2.A - religious concepts - Brahman and atman Flashcards
(83 cards)
1
Q
what is monotheism
A
the belief in 1 single universal god
2
Q
what us monism
A
the belief that everything is made up of one essential essence - atman
3
Q
what is henotheism
A
devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of other gods
4
Q
what is polytheism
A
the belief in or worship of many gods or divinities
5
Q
what is brahman
A
brahman is the ultimate reality that can’t be sufficiently named. He is considered to be eternal, omnipotent, genderless, without form and indescribable
6
Q
explain the relationship between brahman and other hindu gods
A
brahman is the origin of all things and is in all things - each god is an aspect of brahman or brahman itself
7
Q
what is atman
A
the divine spark or soul found in all living beings
8
Q
explain the relationship between atman and brahman
A
some hindus believe the relationship between brahman and atman is dual and other hold a monistic view that brahman and atman are one
9
Q
what does it mea when hindus believe the relationship between brahman and atman is dual
A
that the atman is only a part of brahman and is not wholly identifiable with it
10
Q
name the gods of the Trimurti
A
brahma, vishnu and shiva
11
Q
what does brahma represent
A
brahma is the creator aspect of god
12
Q
what does vishnu represent
A
vishnu is the preserver aspect of god
13
Q
what does shiva represent
A
shiva us the destructor aspect of god
14
Q
explain the meaning of shakti
A
its female energy associated with the 3 gods of the Trimurti
15
Q
who is brahmas consort
A
saraswati
16
Q
who is saraswati
A
the goddess of knowledge and learning
17
Q
who is Vishnus consort
A
Lakshmi
18
Q
who is Lakshmi
A
the goddess of beauty and wealth
19
Q
who is shivas consort
A
parvati
20
Q
who is parvati
A
the daughter of the god of the Himalayan mountains
21
Q
name 3 of Vishnus avatars
A
-kurma
-varaha
-rama
22
Q
describe kurma
A
the tortoise with the earth on its back
23
Q
describe varaha
A
the boar who saved the earth from deep waters with its tusks
24
Q
describe rama
A
the hero of the epic ramayana
25
what is the ramayana
it is one of the 2 great Indian epics which tells the story of rama and his battle with ravana the king of Lanka
26
what is the meaning of the name shiva
kindly or auspicious
27
where is shaivism practiced
it is practiced all over india but is particularly strong in south india and Sri Lanka
28
what is shaivism
its a branch of hinduism that worships shiva as the supreme god. it is particularly strong is south india and Sri Lanka. shivas acknowledge the existence of other gods but they are expressions of the supreme god - this view is called monistic theism
29
what is vaishnavism
the other major tradition within hinduism which worships vishnu or one of his avatars as age supreme god
30
what is Bhakti
its a belief that a personal relationship with gid is possible based on love and devotion expressed through action. The worshipper totally surrenders all aspects of themselves to their personal deity
31
explain the concept of avatar in hinduism
it refers to a god descending or coming down to the world in bodily form for a speacil purpose
32
what does the term avatar refer to
the incarnation of an immortal being or god
33
what is the special purpose that god would come down to earth in bodily form
usually the destruction of evil and the promotion of good
34
what do hindus believe the deities inside the temple are (monotheism)
that they are inhabited by god
35
how must the statues of deities be treated and why (monotheism)
as the divine is manifest within the statue it must be cared for like an honoured guest and offered loved
36
what happens to all the gods in the temple everyday (monotheism)
all the gods in the temple are washed and dresses, and offered food and sustenance everyday
37
who does those who believe the monism believe brahman is
he is the impersonal, transcendental, first cause of the universe
38
where is the idea that in monism that brahman is impersonal, transcends and the first cause of the universe
this idea is found in the hindu scripture known as the upanishads
39
what do those who believe in monism believe brahman is identical to
that brahman is identical with the atman - there's no dualism
40
what do those who believe in monism believe about understanding brahman
they believe brahman is outside our understanding and therefore our knowledge too
41
what is polytheism
its the term that most non-hinds would use and they would assume that as there are many gods within hinduism that hindus believe in more than 1 god
42
what is henotheism
the belief that an individual can become one with brahman through the belief in moksha
43
what does the belief in henotheism that an individual can become one with brahman link to
it links to the cycle of reincarnation samsara
44
where is the belief of individuals can become one with brahman through moksha found
the belief is found in the Bhagavad git
45
who or what is brahman
there is one universe spirit called brahman which pervades the whole universe.
46
what are thew 3 main aspects of brahman and where are thy expressed
the 3 main aspects of brahman are expressed in the trumerti. - the 3 main aspects are brahma, vishnu and shiva
47
who is brahma in relation to being an aspect of brahman
the the creator
48
who is vishnu in relation to being an aspect of brahman
the preserver
49
who is shiva in relation to being an aspect of brahman
the destroyer
50
where is brahman found in and outside the universe
brahman dwells within all living beings in and beyond the universe
51
where do hindus believe that brahman lives
in all beings in their inner spirit or soul
52
what is the inner self called
the atman
53
what is the atman
its an indestructible and internal spirit which lives on after the body has died its the perfect spirit in everyone
54
what is the atman described as being like
its like a particle of the cosmic spirit brahman
55
what are the 3 qualities brahman is described as being
sat , chit and ananda
56
what is sat
pure being
57
what is chit
pure consciousness or awareness
58
what is ananda
pure bliss
59
what is brhaman the origin of and what is each thing apart of
brahman is the origin of all things and each thing is a part of brahman
60
what is java atman
individual souls
61
what is paramatman
the highest brahman
62
what is the difference between jiva atman and paramatman
individual souls are called jivatman and the highest brahman is called paramatman
63
what does hinduism believe is illogical
it is illogical in hinduism to say that everyone has to have the same views
64
what is hard polytheism
those who believe that the gods are separate and distinct beings.
65
what is soft polytheism
those who believer their many gods as representing different aspects of a single supreme god
66
difference between hard and soft polytheism
a hard polytheist thinks that 2 gods are different both a soft polytheist thinks that vishnu and shiva are different aspects of the same god
67
what is smarta hinduism
tradition within Hinduism that emphasises the equality of all gods and goddesses and viewing them as different manifestations of the single, ultimate reality brahman
68
why would a follower of smarta hinduism not have a problem with worshipping every imaginable deity with equal devotion
A follower of smarta hinduism wouldn't have have a problem with worshipping ever imaginable deity with equal devotion as they view Tham as being manifestations of the same god
69
what is brahman considered to be
eternal, genderless, omnipotent, without form and indescribable
70
what is each god and aspect of
brahman or brahman itself
71
what are the 2 levels that humans contemplate brahman on
saguna brahman or nirguna brahman
72
what does saguna brahman mean
god with attributes
73
what does nirguna mean
god without attributes
74
what is an example of who a person would worship if they understand god with attributes
a person who worships and adores god personally as lord vishnu or the goddess kali is an example of someone who understand god with attributes
75
why do some hindus believe is nirguna brahman
as god is ultimately beyond all the words and as god has no attributes and no name all descriptions are incomplete and limiting. As brahman in human form puts a limit on him
76
what does each soul create
its own destiny according to the law of karma
77
what is the goal of most hindus
moksha, liberation from this cycle and re identification with the suprem brahman
78
whats jiva atman
the individuals self or soul
79
whats paramatman
the supreme self or gpd
80
what is then universal spirit called and what is it symbolised by
there is 1 universal spirit called brahman which pervades the whole universe and is symbolised in the syllable Om.
81
who are the key Hyman and animal forms of Vishnu
krishna and rama
82
where are the particular places lesser gods or devas special to
lesser gods and devas are special to particular places such as village deities and deva
83
examples of where god is present
they believe god is present in all life giving things like the cow (that's why its sacred), rivers and trees
