Hinduism

Question 0

What is unique about Hinduism?

Answer 0

There is no one founder or set of ideas- instead a combination of beliefs of the Indus and Aryan people.

Question 1

What are Hindus 4 goals in life?

Answer 1

Kama (pleasure), Artha (stuff), Dharma (responsibility) and Moksha (liberation)

Question 2

What is a Hindus ultimate concern?

Answer 2

To reach a state of moksha

Question 3

What is Brahman?

Answer 3

The world soul

Question 4

What are Brahmans 3 personalities?

Answer 4

Brahma: the creator
Vishnu: the protector
Shiva: the destroyer

Question 5

What is monism

Answer 5

One collective soul: Hindus believe that everything is connected

Question 6

What are the 2 realities?

Answer 6

What we create b/c of desire; they are illusions; “Maya”

True Reality that everything is Brahman

Question 7

What is reincarnation?

Answer 7

The soul is reborn until moksha is acheived

Question 8

What determines how fast you achieve moksha?

Answer 8

How much good karma vs bad karma you have

Question 9

What is karma?

Answer 9

All your good and bad acts

-everything (good and bad) has a consequence

Question 10

How does karma affect a persons caste?

Answer 10

The lower their caste, the worse their karma from their last life was

Question 11

What happens once moksha is achieved?

Answer 11

The soul becomes Brahman and is liberated from human suffering and desire

Question 12

What specific activities help one achieve moksha?

Answer 12

Fulfilling your Dharma
Meditation and yoga
Seeking advice from a guru

Question 13

What is dharma?

Answer 13

Ones duties/ responsibilities

Question 14

What are the 4 stages of life?

Answer 14

Student: learning; under control of father
Householder: pleasure, gain, righteousness
First three aims of life are in this stage
-Majority of life
Hermit or forest dweller: ready to take quest to moksha
-Upper castes
Renunciant: liberation
-Upper castes

Question 15

What is at the center of Hindu worship?

Answer 15

The household:

Household deities and routines

Question 16

Who are the Aryan’s?

Answer 16

An Indo-European people who, about 1500 BCE began to migrate to the Indian subcontinent

Question 17

What are the Vedas?

Answer 17

4 collections of sacred writing produced by the Aryan’s during an early stage of their settlement in India

Question 18

What is a Brahmin?

Answer 18

A member of the social class made up of priests

Question 19

What is Mahabharata?

Answer 19

A Hindu epic poem about the struggles of the Aryans as they moved into India

Question 20

Who were the dasas?

Answer 20

The Aryan’s enemies

Question 21

Who were the shudras?

Answer 21

The people who did the work the higher castes didn’t want to, the “untouchables”

Question 22

Who were the untouchables?

Answer 22

Those considered impure, outside of the caste system.

Ex: grave diggers, trash collectors

Question 23

Who are the Kshatriyas?

Answer 23

Rulers and warriors

Question 24

Who are the vaishyas?

Answer 24

Peasants and traders

Question 25

What are the Upanishads?

Answer 25

Hindu teachers’ interpretation of the hymns in the Vedas

Question 26

What is atman?

Answer 26

The individual soul of a living being