Hinduism

1. Hindu Beliefs
	- Dharma
                    i.Dharma stands for the ultimate moral balance of all things. Dharma belongs to the universe and to the individual as well. So, just as there is 
                    a divine order of the natural and cosmic realms, there is the same order within a personal life. However, each one has the responsibility to 
                    balance his or her dharma. 
	    ii. A Hindu's dharma is played out in all areas of life: religious, social and familial. If a person makes a promise, the promise must be kept at all 
                    costs. Likewise, the faithful maintain their religious rituals while attending to their family's needs.
	- Karma
	    i. Karma stands for the belief that a person experiences the affects of his or her actions-that every act or thought has consequences. Living in a 
                    balanced universe, if an individual disturbs this order, he or she will suffer commensurately. But an ethical and moral life, with undisturbed 
                    dharma, will lead to happiness.
	- Samsara/Reincarnation
	    i. Samsara represents the cycle of life, death and rebirth in which a person carries his or her own karma. Each life cycle presents an opportunity 
                    for balance.
	    ii. An individual may experience effects from past lives, although the circumstances may be totally different. Hindus believe that a person's 
                    worldly status depends upon actions in a past life. Likewise, good thoughts and actions can liberate a person. Some Hindus believe that certain 
                    people meet in more than one life in order to achieve karmic balance. Thus, every relationship and situation becomes meaningful.
	- Moksha
	    i. Like heaven for the Christian, Hindus strive to reach Moksha, or a state of changeless bliss. Moksha is achieved by living a life of religious devotion 
                    and moral integrity without any interest in worldly things. However, it make be many lifetimes within the wheel of life before Moksha is achieved. 
                    The ultimate reward is release from samsara and union with God.
2. Rites of Passage
	- Birth
	    i. Even before the baby is born, Hindus perform rituals and recite prayers to protect the fetus from illness or harmful spirits. The mother eats only 
                    healthy foods to ensure the newborn's well being.
	    ii. In some Families, the father performs a ceremony immediately after the birth. He dips a gold pen into a jar of honey and writes the sacred 
                    Sanskrit symbol, Om, onto the infant's tongue. The symbol, which stands for truth, is written in hope that the child will be honest and speak only 
                    the truth, which is sweet as honey.
	    iii. After a little more than a week, the baby's name is formally given. Usually the name of a favorite god or goddess is chosen and whispered into 
                    the child's ear.
	    iv. Within the first few years of her life, a Hindu girl has an ear-piercing ceremony. Both goys and girls have their hair cut, symbolic of renewal and 
                    the shedding of wrongdoing in past lives.
	- Ceremony of the Sacred Thread
i.	The Ceremony of the Sacred Threat is an ancient rite of passage into adolescence reserved for male members of the three upper castes, the Brahmins, Shatriyas, and Vaishyas.
ii.	Traditionally, this rite of passage served to introduce the devotee into religious life. In the presence of a guru, or holy teacher, the young man shaves his head and dons a saffron rove. Taking up a simply walking stick, he renounces all material possessions and then receives the sacred thread. The unadorned Threat is symbolic of the interconnectedness of all things. It consists of seven strands, each of which represents a different virtue or quality: Power of speech, Memory, Intelligence, Forgiveness, Steadfastness, Prosperity, Good Reputation. The boy promises to embody these qualities, and for the rest of his life he wears the sacred thread as a symbol of his coming-of-age.
-	Marriage
i.	Most Hindu marriages are arranged by the parents, although the children must also be happy with their chosen partner. Hindus almost always marry within the same caste, although in modern times there are increasing exceptions.
ii.	A wedding is one of the most colorful and important ceremonies in all of Hinduism. Although customs vary greatly in different regions, marriages are always joyous, momentous occasions, rich with decorations and food. In fact, some Hindu weddings last as long as three days.
iii.	The ceremony centers on a sacred fire, a manifestation of the god, Agni. Family and friends surround the couple as a priest chants Sanskrit verses. Next, he leads the bride and groom around flames, which burn in a brick fire pit. Bells are sounded, and many offerings are made to the fire, including clarified butter, grains, and flowers. Each time the couple completes their circuit; the bride stands on one of the bricks. This act affirms her strength and loyalty.
iv.	Finally, the bride and groom take seven steps around the flames. These steps are the most significant action in a Hindu wedding. Now the couple is bonded for life, their union sanctified.
-	Death
i.	Sine ancient times, cremation, or the burning of corpses, has been a Hindu custom. Like the marriage ceremony, the rite of passage into death centers on the sacred fire.
ii.	The funeral beings when the body is wrapped in cloth and carried away on a stretcher. As family and friends leave their village for the cremation grounds, they recite prayers to the chosen deity of the deceased. Traditionally, the eldest son lights the wood of the funeral pyre with a flame lit in a nearby temple. Prayers and offerings are made in the belief that the deceased is going through a process of rebirth, cleansed by the fire into new life. The ritual also protects the relatives from evil spirits.
iii.	The ceremony concludes when the ashes are thrown into a river. Many Hindus want their remains to be left in the River Ganges, believing that its waters will help purify their souls.
3.	Caste System - The Caste System is a system of social classes, and is linked to dharma. Hindus believe your karma decides which Caste you will be born into. Currently, the constitution of India prohibits the practice of caste division.
-	Brahmins: Priests.
-	Kshatriyas: Warriors and rulers.
-	Vaisyas: Skilled traders, merchants and minor officials.
-	Sudras: Unskilled workers.
-	Pariahs/Untouchables: Outcastes, 'Untouchables', and 'Children of God'.
4.	Hindu Gods - The Rig-Veda (a Hindu religious text) tells of thirty-three gods, all of who are born of one creator, Brahman. The different gods have different personalities, and represent virtues or powers; Hindus pray to whichever god corresponds with the need they have.
-	Brahma
-	Vishnu
-	Lakshmi
-	Rama
-	Sita
-	Krishna
-	Shiva
-	Parvati
-	Indra
-	Agni
-	Durga
-	Ganesha
-	Hanuman
5.	Scriptures - There are 2 great Sanskrit epics important to Hinduism.
-	The Mahabharata - includes the poem, Bhagavad-Gita (700 verses, 18 chapters), which is a dialogue between the god Krishna and the human warrior, Prince Arjuna.
-	The Ramayana (7 books) is a story of honor and loyalty, two very important virtues to Hindus. Important characters include: Prince Rama, Sita (his wife), Hanuman (the monkey god), Agni (the fire god) and Ravana (the king of demons).
-	Besides the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the Vedas, brought to the Indus Valley by the Aryans, contain the bedrock of the Hindu thought system. 
-	The Upanishads - authored by ascetics (a revolutionary group of people who turned away from the dependency on priests), written to inspire and welcome anyone; dialogues of a guru.
6.	Places of Worship
-	Temples - Hindu temples are called Mandirs. 
-	Shrines - Most Hindus, aside from going to a Mandir, keep a family shrine in their home dedicated to a particular god. They take up as little space as a corner in a room, or as much as an entire room depending on the resources available.
-	Puja - daily worship. Temple pujas are performed at dawn, noon, dusk, and midnight.
-	Daily Duties - besides daily worship, most hindus attend to four other religious duties:
i.	Worshiping God: Hindus must debate part of their day to worship. This ensures spiritual contact.
ii.	Reciting scripture: By reciting from a sacred test, the faithful learn the lessons of worldly and religious life.
iii.	Honoring to parents and elders: Hindus are very loyal family members. Parents and elders are honored for their wisdom and self-sacrifice.
iv.	Helping the poor: Even the less fortunate try to obey this commandment. Guests, in particular, are given special attention in a Hindu home.
v.	Feeding animals: Because Hindus consider all life a sacred part of one God, animals are respected and cared for.
7.	Yoga - derived from the Sanskrit "yuga" which means 'yoke' or 'join'. Not the same as the exercise system popular in the western world.
-	Eight steps - there are 8 stages of the yoga system. One must follow these steps to read the ultimate goal of knowing God (Brahma).
i.	Yama - self restraint.
ii.	Niyama - religious observance, internal control, calmness.
iii.	Asama - practicing postures.
iv.	Pranayama - regulation of breath.
v.	Pratyahara - restraint of senses; shutting out the outside world.
vi.	Dharama - steadying of mind; extreme concentration.
vii.	Dhyana - achieving meditation.
viii.	Samadhi - profound contemplation, trance. Samadhi liberates the self from the illusions of sense and contradictions of reason.
8.	Holy Days - Hindus follow a lunar calendar.
-	Holi - spring festival, celebrating the equinox.
-	Divali - "a row of lights," celebrates the Hindu New Year.
-	Maker Sankranti Lohri - winter solstice festival.
-	Ram Navami - Rama's birthday celebration.
-	Ratha Yatra - celebration of Krishna
9.	Symbols
-	The Swastika, symbol of auspiciousness, good fortune, and protection. The Nazi Swastika is drawn in the reverse of the Hindu one, and the Hindu symbol far predates Nazi Germany.
-	The Lotus, symbolizes the birth of the universe. Many deities are depicted sitting atop the sacred lotus flower.
-	The Cow, cows are sacred to Hindus, offspring of the celestial cow, which was created by Lord Krishna.
-	Om or Aum, the principal symbol of Hinduism. Appears also in Buddhism and Sikhism.
-	Sri Yantra, geometrical pattern used as a visual focal point for meditation.