Hinduism Study Guide 3/27/14

Question 1

When did Hinduism begin?

Answer 1

at least 2000BCE

Question 2

Where did Hinduism develop and still flourishes?

Answer 2

India and Nepal

Question 3

means eternal teaching or eternal law

Answer 3

Santana Dharma

Question 4

Hinduism’s roots in an ancient civilization which flourished between 3500 and 1500 BCE

Answer 4

Indus Valley Civilization

Question 5

a collection of hymns, sacred writings passed on by word of mouth for centuries before written down

Answer 5

Vedas

Question 6

the unchanging ultimate reality which exists beyond the ever changing everyday world of appearances

Answer 6

Brahman

Question 7

the sacred symbol or sound, many explanations that all lead to Brahman

Answer 7

Om, Aum

Question 8

the soul in each living being

Answer 8

Atman

Question 9

How many gods and goddesses are there?

Answer 9

thousands of deiteis

Question 10

three Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva

Answer 10

Hindu Trinity

Question 11

the creator, a god that has four heads

Answer 11

Brahma

Question 12

the preserver, god, sustainer of the universe

Answer 12

Vishnu

Question 13

an ideal couple and are respected by their purity of character, their love for each other and their moral values

Answer 13

Rama and Sita

Question 14

the god of destroyer or liberator

Answer 14

Shiva

Question 15

son of Shiva and Parvati, a god with an elephant head and it thought to remove obstacles

Answer 15

Ganesha

Question 16

the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth

Answer 16

samsara

Question 17

refers to a person’s actions good or bad

Answer 17

karma

Question 18

release from the cycle of rebirth and suffering

Answer 18

moksha

Question 19

the ancient language of ancient India, believed to be written before the common era

Answer 19

Sanskirt

Question 20

has over 100,000 verses, the world’s longest poem

Answer 20

mahabharata

Question 21

Hindu society of thousands of groups

Answer 21

castes

Question 22

a duty or particular way of behaving which govern a person’s life, also determined by a person’s position in society

Answer 22

dharma

Question 23

important life events marked by rituals and celebrations that all take place in front of a sacred fire

Answer 23

samskaras

Question 24

Hindu boys have a coming of age ceremony which shows that the boy is old enough to find out more about his religion

Answer 24

Upanayana

Question 25

Who arranges marriages?

Answer 25

the couples parents

Question 26

Importance of the Ganges River

Answer 26

Its is sacred, people die near the Ganges, when people are cremated, the ashes are placed in the Ganges. A pilgrimage is made every 12 years to the Ganges for people to wash away their sins

Question 27

burning of dead bodies

Answer 27

cremation

Question 28

Importance of yoga

Answer 28

it helps Hindus search for moksha

Question 29

Hindu calender

Answer 29

12 months in a Hindu calender which is determined by lunar months, used to calculate festivals and other religious events as well as horoscopes

Question 30

5 day festival that marks the beginning of a new hindu year between October and November

Answer 30

diwali