Hinduism - Key Terms - Beliefs - GCSE

Nirguna Brahman

God without form (spiritual presence only), a divine consciousness which is impossible/very difficult to understand until we reach enlightenment. Transcendent and imminent. Represented using Om symbol.

Saguna Brahman

God with form, the supreme being (Bhagavan) represented in deities to show different aspects of personality and responsibility.

Antaryami

The God within, God is immanent and within all of us. To reach moksha we must realise God is within our hearts

Tri-murti

The three main deities and aspects of God

Brahma

Creator God, has four heads (responsible for whole world’s creation) depicted with sacrificial ladle (worship), Vedas (responsible for origin), mala beads (meditation), water of life (creation. Less worshipped as role is complete and punishment by shiva for obsession with Shatarupa. Consort is Saraswati

Saraswati

Consort of Brahma, goddess of music, knowledge and the arts.

Vishnu

Sustainer and preserver of the universe, blue skin shows endless and infinite nature - like the sky, mace shows strength to remove evil from world, discus shows role as maintainer of order in the universe, conch shell shows spiritual and pure life. Worshipers are called Vaishnavas who follow him because he represents the Antaryami (God within) and most connected to people’s daily lives. Consort is Lakshmi. Manifests and worshipped through avatars (eg. Rama, Krishna) who became incarnate on earth.

Lakshmi

Goddess of wealth, prosperity, love and good fortune. Consort of Vishnu (have perfect union)

Shiva

God of destruction, creation after destruction and dance. Blue skin shows saving the world from destruction, animal hides show simple life and mastery over lust, third eye shows spiritual knowledge and power to annihilate evil, Ash shows ascetic (simple) life. Followers called Shaivites and follow him as believe there is one reality and we are at one with the atman. Consort called Shakti, who manifests in the forms of Parvati, Durga and Kali

Shakti

Consort of Shiva. Manifests in Parvati (perfect mother), Kali (death and destruction) and Durga (fierce warrior)

Bhagavan

Brahman as a personal deity

Nirguna Brahman

God is everywhere and non-personal

Avatars

Vishnu incarnate on earth to remind people to follow moral and religious laws and enforce them. Each of Vishnu’s avatars carry out their dharma which varies depending on their class and stage in life as it does for Hindus. Vishnu has ten avatars, Kalki - the tenth - will arrive and bring heralding the end of the universe. “I send myself to birth”

Lord Rama

The seventh avatar of Vishnu. Restored order to the world by killing the demon king Ravanna and saving his wife Sita from being kidnapped by him after being exiled for fourteen years with his wife and brother. Helped by the monkey God Hanuman. Completed his Dharma as an avatar of Vishnu by restoring peace and happiness to the earth.

Prakriti

Matter - the evolving and changing material of the physical world. Will be revealed to be an illusion (maya) once we reach Moksha and the ultimate reality of the spiritual world is reached and we abandon the physical world - escaping the cycle of samsara

Purusa

Spirit - the cosmic self which is our true self and the atman. Will remain with us when we attain Moksha and are faced with the ultimate reality

Maya

The illusion of the physical world

Time is cyclical

Hindu belief in a cycle of four ages (yurgas) spanning from gold (longest and least corrupt), silver, bronze and iron (shortest and most corrupt)

No single creation story

Uncertainty of creation as “perhaps he knows not” where creation came from. We cannot grasp Brahman or the material world as we have not reached moksha and had the physical world revealed to be maya.

Triguna

The three gunas/qualities which are present in all things. Hindus aspire to have a balance of these qualities as it brings them closer to God and enlightenment and the effects of the triguna lessen on them greatly. The gunas effect all of our reactions, decisions and life. Rajas (passion), Satva (goodness) and Tamas (destruction).

Atman

The soul, made of Brahman’s spirit it is eternal and remains when attaining Moksha as it is reunited with Brahman.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of samsara and reunion with Brahman. Attained by having good karma and living by the four Hindu aims for human life. Shaivites view this reunion with Brahman as the atman becoming one with God. Vaishnavas view this reunion as the atman and Brahman remaining separate entities but meeting once more.

Karma

Good or bad action which effects us as consequences based on our own actions, thoughts and words. Good Karma can lead to attaining Moksha. Papa is bad actions leading to bad karma. Punya is good actions leading to good karma.

The personal virtues

Morally good behaviours named in scriptures which can bring good Karma and help attain Moksha is Hindus live by them. They are all rooted in recognising Brahman in all things and should be chosen suing free will to be followed in an unselfish way. Ahimsa, respect, empathy, sense/mind control, humility and love.

Four aims of human life

Dharma (Duty), Artha (lawful wealthy), Kama (delight in the senses) and Moksha (salvation)

Varnashrama-dharma

Hindu belief that your duties (dharma) is determined by two key aspects: your caste (class) and your stage in life (ashrama). These aspects make up your personal duty and can change as hindus reach different stages in life.

Sanatana-dharma

The eternal law and relgion of all Hindus. The duty which is universal to all hindus to live by, following the key principals of: ahimsa, satya (truth), asteya (not stealing), sauca (purity) and sense/mind control.

Castes

The hindu social classes whihc assign a duty to each hindu. Some classes are “better” than others so some hindus believe the system is outdated for the modern world.

Brahmins

Highest, priest caste. Can attain Moksha by completing dharma and devoting self to God. Traditionally have strict rules like not marrying outside of their caste or walking in a lower castes’ shadow.

Kshatriya

Warrior and ruler caste. Duty to defend people if ever called upon to do so. If duty is fullfilled they can come back as a higher caste

Dalits

Untouchables, Outcaste or “no caste”. Tradiitons states they did wrong in a past life and are “unclean” so not allowed in temples and do polluting jobs like toilet cleaning.

Shudras

Traditionally servant caste - unskilled workers.

Vaishyas

Traditionally farmer caste - skilled workers

Artha

Hindus should aspire to live prosperous and wealthy lives on earth so long as it is does through ethical and lawful means. Money can pay for things like charity, offerings and pilgrimage and is needed for life on earth

Kama

Delight in the senses. Stimulating prakriti to stimulate purusa and bring contentment to Hindu life. Encourages Hindus to reach goals but can be a distraction from the ultimate reality in excess.

Shruti - holy texts

Oldest + most authoritive texts that are the word of Brahman written down - ancient. (eg. The Vedas, The Upanishads

Smriti - Holy Texts

Human authors but very well respected and used as guidance for daily hindu life, ethics and more. (Eg. Puranas