Hindusm Beliefs + Practices Flashcards
Brahman
- The Hindu word for God
- ultimate Dalit, limitless, universal soul, beyond human understanding, source of all life
Nirguna-Brahman
When god exists without a physical form/shape, as a spirit
Saguna-Brahman
When god exists with a physical form/shape
Deity
When Brahman takes on a physical shape, this being is called a deity
Tri-murti
The3 most worshipped/most famous deities
Brahma
- One of the tri-murti deities: responsible for creation
- teaches humans wisdom and important truths
- 4 heads, looking in all directions, responsible for crating whole world
- lotus flower: symbol of purity
Vishnu
- One of the tri-murti deities: responsible for sustaining the universe and protect it from chaos
- avatars restore righteousness whenever it is threatened
- many seek his guidance
Shiva
- On of the tri-murti deities: responsible for destruction, maintains cycle of life death and rebirth
- helps devotees overcome ignorance, ego and obstacles that prevent spiritual growth
- ascetic, embodies balance between worldly responsibilities and spiritual discipline
Vaishnavas
Hindus who focus on Vishnu for their worship
Shaivites
Hindus who focus on shiva for their worship
Avatar
When the deity of Vishnu become human/animal
How many avatars have there been
10
Antaryami
Brahman existing inside each living thing
Saraswati
- consort of brahma
- goddess of learning
Lakshmi
- consort o Vishnu
- goddess of beauty prosperity and wealth
Parvati
- reincarnation of sati, shiva’s first wife
- she became goddess of motherhood
Hanuman
- monkey warrior
- son of shiva and Parvati
- patron of wrestlers, sportsmen, and soliders
Krishna
- most well-known avatar of Vishnu
- approachable, loving, mischevious
- taught people how to live a peaceful and good life
Rama
-7th avatar of Vishnu
-killed evil demon king Ravanna to save his wife Sita
- helped bring peace and harmony to the world
Why is Vishnu important
- represents soul of entire universe
- gave bath to brahma who created the universe
- he enters the heart of every living being to become ‘the lord within’
- worshiped through avatars
Prakriti
Matter
Illusion
Maya
Ganesha
- elephant-headed god
- son of shiva and Parvati
- God of luck and remover of obstacles
What are Shaivites like
- often ascetics who are trying to gain liberation from samsara cycle
- they practice astanga yoga
- believe atman and Brahman are one so therefore there is only one reality
What are vaishanavas like
- worship is base on scriptures and focuses on bhakti through saying mantras ad repetitive prayers (japa)
- they believe that the atman is separate from the supreme being
What is a yuga
- periods of time in the cycle of 4 age
The cycle of 4 ages
- Hindus believe that time is separated into 4 long periods of time
-gold, silver, copper, iron - get shorter each time and more corrupt
- we’re in iron right now
- at the end Vishnu will arrive as Kalki, 10th avatar, and destroy remaining evil and new cycle will begin
Purusa
Spirit
What is atman
- the real and eternal self
- made of spirit Brahman
What is the samsara cycle
- the continual cycle of brith and death
- the atman (soul) gets passed onto next body
What is transmigration
- the transferring of the atman into a different body
What is moksha
- the ultimate goal in human life
- reaching enlightenment
- breaking samsara cycle
What is karma
- destiny
- consequences of one’s actions
What’s is Kama
- to gain enjoyment
- enjoying pleasures of life responsibly
What is Artha
- to gain prosperity
- trying to gain more wealth through lawful means
What is Dharma
- duty or path in life
- to act virtuously and righteously
Purusharthas
Objectives of a human
Things to do to achieve dharma
- worshiping god
- doing job properly
- not hurting people or living animals
- being honest
4 aims in life
- Dharma
- Artha
- Kama
- Moksha
Sanatana dharma
- the ideal or perfect way of life that all Hindus try to follow
What does sanatana dharma consist of
- always considering what is right and what is wrong about any action
- remembering god in you heart and mind
- learning more about god and dharma from holy scriptures
- trying to reach moksha
- offering worship to god either in the temple or at home
- feeding animals, caring for environment
- showing respect to elders and arming for the needy
Why do Hindus think suffering happens
- because of the sum of all the bad karma from people’s previous lives
How is inner peace achieved for Hindus
- changing self rather than changing material circumstances
- relieve suffering of others
How does the belief in avatars and deities influence Hindus today
- focus on different deities or avatars in their worship
- different Hindus will feel closer to different deities or avatars, more personal
- they will say prayers to those deities to ask for help or guidance, they also make offerings to them at temples
Varnashrama-dharma
The responsibilities that will be different for different Hindus depending on who they are
What happens if a person has built up good karma by the end of their life
- good karma, their soul will be reborn into a good life and vice versa
What happens when soul is released from samara cycle
- moksha
- enlightenment
- joins with brahman
How to acheived moksha
- living a good life
- fulfilling all your duties and responsibilities
- becoming close to Brahman through prayer
- making offerings to god to show you’re committed
How do the 4 aims influence people today
- take their responsibilities seriously
- pray to Brahman and deities for support
- give to charity or care for others
Bhagavan
Supreme being
Hindu ideas about the world and how it works
- time is cyclical
- the material world is repeatedly created
- the universe is one f many bubbles floating in space
- 3 tiers: heavenly planets, earthly realm, lower worlds
Different beliefs about atman
- Some think atman is always one with Brahman
- Some think that the atman and Brahman always remain separate
How does a Hindu achieve moksha (beliefs)
- Some think moksha is acheived by person’s own efforts
- Others debate it’s acheived through grace, through Brahman or another deity
Puja
- Hindu worship
- means ‘giving respect and honour’
- prayers are said in front of chosen deity and worshippers make offerings
Bhakti
Showing loving devotion to god
What does Bhakti instil
- encourages devotees to show their love by focusing on the deity and make offerings
- offers promise of moksha to those who show this loving and steadfast devotion
Arati
- main worship ceremony
- an offering of light to the deity through a murti
Murti
An image of a deity used as a focus of worship and offerings
Mandir
Hindu temple
Where do Hindus worship
- they can all worship in the home, shrine or scared space outdoors
- the way a person worships is not as important as the love and devotion in their heart when they worship
Darshan
- viewing with respect a holy image and receiving a divine blessing
- they will sing hymns (bhajan/kirtan)
- chant mantras
Bhajan/kirtan
Devotional songs and hymns to god
Mantras/japa
Chants or prayers to god; repeating holy sounds or words
Havan
- a fire sacrifice offered to the fire god Agni in the temple
Bhagavan
Personal deity that Hindus worship to make the Supreme Being easier to access and understand
What are home shrines like
- family murtis treated with great respect
- home shrines cleanest rooms in the house
The swastika
-ancient Hindu symbol of sun and prosperity
- crooked branches represent the human mind is unable to comprehend direct truths about Brahman
Duration and time of holi
- 2 days
- February/march
Duration and time of Diwali
- 5 days
- September/october
What types of festivals are Diwali and holi
-celebrating a key event in the life of deity
Who is remembered and why in holi
The victory of Prahlad and Vishnu over the demon holika. It also remembers the story of Krishna and the milkmaids
Who is remembered and why in Diwali
- The goddess Lakshimi - to bring prosperity
- the story of Rama and Sita - to mark the victory over the light over darkness, and good over evil
- start of Hindu new year
How is Diwali celebrated
- houses spring-cleaned and decorated to welcome Lakshimi
- lights are lit to light the path to the home
- gifts and new clothes bought and exchanged
- lamps and fireworks are lit to show the victory of good over evil
How is holi celebrated
- fires lit to remember the story of Prahlad being protected by Vishnu
- people wear old clothes and throw coloured paint to rememebr fun that Krishna and the milkmaids had
- everyone can join in and normal standards of behaviour are forgotten
4 paths of yoga
- Karma yoga
- Bhakti yoga (most popular)
- Jnana yoga
- Astanga yoga
Karma yoga
- path of unselfish action
- by doing daily work, particularly the duties of your stage in life and caste without the desire for a reward or selfish gain
Bhakti yoga
- loving devotion
- expressing beliefs through a loving relationship with a personal deity
- will sing and chant gods name
- they believe thy will receive refuge from god and lead them to moksha
Astanga yoga
- known as ‘royal yoga’
- this is a form of self-control over both the senses and the mind
- involves deep contemplation of Brahman
- when success is achieved, the yogi’s personality is transformed and they are freed from anger, greed, envy and sadness
Jnana yoga
- the path of knowledge and understanding
- acheived trough deep meditation and an experience of oneness with the supreme spirit Brahman
Sadhu
- wandering holy man
- lead procession of pilgrims into the water
Sannyasin
- a religious hermit who has reached the last stage of life
- give up all possessions and connection with family
- highly respected as an example of austerity, meditation and prayer
Guru
- wise teacher of religion and spirituality
4 qualities a guru must have
- be well versed in the scriptures
- know about Brahman
- have overcome all human desires
- be honest, sincere and trustworthy
Swami
- ‘master of the senses’
- known for being highly knowledgeable about Hindu scriptures and belong to a religious order
Amma - guru
-holy teacher
-travels world showing love by hugging people
Satay Sai Baba - guru
- popular modern guru who had 15 million followers worldwide
- had an ashram in India where thousands of Hindus would wait daily in hope of seeing him
Why are most Hindus vegetarian
- killing animals for meat causes them to suffer
- their breath which is used for uttering holy scriptures, should not be linked to the killing of animals
- animals are a part of the ice cycle and should not be harmed
Ahimsa
Non-violence
Why are cows sacred to Hindus
- lord Krishna was a cowherd to many want to follow his example
- the Veda’s forbids the killing of cows
- the bull is the animal on which shiva rides and is a source of power
Goshalla
Retirement home for cows
Bhaktivedanta Manor Cow Protection Project
Stops cows from, being slaughtered unnecessarily, acts a goshalla shelter for cows
Chipko movement
- tree-hugging to try and stop the trees from being cut down
The vrindavan forest project
-many believe lord Krishna lived in this forest
- its a scheme to protect and restore the forest
Sewa
Selfless service
Sewa international
- works to improve the status of women in India
- one of its goals is to organise women workers for full employment
Dana
Giving
ISKCON
International society for Krishna consciousness
Why do Hindus believe in preserving the environment
- god is present in the world and in all life
- the world has been created with everything living in harmony, working together for the benefit of all
Why do Hindus go on pilgrimage
- to strengthen faith and become closer to god
- to show commitment to faith
- to make amends for something they’ve done wrong
- to ask for help or healing
Things pilgrims do on pilgrimage
- make offerings to god
- chant mantras
- say prayers
- spend time in the prescience of the deity
Varanasi
- point where two holy rivers meet
- considered - city of lord shiva
- where many Hindus go to reflect on the temporal nature of this life and the ultimate goal of moksha
- considered ‘ gateway to moksha ‘
- famous for the ghats, where the deceased are cremated at the edge of the river
Kumbh mela
- pilgrimage which takes place every 3 years. Every 3 years, Hindus travel to different places in India.
- 4 different places
- takes 12 years
Why do Hindus go to varanasi
- they believe the city was built by the deity shiva
- they believe that if you die in this city, your soul has a better chance of achieving moksha and joining Brahman
- they believe that bathing in the water cleanses you of all sins
Why do Hindus go to Kumbh mela
- they believable each of the 4 places in holy
- ya the en of the 12 years, Hindus believable that bathing in the waters at the Kumbh Mela will help release soul to Brahman
- one of the largest oldest religious gatherings in the world and deeply rooted within Hindu culture and history
- brings people together
Importance of Diwali
- victory of good over evil, light over darkness
- spiritual renewal as people prepare and worship for goddess Lakshimi for prosperity and success
- brings families and communities together
Importance of holi
- celebration of love and joy, promotes fun and laughter through colourful celebrations
- Prahlada defeating the demon holika, good over evil
- allows people to forget their differences and repair relationships and celebrate togther
