Dharma Flashcards
What is dharma
- personal code or religious practice
- What you must do to complete each stage of life
- Dharma is the collection of laws that uphold, maintain, sustain and uplift the universe.
What does the Sanskrit root of Dharma mean ?
- dhr, means to uphold
What is rta
principle of cosmic order, responsible for the functioning of the natural, moral and sacrificial order of the universe.
What is asramavarnadharma?
Dharma depending on your age and caste in Hinduism.
What is Jati dharma?
dharma depending on family, and jati. Each family has different responsabilities
What is Sva dharma
personal dharma
What is Sanatana Dharma
- the souls never ending propensity to serve God
- A fundamental principle in guiding moral behaviour and social relationships.
- A right way of life, duties and responsibilities, principles of order and harmony.
what is Stridharma
women’s dharma
What are the two categories in Sadharan dharma?
1) prhibition of murder, cruelty, incept. Must respect god and parents, be honest and moral.
2) Beyond the call of duty - punya
What are the 4 aims of life aka YAMAS if you follow Karma Marga
1) Arta - earning honest money
2) Kama- enjoyment of lifes pleasures
3) Dharma - knowing religious and social duty
4) Moksha - liberation and escape from samsara
What is karma
- action and fruits of action
- if you perform an action it must be paid back to you
- chain that binds the atman into the wheel of samsara
what is satya
- truth/ reality
- being truthful in ones thoughts, speech and actions
What is asteya
‘not stealing’
What is sauca
purity and cleanliness
What is punya
merit from good karma
what does Sanatana mean
timeless, eternal, without beginning or end
Why do Hindus believe their religion in sanatana dharma
it is :
- eternal
- fundamental
- universal
- natural & god based
- right way of being and living
what is the exclusive view about sanatana dharma
only Hinduism is santana dharma, our way of life is the right way. It doesnt include any other religions
What is the pluralist view on sanatana dharma
Hinduism is only part of sanatana dharma, there are other ways people can live the right way of life through other religions.
What do Sanatanists believe according to Lipner?
- that they are apart from reformed Hindus
- they are apart from non Hindus
- they are purer than everyone
What did lipner say sanatana dharma is
an ancient and continuing guideline relative to age and class
What did lipner say sva dharma was
the personal implement of class
give 5 differences between SD and VAD
- SD = god centred, god is doer. VAD is human centred & earth bound, chose actions which will effect karma.
- SD presumes all are equal. VAD is very exclusive, only males in top 3 castes.
- SD more inclusive, we all have atman can all achieve moksha. VAD judged on purity very elitist.
- SD could apply to all religions VAD only for hindus
- SD has one aim, to achieve moksha. VAD has many aims aka punya
Give 3 similarities between SD and VAD
- Both about maintaing order, SD order of cosmos and VAD with order in society
- both referring to balance of universe
- when doing one, also doing the other obeying VAD means maintained balance in society so no major disturbances in cosmos.
What is patiseva
Wife’s service to husband, unconditional love towards husband, should undergo vows and fasts for the sake of well being of husband and family
What is grhartha
Wifes duty to do housework
What is the role of a mother
- first spiritual teacher of child
How are women represented in the UPanishads
Male and female are represented as equal halves of divine substance, each completing and fulfilling the other
What does the upanishad say about the gender of atman
- atman is genderless
- ‘sexless self’
- divine is neither male nor female
- each atman has worth regardless of sex
Examples of chaste and devoted women in scriptures
- Sita , loyalty and devotion to her husband
- draupadi, devoted wife, offers comfort and rouses them to action when spirits are low
What is strange about what the Dharmasutras say about women
- on one hand they say they have status of goddess and should be worshipped as shakti
- on other hand, lowered to status that is dehumanising
What did Many say about the strdharma? 3 quotes
‘day and night should women be kept by the males’
- didnt think women were capable of dependence
- women seen as objects with no importance
Many quote about women not being independent
‘their fathers must guard them in childhood, their husband in youth, their sons in old age,
a woman is never fit for independence.’
Many quote about women serving men
‘a husband must always be served like a god by a good wife.’
when do women gain more equal status?
If they have a son
Why is there a preference for a male child?
the belief that only a son can perform the last funeral rights on the death of the father
Why did girls stop being educated?
- child marriage
- no initiation ceremony for girls
What does Sati mean
virtuous woman
Why is a daughter not looked at as a permanent member of the family?
Because she will be given away in marriage as dana (worthy gift)
What have women been led to believe about marriage?
That is leads to degnity and recognition
Where is a women’s main role?
In the home, perform pujas, are spiritual teachers to their children
What role to women have regarding festivals
- prepare special food and drink
- female fasting, most popular annual female fast is Jaya Parvat Vrat, in honour of Shiva and Parvati
- annual fast for young girls, called molkat, it honours goddess parvati and hopes that she will grant a good husband
Woman’s responsibilities at home
- responsable for welfare of her family and home
- family’s adherence to the Hindu faith
- Cooking
- convey Hindu laws to children, eg, dietary laws, no meat
Role of a wife
- become the foundation of the home
- put husband’s family’s needs before her own
What does wife wear (5)
- sari
- a chandlo, coloured spot on forehead
- purello setho, filled parting with red powder called kunkoo
- chudla, coloured bangles
- Mangal sutra, gold necklace given by husband at marriage
General thoughts on Women in hinduism
Essential part of Hindu home, maintains religious life intended and displayed by the gods. Subservient wife and loving mother.
What is papa
sin
What is Vivaha
wedding ceremony
Moral principles of sanatana dharma:
1) Ahimsa
2) Satya
3) Asteya
4) sauca
What is the importance of Sanatana dharma
ensures harmony, upholds essential Hinud values, guiding principles will lead to better rebirth or liberation.
Whhat is Karma Yoga?
- the way of action
Holy women/ women priests
- generally rare
- group of Hindu women set up a school for women priests in Pune despite strong opposition.
Upanishad view on women
- male and female as equal halves of one divine substance each completing a fulfilling the other.
Easwaren dharma
- underlying sense ‘that which supports.’ Implyis support from within.
- on a large scale means essential order of thiings
Fowler: Women’s roles (5)
- not expected/ seen as capable to shoulder public responsibility.
- like Sita, women are expected to be loving, faithful and loyal, willing to share the misfortunes of their husbands.
- treat their husbands as a God
- look after kitchen, make sure no impurities such as leather are worn.
- for the average Hindu women, particularly in rural India life revolves around the family.
Laws of manu, how should a woman be and not be
NO: have reddish hair, be quarrelsome, have the name of a tree or a constellation or that inspires terror.
YES: have an agreeable name, no bodily defects, have delicate limbs and small teeth.
Marriage customs (3)
- the seven steps ‘jointly before the sacred fire.’ For food, prosperity, strength, wealth, happiness and children.
- four circles around the sacred fire, symbol of life stages.
- dowry, gift given with bride to grooms family.
Family (3)
- extended family
- men: must work and provide for family. Do the funeral rights. Inherit property.
- women: raise the children. Be caring and compassionate.
