A religion formed in the first century A.D. in India. Hinduism is not like the religions familiar to Westerners – Christianity, Judaism, or Islam – primarily because, unlike them, it does not represent an integral doctrine. It was not created by any founder or prophet, but developed through a long historical synthesis of religious beliefs. Hinduism has no single authoritative scripture, system of doctrines, or confessional organization and priesthood, and therefore no single authority in religious matters. All this has also given rise to a certain psychological makeup of Hindus. Various qualities were intricately intertwined: adherence to certain beliefs with unprincipled behavior; striving to achieve a certain social position with envy (or hatred) of those who had it higher, etc.
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