Hindu Beliefs Flashcards
Polytheism
Belief in many God’s
Monotheism
Belief in one God
Polymorphic monotheism
There is one Supreme Personal God (Brahman) who is the source of everything that exist
This person is revealed in different forms
Inclusive monotheism
There is one Supreme Personal God (Brahman)
This view does not deny the existence of other deities
RR for polymorphic vs inclusive monotheism
Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 391 states that no one knows how many Gods there are and everyone interprets God differently
Vaishnavas
Worship Vishnu and his avatars
Shaivas
Worship Shiva
Shaktas
Worship Shakti and her avatars
Smartas
Worship five deities - Vishnu, Shiva, Devi, Ganesh and Surya
Aum symbol
The sacred sound of the universe
Swastika symbol
Represents auspiciousness
Brahman
The Hindu name for God or the Supreme Being
Creator of everything
Universal soul
RR for Brahman
‘In Truth all is Brahman’ - Mundaka Upanishad 2.22
Nirguna Brahman
God is impersonal, without personal characteristics
Represented through the aum symbol
Brahman is not a person
The idea that God and the individual are one (monism)
RR for Nirguna Brahman
aham brahmasmi - I am brahman - Vedas
Means I am not different from God
Analogy for Nirguna Brahman
The analogy of a drop of water in an ocean
Saguna Brahman
God is personal, with perfect personal characteristics, e.g. name, form
Brahman is a person
The idea that God and the individual are two different entities (dualism)
RR for Saguna Brahman
aham brahmasmi - I am brahman - Vedas
Means that although both the individual and Brahman are made from spirit, they are different quantitively
Analogy of Saguna Brahman
The analogy of the parrot in the forest
Deity
A God or Goddess
Murti
A devotional image such as a statue or icon of a deity
Lord Brahma
The secondary creator
Teacher of the Vedas
Iconography of Lord Brahma
4 heads - to look in all 4 directions
Lotus flower - serves as a reminder that he is connected to Lord Vishnu (story of the creation)
The book of the Vedas - represents that he is the first teacher of the Vedas
RR for Brahma
The creation story - Vedas
‘Brahma was the creator of all’ - Mundaka Upanishad
Story of why Lord Brahma is not worshipped (reference - Vedas)
During a ceremony, Brahma was listening to music so he was punished
Brahma created a female deity and fell in love with her, Shiva disliked Brahma’s obsession so he ordered that he should not be worshipped
Lord Vishnu
Protector of his creation
Maintainer of his creation
Destroyer of evil, protects devotees through avatars
He is in everyone’s heart (Paramatma)
Iconography of Lord Vishnu
Lotus - symbolizes purity and wealth
Crown - represents his supreme authority
Chakra - confirms the ability to destroy evil and establish dharma
RR for Vishnu
‘Everything rests on me’ - B.G
‘Vishnu is in all things and in all things are Vishnu’ - Vedas
Story of Brigu (reference - Vedas)
Brigu went to Lord Shiva and kicked him in the chest, Lord Shiva wanted to kill him
Brigu then went to Lord Vishnu and did the same thing but did not want to hurt him
With this information, Brigu decided that Lord Vishnu was superior
Avatara
One who comes down, descends or incarnates
RR for avatars
‘There is a decline in religious practice, O descendant of Bharata’ -B.G
Why does Vishnu appear as an avatar?
Protect his devotees
Re-establish religious principles
Increase devotion
Show love for his devotees
Set an example
Restore faith in him/her
Story of Prahlada Maharaj and
Sri Narasimha (reference - Vedas)
Hiranyakasipu grew jealous of Lord Vishnu and conquered three worlds
Prahlada (the son of the demon) worshipped Lord Vishnu and the demon therefore wanted to kill him
Prahalda said God is everywhere so the demon punched the pillars and Lord Narasimha (half man - half lion) came out and killed the demon
Story of Govardhan Hill (reference - Vedas)
Krishna told everyone to worship Govardhan Hill instead of Indra
Indra got angry and sent rain and thunder to the village
Krishna saved everyone by lifting the hill with his finger
Lord Indra prayed for forgiveness and Krishna enlightened him of his dharma
Story of Rama killing Ravana (reference - Ramayana)
After Ravana took away Sita, Rama and Hanuman built a stone bridge to bring Sita back
With the help of the monkey’s Rama killed Ravana bringing Sita home
Lord Shiva
Responsible for tama guna (destruction + death)
Compassionate and grants wishes to his devotees
Allows ghosts to follow him to enter a new gross body
Iconography of Lord Shiva
Earrings - Lord Shiva is both male and female
Blue body - Shiva drank poison to save the earth
Serpent - Shiva’s power to destroy and recreate
Trident - represents the Trimurti
The story of Shiva drinking poison (reference Vedas)
Shiva drank poison but it stayed in his neck, therefore saving the world
Saraswati (Lord Brahma’s consort)
The Goddess of knowledge, music, art, speech, wisdom, and learning
Mother of the Vedas
Has a son called Manu - father of mankind
Laksmi (Lord Vishnu’s consort)
The goddess of wealth, fortune, power, beauty, fertility and prosperity
Worshipped during Diwali
Sakti (Lord Shiva’s consort)
Also known as Parvati, Durga or Kali
Hanuman
The monkey warrior
The symbol is a mace symbolizing strength and authority
Devotion to Rama and Sita
Ganesh
Son of Shiva and Parvati
Remover of obstacles
Wisdom and knowledge
Cosmology
Refers to an orderly harmonious systematic universe
Spirit (purusha)
Eternal
Unchanging
Infinite
Imperishable
Matter (prakriti)
Temporary
Changing
Finite
Perishable
RR for characteristics of material body and soul
‘The soul is neither born, nor does it ever die’ - B.G
‘Only the material body is perishable’ - B.G
Maya
Material reality
Impersonalists say that maya means illusion; the material world is not real and therefore has no value
Personalists say that maya means ‘illusory’; the world is not real because it is temporary. They decide to serve others rather than being distracted from the material world
The creation of the universe
Maha Vishnu maintains the totality of the cosmic manifestation
He resides on the Casual Ocean
Unlimited universes are generated, when he inhales universes are consumed, but when he exhales universes are created
Then Garbhodakaśāyī Vishnu, enters each universe and gives birth to Brahma
Vishnu empowers Brahma to create the planetary systems within each universe
Brahma is the secondary creator
When Vishnu inhales the universes are destroyed.
Shiva destroys the material planets and thus allows their renewal
The upper planetary systems or heavenly planets
Residents are wise and pious
There is no quarrel or disharmony
Residents are God conscious
They don’t age or fall sick
The duration of life is long
The middle planets – like Earth
Both enjoyment and suffering are present in these realm
This is the best place to become God conscious
Subterranean heavens / hellish planets
There is no sunshine in these realms but some of them are more opulent than the upper planets
There is conflict and a lack of awareness of God
Punishment takes place in the hellish planets
Linear time
Beginning & end
Goal oriented
From simple to complex
From ignorance to progress
Pressure and worry about the future
Cyclical time
No beginning, no end
Static, progress and wisdom already exist
Promotes community
Inclusive of deities or ideas
Encourages patience & tolerance
Atman
A person’s inner self
Also soul, spirit or living force
Analogies for atman
Analogy of space in a jar
Analogy of a driver in a vehicle
Reincarnation
Transmigration of the atman from one body to another
RR for reincarnation
‘As the self passes into another body at death’ - B.G 2.13
‘One who attains to my abode never takes birth again’ - B.G
Samsara
The continuous cycle of birth, death and rebirth
Moksha
The ultimate goal of human life, liberation from the cycle of rebirth
RR for moksha
‘And whoever, at the time of death, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature’ - B.G 8.5
‘Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail’ - B.G 8.6
Karma
Consequences of one’s actions; the total of good and bad actions and reactions
Vikarma - bad actions result in punishment
Akarma - selfless actions bring no rewards or punishment but help us attain moksha
Free will
The idea that individuals are in control of their destiny
Analogy of free will in relation to karma
The analogy of traveling on a plane:
We can choose a destination but we can’t decide who sits next to or other events
How should Hindus respond to suffering?
Through ahimsa and fulfilling our dharma
Moral responsibility
Having a duty to do good things rather than bad things in the world
Sanatana Dharma
Duty performed according to eternal religious principles
Varnashrama Dharma
Duty based on personal inclinations and talents (Varnas) and stages in life (Ashramas)
Varnas
Fields of work based of natural inclinations & talents
Brahmins
Know about Brahman, teach scripture, guide & advice
e.g. priests, teachers
Kṣatriyas
Apply law and justice; protect
e.g. warriors, lawyers
Vaishyas
Generate wealth & keep the economy going
e.g. business people
Shudras
Support other groups
e.g. they are employed by others
Ashrama
Stages of life
Students (brahmacharya)
Study, develop good character, prepare for life
Householders (grihastha)
Provide for family members, teach virtues, moral & religious principles
Retired (vanaprastha)
Focus on spiritual activities
Renounced (sannyasis)
Devote one’s life to God
