Hinduism Flashcards
What kind of belief is Hinduism?
Monotheist even though it seems like it’s Polytheistic - Has a wide range of beliefs and practices; Has numerous deities that represent various aspects of the divine (Brahman)
What is Hinduism’s most ancient/sacred text?
The Vedas - written down in Sanskrit; Major Hindu Text
What is the Caste System?
System that determines your place in society; Divides people into social groups based on birth; Major system of Hinduism; Idea is that there are 5 different classes; As you reincarnate, you move up or down classes (based on karma); A social class order of many gods and goddesses, practices, and religious literature; Ideas:
-Everyone is not equal
-Embraced the inequality but didn’t explain why
-However you are born into the society, you have earned that spot, and once you reach the top of the pyramid you achieve moksha
-Everyone starts at Sudra
What are the classes in the Caste System?
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Sudras, and the Untouchables (Dalits)
What is Sanskrit?
Indo - European language that the Vedas was written in; the ancient language of the Vedas adopted by the Indo-Aryans
Who were the Brahmins?
Philosophers/Priests - Most influential leaders of society; Highest class (priests, scholars, philosophers, judges–law making class); The priest varna of the caste system; Expected to take care of the temples
Who were the Kshatriyas?
Second highest class, warrior class (commanders in military, nobles, high ranking gov. officials – warrior class); Warrior/Political leaders; Smaller than Brahmins but important
Who were the Vaishyas?
Third class, middle class; Farmers who own their own land, the merchant class (these are the largest groups)
Who were the Sudras?
Fourth class, working class - unskilled labor; Work for others (bottom of the pyramid); Laborers
Who were the Untouchables: Dalits/Pariahs?
Lowest class in the caste system; If you touch them, then you would be spiritually polluting; Have occupations that are spiritually dangerous
What are the Twice Born Groups?
Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas - Everyone in this group made progress because everyone starts out as Sudras
What are the Upanishads?
Last section of Vedas and address spiritual questions; Forest stories; Written by intellectual in a high level; A group of writings sacred in Hinduism concerning the relations of humans, gods, and the universe; Gurus would go out into forests and meditate to find answers about the ancient texts (vedas) and once the gurus found all the answers, they would take on chelas (students) and pass down their interpretation - each time the truth of what happened becomes more distant.
What are the 2 most famous Hindu Epics?
Ramayana and Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad Gita (Song of God) - a section of the Indian epic the Mahabharata)
What is Ramayana about?
Love story about Rama who is learning how to become the model king; His wife was kidnapped; His sidekick is a monkey; Teaches the morals in leaders and moral and to be a good person
What is Mahabharata about?
War story between 2 large clans (same family); Longest poem in the world; One of India’s greatest epics written between 1000 BC and 700 BC
Bhagavad Gita
Also known as “Song of God”; Part of the Mahabharata - poem/interlude for the Mahabharata
What is Reincarnation and how does it relate to Hinduism?
The process of death and re-birth; It means “in the flesh again”; Reincarnation is about the belief that the world is filled with illusion and suffering, meaning coming back to this world is seen as a punishment; Can be reborn into different forms
What is Samsara?
Cycle of reincarnation/death and rebirth, ignorance, and suffering; The idea that people are trapped in their bodies; Goal is to get out of reincarnation system and let Atman free; Repeating cycle of birth, life, death, and reincarnation
What is someone’s Dharma?
The obligations of the varna(class) one is born into (Duty); Duty of your class - expectation of a person; The social (known) expectations for someone of your class; Obeying dharma = move up the caste system, and if not down; Obey Dharma and have good karma = escape samsara
What is someone’s Karma?
Cause and effect of their good and bad actions in previous lives; Linking of actions and their consequences; Something that happened without preparation; Moral decisions affect your karma/determines your future - bad actions = bad karma, good actions = good actions; System of good/bad fortune based off of a buildup of good/bad actions (like a morality score); Your karma is determined by birth/how you are born
What is Moksha?
The Hindu concept of the spirit’s ‘liberation’ from the endless cycle of rebirths; When you escape samsara, you achieve moksha - Your atman returns to the Atman of the world
What is Atman?
Soul of the world / Universal soul; Soul (more specifically, all souls together); Part of Brahman - The absolute reality/ultimate unchanging reality
What is Varna?
A class in the Caste System (technical name); Different name for each section of the Caste system
What is atman?
The individual’s soul
What is the goal of Hinduism?
Goal is to let your soul(atman) escape samsara - this cycle and reunite with the soul (Atman) of the world and be free;
When you reach moksha, your atman will join the Atman of the world
What are the values of Hinduism?
Truth, right conduct, love, peace, non-violence
What is the 8-Step System (5 external, 3 internal)) about?
Moral restraints (nonviolence, abstinence, etc.)
Physical disciplines (calmness, hygiene, study)
Bodily Postures (control body, detach from the physical
Breathing (connects to emotions, bridge to controlling bodily functions normally automatic)
Sensory Withdrawal
Concentration
Meditation (objectless concentration, self-reflection)
Trance (Samadhi - total absorption)
Who were the Aryans?
Aryan means noble; Immigrants from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; Vedas from this time suggest the beginning of caste system; Hinduism emerged from the combination of beliefs and practice of the Indus Valley Civilization and the Aryans (Indo - Aryan); Historical Aryans were herders and migrate from Posited Homeland, through Iran and through Khyber Pass - didn’t conquer but gradual migration
Indo - European tribe, made up of mostly nomadic people that replaced the Harappan civilization in the 2nd millennium BCE.
3 classes in society - priest, warriors and rulers, and commoners
Heterodoxy
There is an incredible variety of religious experience; No central authority; Has a phenomenal that are considered equally legitimately to practice this religion; Rules are set in the present and have a broad spectrum
Orthodoxy
Had some kind of central authority that makes the religion highly organized in its practices (High degree of consistency); At some time in early history, they had some type of central authority that established rules for everyone; Most religions are orthodox religions
Jati
Sanskrit word for “Caste”; Different subsections in the classes of the Caste System
Vedic Polytheism
Belief in many different (holy spirits); Have a number of gods
Monism
Hinduism; Have one divinity but takes infinity shapes; 1 central belief
Ahimsa
Hindu belief in nonviolence and reverence for all life; Principle of non-violence (won’t even kill insects and eat animals because they might hurt other spirits)
Monotheistic vs Polytheistic
Monotheism is the belief that there is only 1 God while Polytheism is the belief in many different (holy spirits)
Hinduism is Monism - There is different forms of the divine; Even in the same temple, there isn’t standardized form of behavior
Guru
A wise man that you would go to for spiritual guidance (retreat from society, reflect on the meaning of life); A Hindu or Buddhist religious leader and spiritual teacher; Meditate and give you broader celebrations (Upanishad); People who goes into the world and separate them from the world to meditate
Soma
(Beverage) - The favorite thing for the Aryans to sacrifice to their gods; Made from mushrooms; Made their god happy
Work
Karma - Go out and try to improve yourself in the world; Look for opportunities to do good, make the world a better place, go out and improve yourself and the world.
Love
Bhakti
Bhakti
Relationship/personal connect with some form of the divine; When you need help, they will come; Essentially where miracles come from
Social Mobility
Ability to move up and down in society/social status; This is the Caste System’s main attraction; Most societies had a low amount of social mobility; Guarantee a certain status, meaning you won’t be going down; If you are at the bottom of social mobility, you can convert religions but there is barely any cultural diffusion from outside, so there are no nearby rivals
Multiple Paths to Salvation
Study - The Brahminical Strand - The long road (High Hinduism) - Study
Meditation - Yoga (Looking inward)
Work - Karma as opportunity (merit - making)
Love - Bhakti - Escape by divine intervention
Brahma
Generator / Generate (Creates things) in theory multiple forms of divine
Vishnu
Operator / Operates (Saves people)
Shiva
Destroyer
Ganesh
Elephant god - Good fortune
Devi
Mother goddess; Embodies all aspects of womanhood; Husband is Siva
Krishna
God of compassion, protection, and love; In times of crisis, he always saves the day; Depicted as a blue boy
Pariah
Outcast
Meditation
Yoga; Masters of Meditation are monks - Can control their heart rate and body heat; Gain moksha through meditation
Yogi
Practitioner of yoga
Samadhi
A state of profound and utterly absorptive contemplation that is undisturbed by desire, anger, or any other thought or emotion; State of meditative consciousness
Yoga
A meditative practice that is much more than just poses (idea is to perceive the divine in you); Poses is supposed to cause pain and when you master everything, your brain starts working differently/reflect more internally; Goal - See your progress, past yourself, better connection to humanity, and see atman, getting a glimpse of what it’s like to be divine
Chelas
Students taught by gurus
Indo - Aryans
People who migrated from Europe and developed Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sanskrit; Migrated through Iran and Khyber pass; Spread all the way west from India
Cows
Holy animal of hinduism:
-Easy-tempered, easy to maintain
-Meat and milk
-Mellow (stupid, not much trouble)
- Fertilization - most valuable - that’s why you don’t eat them
- Strong and durable - labor
- Amount of food it can produce alive is a lot greater than killing it
- 0 Maintenance animal - Cost no one nothing
- Practical living for a farming society
Hurting a cow the worst thing you can do, which is why most people would not eat beef
Pantajali
A sage in India who is believed to have authored a number of Sanskrit works, the most prominent of which is the Yoga Sutras
What is Bhakti Hinduism?
Spiritual practice that’s centered on loving devotion - Your chosen method of connecting with your god (Love)
Who is an Ishta Deva?
The personal deity with whom a devotee feels the greatest affinity; An enlightened being who is the focus of personal meditation - Your chosen form of the divine
What is true about Hinduism?
Can’t join - Has to be born into it
Temples
Different form of the divine in temples
Prasad
Food and water offered to a deity during worship; Religious offerings
Sadhu (Ascetic)
A religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life
Asceticism
Characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons - Siddhartha Gautama went through this for 6 years
Maya
Means “magic” or “illusion”; A fundamental concept in Hindu philosophy
Indo - Aryan Migration
Migrated from the north to the south and brought traditions and most importantly cattle; Brought cows to India; (COWS DID NOT ORIGINATE IN INDIA)
