religion- hinduism

Ahimsa

The principal of non-violence

Artha

One of the 4 goals in Hinduism -> to obtain wealth and provide for the family

Atman

The true self

Avatar

A deity who has descended into the world in earthly form

Brahman

The Supreme Cosmic force

Caste

A traditional Hindu social level or class

Deities

Images of the God in many forms

Dharma

One's personal code of conduct relating to family and society; one's duty

Guru

Wise teacher

Karma

The law of cause and effect, of one's actions having an impact on one's future

Maya

Illusion

Mandir

A Hindu temple

Mantra

Sacred sounds, words, or phrases, repeated in ritual

Moksha

Freedom or liberation from Samsara, or the cycle of rebirth

Murti

An image of a Hindu deity

What are the 4 goals of life?

Dharma, artha, karma, moksha

Puja

Hindu worship ceremony

Samsara

The law of birth, death, and rebirth or the process of reincarnation

Upanishads

Sacred scriptures; the final dialogues ending the Vedas

Untouchables

In the traditional Hindu social levels, the lowest outer class

Vedas

Early sacred scriptures of Hinduism

Brahma

The creator aspect of Brahman.

Vishnu

The preserver aspect of Brahman.

Shiva

The destroyer aspect of Brahman.

Relationship of Dharma, Karma, and Samsara

Dharma is following your duty, Karma is the spiritual consequences of your actions, and Samsara is the cycle of rebirth.

Difference between Samsara and Moksha

Samsara is the cycle of life, death, and rebirth; Moksha is liberation from this cycle.

Relationship of Maya, Atman, and Brahman

Maya is the illusion that makes us believe Atman is separate from Brahman; the goal is to overcome Maya and realize unity with Brahman.

Ultimate goal of Hinduism

Achieving Moksha by practicing Dharma and building up good Karma.

Monotheistic arguments for Hinduism

Hindus believe in one great, unifying force called Brahman; all other gods are different forms of Brahman.

Polytheistic arguments for Hinduism

The religion recognizes millions of gods and specifically mentions and worships major gods like Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.

Avataras

Vishnu has 9 of these; Hindus await a 10th; a deity that has come in human form on earth.

Founder

There is no single Founder.

Monism

The belief that a single element or principle underlies all reality, without denying the existence of other gods.

Hinduism

One of the oldest religions in the world, dating back to 2500 BCE.

Dharma

One's duty.

Karma

The cycle of re-birth; good actions lead to good outcomes.

Samsara

The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to achieve Moksha, which means to be liberated from Samsara.

Brahman

The ultimate reality or cosmic spirit in Hinduism.

Atman

The piece of Brahman within each living thing.

Maya

Another term for illusion; something that keeps Hindus from seeing Brahman within all living things.

Karma Marga

The path of works; focusing on following your dharma through righteous actions.

Jnana Marga

The path of knowledge; focusing on gaining knowledge through study of scripture and deep reflections.

Bhakti Marga

The path of devotion; focusing on devotion to a specific deity through worship and rituals.

Puja

Daily worship.

Brahmin

The priest, or the elite of society.

Ganges

The most sacred river in India.

Moksha

Like heaven for Christians, Hindus strive to reach this state of liberation.

Trimurti

The Hindu Trinity.

Sanskrit

The language in which most Hinduism scripture is written.

Mandir

The Hindu place of worship.

Murti

A visual representation (picture/statue) of a deity used within a Hindu shrine.

Mantras

Chants that are recited during Hindu worship.

Artha

Gain wealth, prosperity for your family.

Kama

Sensual enjoyment, love, and obtaining enjoyment in life, including sexual pleasure.

4 stages of life

Student, householder, force dweller, wandering ascetic

Student

The stage dedicated to learning, obedience to the guru, and celibacy.

Householder

Pursuing Artha and Kama, raising a family and fulfilling duties to society.

Forest dweller

After the birth of the first grandchild, one gets sent away to reflect and leaves all ties.

Wandering Ascetic

A stage of life dedicated to renunciation and spiritual pursuits.

Shruti

The most revered scripture, considered divinely revealed; example: the Vedas.

Smriti

A vast collection of texts composed and passed down by human tradition; example: Ramayana.

Henotheistic

Belief in one supreme God while also worshiping many other gods.

Ganesha

The remover of obstacles.

Krishna

Goddess of wealth, prosperity, and fortune.

Saraswati

Goddess of knowledge, music, and arts.

Brahma

The creator god.

Vishnu

The preserver god.

Shiva

The destroyer god.

Sacred thread ceremony

A rite for males marking the boy's entry into a stage of life where he can study the Vedas and be considered an adult member of the religious community.

Caste System

A social hierarchy in Hindu society including Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, and Untouchables.

Brahmins

Priests, teachers, and intellectual leaders responsible for studying and teaching about faith.

Kshatriyas

Warriors and rulers responsible for protecting the people and running a fair government.

Vaishyas

Merchants, farmers, and traders responsible for taking care of economic needs.

Sudras

Servants and unskilled workers who serve the three higher castes.

Untouchables

Outcasts who were excluded from the community and did the dirtiest of work.