a) Hinduism has been derived from the word Hindu. Hinduism was a name given in English language in the Nineteenth Century by the English people to the multiplicity of the beliefs and faith of the people of the Indus land. According to New Encyclopedia Britannica 20:581. The British writers in 1830 gave the word Hinduism to be used as the common name for all the beliefs of the people of India excluding the Muslims and converted Christians.
b) The term Hinduism is misleading because though it suggests the unified system of beliefs and ideas, it is certainly not the case. Hinduism is too broad a phenomenon to be confined to a usual definitions of religions. It does not owe its origin, formation or finalization to any historical person or a prophet since there is no uniformly accepted belief sacraments, rituals and practices in Hinduism, there are no criteria for establishing rules in Hinduism. In short a person who calls himself a Hindu becomes a true practicing Hindu irrespective who he worships and what ever may be his beliefs and practice.
c) According to the Hindu scholars Hinduism is a misnomer and it should be referred a Sanatana Dharma, meaning eternal religion or Vedic Dharma meaning religion of the Veda. According to Swami Vivekananda the followers of this religion is referred as Vedantist.
RE:Who is Hindu
by srinivas on Sep 25, 2007 07:02 PM Permalink
Very funny... you gave references written by the british/english few in 18th century about a religion or dharma which has been being practised for thousands of years
