The Twelve Beliefs of Hinduism

1. Hindus believe in One Supreme God whose nature is All-Pervasive, while also Transcending the universe. His functions are Creation, Preservation, Dissolution, Showering Grace and Obscuring Grace.
2. Hindus believe in the existence of unseen spiritual worlds, abodes where God and His mighty band of Spiritual helpers–Mahadevas and devas–live. It is through worship and spiritual disciplines that we communicate with God and the Mahadevas.
3. Hindus revere the ancient Vedas–Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva–as our Holy Scriptures revealed by God.
4. Hindus believe in the existence and immortality of the atma or the soul, which is the spiritual body of light and divinity within them, created by God. The atma grows and evolves spiritually through the physical body during its incarnations on earth.
5. Hindus believe in the law of karma. The spiritual law of cause and effect. Karma dictates that whatever action one performs whether through thoughts, words or deeds, he or she will reap the same reaction. Such as goodness begets goodness while hurt begets hurt. Through karma our individual future is formed and our soul evolves through the lessons it learns from karmic effects.
6. Hindus believe in reincarnation, that the soul undergoes countless cycles of birth, death and rebirth on earth. The ultimate achievement of life on earth is the attainment of moksha–freedom from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth on Earth.
7. Hindus believe in the need for the personal experience of God. This is accomplished through temple worship, virtous conduct, by performing penance, self-inquiry and meditation. The personal experience of God is required for resolution of all karmas and to achieve moksha.
8. Hindus believe in dharma, or the inherent spiritual laws created by God to govern the spiritual and physical universe. Through dharma proper guidelines are drawn towards the achievements of the purusharthas, or the 4 goals of life, namely virtuous conduct, wealth, pleasure and liberation.
9. Hindus believe in the need for a guru to guide the devotee into an ever deepening experience of God.
10. Hindus believe in ahimsa, or non-violence in thought, word and deed as a cardinal virtue of life, and believe in the ultimate sacredness of the entire universe.
11. Hindus believe that the universe is governed by immense cycles of time called the yugas and repeating cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.
12. Hindus believe in the acceptance and existence of other genuine religions and spiritual persuasions. The existence of diverse religions are all part of God’s Grace and compassion for humanity. No particular religion has an exclusive claim to salvation.

  

Courtesy of http://www.myhindupage.org/index.php/hindu-beliefs