Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM

Browse over 1 million classes created by top students, professors, publishers, and experts.


See full index

Hinduism (RELI 2510) > Key terms > Flashcards

Key terms Flashcards

1
Q

Puranas

A

Literally means “tales of old” or ‘ancient’. Texts that contain the bulk of Hinduism’s rich mythology.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Bhakti

A

Devotional worship directed to one supreme deity, usually Vishnu or Shiva

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Brahman

A

Ultimate Reality. Hindu philosophy recognizes a supreme being (Brahman), who is not limited by gender or number and can take countless forms (330 million in classical rhetoric).

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Vedas/Ramayana/Mahabharata (including Bhagavad Gita)

A

Authoritative texts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Atman

A

real self

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Samsara

A

human life cycle of rebirth/reincarnation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Karma

A

literally means action, one’s rebirth is a result of their karma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Moksa

A

the ultimate spiritual goal, liberation/release from the cycle of samsara

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Sindhu

A

literally means ‘Ocean’. The word ‘Hindu’ is derived from the Sindhu river

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Linga

A

It is a symbol associated with Shiva, supreme god in main gods of the Hindus. The Hindu scriptures say that a linga represents energy and strength. In almost all the temples of Shiva, Shiva is shown in the form of a linga.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Yoni

A

literally means womb

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Indo-european migration thesis

A

light skinned, indo European people migrated into Indian sub continents in waves. They brought with them oral scriptures called the Vedas and spoke Sanskrit (indoeuropean language). They were warriors- nomads on horse drawn chariots. The vedas tell of Aryans conquering dark skinned groups of people- referred to as Dasas (enemy or servant). Speculated to be the conquest of IVC but there was no archeological evidence to support this, it appeared IVC declined before Aryans arrived. They encountered and mingled with southern, Dravidian, culture.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Cultural diffusion hypothesis

A

Aryan civilization developed close to Harrapan civilization, no migrations or invasions. Essentially, Vedic/Aryan culture diffused into neighbouring lands.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Varna

A

Class system, social division of labour

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Brahmins

A

Priestly class (played an important role in maintaining order, Uppermost position of social structure, embodiment of dharma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Ksatriyas

A

Rulers/Warriors, Dharma was to protect the people and the country

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

Vaisyas

A

Pastoralists, commercial transactions, agricultural work, raising of cattle, could bestow gifts and sponsor sacrifices.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

Sudras

A

Commoners, one duty to serve the upper three classes, accumulate no wealth or power

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

Universalization

A

Dominant classes (“great tradition”) adopt practices of subordinate classes (“little tradition”). Incorporate them into cultural forms of the upper classes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

Sanskritization

A

lower classes adopt values and practices of upper dominant classes, enhance social status.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

Sruti

A

‘that which was heard’ (e.g., the Vedas)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

Smrti

A

‘that which has been remembered’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

Rsis

A

the seers, the Vedas were divinely perceived by/revealed to the seers.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

Veda

A

from Sanskrit word for ‘knowledge’. The Vedas consists of four collections the rg Veda, the Sama Veda, the Yajur Veda. The Arthava Veda.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
Q

Samhitas

A

‘put together, joined’ ‘collection’. The earliest part of each Vedic collection. Hymns to praise God.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
26
Q

Brahmanas

A

the how to directions for performance of sacred rituals

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
27
Q

Mantra

A

Sacred verses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
28
Q

Yajna

A

ritual sacrifice

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
29
Q

Aranyakas

A

‘compositions of the forest’

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
30
Q

Upanisads

A

‘sitting near the teacher’ upa= near, ni=down, shad=sit

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
31
Q

Vedanta

A

Final layer (the ‘end’ or ‘anta’) of Vedas (a.k.a the Upanisads)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
32
Q

Purusha Sukta

A

supreme being

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
33
Q

Purusha

A

primeval man

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
34
Q

Amrita

A

literally means immortality

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
35
Q

Rta

A

‘the right way’ or ‘cosmic order’, an impersonal cosmic principle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
36
Q

Guru

A

teacher

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
37
Q

sisya

A

student

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
38
Q

Samsara

A

Cyclical view of human existence, seen as the human problem. A continuous cycle of death and rebirth.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
39
Q

Punya

A

Good, meritorious. Being reborn in a good situation – gandharva or deva.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
40
Q

Deva

A

god

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
41
Q

Gandharva

A

Celestial Musician

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
42
Q

Pap

A

Evil or sinful- reborn in bad situations- non human birth

43
Q

Jiva

A

Individual soul

44
Q

Phala

A

actions spoken of as seeds that will germinate and eventually bear fruit

45
Q

Moksa

A

achieving liberation

46
Q

Amrta

A

those who achieve moksa become immortal ‘without death’

47
Q

Brahman

A

the one, the real

48
Q

Neti Neti

A

it is not this, not that (used in reference to Brahman)

49
Q

Nirguna Brahman

A

Brahman beyond attributes – formless, no limiting qualities, impersonal, only described by neti neti

50
Q

Saguna Brahman

A

Brahman with attributes/characteristics – has form, personal, worthy of worship, creative power of the universe, experienced as a deity

51
Q

Jivanmukti

A

liberated while alive

52
Q

Purusa

A

pure, supreme consciousness, the true self

53
Q

Prakrti

A

matter, nature - composed of three gunas and manifested in 23 different elements

54
Q

yugas

A

ages/eons

55
Q

Dharma

A

righteousness, morality, duty, law, social obligations, particular religious teachings

56
Q

Mahayuga

A

Great age – 432,000,000 years

57
Q

Kalpa

A

1000 mahayugas (or 14 mahavantras) is one day in the life of a Brahma which is called a kalpa – at the end of each kalpa there is a major dissolution

58
Q

Pralaya

A

Brahma’s lives for 100 brahma years which is 311 trillion human years, at the end of which all things dissolve (including brahma himself) which is called a pralaya

59
Q

Tri-loa

A

World of the gods - heaven (svar) or deva-loka, world of the ancestors – atmosphere (bhuvah) or Pitr-loka, the human world – earth (bhur) or manuysa-loka

60
Q

Deva-loka

A

world of the gods

61
Q

Pitr-loka

A

world of the ancestors

62
Q

Manusya-Loka

A

world of the humans

63
Q

Sramanas

A

wandering philosophers who led nomadic lifestyles

64
Q

Nastika

A

heterodox – gained membership from ksatriya and vaisya varnas

65
Q

Astika

A

orthodox – did not dispute the status of the vedas or the configuration of the varnas system

66
Q

Darsana

A

viewpoint/perspectives used to designate these religio-philosophical systems

67
Q

Gunas

A

qualities

68
Q

Sattva Guna

A

luminosity, clarity or purity

69
Q

Raja Guna

A

passion and activity

70
Q

Tamas Guna

A

inertia, dullness or opacity

71
Q

Buddhi

A

intelligence

72
Q

Mahat

A

the great

73
Q

Ahankara

A

the ego

74
Q

Manas

A

mind

75
Q

Yogi/Yogin/Yogini

A

yoga practicioner

76
Q

Purusartha

A

4 goals/aims of life (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksa)

77
Q

Asrama

A

4 stages of life

78
Q

Samskara

A

Hindu rites of passage

79
Q

Dharmasastras

A

classical law books

80
Q

Moksa stream

A

views on karma and samsara- the stuff that binds one to an ignorance-dominated, ego-centered existence

81
Q

Dharma stream

A

ideas that underlie, explain and give rational coherence to the Hindu Social System. The world is here, it is real, the gods work to maintain it and humans have the duty to contribute to its welfare

82
Q

Dharma

A

Sanskrit root “to support or uphold”

83
Q

Loka-Samgraha

A

(support of the world)- lies at the heart of the dharma. Every person has his or her assigned social function for the welfare of society.

84
Q

varṇāśramadharma

A

part of the dharmasatras – lays out specifics of social obligation for the ideal social system. Duty of acting in accordance with one’s position in society (varna) and stage of life (asrama)

85
Q

Manava Dharmasastras

A

Laws of Manu 200 BCE-200 CE

86
Q

Varna (literal meaning)

A

in Sanskrit it means light or colour

87
Q

Dalits

A

the 5th category, street cleaners and menial tasks; means “oppressed’ or ‘downtrodden’

88
Q

Jati

A

Means ‘birth group’, refers to occupational categories that exist within each varna (hundreds to thousands exist)

89
Q

Avarna

A

Without caste, Aka Untouchables

90
Q

Dharma

A

righteousness, duty

91
Q

Artha

A

Material prosperity

92
Q

Kama

A

pleasure

93
Q

Upanayana

A

Initiation ritual that takes place in the student stage, called inauguration of the sacred thread

94
Q

Grhastha

A

householder

95
Q

Vanaprastha

A

Forest dweller

96
Q

Samnyasa

A

The renouncer

97
Q

Matha

A

Monasteries

98
Q

Samskaras

A

Literally means ‘constructed’, the word for Hindu rites of passage

99
Q

Vivaha

A

Marriage

100
Q

Antyesti

A

Cremation

101
Q

Guru

A

Vedic teacher

102
Q

Saptapadi

A

Common feature of the marriage ritual, the rite of taking seven steps around the sacred fire

103
Q

Annaprasana Samskara

A

a householder samskara that celebrates the baby’s first eating of solid food

104
Q

Samadhis

A

A structure in which the body of a samnyasin is entombed

Hinduism (RELI 2510) (8 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions