Further research into religions. (Be sure to cite your sources) Essay

Further research into religions. (Be sure to cite your sources) - Essay Example Some practitioners normally refer to it as the eternal way or eternal law, or the Sanatana Dharma. The religion campaigns for duties such as mercy, purity, honesty and self- restraint among others (Foulston, Lynn, and Stuart 155). Scholars in the west normally regard Hinduism as a synthesis of Indian traditions and cultures with no single founder and diverse roots (Saraswati 68). The Hindu synthesis surfaced around the beginning of the Common Era. It later co- existed for many centuries with Buddhism to later achieve the upper hand in a majority of the royal circles in the 8th century. Hinduism came into broad use in the nineteenth century under the rule of western colonialism. It had asserted itself as an independent and coherent tradition. The common understanding of Hinduism is dominated by Hindu modernism (Saraswati 51). The understanding emphasizes on mysticism and the harmony of Hinduism. Hindu practices are inclusive of rituals such as annual festivals, recitations and pilgrimages (Bhalla 11). Hindus, more than any other religion accept instances of the nature of their traditions. The diversity is made possible by the widely shared Hindu view that reality and truth cannot e encapsulated in any perspective expressed in Hindu prayer. Hinduism therefore maintains that truth explored in several sources. Anyone’s perspective of truth is conditioned by gender, time, age and other factors. The several views promote a diverse perspective of religious truth, instead of minimising it. Hindus, therefore, have a strong tendency to affirm that tolerance is the most significant virtue in religion. Other Hindus, on the other hand, affirm that their religion has grown into a specific context of the Indian subcontinent (Foulston, Lynn, and Stuart 77). When Hindus speak of their identity as Sanatana dharma, they create emphasis on their continuous existence, and that it covers several traditions, obligations and beliefs. Hinduism is based on five pillars that