Hinduism: The Nature of Reality Flashcards
1
Q
What is a Loka?
A
World
2
Q
What are the Devas?
A
Good gods - deities
3
Q
What are the Asuras?
A
Bad gods - demons
4
Q
How are the Lokas divided?
A
There are different ideas about the Lokas:
- 14 Lokas (Mythology): 7 above earth, 7 below
- 2 Lokas: Humans and animals, and gods and demons
- 3 Lokas: Heaven, sky, and earth (each of these is divided into 7 regions)
- Each of the gods is perceived by their followers as having their own Loka
- Brahma-Loka
- Shiva-Loka
- Vishu-Loka (Vaikuntha)
5
Q
How are people born into different realms?
A
- As a result of karma
- If you have very bad karma, you may be reborn as a lowly animal, such as a snake
- If you have very good karma, you may be reborn into the realm of a god
6
Q
What is the material world made up of?
A
- Prakriti
- Purusha
- Trigunas
- “Know thou that Prakriti and Purusha are both beginningless; and know thou also that all modifications and Gunas are born of Prakriti.”
7
Q
What is prakriti?
A
- Material substances, subject to karma - Maya
- Observable universe
- Female aspect of existence
- Associated with followers of Shakti: Brahman manifests itself in the universe as Shakti
- Associated with the Gunas: you are made up of elements called Tamas, your mind and the various organs are called Sattva, and you have an ego and intellect.
8
Q
What is purusha?
A
- Metaphysical substances e.g. Brahman
- Philosophical view of how you get your nature
- Seeing the universe as it really is
- Male aspect of existence
- The idea, taken from the Vedas, that the gods sacrifice an animal or person from our world to create the world we know; in the Rig Veda, Purusha was sacrificed, so it became the world in which we live.
- “Beyond the great Atman is the Unmanifested; beyond the Unmanifested is the Purusha (the Cosmic Soul); beyond the Purusha there is nothing. That is the end, that is the final goal.” (Katha Upanishad)
9
Q
What are the trigunas?
A
The three passions we all have at birth which make up our personality and character:
- Sattva Guna (good/constructive/harmonious/creative)
- Rajas Guna (passion/active/confused/self-centred/driven)
- Tamas Guna (darkness/destructive/chaotic/ignorant)
10
Q
Describe the cycle of creation and destruction.
A
- The time period in which human beings lived is called mahayuga - it lasts 4 320 000 human years.
- Hindus believe in multi-verse, in both space and time.
- This means that when this universe is destroyed, another replaces it.
- Brahma creates the universe
- Vishnu preserves it
- Shiva destroys it
11
Q
What are the different understandings of cosmology by different Hindu groups?
A
- Puranic: The universe is in an endless cycle of creation and destruction
- Vedic: Multiple creations stories
- The Nasadiya Sukta (Rig Veda) questions whether it is possible to know who created the universe and how
12
Q
What is the attitude of followers of Saguna Brahman towards the Trimurti?
A
- Do not accept the Trimurti
- See Brahman as the nearest thing to God
- See Brahma as the morning, Vishnu as the afternoon, and Shiva as the evening
13
Q
What is the attitude of Shaivists towards the Trimurti?
A
- Monotheistic: Shiva is God
- Brahma and Vishnu are forms of Shiva
- Shiva creates, preserves, dissolves, and gives grace.
14
Q
What is the attitude of Shaktivists towards the Trimurti?
A
- Use the Tridevi instead
- Mahasarasvati the Creator
- Mahalaxmi the Preserver
- Mahakali the Destroyer
- Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu are agents of the Tridevi.
15
Q
What is the attitude of Smartists towards the Trimurti?
A
- Monotheistic: worshipping deities is a way of personal worship of Brahman
- See Vishnu, Shiva, Ganesha, Devi, Surya and Kartikeya as forms of Brahman.
