Hinduism Flashcards
Founder?
Always existed
Historically: came from Aryans and Dravidians 3500ish yrs ago
dharma
The path;
Historically: name of Hindu religion
now: individual paths (live your dharma)
Monism? Brahman?
Reality all one single transcendent whole (Brahmin); separate parts = illusion
Is Hinduism polythestic?
Depends on the Hindu; can be monolatrous, polytheist, monotheist, atheist; gods are all manifestations of one Brahman
Big 3 deities?
Brahma: creator, the absolute; not widely worshiped–aloof
Vishnu: the protector, benevolent; 10 avatars (9 past); universe began when he woke up and Brahma and Shiva emerged
Shiva: energy of the ultimate: destruction and creation; fertility
Vishnu’s most popular avatars?
Krishna: extraordinary love; savior type
Rama; God incarnate, prince
Shakti
wives of Shiva, determine power of the god, worshiped by some (sexuality)
2-fold purpose of life?
overcome maya (illusion of separateness)--become one with brahman obtain release (moksha) from cycle of rebirths (samsar)
maya
illusion of separateness
moksha
release from cycle of rebirths
Reincarnation
calculate new being based on karma; not transmigration of permanent soul
karma
negative points; law of moral cause and effect; good deeds burn up karma; try not to accumulate karma
Castes
Brahmin: priest
Kshatriya: warrior/ruling
Vaisya: merchants/farmers
sudras: servants/slaves
untouchables: Gandhi called Harijan (children of God)
Result of karma; have to be Brahmin priest to get off wheel
3 standard paths off wheel
Good works (burn up karma) Knowledge (Jyana)--study, meditate; Brahmins; seen as higher; no grace involved Devotion/bhakti: deity can short circuit karma
Scripture
Shruti: most authoritative; heard/revealed; Vedic Sanksrit–lost language (memorize sounds and meaning); includes Rig Veda
Smirti: popular writings; oral tradition
Bhagavad Gita: bhakti; story of charioteer Krishna; excerpt of Mahabarata
Ramayana: love story/good and evil
four stages of life
Student: young, celibate, learn from seeker)
Householder: duty to raise family
Seeker/hermit; detach from world
Ascetic/Holy man: anticipating getting off wheel
puja
worship: many ways; individual/inner, public or private
prasad
blessed food for deity, eaten by worshiper
sacrifices to stautes/idols?
Just symbols for the deity
importance of rivers
ritual washings–Ganges; between living and dead
mantras
suppress bad inclinations, focus on divine reality (Aum0
Rites
Infant welcome: choose object from tray
marriage: arranged, within caste
Funeral: cremation; death like changing clothes; interim state depends on emotion when you died
Ahimsa
nonviolence–no beef; priests vegetarian
Women in Hinduism
patriarchal culture; man needs wife/idea of shakti; women lower on hierarchy of reincarnation–all will be/have been at some point
