On Hinduism

Hinduism is a family of traditions that emphasizes personal experience and evaluation and thus, offers overarching guidelines rather than absolute lists of do’s and don’ts or commandments in regulating individual behavior. For a Hindu, all actions are to be guided by dharma. Hindu ethical values flow from one’s understanding of the nature of reality and inform the Hindu understanding of right and wrong.

To paraphrase Coco Chanel, “Fashion changes, Style is eternal”, Hindus would agree with “Commandments change, but Dharma is forever”.

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Source: https://www.hinduamerican.org/hinduism-short-answers-real-questions

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Location of this post (11a): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/do-hindus-have-commandments/

Hinduism does not have a single doctrine that all Hindus must believe. Instead, it embraces a diversity of traditions and philosophies. Still, there are several core ideas that many (though not all) Hindus hold:

1. Authority of the Vedas – The Vedas are regarded as sacred and foundational texts.
2. Role of the Guru – A spiritual teacher (guru) is considered important for guiding one’s journey.
3. Reincarnation – The soul (ātman) is reborn in different lives.
4. Law of Karma – Every action has consequences, both moral and physical, that shape future experiences.
5. Nature of Divinity – The Divine can be experienced in two ways:
   • Saguna Brahman: with attributes and forms, making it easier for devotion and worship.
   • Nirguna Brahman: beyond attributes, beyond description, and ultimately ineffable.

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Contributor: Raman Khanna

Location of this post (11b): https://www.hinduspeakers.org/ufaqs/what-are-hinduisms-doctrines/