Hinduism: Three Features of the Divine Flashcards
1
Q
What are the features of Nirguna Brahman?
A
- Eternal
- Omnipresent
- All-pervading
- Unlimited
- Infinite
- Impersonal
2
Q
What are the features of Saguna Brahman?
A
- Personal deity
- Manifested in forms
3
Q
What is the nature of Brahman?
A
He is both all-pervading and within the heart of an individual (antaryami)
4
Q
What is Bhagvan?
A
The idea of Brahman as the Supreme Person
5
Q
What is Ishvara?
A
- The idea of Brahman living in the spiritual realm
- (Personal deity)
6
Q
Why are there so many different ways of understanding Brahman?
A
- Brahman is difficult to relate to
- It cannot listen to you because it can never change
- Instead, Hindus interact with the gods from the gods’ realm: they are flawed, so they are relatable
- What Brahman is has an impact on what happens after Moksha, e.g. the view that your Atman joining Brahman is like a drop of water joining the ocean means there is more point to life than if you simply cease to exist.
