Hinduism

General Facts

• Hinduism is a complex collection of beliefs rather than a systematic religion. 
• The religion mixes pantheism (everything is god) and polytheism (belief in various gods); this leads to their belief in hundreds of gods. 
• This is the third largest religion in the world, with around 1.2 billion people practicing it.
  

Basic Views

• Hinduism
  • Life is cyclical, and your past life determines your present life. 
  • Hindus believe the conditions of one’s caste are due to karma – the accumulated good or bad consequences for behavior in previous lives.
  • Their goal in life is to achieve freedom from living, dying, and being reborn over and over.
    

Core Beliefs

• Brahman
  • The name of the expansive universal spiritual reality is Brahman, the only actual reality. 
• Moksha
  • The Hindu belief that you can be freed from the cycle of rebirth and death through an individual's realized oneness with Brahman. This is their parallel to salvation.
• Samsara
  • The birth and rebirth cycle of life is known as Samsara or Reincarnation. 
• Atman
  • The core part of you or your immortal soul. 
• Karma
  • These are good or bad consequences of your actions in a previous life. 
  • In the Hindu view of reincarnation, one's previous actions affect one's present situation.some text
    • Ex: The caste or economic level someone finds themselves in is a result of their actions in a previous life. 
• Dharma 
  • Salvation by “the way of good works.” 
  • Dharma is the proper actions someone or something does in their lifetime to keep the universe in appropriate balance.  
  • Humans must follow their Dharma in this life based on the Caste in which they live. 
• Jnana
  • Salvation by “the way of knowledge.” 
  • Every soul is ignorant of and in need of Brahman. 
  • Through continued meditation, Hindus can come to realize everything is Brahman. 
• Bhakti
  • Salvation by “the way of devotion.”
  • You can be released from Samsara by expressing love or devotion to a particular god. 

How does Hebrews 9:27-28 speak to Hinduism?

27 And just as it is appointed for people to die once—and after this, judgment— 28 so also Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.