Classical Hinduism

Term Paper # 100367

Religion and Theology > Eastern
Sociology

Classical Hinduism

An analysis of classical Hinduism and its place in modern culture.

1,836 words () | 7 sources | MLA | 2007 United States

Paper Summary:

This paper looks at how classical Hinduism is a very inward-looking religion, trying to keep its footing in an outward-looking world. It contends that eventually it is inevitable that Hinduism may well undergo a transformation, just as the modern world is transforming Indian culture.

Outline:
What is Classical Hinduism?
Hinduism and Historical Place
Hinduism and Modern Times
How is the Practice of Hinduism Affected?
The "Invention" of Hinduism
Continuing Practices
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Hindus believe that an external spiritual truth exists, called Brahman. Human life has a two-fold purpose: to understand Brahman and to come to an understanding about the role of the human soul, the atma (Prime 6). Given that the human understanding is imperfect, understanding the soul is a difficult, if not an impossible, task for a single lifetime. For this reason, the soul begins on a cycle of rebirth, samsara, in an effort to come closer to the perfect understanding of Brahman and achieve oneness with the eternal spiritual reality. The fuel that drives this journey is called karma, which either elevates us closer to that reality or pulls us farther from it, based on the actions of our current life (Prime 6-7)."

Sample of Sources Used:

Flood, Gavin. An Introduction to Hinduism (Introduction to Religion). New York: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
Knott, Kim. Hinduism: A Very Short Introduction. New York: Oxfort University Press, 2000.
Pennington, Brian. Was Hinduism Invented?: Britons, Indians, and the Colonial Contruction of Religion.
Prime, Ranchor. Hinduism. North Vancouver, British Columbia: Whitecap Books, 2004.
Sharma, Arvind. Hinduism and Its Sense of History. New York: Oxford University Press, 2003.