Hindu Key Ideas Flashcards
(9 cards)
What is your dharma?
Ones earthly duty
What is your atman?
The divine soul (timeless: never born or dies)
What is the cycle of samsara?
Continuous cycle of birth and death. Might involve the atman experiencing life in a variety of species
What is karma?
The law of cause and effect. A person will have to bear the consequences of their activities
What is moksha?
The aim for all Hindus- when the atman is free from samsara and reunited with Brahman
What are the 4 life stages?
BRAHMANCHARA- the student stage. Promotes celibacy, study and respect
GRIMASTHA- the household stage. Individual expected to earn and fulfil legitimate desires, meant to start a family and to provide financial support for the whole social system. Promotes learning to live for others rather than to live with others
VANAPRASTHA- forest dwellers stage. A life of retirement; meant to detach yourself from secular living and make spiritual progress
SANNYSA- stage of reunification. Leaves home and looks after the world (looks upon the world as a manifestation of God and serving him in all creature
What are the 4 Varnas (social classes)? (Lowest to highest)
Make up the man Purusha
His feet = SHUDRAS : unskilled workers and servants
His thighs = VAISHYAS : merchants
His arms= KSHATRYAS : rulers and warriors
His mouth = BRAHMINS : priests
Each are believed to reflect a different level of spiritual purity
Rest of dalits
What are the 4 purusharthas? (Four aims of human life)
DHARMA- to be a righteous person, performing good duties without them being compulsory and have no desire
ARTHA- accumulation of wealth through fair and legitimate means
KAMA-sensual pleasure that when a person realised is limited, one seeks
MOKSHA- liberalisation from the cycle of samara into moksha and understand
you can learn anywhere. All has to be intrinsically good to get moksha
What is the Trimurti
Hindus believe that Brahman appears in the main forms :
BRAHMA (creator): vehicle = swan, sits on a lotus flower (purity), 4heads (allseeing) and 4arms (all powerful) he wrote the 4 Vedas
VISHRU (preserves): protects the world from evil spirits, represents mercy and goodness. Depicted like the sky = everywhere and everlasting
SHIVA (transforms): his energy (shakti) can reproduce and destroy things
