About Hinduism The fundamental teaching of Hinduism is that a human's basic nature is not confined to the body or the mind. They believe that beyond both the body and the mind is the spirit which is also known as the spark of god; it is believed that the spirit is both in us and in what we see. Parts of the Hindu religion dates back thousands of years making it one of the oldest in the world. One thing that makes Hinduism unique is that there was no single founder, no single scripture and no set of teachings to follow. However, their most sacred text is known as the Vedas and was first passed on through generations by word of mouth and not until much later in time was it documented on paper. Hinduism is the third largest religion with around a billion followers worldwide, but most are from India where Hinduism originated. Hinduism is characterized by a belief in reincarnation and one absolute being of multiple manifestations. The absolute being in Hinduism is known as "Brahman". However, there are many gods and goddesses of Hinduism, but they all represent the many aspects of "Brahman". The most fundamental deities are the Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Within the Trinity, Brahma is known as the creator, Vishnu is known as the preserver and Shiva is known as the destroyer. However, deities are not the only thing that is worshiped in Hinduism because they can also worship trees, animals, spirits and planets.
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