Outline of Hinduism

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Hinduism The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Hinduism:

Hinduism – predominant and indigenous religious tradition of the Indian subcontinent.<ref name = trad>Hinduism is variously defined as a "religion", "set of religious beliefs and practices", "religious tradition" etc. For a discussion on the topic, see: "Establishing the boundaries" in Gavin Flood (2003), pp. 1-17. René Guénon in his Introduction to the Study of the Hindu doctrines (1921 ed.), Sophia Perennis, Template:ISBN, proposes a definition of the term "religion" and a discussion of its relevance (or lack of) to Hindu doctrines (part II, chapter 4, p. 58).</ref> Its followers are called Hindus, who refer to it as Template:IAST<ref>A Historical-developmental study of classical Indian philosophy of morals Template:Webarchive, Rajendra Prasad, Centre for Studies in Civilizations (Delhi, India), Concept Publishing Company, 2009, Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN</ref> (Template:Langx),<ref>Hinduism that is Sanatana Dharma, R. S. Nathan, Chinmaya Mission, 1989, Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN</ref><ref>A conceptual-analytic study of classical Indian philosophy of morals Template:Webarchive, Rajendra Prasad, from preface of the book Template:Webarchive, Centre for Studies in Civilizations (Delhi, India), Project of History of Indian Science, Philosophy, and Culture. Sub Project: Consciousness, Science, Society, Value, and Yoga, Concept Publishing Company, 2008, Template:ISBN, Template:ISBN</ref> amongst many other expressions.<ref name = san>The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. Ed. John Bowker. Oxford University Press, 2000;</ref><ref>The term "Dharma" connotes much more than simply "law". It is not only the doctrine of religious and moral rights, but also the set of religious duties, social order, right conduct and virtuous things and deeds. As such Dharma is the Code of Ethics.[1] Template:Webarchive The modern use of the term can be traced to late 19th century Hindu reform movements (J. Zavos, Defending Hindu Tradition: Sanatana Dharma as a Symbol of Orthodoxy in Colonial India, Religion (Academic Press), Volume 31, Number 2, April 2001, pp. 109-123; see also R. D. Baird, "Swami Bhaktivedanta and the Encounter with Religions", Modern Indian Responses to Religious Pluralism, edited by Harold Coward, State University of New York Press, 1987); less literally also rendered "eternal way" (so Template:Citation). See also René Guénon, Introduction to the Study of the Hindu Doctrines (1921 ed.), Sophia Perennis, Template:ISBN, part III, chapter 5 "The Law of Manu", p. 146. On the meaning of the word "Dharma", see also René Guénon, Studies in Hinduism, Sophia Perennis, Template:ISBN, chapter 5, p. 45</ref> Hinduism has no single founder, and is formed of diverse traditions,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref> including a wide spectrum of laws and prescriptions of "daily morality" based on the notion of karma, dharma, and societal norms. Among its direct roots is the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India and, as such, Hinduism is often called the "oldest living religion"<ref>D. S. Sarma, Kenneth W. Morgan, The Religion of the Hindus, 1953</ref> or the "oldest living major religion" in the world.<ref name = webster>Template:Citation</ref><ref>in the world.Template:Citation</ref><ref>Template:Citation</ref><ref name="Klostermaier 1994 p=1">Template:Harvnb</ref>