Hinduism Beliefs Flashcards

1
Q

When did the Indus civilisation begin?

A

6000 years ago

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2
Q

When did a civilisation grow on the west of the Indus River and what was the name of it?

A

4000 years ago and they were called the Persians

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3
Q

What did the Persians refer to the people east of the river Indus?

A

Hindus as they added an “H” to the Indus River

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4
Q

What did the ancient Greeks call the land of the Hindus

A

India

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5
Q

Where did the Hindus move to?

A

The river Ganges

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6
Q

What did the Hindus bring when they came to the river Ganges?

A

Their culture combining it with the locals

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7
Q

Why did trade in Asia growing help Hinduism spread?

A

It spread their culture and religion

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8
Q

What countries has Hinduism spread to?

A

USA, South America, Europe, UK, India, south east Asia and the Caribbean

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9
Q

Why is Hinduism arguably more than a religion?

A

Because it has a unique culture and identity that has grown over the past 6000 years

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10
Q

What are the 2 main Hindu branches?

A

Vaishnavism & Shaivism

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11
Q

What are the members of Shaivism called?

A

Shaivites

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12
Q

What is the most important Hindu scripture & why?

A

Shruti texts because they have been heard and so are the unquestionable truth and are believed to have come straight from God or people who heard the words directly from God

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12
Q

What are the members of Vaishnavism called?

A

Vaishnavas

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13
Q

What is the key distinction of Vaishnavism?

A

Focus their worship on the deity (god) Vishnu who they believe to be the deity responsible for preserving life, morality and order in the world

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14
Q

What is the key distinction of Shaivism?

A

Focus their worship on the deity (god) Shiva who they believe to be responsible for destruction and recreation/rebirth

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15
Q

What is the second Hindu Scripture

A

Smriti texts which have been remembered, they are stories poems, etc that are important but have slightly less authority. these texts might have changed over time, been adapted, beem updated, etc.

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15
Q

What are the names of Hindu texts part of the Smriti texts?

A

The Bhagavad which is “the song of God”, the Ramayana which is the longest poem in teh worl and the Puranas

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15
Q

What are the names of Hindu texts part of the Shruti texts?

A

the Vedas which is the oldest Hindu texts and the Upanishads which includes Hindu beliefs and philosophy.

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15
Q

What is Nirguna-Brahman?

A

It means “God without form” and this is the term Hindus use when speaking about Brahman as a force or spirit

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15
Q

What is Saguna-Brahman?

A

Means “God with form” or shape. The individual manifestations of Brahman in this way are referred to as deities.

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15
Q

What do Hindus believe about the Brahman

A

They are a limitless, unending, indescribable, gender-less, powerless spirit. they do not have a physical form because they are not a being.

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15
Q

What is Brahman?

A

The Hindu term for God

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15
Q

What is the Aum symbol?

A

The symbol is a sound, and represents Brahman

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15
Q

What is Bhagavan?

A

its used to refer to Brahman with for but in the world of spirits and deities (not in our world)

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16
Q

What is Antaryami?

A

It means “the God within”`

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17
Q

What type of religion is Hinduism?

A

Monotheistic

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18
Q

How does the belief in deities influence Hindu life?

A

-Hindus may devote their worship to a particular deity that they feel a connection with
-Hindus may have a shrine in their home to a particular deity that they feel a connection with
-Hindus may feel that their lives are enriched by the knowledge of Brahman which they gain through the different deities
-Hindus may feel the importance of passing on stories and traditions relating to the different deities to their children
-Hindus may feel strengthened or empowered by the different deities and the stories connected to them

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19
Q

What is the Trimurti?

A

The three main deities

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20
Q

What does Tri mean in Trimurti?

A

Three

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21
Q

What does murti mean in Trimurti?

A

image

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22
Q

What is Brahma?

A

The creator

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23
Q

What is Vishnu?

A

The preserver

24
Q

What is Shiva?

A

The destroyer

25
Q

What quote says that Brahma created all life?

A

“Brahma was the creator of all…. from him comes all life” Upanishads 1&2

26
Q

Give a description of Brahma

A
  • 4 heads
  • holds the Vedas, earliest Hindu scripture
    -Water pot represents water of life responsible for beginning of creation
    -
27
Q

Give information on Saraswati

A

-consort of Brahma
-robe usually white & vehicles are swan, goose, peacock
-Often plays instrument
-Power of purification
- Believed to bless scholars & students

28
Q

Give information on Lakshmi

A

-consort of Vishnu
-Worshiped during Diwali for prosperous new year
-Depicted with symbols of prosperity
-Vishnu & Lakshmi considered perfect union
-Newlyweds worship her

29
Q

Give information on Hanuman

A

-The monkey warrior
-Born of Shiva & Parvati
-Adopted by vayu
-Symbol is a mace, for strength and authority
-remembered for devotion

30
Q

Give information on Ganesha

A

-Son of Shiva & Parvati
-Ganesha is God of good luck
-Remover of obstacles
-Worshiped before big events or rituals
-Thought to guard gates and doors

31
Q

Give information on Parvati

A

-Reincarnation of Sati (Shiva’s first wife)
-Sati killed herself after father verbally abused her
-Perfect example of motherhood
-Goddess of fertility
-Goddess of love & devotion
-Usually portrayed in domestic setting with children

32
Q

Why is Brahma important to Hindus?

A

Brahma is a particularly interesting deity because although Hindus agree his role is crucially important he is also least-worshiped of the Trimurti.
seen as less accessible and less personally than many others `

33
Q

Why do Hindus believe that Brahma’s creations are actually unhelpful?

A

They believe this because he created the world and all of its distractions and cruelty so he may be untrustworthy

34
Q

Describe Shiva

A
  • ash - holy men smear themselves with ash and Shaivites put 2 lines to show they are ascetic
  • Trident - represents 3 Trimurti
  • Earing - right earing for male, left earing for female. showing Shiva is both male and female
    -Nandi the bull - Shows Shiva’s calm and gentle aspects; symbolizes courage
    -Blue body - Shiva has a blue neck because he drank poison meant for the world saving it from destruction.
    -River Ganges flows through Shiva’s head representing everlasting time.
    -Serpents - represents Shiva’s creative power after destruction as serpents throw off its skin to rejuvinate
35
Q

What quote describes Shiva?

A

“He watches over all beings and rules over the creation and their destruction” Upanishad 3

36
Q

Why is Shiva called the destroyer of illusion?

A

Because he destroys maya (illusion) and anything that distracts us from Moksha

37
Q

What is an ascetic?

A

is someone who lives a life of only the basics in order to focus fully on Brahma many Hindus choose this kind of lifestyle because it means they can fully focus on God and to reach Moksha

38
Q

Why is Shiva called the destroyer of time?

A

Hindus believe when he performs a complex dance called the Tandav that brings everything to an end including time

39
Q

Give a quote about Vishnu

A

“Whenever there appears on earth a decline of righteousness and uprising of unrighteousness, I send myself to birth… For protection of the good… I come into being age by age establishing the Right.”

40
Q

What are Vishnus 2 avatars

A

Rama and Krishna

41
Q

What is dharma

A

virtue

42
Q

what is adharma

A

evil

43
Q

When does vishnu appear

A

when divine intervention is needed

44
Q

What is the story of Rama

A

The Ramayana is a smirti text where Rama battled a demon who’d taken control. Ravana (the demon) captured a princess (Sita) and with Hanumans help Ravana was destroyed and the balance between dharma and adharma was restored. they believe it may not be true but its about importance of fighting for what is right

45
Q

What is a quote on Krishna in the Mahabharata

A

“Do everything you have to do, not with greed, not with ego, not with lust, not with envy but with love, compassion, humility and devition

46
Q

What did Krishna help to do?

A

bring peace to the warring nations of the Kurukshetra war

47
Q

what other 2 important things did Krishna introduce

A

Reincarnation and Ahisma

48
Q

How do the beliefs in the avatars influence Hindu life

A

-Devote worship to them
-Develop characteristics shown in stories
-May live lives virtuously

49
Q

What are the 4 aims of life

A

Dharma
Artha
Kama
Moksha

50
Q

what is the ultimate aim

A

Moksha

51
Q

What is Dharma

A

Virtue or goodness, aiming to live a good, virtuous life

52
Q

What is Artha

A

Earning a lawful living through honest means, using wealth to help others

53
Q

What is Kama

A

enjoying life responsibly having a positive outlook

54
Q

What is Moksha

A

The soul joining with Brahman, end of the samsara cycle

55
Q

What do the 6 personal virtues help to achieve

A

Dharma

56
Q

what are the 6 personal virtues

A

Ahisma
love
respect
empathy
control
humility

57
Q

Do Hindus believe in free will

A

Yes otherwise karma wouldn’t work

58
Q

What is Atman

A

The eternal self

59
Q

Give a quote on atman

A

“Atman, the spirit of vision is never born and never dies.” Upanishad 2

60
Q

What living things have atman

A

all

61
Q

What happens to atman when the body dies?

A

the atman goes through transmigration and goes to another body

62
Q

What is the analogy of the atman

A

The driver and a car, if the driver gets out the car the car stops, the car being Atman and person the body

63
Q

what is time according to Hindu’s?

A

cyclical

64
Q

What are the 3 tiers of our universe?

A

heavenly planets, earthly realms, Lower worlds

65
Q

How long is the Golden yuga?

A

1,728,000 years

66
Q

How long is the Silver yuga

A

1,296,000 yerars

67
Q

How long is the Copper yuga?

A

864,000 years

68
Q

How long is the iron yuga?

A

432,000 years

69
Q

What yuga do Hindus believe we are living in right now?

A

iron yuga

70
Q

Give two examples of Hindus understanding of the universe

A

-Many universes like cluster of bubbles floating in space, created from Vishnu’s breath
-Every form of creation has its place within these universes. in a new creation within the cycle of life, humans may move into different realms