Editing Meaning of life (section)

====Hindu philosophies====
{{Further|Hinduism|Hindu philosophy|Dharma}}
[[File:Golden Aum.png|thumb|upright|left|A golden [[Om|Aum]] written in [[Devanagari]]. The Aum is sacred in [[Hinduism|Hindu]], [[Jainism|Jain]] and [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] religions.]]

[[Hinduism]] is a religious category including many beliefs and traditions. Since Hinduism was the way of expressing meaningful living for a long time before there was a need for naming it as a separate religion, Hindu doctrines are supplementary and complementary in nature, generally non-exclusive, suggestive, and tolerant in content.<ref name="weightman">{{Cite book |author=Simon Weightman |date=1998 |title=The new Penguin handbook of living religions |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780140514070 |url-access=registration |editor=Hinnells, John |publisher=[[Penguin books]] |chapter=Hinduism |isbn=978-0-14-051480-3}}</ref> Most believe that the [[Ātman (Hinduism)|ātman]] (spirit, soul)—the person's true ''self''—is eternal.<ref name="monierwilliams">{{Cite book |author=Monier Monier-Williams |author-link=Monier Monier-Williams |date=1974 |title=Brahmanism and Hinduism: Or, Religious Thought and Life in India, as Based on the Veda and Other Sacred Books of the Hindus |publisher=Adamant Media Corporation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=U5IBXA4UpT0C |access-date= 8 July 2007 |series=Elibron Classics |isbn=978-1-4212-6531-5}}</ref> In part, this stems from Hindu beliefs that spiritual development occurs across many lifetimes, and goals should match the state of development of the individual. There are four possible aims to human life, known as the ''[[purusharthas]]'' (ordered from least to greatest): (i) ''[[Kāma]]'' (wish, desire, love and sensual pleasure), (ii) ''[[Artha]]'' (wealth, prosperity, glory), (iii) ''[[Dharma]]'' (righteousness, duty, morality, [[virtue]], [[ethics]]), encompassing notions such as ''[[ahimsa]]'' (non-violence) and [[satya]] (truth) and (iv) ''[[Moksha]]'' (liberation, i.e. liberation from [[Saṃsāra]], the cycle of [[reincarnation]]).<ref>For dharma, artha, and kama as "brahmanic householder values" see: Flood (1996), p. 17.</ref><ref>For the ''Dharma Śāstras'' as discussing the "four main goals of life" (dharma, artha, kama, and moksha) see: Hopkins, p. 78.</ref><ref>For definition of the term पुरुष-अर्थ ({{IAST|puruṣa-artha}}) as "any of the four principal objects of human life, i.e. {{lang|sa|धर्म}}, {{lang|sa|अर्थ}}, {{lang|sa|काम}}, and {{lang|sa|मोक्ष}}" see: Apte, p. 626, Middle column, Compound #1.</ref>

In all schools of Hinduism, the meaning of life is tied up in the concepts of [[karma]] (causal action), [[sansara]] (the cycle of birth and rebirth), and [[moksha]] (liberation). Existence is conceived as the progression of the ātman (similar to the western concept of a [[Soul (spirit)|soul]]) across numerous lifetimes, and its ultimate progression towards liberation from karma. Particular goals for life are generally subsumed under broader [[yoga]]s (practices) or [[dharma]] (correct living) which are intended to create more favorable reincarnations, though they are generally positive acts in this life as well. Traditional schools of Hinduism often worship [[Deva (Hinduism)|Devas]] which are manifestations of [[Ishvara]] (a personal or chosen God); these Devas are taken as ideal forms to be identified with, as a form of spiritual improvement.

In short, the goal is to realize the fundamental truth about oneself. This thought is conveyed in the [[Mahāvākyas]] ("[[Tat Tvam Asi]]" (thou art that), "Aham Brahmāsmi", "Prajñānam Brahma" and "Ayam Ātmā Brahma" (This Ātman is Brahman)).

=====Advaita and Dvaita Hinduism=====
{{Further|Advaita Vedanta|Dvaita Vedanta}}
Later schools reinterpreted the [[vedas]] to focus on [[Brahman]], "The One Without a Second",<ref name="bhaskaranandaessential">{{Cite book |last=Bhaskarananda |first=Swami |url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781884852022 |title=The Essentials of Hinduism: A Comprehensive Overview of the World's Oldest Religion |date=1994 |publisher=Viveka Press |isbn=978-1-884852-02-2 |place=Seattle, WA}}</ref> as a central God-like figure.

In [[monist]] Advaita Vedanta, ātman is ultimately indistinguishable from Brahman, and the goal of life is to know or realize that one's [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Ātman]] (soul) is identical to [[Brahman]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Vivekananda |first=Swami |author-link=Swami Vivekananda |date=1987 |title=Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda |place=Calcutta |publisher=Advaita Ashrama |isbn=978-81-85301-75-4}}</ref> To the [[Upanishads]], whoever becomes fully aware of the Ātman, as one's core of self, realizes identity with Brahman, and, thereby, achieves [[Moksha]] (liberation, freedom).<ref name="monierwilliams"/><ref name="werner">{{Cite book |last=Werner |first=Karel |date=1994 |title=A Popular Dictionary of Hinduism |place=Richmond, Surrey |editor=Hinnells, John |publisher=Curzon Press |chapter=Hinduism |isbn=978-0-7007-0279-4 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/populardictionar0000wern }}</ref><ref>See also the Vedic statement "Ayam Ātmā Brahma" (This [[Ātman (Hinduism)|Ātman]] is [[Brahman]]).</ref>

Dvaita Vedanta and other [[bhakti]] schools have a [[Theistic dualism|dualist]] interpretation. [[Brahman]] is seen as a supreme being with a personality and manifest qualities. The Ātman depends upon Brahman for its existence; the meaning of life is achieving Moksha through the love of God and upon His grace.<ref name="werner"/>

=====Vaishnavism=====
[[Vaishnavism]] is a branch of Hinduism in which the principal belief is the identification of [[Vishnu]] or [[Narayana]] as the one supreme God. This belief contrasts with the [[Krishnaism|Krishna-centered]] traditions, such as [[Vallabha]], [[Nimbaraka]] and [[Gaudiya]], in which [[Krishna]] is considered to be the One and only Supreme God and the [[Svayam Bhagavan|source of all avataras]].<ref>{{cite book |author=Gupta |first=Ravi M. |title=The Chaitanya Vaishnava Vedanta of Jiva Gosvami When Knowledge Meets Devotion |date=2007 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-0-415-40548-5 |editor1=Gavin Flood |editor2=University of Stirling}}</ref>

Vaishnava theology includes the central beliefs of Hinduism such as [[monotheism]], [[reincarnation]], [[samsara]], [[karma]], and the various [[Yoga]] systems, but with a particular emphasis on devotion ([[bhakti]]) to Vishnu through the process of [[Bhakti yoga]], often including singing Vishnu's name's ([[bhajan]]), meditating upon his form ([[dharana]]) and performing [[deity]] worship ([[puja (Hinduism)|puja]]). The practices of deity worship are primarily based on texts such as [[Pañcaratra]] and various [[Samhita]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tantric Literature And Gaudiya Vaishnavism |url=http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9901/ET05-2795.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525061446/http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET9901/ET05-2795.html |archive-date=25 May 2011 }}</ref>

One popular school of thought, [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]], teaches the concept of [[Achintya Bheda Abheda]]. In this, Krishna is worshipped as the single true God, and all living entities are eternal parts and the Supreme Personality of the Godhead Krishna. Thus the constitutional position of a living entity is to serve the Lord with love and devotion. The purpose of human life especially is to think beyond the animalistic way of eating, sleeping, mating, and defending and engage the higher intelligence to revive the lost relationship with Krishna.