Hinduism did not spread to other countries because, the religion does not believe in converting people from other religion, like Christianity and Islam.
Hinduism also believes in live and let live with other religions.
Hinduism Beliefs
Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s
sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of religions,”
as opposed to a single, organized religion. Most forms of Hinduism are
henotheistic, which means they worship a single deity, known as
“Brahman,” but still recognize other gods and goddesses. Followers
believe there are multiple paths to reaching their god. Hindus believe
in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous cycle of life, death, and
reincarnation) and karma (the universal law of cause and effect). One
of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in soul.
This philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul, and they’re
all part of the supreme soul. The goal is to achieve “moksha,” or
salvation, which ends the cycle of rebirths to become part of the
absolute soul. One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea
that people’s actions and thoughts directly determine their current
life and future lives. Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a
code of living that emphasizes good conduct and morality. Hindus
revere all living creatures and consider the cow a sacred animal. Food
is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef or pork,
and many are vegetarians. Hinduism is closely related to other Indian
religions, including Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
Origins of Hinduism
Most scholars believe Hinduism started somewhere between 2300 B.C. and
1500 B.C. in the Indus Valley, near modern-day Pakistan. But many
Hindus argue that their faith is timeless and has always existed.
Unlike other religions, Hinduism has no one founder but is instead a
fusion of various beliefs.
Around 1500 B.C., the Indo-Aryan people migrated to the Indus Valley,
and their language and culture blended with that of the indigenous
people living in the region. There’s some debate over who influenced
who more during this time.
The period when the Vedas were composed became known as the “Vedic
Period” and lasted from about 1500 B.C. to 500 B.C. Rituals, such as
sacrifices and chanting, were common in the Vedic Period.
The Epic, Puranic and Classic Periods took place between 500 B.C. and
500 A.D. Hindus began to emphasize the worship of deities, especially
Vishnu, Shiva and Devi.
The concept of dharma was introduced in new texts, and other faiths,
such as Buddhism and Jainism, spread rapidly.
Hindu Caste System
The caste system is a social hierarchy in India that divides Hindus
based on their karma and dharma. Many scholars believe the system
dates back more than 3,000 years.
The four main castes (in order of prominence) include:
Brahmin: the intellectual and spiritual leaders Kshatriyas: the
protectors and public servants of society Vaisyas: the skillful
producers Shudras: the unskilled laborers Many subcategories also
exist within each caste. The “Untouchables” are a class of citizens
that are outside the caste system and considered to be in the lowest
level of the social hierarchy.
For centuries, the caste system determined every aspect of a person’s
social, professional and religious status in India.
When India became an independent nation, its constitution banned
discrimination based on caste.
Today, the caste system still exists in India but is loosely followed.
Many of the old customs are overlooked, but some traditions, such as
only marrying within a specific caste, are still embraced.