Hinduism Flashcards
What do Hindus Believe?
Hindus believe in monism, that there’s one collective soul and everything is connected
What is Religion?
Ultimate Concern
Religion is a huge belief structure and a leap of faith
What is Brahman?
Brahman is the world soul
Where all souls are united
How many personalities does Brahman have?
3 personalities:
Brahma-Creator
Vishnu-Protector
Shiva-Destroyer
What is reincarnation?
Reincarnation is when a soul is reborn until they reach Moksha
What is Moksha?
How can you reach Moksha?
Moksha is release and purification, reaching Moksha is a Hindu’s ultimate goal. You can only reach Moksha by:
- following dharma(duties/responsibilities), remember all actions have consequences.
- when dharma is recognized= world is like a dance
- practice yoga and meditation
- seek guidance of a guru
What are the 4 aims in a Hindu’s life?
4 aims in life:
- Kama (pleasure)
- Artha (stuff)
- Dharma-responsibilities
- Moksha (liberation)
What is the Caste system?
The Caste system is the spine of the Hindu religion, and each caste reflect different levels of karma (Hindus want more good than bad karma, the more good karma you get in a life, the better your next life is, and the closer you are to reaching Moksha)
How was Hinduism created?
Hinduism has no real founder, so it’s very different from most religions, it’s the combined beliefs of the indus people and the Aryans
Why do Hindus want to reach Moksha?
Hindus want to reach Moksha because they want to be liberated from the cycle of dying and being reborn-they want to rid themselves of the cycle suffering and desire
What are the 2 realities Hindus believe in?
There are 2 realities:
- what we create because of desire/illusions(“maya”)
- the true Reality that everything is Brahman (water in the ocean)
