Hinduism Flashcards
1
Q
Hinduism
A
collage of different faiths around the core concept of reincarnation
2
Q
Rig Veda
A
- most ancient book of knowledge
- full of religious hymns
- more than 1000 male gods depicted
- responsible for creation and order
3
Q
Indra
A
warrior that wins over evil powers and creates the world
4
Q
Agni
A
- personification of ritual fire that connects Heaven with Earth
- Elevates the gifts given by the priests as sacrifice
- Heaven & Earth = divine parents, their marriage symbolizes the connection between the two worlds
5
Q
Varuna
A
- father of all gods
- the law is represented through him
- he controls and dominates the cosmic order on a universal and human level
6
Q
Visnu
A
- creation belongs to him
- represented in the ocean
7
Q
Siva
A
- blue skin
- destroyer of the world, but also its regenerator
8
Q
Trimurti
A
- capacity to create
- 4 faces & 4 arms
9
Q
Saravati
A
represents Trimurti the word and knowledge
10
Q
Lasmi
A
symbol of beauty and luck and love
11
Q
Shakti
A
Siva’s counterpart
12
Q
Kali
A
destruction of ignorance
13
Q
Upanishads
A
- majestic book of Hinduism
- no implications of gods, no ritual sacrifices
14
Q
Samsara
A
- eternal wheel of reincarnation
- life –> death –> life
15
Q
Karma
A
belief that everything you did in the past has a consequence in this life and influences the next life until we reach perfection, enlightenment or eternal Brahman
16
Q
Moksa
A
- liberation from the reincarnation process
- reaching Brahman and extinguishing burden of Karma
- enlightenment or eternal Brahman through renouncing, fasting, yoga, and devotion
17
Q
Brahman
A
- the one God; the mouth –> priestly order
- conceived as Atman
- orinciple rather than a deity
- one finds many gods and goddesses representing different aspects of the infinite principle of Brahman
- “Brahman lives everywhere and knowing him means knowing oneself”
- The absolute Brahman is neutral and impersonal: he is origin, cause, and basis of all existence
18
Q
Chakras
A
-energy point in the subtle, NOT PHYSICAL body
19
Q
7 chakras
A
- Crown: higher level of consciousness and spiritual knowledge
- third eye: insight; info and intuition; energy center for psychic abilities
- throat: communication and self-expression
- heart: compassion/love; spirituality with physical bodies
- solar plexus: self-esteem & intelligence
- sacrum: creativity/rebirth; high creative energy; center of emotions
- root: survival instincts/sense of acceptance and belonging
