Hinduism Year 8 Flashcards
(36 cards)
Who is Brahman?
The Hindu name for God or Supreme Being. God responsible for creation. He is beyond human understanding.
Hindus may say that “Everything is Brahman, and Brahman is everything”
Hindus view Brahman as the Divine and believe the Divine can be understood in three ways.
God exists everywhere as a non-personal God, which Hindus call Brahman. God exists as antaryami, which is God within humans. God exists as vaikuntha, which is God as personal, taking form as deities who live in a spiritual world.
Hindus argue that the Divine is beyond human understanding and therefore use different ideas or deities to understand the Divine
Vishnu
Preserver and sustainer of the universe.
He has a conch that represents creation
He is represented with a human body and blue coloured skin.
He is worshipped through avatars
There are 10 animal and human forms - avatars in which Vishnu appears on Earth
How many avatars does Vishnu appear on Earth?
10
Who is Shiva?
The God that destroys the universe so it can be recreated. Shiva paves the way for beneficial change. His necklace of cobra snakes is another sign of power. Shiva is worshipped by many millions of Hindus today.
What are the characteristics of Shiva
Terrifying and peaceful
creator and destroyer
demonic and angelic
Benevolent and malevolent
Who are the 3 gods in the Hindu triumvirate?
Brahma the creator
Vishnu the preserver
Shiva the destroyer
DO NOT CONFUSE BRAHMA WITH BRAHMAN
Who is Shiva?
Shiva is the third God in the Hindu triumvirate. Shiva destroys the universe.The God that destroys the universe so it can be recreated. Shiva paves the way for beneficial change.
Who is Ganesh?
Very popular deity. He is the God of good luck and remover of obstacles. Elephant headed god.
Worshipped especially before big events such as weddings. Also found in shops/businesses to bring luck and wealth
Who is Laksmi?
Goddess of wealth and purity
Consort of Vishnu
Especially Worshipped during festival of Diwali and is prayed to for a prosperous new year
Why are festivals important?
The festivals are an important way of linking with the Divine and also a time when families come together in joyful celebrations.
All of the various Hindu gods and goddesses have celebrations associated with their stories. Three widely loved festivals are Diwali, Holi and Raksha Bandhan.
Holi
Duration: 2 days
Time of year: Spring- March
What type of festival is it? The festival of colours
Who is commemorated?Holi remembers the story of Prince Prahlad, who was a Vishnu devotee, and his victory over the demon girl Holika
Special features: Smear each other with paint and coloured powder. everyone joins the fun.
Diwali
Duration: 5 days
Time of year: September /October
What type of festival is it? Festival of lights
Who is commemorated?It celebrates the famous story of Rama and Sita defeating the evil ten-headed demon king Ravana. It is a reminder of the victory of good over evil. South Indians- celebrates the marriage of Vishnu and Lakshmi. In West Bengal- celebrates Kali
Special features:Hindus often clean their home, get their finances in order, join in fireworks displays and light diva lamps. Prepare meals and wear new clothes. Gifts exchanged.
Apart from Hindus, which other religions celebrate Diwali
Sikhs and Buddhists
Where did Hinduism originate
Indus valley
What do most Hindus believe in?
Reincarnation
What are the main Hindu texts?
Vedas
Name 4 important holy books
Hinduism does not have a single holy book, but many ancient texts and scriptures.
1.The Vedas - a collection of hymns praising the Vedic gods. Veda means ‘knowledge’.
2.The Ramayana - long epic poems about Rama and Sita.
3.Upanishads
4.The Mahabharata - which includes the Bhagavad Gita.
What story is told in the Ramayana
Ramayana, which is an epic poem telling the story of Hindu deities, Rama and Sita
What are the Upanishads about?
The Upanishads means ‘sitting near’ and refers to disciples sitting at the feet of a holy teacher.
They are about atman, reincarnation, karma and moksha.
Tell me more about Ramayana?
Ramayana, which is an epic poem telling the story of Hindu deities, Rama and Sita. In the story, Rama is exhiled by his father. Rama leaves with his wife, Sita, but Sita gets kidnapped by a wicked demon called Ravana. The monkey god, Hanuman, helps Rama save Sita and kill Ravana so they can finally return home. This story is about good overcoming evil. Lamps were lit to guide Rama and Sita home, and this is why most Hindus light diya lamps during Diwali today.
What is a mandir?
Mandir= temple
decorated elaborately
Why is there a dome in the mandir?
To symbolise that hindus can reach up to God
How do people worship at home?
A Hindu shrine
A Hindu place of worship is called a mandir, but the majority of Hindus have a shrine at home where they perform personal and family worship. Worship in Hinduism is called puja.
What does the term ‘murti’ mean?
An image of a hindu God - a statue
What does the term pilgrimage mean?
Religious duty carried out to experience the atmosphere of a holy place , with the intention to receive blesssings.
