Hinduism Chapter one Flashcards
- Explain the hindu understandings of Brahman:
- as ultimate reality
- as divine consciousness(nirguna)
- as manifestation of god in form (saguna)
Nirguna Brahman is the supreme being in spiritual presence, Saguna Brahman is the supreme being shown in form. He is the ultimate reality as everything is a part of Brahman.
“In truth Brahman is all.”
- Explain Hindu beliefs about God and spiritual worlds (vaikuntha) by referring to sacred texts such as Upanishads, Rig Veda and the Puranas and explain Hindu understanding of the three features of the divine:
- everywhere(non-personal brahman)
- in the heart(antaryami)
- personal(bhagavan)
Non-personal God that exists everywhere is called Brahman, and the God that exists in the heart of everyone is called antaryami. There is also a personal God called bhagavan that exists in (spiritual worlds called) Vaikuntha. Vaikuntha is the perfect world; the spiritual realms.
-Show understanding of the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 391 about how many Hindu Gods there are
“There are equally 30 Gods and 1 God, as all Gods are Brahman
- Explain how the divine presents:
- Brahma
Brahma is the God credited with creation.He has four heads and holds the Vedas, a sacrificial ladle,a mala (string of beads used in worship) and a pot of water representing life. His consort is Saraswati, the Goddess of music, knowledge, art and learning and she is often pictured riding the symbol of purity, a swan.He is not often worshipped as his job is finished and he fell in love with his daughter Shatarupa.
-Explain the contrasting views of Vaishnavas and Shaivites
Vaishnavas and Shaivities argue over who is the most superior. Vaishnavas focus on personal devotion, and their aim in life is to serve Vishnu or one of his avatars.They consider the Vishnu within them as the antaryami. Shaivites aim for liberation through complete detachment. They believe in only ONE reality, that the atman and Brahman are one. Vaishnavas are less sure of this ‘oneness’ because they believe the self is separate from the supreme being.
- Explain the importance of different deities:
- Ganesha
The elephant headed God, son of Shiva and Parvati. He is the God of good luck and remover of obstacles.
-Lakshmi
She is prayed to for a prosperous new year, and by newly weds wanting a perfect union
-Hanuman
Monkey warriors, remembered for his devotion to duty and to Rama and Sita. Patron of sportsmen and soldiers. He is the adopted son of Vayu, the wind God and can leap colossal distances.
-Saraswati
Brahma’s consort, the goddess of learning. Worldly possessions do not interest her. She is prayed to by musicians before concerts and universities before studies.
-Explain the concept of avatara, including Krishna and Rama
Avatars of vishnu.
A demon named Ravanna fell in love with Rama’s wife, Sita and kidnapped her.Rama asked Hanuman to help find her. They built a causeway from Sri Lanka to India. Rama killed Ravanna, and Sita proved she had remained chaste while living in the house of another man, and Rama took his rightful place as King
Krishna is a cowherd boy who provided an example of personal devotion and brought peace and righteousness
-Explain Hindu understanding of matter (prakriti) and illusion (maya)
Matter is what things are made of and can be seen, and maya is everything in the world that seems real but is not. When Hindus reach enlightenment, the material world no longer has any worth, and is therefore seen as a waste of time.
-Explain the three qualities (tri-guna)
Three qualities or gunas- goodness, passion and ignorance. Also seen in the three stages of matter as creation, maintenance and destruction. A person’s actions can be explained by the balance of gunas in them.
-Show understanding of Hindu Cosmology based on the Rig Veda 10.129.6-7
“Who verily knows and who can here declare it, whence it was born and whence comes this creation?
The Gods are later than this world’s production. Who knows then whence it first came into being?
7 He, the first origin of this creation, whether he formed it all or did not form it,
Whose eye controls this world in highest heaven, he verily knows it, or perhaps he knows not.”
-Explain what Hindus mean by the cycle of four ages, and many worlds with diverse inhabitants
There are four ages or epochs which continuously rotate. The first is the Gold era, 1,728,000 years, Silver, 1,296,000 years, copper, 864,000 years, and iron, 432,000 years. At the end of iron, Kalki, an avatar of Vishnu will kill off remaining evildoers and the cycle will restart.
-Explain the concept of atman as individual, eternal inner self, distinct from material mind and body
A living force in all of nature. When a living body dies, the atman lives on, allowing for samsara.
