Hinduism (/ˈhɪnduɪzəm/)[1] is an Indian religion or dharma, a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide.[note 1][note 2] As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global population, known as Hindus.[2][web 1][web 2] The word Hindu is an exonym,[3][4][note 3] and while Hinduism has been called the oldest reli..