Hinduism Flashcards
ascetic
one who renounces physical pleasures & worldly attachments for the sake of spiritual advancement;
common in Hinduism & many other religious traditions, most notably Jainism
artha
material success & social prestige;
1/4 goals of life
Atman
the eternal Self, which the Upanishads identify w/ the Brahman;
often lowercase, the eternal self or soul of an individual that is reincarnated from one body to the next & is ultimately identified w/ Atman
avatar
an incarnation, or living embodiment, of a diety, usually of Vishnu, who is sent to earth to accomplish a divine purpose; Krishna & Rama are the most popular avatars
Bhagavad-Gita
a short section of the epic poem Mahabharata in which the god Krishna teaches the great warrior Arjuna about bhakti marga & other ways to God;
Hinduism’s most popular sacred text
bhakti marga
th most popular of the 3 Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizing loving devotion to one’s chosen god or goddess
Brahman
the eternal essence of reality & the source of the universe, beyond the reach of human perception & thought
brahmin
the highest of the 4 classes of the caste system, made up of priests
caste system
traditional division of Hindu society into various categories; 4 main varnas (classes): brahmin, kshatriya, vaishya, & shudra; each class contains numerous subgroups, resulting in more than 3,000 categories
dharma
ethical duty based on the divine order of reality; 1/4 goals in life
jnana marga
1/3 Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizing knowing the true nature of reality through learning & meditation
kama
pleasure, especially of sensual love; 1/4 goals of life
karma
the moral law of cause & effect of actions; determines the nature of one’s reincarnation
karma marga
1/3 Hindu paths to salvation, emphasizing performing right actions according to dharma
kshatriya
the 2/4 classes of the caste system, made up of warriors & administrators
maya
cosmic illusion brought about by divine creative power
moksha
liberation or release of the individual self, atman, from the bondage of samsara; salvation; 1/4 goals of life
monism
the doctrine that reality is ultimately made up of only one essence
Rig Veda
a collection of 1,017 Sanskirt hymns composed about 1500 B.C. r earlier; Hinduism’s oldest sacred text
samadhi
a trancelike state in which self-consciousness is lost, & the mind is absorbed into the ultimate reality; the culmination of the 8 steps of Yoga
samsara
the wheel of rebirth or reincarnation; the this-worldly realm in which rebirth occurs
Sankhya
a system of Hindu philosophy & one approach within jnana marga, “the path of knowledge,” asserting that reality comprises 2 distinct categories: matter & eternal selves
sannyasin
a wandering ascetic who has advanced to the 4th & highest stage of life
sati
the traditional practice of burning a widow on her husband’s funeral pyre; outlawed in 1829, though it still occurs rarely
shudra
the lowest of the 4 classes of the caste system, made up of servants & laborers
Upanishads
a collection of over 200 texts composed btwn 900 & 200 B.C. that provide philosophical commentary on the Vedas
vaishya
the 3/4 classes of the caste system, made up of producers such as farmers, merchants, & artisans
Vedanta
a system of Hindu philosophy & 1 approach within jnana marga, “the path of knowledge,” holding that al reality is essentially Brahman; most notable advocate is the medieval Hindu philosopher Shankara
Yoga
a system of Hindu philosophy & 1 approach within jnana marga, “the path of knowledge,” seeking to free the eternal self from the bondage of personhood, culminating in the experience of samhadi;
lowercase: physical & psychological techniques for spiritual advancement
- Explain the meaning of the term moksha.
Liberation (moksha) = the ultimate goal for Hindus
- Moksha = characterized by infinite being, awareness, & bliss
- What doctrine says all reality is ultimately one? Give an analogy that describes it.
monism = the doctrine that all reality is one
- Define Brahman & Atmans. How are the 2 related?
Brahman = the essence of reality (the universe) Atman = the ultimate reality within human beings; the eternal self (humans)
- Give a brief explanation of the doctrine of samsara.
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- What is the name of Hinduism’s most popular sacred text?
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- According to Hinduism, what are the 2 principles that connect the divine to this world? Briefly explain each.
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- What is the general function of Hinduism’s many deities?
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- Name the 4 classes of the caste system & describe the people who belong to each.
- Brahmin = priests
- Kshatriya = the warriors, administrators
- Vaishya = merchants, farmers, artisans, peasants, producers
- Shudra = servants, laborers
- In the Bhagavad-Gita, why does Krishna encourage Arjuna to engage in war?
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- Identify & briefly explain the 4 stages of life.
- Student
- Householder
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- Name & describe the 4 goals of life.
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- Identify the 3 paths to liberation. Which type of person is best suited for each path?
- active life, karma marga, the path of works
- philosophical ones, jnana marga, the path of knowledge,
- found amongst the brahmans
- emotional attachment, bhakti marga, the path of devotion,
- What are the 3 most important schools of Hindu philosophy? What is the basic task that concerns all 3?
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- Identify 3 important gods or goddesses of Hinduism.
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- What is an avatar? Name 2 important Hindu figures identified as avatars.
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- What Hindu text is most closely associated with the bhakti marga?
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- Identify 3 aspects of Hindu devotional life.
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- How did Mahatma Gandhi influence Hinduism?
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- What significant changes in the caste system took place in the 20th century?
discrimination against outcastes = now officially forbidden
- What is sati? What is its status today?
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- What significant development occured in relations btwn Hindus & Muslims in 1947?
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