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Questions: 1-21 + Vocabulary
Explain the meaning of the term moksha.
The term moksha means the liberation of the individual self, atman, from the bondage of samsara, salvation, one of the four goals of life.
What doctrine says all reality is ultimately one? Give an analogy that describes it.
The doctrine that says all reality is the ultimate reality is one is monism. An analogy that could describe this would be all rivers, lakes, and droplets of rain because they all share the common essence of the ocean and over time will return to it.
Define Brahman and Atman. How are the two related?
Brahman is the eternal essence of reality and the source of the universe, beyond the reach of human perception and thought. Atman is identified with Brahman but is typically for the external self. Brahman may be lowercase if it refers to the external self or the soul of an individual that was reincarnated from one body to the next and is identified with Atman. They are both understood through contemplation; Brahman through contemplation of the Universe and Atman through contemplation of the self and inner being.
What is the general function of Hinduism’s many deities?
The general function of Hinduism’s many deities is to give Hindus many parts of the ultimate reality to both relate and worship.
Give a brief explanation of the doctrine of samsara.
The doctrine of samsara says that the individual is reincarnated from one life form to another.
What is the name of Hinduism’s most popular sacred text?
The name of Hinduism’s most sacred text is the Bhagavad Gita.
According to Hinduism, what are the two principles that connect the dive to this world? Briefly explain each.
Kharma and Dharma connect the divine to this world. Karma is the moral law of cause-and-effect of actions and determines the nature of one’s reincarnation. Dharma is ethical duty based on the divine order of reality and is one of the four goals of life.
Name the four classes of the caste system and describe the people who belong to each.
The four groups in the caste system are the Brahmin, consisting of priests, the Kshatriya, consisting of warriors and administrators, the Vaishya, consisting of producers (artisans, merchants, farmers, etc.), and the Shudra, which are the laborers and servants. There is sometimes a fifth group called the outcasts, and they have few to no rights.
In the Bhagavad Gita, why does Krishna encourage Arjuna to engage in war?
In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna encourages Arjuna to engage in war because it is his dharma. “He hesitates, wondering if he should avoid battle, the god Krishna, reminds him of his dharma.” This shows his dharma causes him to engage in conflict.
Identify and briefly explan the four stages of life.
The first stage of life is being a student. Being a student is to study the Vedas and other sacred literature until marriage. The second stage of life is being a householder, which is when someone gets married and then begins to provide for his family. The third stage is marked by the birth of one’s first grandchild. In this phase, one begins to engage in a spiritual quest outside of their home, typically in the forest. Then the fourth stage, which is the sannyasin, is when people are ready to come back to society, but they are detached from the normal distractions of social life. These stages of life are typically made for men, but sometimes women are allowed to follow them.
Name and breifly describe the four goals of life.
It is a key concept in Hinduism, and refers to the four proper goals or aims of a human life. The four goals of Hindu life are Dharma (righteousness, moral values), Artha (prosperity, economic values), Kama (pleasure, love, psychological values), and Moksha (liberation, spiritual values, self-actualization).
Identify the three paths to liberation. Which type of person is best suited for each path?
The path of works is best suited for the active. The path of knowledge is for the philosophical. The path of devotion is forth emotional.
What are the three most important schools of Hindu philosophy? What is the basic task that concerns all three?
The school Vedanta is the most faithful to the monism of Hinduism. The school Sankhya teaches that reality is composed of two categories; matter and an infinite number of eternal selves. The school Yoga carefully acknowledges the connection between the self and other parts of the human makeup.
Identify three important gods or goddesses of Hinduism?
Three important gods and goddesses of Hinduism are Vishnu, Shiva, and Kali.
What is an avatar? Name two important Hindu figures identified as avatars.
An avatar is an incarnation, or living embodiment, of a deity, usually of Vishnu, who is sent to earth to accomplish a divine purpose; Krishna and Rama are the most popular avatars.
What Hindu text is most closely associated with bhakti marga?
The Hindu text most closely related to with the bhakti marga is the Bhagavad Gita.
Identify three aspects of Hindu devotional life.
The three aspects of Hindu devotional life are many household and community rituals, pilgrimages to holy places, and veneration of the ever present and scared cows.
How did Mahatma Gandhi influence Hinduism?
Gandhi worked as a reformer for political and social needs. He worked to decrease oppression through nonviolence and civil disobedience.
What significant changes in the caste system took place in the twentieth century?
The government banned discrimination against the outcasts and the government wanted to promote economic and social rights for outcasts.
What is sati? What is its status today?
Sati was the tradition of burning a widow at her husband’s funeral, which was banned in 1829, and in rare cases still occurs today.
What significant developments occured in relations between Hindus and Muslims in 1947?
In 1941, the Muslim community forced the partitiong of India to form the divided nation of Pakistan, thus providing a muslim homeland.
Rig Veda
A collection of 1,017 Sanskrit hymns about 1500 BC or earlier; Hinduism’soldest sacred text
Moksha
Liberation or release of the individual self, Atman, from the bondage of samsara; salvation; one of the four goals of life.
Monism
The doctrine that reality is ultimately made up of only one essence.
Brahman
The eternal essence of reality and the source of the universe, beyond the reach of human perception and thought.
Upanishads
A collection of over two hundred texts composed between 900 and 200 BC that provides philosophical commentary on the Vedas.
Atman
The eternal self, which the Upanishads identify with Brahman; is often lowercase to refer to the eternal self or soul of an individual that is reincarnated from one body to the next and is ultimately identified with Atman.
Samsara
The wheel of rebirth of reincarnation; the this-worldly realm in which rebirth occurs.
Bhagavad-Gita
A short section of the epic poem Mahaharata in which the gof Krishna teaches the great warrior Arjuna about Bhakti marga and other ways to God; Hinduism’s most sacred popular text.
Karma
The moral law of cause-and-effect of actions; determines the nature of one’s reincarnation.
Dharma
Ethical duty based on the divine of reality; one of the four goals of life
Caste System
The traditional division of Hindu society into various categories: there are four main varnas or classes: Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya, and Shudra; each class contains numerous subgroups, resulting in more than three categories.
Brahmin
The highest of the four classes of the caste system, tradionally made up of priests.
Kshatriya
The second highest of the four classes of the caste system, traditionally made up of warriors and administrators.
Vaishya
The third of the four classes of the caste system is traditionally made up of producers, such as farmers, merchants, and artisans.
Shudra
The lowest of the four classes of the caste system is traditionally made up of servants and laborers.
Sannyasin
A wandering ascetic who has advanced to the fourth and highest stage of life.
Ascentic
Kama
Pleasure, especially of sensual love; one of the four goals of life.
Artha
Material success and social prestiege, one of the four goals of life.
Karma Marga
One of the three Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizes preforming the right actions according to dharma.
Maya
Cosmic illusion brought about by divine creative power.
Jhana Marga
One of the three Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizes knowing the true nature of reality through learning and meditation.
Vedanta
A system of Hindu philosophy and one approach within Jhana Marga, “the path of knowledge,” holding that all reality is essentially Brahman; most notable advocate is the medieval Hindy philopher Shankara.
Sankhya
A system of Hindu philosophy and one approach within Jhana Marga, “the path of knowledge,” asserting that reality compromises two distinct categories: matter and eternal selves.
Yoga
A system of Hindu philosophy and one approach within Jhana Marga, “the path of knowledge,” seeking to free the eternal self from the bondage of personhood, culminating in the experience of Samadhi; sometimes lower cased to refer to physical and psychological techniques for spiritual advancement.
Samadhi
A trancelike state in which self-consciousness is lost, and the mind is absorbed into the ultimate reality; the culmination of the eight steps of yoga.
Bhakti Marga
The most popular of the three Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizing loving devotion to one’s chosen god or goddess.
Avatar
An incarnation, or living embodiment of a deity, usually of Visnu, who is sent to earth to accomplish a divine purpose; Krishna and Rama are the most popular avatars.
Sati
The traditional practice of burning a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre; was outlawed in 1829, although it still occurs rarely today.
Ascetic
One who renounces physical pleasures and worldly attachments for the sake of spiritual advancement; common in Hinduism and many other religious traditions, most notably Jainism.
