HINDUISM

A hindu saint

Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the world,and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanatana Dharma"the eternal law" or the "eternal way"beyond human origins. Scholars regard Hinduism as a fusion or synthesis of various Indian cultures and traditions, with diverse rootsand no founder.This "Hindu synthesis" started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE,after the Vedic times. Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from injuring living beings ahimsa, patience, forbearance, self-restraint, compassion, among others.

Hinduism includes a diversity of ideas on spirituality and traditions, but has no ecclesiastical order, no unquestionable religious authorities, no governing body, no prophet(s) nor any binding holy book; Hindus can choose to be polytheistic, pantheistic, monotheistic, monistic, agnostic, atheistic or humanist