| The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. 2002. |
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| Hinduism |
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| A religion of India that emphasizes freedom from the material world through purification of desires and elimination of personal identity. Hindu beliefs include reincarnation. (See Brahmins, pariah, Vishnu, and yoga.) | 1 |
| ‡ Traditionally, Hinduism was linked to the caste system—a division of Indian society into several rigid groups, with members of a higher caste holding power over those of a lower. | 2 |
| ‡ The sacred writings of Hinduism include the Vedas (which contain the Upanishads) and the Bhagavad Gita. | 3 |
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| | | The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Edited by E.D. Hirsch, Jr., Joseph F. Kett, and James Trefil. Copyright © 2002 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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