KEY BELIEFS - HINDUISM Flashcards
What do many Hindus prefer to call their religion?
SANATANA DHARMA - the ‘Eternal Law’.
The second a has a line above it.
Where does Hinduism come from?
Indian subcontinent and take its name from the ‘INDUS VALLEY’ in Northern India.
What is the perhaps the oldest religion in the world?
Hinduism
What is The Vedas?
Ancient religious writings dating back 5000 years. Hinduism became a religion similar to what it is today about 3500 years ago.
Do Hindus criticise other Hindus for having different beliefs or practices?
Of all the religions, Hinduism is perhaps the most tolerant of differences of opinion.
Hindus don’t criticise other Hindus for example, worshipping the god Shiva rather than the god Vishnu.
In Hinduism what are differences in worship viewed as?
They are accepted as being different ways suitable for different types of people. Tolerance.
Is Hinduism rigid?
No, it is not a tradition with one idea of how things should be done but a collection of many different ideas that have built up - like geological layers - over thousands of years
Hindus have some similarities that they all share, give some examples.
A belief in Dharma, Karma, Atman, Brahman and Moksha.
MAD BK
Wha does DHARMA mean?
The moral law of the universe which people can be in harmon with if they are good, or not in harmony if they are bad.
What does KARMA mean?
If people’s actions (KARMA) are bad then it ties them in to SAMSARA, the round of being born into a physical body again and again.
What does ATMAN mean?
The idea that people’s souls (ATMAN) are reincarnated throughout many lifetimes until they are eventually freed to be with God (BRAHMAN).
What does MOKSHA mean?
The freeing of the soul is called MOKSHA and Hindus believe it can be experienced first-hand in this lifetime through meditation.
When was Hinduism founded?
2500BCE in India. There is no known founder.
What is the Hindu holy building?
A Mandir
