Hinduism Year 8 Flashcards

1
Q

Who is Brahman?

A

The Hindu name for God or Supreme Being. God responsible for creation. He is beyond human understanding.

Hindus may say that “Everything is Brahman, and Brahman is everything”

Hindus view Brahman as the Divine and believe the Divine can be understood in three ways.

God exists everywhere as a non-personal God, which Hindus call Brahman.
God exists as antaryami, which is God within humans.
God exists as vaikuntha, which is God as personal, taking form as deities who live in a spiritual world.

Hindus argue that the Divine is beyond human understanding and therefore use different ideas or deities to understand the Divine

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2
Q

Vishnu

A

Preserver and sustainer of the universe.
He has a conch that represents creation
He is represented with a human body and blue coloured skin.
He is worshipped through avatars
There are 10 animal and human forms - avatars in which Vishnu appears on Earth

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3
Q

How many avatars does Vishnu appear on Earth?

A

10

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4
Q

Who is Shiva?

A

The God that destroys the universe so it can be recreated. Shiva paves the way for beneficial change. His necklace of cobra snakes is another sign of power. Shiva is worshipped by many millions of Hindus today.

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5
Q

What are the characteristics of Shiva

A

Terrifying and peaceful
creator and destroyer
demonic and angelic
Benevolent and malevolent

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6
Q

Who are the 3 gods in the Hindu triumvirate?

A

Brahma the creator
Vishnu the preserver
Shiva the destroyer

DO NOT CONFUSE BRAHMA WITH BRAHMAN

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7
Q

Who is Shiva?

A

Shiva is the third God in the Hindu triumvirate. Shiva destroys the universe.The God that destroys the universe so it can be recreated. Shiva paves the way for beneficial change.

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8
Q

Who is Ganesh?

A

Very popular deity. He is the God of good luck and remover of obstacles. Elephant headed god.
Worshipped especially before big events such as weddings. Also found in shops/businesses to bring luck and wealth

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9
Q

Who is Laksmi?

A

Goddess of wealth and purity
Consort of Vishnu
Especially Worshipped during festival of Diwali and is prayed to for a prosperous new year

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10
Q

Why are festivals important?

A

The festivals are an important way of linking with the Divine and also a time when families come together in joyful celebrations.
All of the various Hindu gods and goddesses have celebrations associated with their stories. Three widely loved festivals are Diwali, Holi and Raksha Bandhan.

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11
Q

Holi

A

Duration: 2 days
Time of year: Spring- March
What type of festival is it? The festival of colours
Who is commemorated?Holi remembers the story of Prince Prahlad, who was a Vishnu devotee, and his victory over the demon girl Holika

Special features: Smear each other with paint and coloured powder. everyone joins the fun.

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12
Q

Diwali

A

Duration: 5 days
Time of year: September /October
What type of festival is it? Festival of lights
Who is commemorated?It celebrates the famous story of Rama and Sita defeating the evil ten-headed demon king Ravana. It is a reminder of the victory of good over evil. South Indians- celebrates the marriage of Vishnu and Lakshmi. In West Bengal- celebrates Kali

Special features:Hindus often clean their home, get their finances in order, join in fireworks displays and light diva lamps. Prepare meals and wear new clothes. Gifts exchanged.

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13
Q

Apart from Hindus, which other religions celebrate Diwali

A

Sikhs and Buddhists

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14
Q

Where did Hinduism originate

A

Indus valley

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15
Q

What do most Hindus believe in?

A

Reincarnation

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16
Q

What are the main Hindu texts?

A

Vedas

17
Q

Name 4 important holy books

A

Hinduism does not have a single holy book, but many ancient texts and scriptures.

1.The Vedas - a collection of hymns praising the Vedic gods. Veda means ‘knowledge’.

2.The Ramayana - long epic poems about Rama and Sita.

3.Upanishads

4.The Mahabharata - which includes the Bhagavad Gita.

18
Q

What story is told in the Ramayana

A

Ramayana, which is an epic poem telling the story of Hindu deities, Rama and Sita

19
Q

What are the Upanishads about?

A

The Upanishads means ‘sitting near’ and refers to disciples sitting at the feet of a holy teacher.

They are about atman, reincarnation, karma and moksha.

20
Q

Tell me more about Ramayana?

A

Ramayana, which is an epic poem telling the story of Hindu deities, Rama and Sita. In the story, Rama is exhiled by his father. Rama leaves with his wife, Sita, but Sita gets kidnapped by a wicked demon called Ravana. The monkey god, Hanuman, helps Rama save Sita and kill Ravana so they can finally return home. This story is about good overcoming evil. Lamps were lit to guide Rama and Sita home, and this is why most Hindus light diya lamps during Diwali today.

21
Q

What is a mandir?

A

Mandir= temple
decorated elaborately
Why is there a dome in the mandir?
To symbolise that hindus can reach up to God

22
Q

How do people worship at home?

A

A Hindu shrine

A Hindu place of worship is called a mandir, but the majority of Hindus have a shrine at home where they perform personal and family worship. Worship in Hinduism is called puja.

23
Q

What does the term ‘murti’ mean?

A

An image of a hindu God - a statue

24
Q

What does the term pilgrimage mean?

A

Religious duty carried out to experience the atmosphere of a holy place , with the intention to receive blesssings.

24
Q

What does the term pilgrimage mean?

A

Religious duty carried out to experience the atmosphere of a holy place , with the intention to receive blesssings.

25
Q

What is one of the most sacred places for Hindus?

A

The most sacred city in Hinduism is Varanasi, as it is one of the oldest and most respected cities. It is believed to be the city where Shiva, the god of destruction, lived a long time ago.

26
Q

Why is Varansi so sacred?

A

The most sacred city in Hinduism is Varanasi, as it is one of the oldest and most respected cities. It is believed to be the city where Shiva, the god of destruction, lived a long time ago.

27
Q

What is reincarnation?

A

being born again into a new body- rebirth of the soul in a new body after death

28
Q

Atman?

A

Atman is a Hindu word that means ‘soul or spirit’

It is made of part of the spirit of Brahman, who Hindus believe is the one true ultimate God. Therefore, it is not something that can be seen or touched, but it is eternal and everlasting.

29
Q

Karma?

A

Good and bad actions in life and the consequences of the actions

30
Q

Samsara?

A

The cycle of death and rebirth

Hindus believe life is a cycle in which they are born, live, die and are reborn. The cycle is called samsara.

31
Q

Moksha?

A

Escape from the cycle of reincarnation.
Some believe that the soul becomes one with Brahman; others belive the atmam returns to Brahman but remains separate.

32
Q

Bhagavad Gita?

A

It is an example of a text that tinterpret the Vedas and provide ideas on how they can be applied to people’s lives

33
Q

Dharma?

A

Duties a hindu should follow in life

34
Q

Avatar?

A

Hindu word for an incarnation of a God in a human or animal form on Earth

Avatars of Vishnu

In Hinduism, avatars are usually incarnations of Vishnu, who is the protector aspect of the Trimurti. He has appeared through avatars many times for important reasons. The most famous avatars of Vishnu are Rama and Krishna.

Hindus believe that there are ten avatars of Vishnu. This means he has appeared or will appear ten times in different forms. Hindus believe that he has appeared nine times already as different forms and is still yet to appear for the last time. The final avatar to appear is called Kalki and it is believed that he will ride in on a white horse to destroy all the evil in the world.

The ten avatars of Vishnu are:

Matsya - the Fish
Kurma - the Tortoise
Varaha - the Boar
Narasimha - the Man-Lion
Vamana - the Dwarf
Parasurama - the Angry Man
Lord Rama - the Perfect Man
Lord Krishna - the Divine Statesman
Balarama - Krishna’s Elder Brother
Kalki - the Mighty Warrior
35
Q

Hindu beliefs about reincarnation (for and against):

A

Supporting Hinduism Beliefs on Reincarnation:

  1. Law of Karma: Actions have consequences, and reincarnation allows individuals to experience the results of their actions from previous lives.
  2. Cycle of Samsara: Life is part of an eternal cycle, and reincarnation enables spiritual growth and liberation from the cycle until it achieves Moksha.
  3. Doctrine of Atman: The eternal soul evolves and gains knowledge through reincarnation, leading to spiritual enlightenment.
  4. Past Life Memories: Some individuals claim to have vivid memories of past lives, suggesting the continuity of the soul.

Challenging Hinduism Beliefs on Reincarnation:

  1. Lack of Scientific Evidence: Limited evidence other than anecdotes like near death experiences.
  2. Cultural Influence: Belief in reincarnation may be culturally influenced such as a belief in ghosts.
  3. Alternative Explanations: Psychological and cognitive phenomena can explain past life memories without invoking actual past lives.
  4. Ethical Implications: The concept of karma and reincarnation can lead to victim-blaming and undermine social justice and compassion.