Midterms

Question 1

What are the 4 aims?

Answer 1

Kama, Artha, Dharma, Moksha

Question 2

What are the 3 realms?

Answer 2

Kama, Rupa, Arupa

Question 3

What is Kama?

Answer 3

Kama is love, desire, eros, passion etc. It is believed in Hinduism that anything you pursue should start with Kama.

Question 4

What is Artha?

Answer 4

Artha is “meaning” - it is whatever gives your life meaning, such as identity, culture, style, passion, career, etc.

Question 5

What is Dharma?

Answer 5

Dharma are “virtuous duties” or “righteous duties” - they are your responsibilities in life that you must complete before you move on to more spiritual endeavors.

Question 6

What is Moksha?

Answer 6

Moksha means salvation. It is when you give up everything worldly and transcend to the world beyond.

Question 7

What is Rupa?

Answer 7

Rupa means form - In the second realm you give shape and form to your desires.

Question 8

What is Arupa?

Answer 8

Arupa means formlessness - When you are so immersed in what you are doing that you become one with it. You don’t think of the self or the ego anymore.

Question 9

What are the architectural elements of a stupa?

Answer 9

1) 3-tiered umbrellas – chattries – 3 orders,
2) square enclosure – harmika
3) Body of the dome – Anda
4) toranas – gates, elaborate with Yakshis
5) stupa with railings – Vedikas
6) Pradhikshna Patha - mundane world into spiritual one – mandala – bodily engagement with the stupa, cosmos

Question 10

What is the symbolism in a stupa?

Answer 10

symbol of parinirvana, death of Buddha

Question 11

Who is Shiva and what is his symbolism?

Answer 11

Shiva is the lord of destruction. He is handsome, wreckless, stupid,and wicked. He comes back in different reincarnations to maintain peace on earth. Symbolism: Drum, Dwarf, ring of flames, half moon, water.

Question 12

Who is Nataraja and what is his symbolism?

Answer 12

Nata Raja is the lord of dance. He is one of the incarnations of Shiva and he was the first dancer. As he dances he stomps on a demon to symbolize stamping out ignorance.

Question 13

Who is Yakshi and what is her symbolism?

Answer 13

Yakshi – guardian figure, fertility goddess, earth spirit
Female aesthetic, pendulum breasts, pinched waist, & heavy hips, stance - Tribhanga pose – three flexion bend

Question 14

What is the Ashokan capital and its symbolism?

Answer 14

The Lion Capital of Ashoka is the capital, or head, of a column erected by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka in Sarnath, India, c. 250 BCE.
4 lions – 4 cardinal points of the universe, authority, leadership, also represents the four noble truths
Chakra – wheel – samsara, cycle of life,
4 animals on the frieze elephant - knowledge, horse – speed/progress, lion – authority/leadership, bull – strength/vitality
Lotus – purity, samsara

Question 15

Who is Kali and what is her symbolism?

Answer 15

omnipotent maternal goddess – created from all three forces/energy (Brahma, Vishnu & Shiva) / she is the dark aspect of the goddess durga. Dressed in space (naked) with a garland of skulls.

Question 16

What is the lotus significance and symbolism?

Answer 16

symbolizes cyclical life, enlightenment, creation, embodiment, wisdom. the lotus grows pure out of murky waters. Also symbol of female maternal creative organ, generative organ.

Question 17

What are the 2 centers of the Indus valley civilization?

Answer 17

Harappa and Mohenjodaro

Question 18

What are the 4 noble truths of Buddhism?

Answer 18

1)All Life is sorrowful
2)The cause of Suffering is ignorance (avidya), craving (trsna), innermost condition of non-knowing
3)The suppression of the suffering can be achieved
4)The Way is the Noble Eight Fold Path
Right view, Right aspiration, Right speech, Right conduct, Right means, Right endeavor, Right mindfulness and Right contemplation.

Question 19

What is the doctrine of Buddhism?

Answer 19

The Way, Path is called the “middle path” (avoids extremes)
8 - fold path

Question 20

What is the symbolism of Buddha/Buddhism?

Answer 20

In the Hinayana phase Buddha is not shown in Human form. He is instead shown as a pair of footprints, a wheel/chakra, or just as empty space. In the later Mahayana phase he is shown with a head protrusion, elongated ear lobes, a mark on his forehead, and webbed fingers. Often he is doing a dharma chakra mudra to show taking in and imparting knowledge.

Question 21

Who is Vishnu and what is his symbolism?

Answer 21

Vishnu is the lord of preservation. They say that the world is preserved inside of him. His dharma is to preserve. Symbolism: A shanka/conch, chakra/disk, mace, lotus, his skin is blue. Animal is the Garuda.

Question 22

Who is Brahma and what is his symbolism?

Answer 22

Brahma is the lord of creation. He is the personification/aesthetic of Brahman. Symbolism: 4 heads, holding the Vedas, water, lotus. Animal determinant is a swan.

Question 23

What are the 6 canons/Shadanga?

Answer 23

the 6 canons of art. In order to make a piece of art you must have a knowledge of and use all 6 canons.

Question 24

What is Rasa?

Answer 24

Rasa means aesthetics, juice, essence, taste in performance. The taste left in your mouth after experiencing a piece of art,

Question 25

What is the difference between Western and Indian Art?

Answer 25

Western art imitates realism where indian art is couched in symbolism.

Question 26

What is the structure of a temple?

Answer 26

Maha mandapa – great hall, ardha mandapa – half hall, anthralaya – vestibule, garbha griha – womb house, shiva lingam – cosmic union, shikara – pyramidal structure on top of the womb house, amalakha – capstone in the form of a lotus (check the scanned handout

Question 27

What is Brahman?

Answer 27

Brahman is the intangible unknowable universal force. We all have brahman inside of us. The ultimate reality underlying everything.

Question 28

What is Karma?

Answer 28

Basic belief is Law of Karma or action, the law of cause and effect
“As we sow so shall we reap”

Question 29

What is Samsara?

Answer 29

Samsara means cyclical life

Question 30

What is Maya?