular exercise of yoga as we know it today.

• Transcendental Meditation: made popular in the 1960s during the counterculture movement, this form of meditation was introduced by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Currently this practice is used to reduce stress and promote physical health while focusing on attaining goals of material nature.

• International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) or Hare Krishna: formed in New York City during 1966 by Swami Prabhupada, this religious organization revolves around a form of bhakti yoga known as Krishna Consciousness.

  • Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu, and a prominent figure in the narrative of the Bhagavad-Gita. The group is devoted solely to honoring Krishna.

Lectures

Site Visit

Bharatiya Hindu Temple 

1612 County Line Rd, 

Chalfont, PA 18914

Website: https://b-temple.org/