Hinduism Study Guide 3/27/14 Flashcards
When did Hinduism begin?
at least 2000BCE
Where did Hinduism develop and still flourishes?
India and Nepal
means eternal teaching or eternal law
Santana Dharma
Hinduism’s roots in an ancient civilization which flourished between 3500 and 1500 BCE
Indus Valley Civilization
a collection of hymns, sacred writings passed on by word of mouth for centuries before written down
Vedas
the unchanging ultimate reality which exists beyond the ever changing everyday world of appearances
Brahman
the sacred symbol or sound, many explanations that all lead to Brahman
Om, Aum
the soul in each living being
Atman
How many gods and goddesses are there?
thousands of deiteis
three Hindu gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
Hindu Trinity
the creator, a god that has four heads
Brahma
the preserver, god, sustainer of the universe
Vishnu
an ideal couple and are respected by their purity of character, their love for each other and their moral values
Rama and Sita
the god of destroyer or liberator
Shiva
son of Shiva and Parvati, a god with an elephant head and it thought to remove obstacles
Ganesha
the endless cycle of life, death, and rebirth
samsara
refers to a person’s actions good or bad
karma
release from the cycle of rebirth and suffering
moksha
the ancient language of ancient India, believed to be written before the common era
Sanskirt
has over 100,000 verses, the world’s longest poem
mahabharata
Hindu society of thousands of groups
castes
a duty or particular way of behaving which govern a person’s life, also determined by a person’s position in society
dharma
important life events marked by rituals and celebrations that all take place in front of a sacred fire
samskaras
Hindu boys have a coming of age ceremony which shows that the boy is old enough to find out more about his religion
Upanayana
