Hinduism Flashcards
(21 cards)
Where/when did the religion Hinduism start?
- 1500BC
- Aryan tribes
- Settled in the Indus River Valley
Three major texts
- Vedas - oldest/most important, 4 parts
- Bhagavad Gītā - famous and widely-read
- Upanishads - focus on meditation and religious instruction with a guru
Key Features of Hinduism
- truth is eternal
- way of life (don’t seek new followers)
- vedas is the ultimate authority
- everyone should strive to achieve dharma
- individual souls are immortal
- the goal is moksha
What is Brahman?
- supreme god present within all things
- supreme existence
- absolute reality
- vedas: ‘universal soul’
Who are the gods within the Trimurti?
These gods are responsible for creation, upkeep and destruction of the world.
1. Brahma - creator
= 4 heads that made the vedas, 4 arms, caste came from his body
2. Vinshu - preserver
3. Shiva - destroyer
How old is Hinduism compared to other religions?
It is around 4000 years old yet not as old as christianity. Older than buddhism
What is the Hindu texts language
Sanskrit
What is Hinduism usually called in India?
Sanatana Dharma
Which Indian river is sacred to Hindus?
The Ganges. There are many sacred sites along this river
What name do Hindus give to the “inner you”?
The atman refers to the real self beyond ego or false self. Atman is the spiritual essence in all creatures.
What word is used to refer to duty?
Dharma.
-means ‘duty’, ‘virtue’, ‘morality’, even ‘religion’ and it refers to the power which upholds the universe and society.
What is Karma and how does it work?
One’s actions determine the course of one’s life cycle & rebirth.
What is the cycle of entrapment called?
Samsara
What is the goal of Hinduism? How is this achieved?
Moksha, by gaining freedom through doing one’s duty and detachment from all earthly things.
Why are Hindus often vegetarian?
They believe that all life is sacred and all creatures are from Brahma and therefore they have a soul.
Outline the Caste System.
- Brahmans -intellectuals + priests
- Kshatriya - warrior + nobles
- Vaishyas - commoners + merchants
- Shudeas - worker
People in the top three classes are known as ‘twice born’
What differentiates the castes?
Dharma/duty - the roles in this life
Who is Ganesh?
The Lord of Good Fortune, wisdom and judgment
Who and what is Soma?
an hallucinogenic drink/drug used in worship
What do Hindus do with their dead for a “funeral”?
cremation, returning to Brahman
Why do Hindus venerate the cow?
creature that gives more than it takes from the earth
