Vedic and Hinduism (ritual, reject, Earth, tradition, evolution)

[gnostic]

Isn't Vedism a different religion, and existed before the arrival of Hinduism?

I just getting the feeling that Vedism was different from Hinduism, and perhaps Vedism later evolved into Hinduism. It seemed that Hinduism does hold Veda or the Vedic texts as sacred.

If so, then when did Vedism become Hinduism?

[Hema]

Vedas are actually the pillars of Hinduism. They comprise of revealed knowledge which was passed directly from God to the first Sages on earth. I have even heard that the Vedas renew themselves at the beginning of each cycle of creation. In Trinidad where I live, there is a group that uses the Vedas as their main teachings. Other Hindus generally use information from other texts such as the Bhagvad Gita and the Ramayan, but also inculcate teachings from Vedas and Upanishads.

[Hema]

I would just like to add these excerpts from:
http://www.indhistory.com/hinduism.html

"It is not easy to define Hinduism, for it is more than a religion in the Western sense, as our Ancient History Guide sees it. Also known to practitioners as Sanatana Dharma, which means everlasting or eternal religion/truth/rule, Hinduism can best be defined as a way of life based on the teachings of ancient sages and scriptures like the Vedas and the Upanishads. The word dharma connotes "that which supports the universe" and effectively means any path of spiritual discipline which leads to God.
Hindu Dharma, as one scholar analogizes, can be compared to a fruit tree, with its roots representing the Vedas and the Upanishads, the thick trunk symbolizing the spiritual experiences of numerous sages and saints, its branches representing various theological traditions, and the fruit itself, in different shapes and sizes, symbolizing various sects and subsects. However, the concept of Hinduism defies a definite definition because of its uniqueness."


"According to historians, the origin of Hinduism dates back to 5000 or more years. The word "Hindu" is derived from the name of river Indus, which flows through northern India. In ancient times the river was called the 'Sindhu', but the Persians who migrated to India called the river 'Hindu', the land 'Hindustan' and its inhabitants 'Hindus'. Thus the religion followed by the Hindus came to be known as 'Hinduism'. It is generally believed that the basic tenets of Hinduism was brought to India by the Aryans who settled along the banks of the Indus river about 2000 BC. According to one scholar, the evolution of Hinduism may be divided into three periods: the ancient (6500 BCE-1000 AD), the medieval (1000-1800 AD), and the modern (1800 AD to present). Hinduism is commonly thought to be the oldest religion in the history of human civilization."

[Hema]

Although I cannot quote which part of the Vedas these are from, I know that there is indication in the Vedas about scientific information that was recorded ages before modern scientists proved it. For example, there is reference to the distance between the earth and the sun; there is information about how the sun regulates its temperature etc.

French astronomer Jean-Claude Bailly commented on the accuracy of the Vedic astronomical measurements as "more ancient than those of the Greeks or Egyptians." And that, "the movements of the stars calculated 4,500 years ago, does not differ by a minute from the tables of today."

The Vedas also mention many mathematical concepts ages before modern mathematicians discovered them. For eg. Pythagorus' theorem, the concept of zero, the decimal system, the binary system, the concept of infinity etc.

There is also a section in the Vedas called Ayurveda which comprises the science of health and healing.

[gnostic]

I can't tell if you are saying that Vedaism are Hinduism or that they are two different religion.

I know that Hinduism uses the Veda and so on, but did Hinduism just adapt Veda into their own religion? Were their differences, aside from different texts composed in different period? How are they different?

[Hema]

Originally Posted by gnostic

I can't tell if you are saying that Vedaism are Hinduism or that they are two different religion.

I know that Hinduism uses the Veda and so on, but did Hinduism just adapt Veda into their own religion? Were their differences, aside from different texts composed in different period? How are they different?

Sorry for confusing you. They can be both. There is a sect of people who use the Vedas as their main teachings. In Trinidad, these are people from the Vedic Mission and the Arya Prathinidhi Sabha. On the other hand, there are the average Hindus who use teachings not only from Vedas, but also from other texts such as the Bhagvad Gita, Ramayan etc. However, in Hinduism, the Vedas are the highest teachings. They are part of Hinduism. Hinduism can also be called Vaidika Dharma, "religion of the Vedas". The way of life for Hindus is called Sanatan Dharma. This way of life has existed since the Vedas came about. It is only after a period of time that these practitioners of Sanathan Dharma were given the name "Hindu" because of the Sindhu river as I mentioned in my previous post. Vedas differ from other texts because they are called Sruti texts and other texts are called Smriti texts.

This is a description of their differences from:
http://www.experiencefestival.com/a/...mriti/id/22609

By Sri Swami Sivananda

The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism. Sruti literally means what is heard, and Smriti means what is remembered. Sruti is revelation and Smriti is tradition. Upanishad is a Sruti. Bhagavad-Gita is a Smriti.

Sruti is direct experience. Great Rishis heard the eternal truths of religion and left a record of them for the benefit of posterity. These records constitute the Vedas. Hence, Sruti is primary authority. Smriti is a recollection of that experience. Hence, it is secondary authority. The Smritis or Dharma Sastras also are books written by sages, but they are not the final authority. If there is anything in a Smriti which contradicts the Sruti, the Smriti is to be rejected.

[Paraprakrti]

"Hinduism" is just a more modern name referring to that Vedic religion. Although, the terms "Hindu" and "Hinduism" are not found in the Vedic texts. I don't personally identify myself as a Hindu because the term has sectarian connotations and there are many "Hindus" who don't really follow the Vedic texts they proclaim they do.

[gnostic]

Thank you, Hema and Paraprakrti.

That was a lot more interesting, Hema.

Which gods were revered more in the Vedic period? And that of the period of Upanishad and Bhagavad-Gita?

Are the customs different to that of the later period?