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RLGN 1100 > Religion Matters - Stephen Prothero (Hinduism) > Flashcards

Religion Matters - Stephen Prothero (Hinduism) Flashcards

1
Q

What is substantive definition in relation to religion?

A

leaving out religions that do not have that category that you say all religions have

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2
Q

What is functional definition in relation to religion?

A

lose sight of distinguishing religion to other things of the world
(ex. “religion gives people hope” other things besides religion can give you hope)

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3
Q

Genealogy of religion

A

…

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4
Q

Dalits

A

the “untouchables”

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5
Q

Hindu gods number…

A

an estimated 330 million

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6
Q

Moksha

A

release from rebirth and suffering

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7
Q

Essence of the human being (Hinduism)

A

a self or soul cycling through multiple bodies in multiple lifetimes

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8
Q

Ashes (Hinduism)

A

not collected, no gathering, no ceremony; pushed into the GANGES

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9
Q

Vedas (“knowledge”)

A

the oldest and most sacred Sanskrit scriptures; unauthored revelations that offer one common source of a shared Hindu identity
- binds Hindus together is a shared reverence for the Vedas.

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10
Q

Shiva’s lingam…

A

miraculously appeared as a “shaft of light” in 12 places in India
- often understood to represent the male and
female sex organs

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11
Q

Conversion in Hinduism?

A

Traditionally, Hindus have not attempted to attract converts

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12
Q

Ethnic Religion

A

A religion of a people rather than the religion of all people

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13
Q

Ascribed identity

A

externally opposed; born into

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14
Q

Achieved identity

A

“you come to” (ex. born-again Christian)

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15
Q

Hinduism in Bali

A

no images of god, have shrines depicting the high god of Balinese Hindus in the form of an empty chair.

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16
Q

Majority of Hindus live in…

A

India

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17
Q

Is Hinduism the 3rd largest religion in the world?

A

Yes (13.6% of the world’s population)

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18
Q

Hindu Tradition absorbs many OUTSIDE influences

A

(ex. Buddha was adopted into the Hindu family—as one divine “descent” of Vishnu)

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19
Q

Why is Hinduism able to have an absorptive strategy?

A

because of how decentralized the religion is (no founder, no creed, no single living religious “leader”)

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20
Q

Decentralized

A

lack of a single unified authority structure
(no one can declare ex. who is/is not a Hindu…right/wrong belief/practice”; not unified/cohesive)

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21
Q

Orthodoxy

A

right doctrine, the correct thing to practice/adhere to

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22
Q

Orthopraxy

A

right practice

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23
Q

Mughal Empire (1526-1857)

A

any non-Muslim was considered a Hindu

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24
Q

EIC/British Raj

A

Western critiques of polytheism, idol worship, and child marriage; Protestants had employed against Roman Catholics, by praising ancient scripture and denouncing devotions to “idols;” viewed Hinduism as morally depraved and fallen faith, overly ritualized, insufficiently intellectualized, and hypersexualized; these colonists had a sense of cultural and theological superiority.

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25
Before Hart-Cellar Act
limited immigration to the U.S. due to these quotas from the censuses data; WHY? To keep USA consistent through racial lines
26
Hart-Cellar Act
Shift of bringing families back together; shift towards employment who was able to fill jobs; shifts towards refugees; huge influx of people (w/ different ideas etc.) from Asia (South, East, Central/South America) that were underrepresented; huge change in the demographic (and religious) makeup
27
Counter-cultural revolution/movement
"hippies;” a whole host of new-age movements being created that were influenced by religions coming into America (like Hinduism)
28
Practice of Puja
offering some kind of sacrifice (flowers, food etc.) to a god; coming face to face with your god (god is SEEING YOU); do it on their own or at home/sacred space set up
29
Practice of pilgrimage ("yatra")
"special religious journey" - go to sites where religious powers, knowledge, or experience are deemed especially accessible - way of showing devotion to the gods of their choosing
30
Diwali (Hindu holiday)
fall festival; light defeating darkness
31
Holi (Hindu holiday)
harvest festival
32
Hindutva
ideology/movement seeking to establish the dominance of Hindus and Hinduism in India (nationalism) demeans many groups and individuals; violence (especially to Muslims)
33
Yogas used to be...
released from samsara
34
Karma
ritual moral action you engage in; fulfilling the expectations the role in life (position in the world)
35
Jnana
effort to escape the cycle from cultivating knowledge and understanding
36
Bhakti
through intense devotion/worship to god/gods, they will release you from this cycle
37
Problem (Hinduism)?
Samsara = the unsatisfactory cycle of life, death, rebirth, and redeath
38
Solution (Hinduism)?
Moksha = release from this cycle
39
Techniques (Hinduism)?
Discipline of karma (action), jnana (wisdom), and bhakti (devotion)
40
Caste System (Hinduism)
- System of social stratification (hierarchy) - Tied to vocation (your work) - Connects with dharma
41
Colonization (Hinduism)
British colonizers coming to India and trying to understand Hinduism - Connect with the Brahmans and Kshatriya (warriors) - Just getting a SLICE/interpretation if only talk with Brahmans (like through the sacred text)
42
What does the caste system play a huge role in?
in understanding what Hinduism IS!!
43
Merchant Class (Hinduism)
Vaishyas
44
Servant Class (Hinduism)
Shudras
45
Brahma (Hindu gods)
the creator
46
Vishnu (Hindu gods)
the sustainer - said to have ten avatars, who come to earth to make things right when the world has gone wrong.
47
Shiva (Hindu gods)
the destroyer/recycler - worshiped in the form of the lingam and as an “erotic ascetic”
48
Hanuman (Hindu gods)
monkey god; companion of the god Rama
49
Goddesses of the TOOTH
violent, wild, and independent
50
Kali (tooth goddess)
"The Black One” depicted as ferocious because of her willingness to fight for justice for her devotees
51
Durga (tooth goddess)
“The Inaccessible" fierce goddess, wife of Shiva, ten-armed warrior, slayer of demons
52
Goddesses of the BREAST
nurturing, gentle, and joined to their husbands
53
Ganges (River)
- divine/sacred on Earth - very POLLUTED (b/c of individual and industrial practice) - depended for religion and LIFE (Hindu + Indian Society)
54
Shaivas
worshipping Shivas as supreme
55
Vaishnavas
worships Vishnu
56
Most common Hindu Tradition?
BHAKTI TRADITION
57
What is Bhakti Tradition?
- expressing intense love and devotion for gods and goddesses - have A PARTICULAR (or spectrum) or a certain god/goddesses to devote
58
How is Bhakti Tradition a "two-way street?"
devotion is returned from these gods one devotes to back to their followers - divine will RELEASE you from SAMSARA
59
Egalitarian impulse
caste become less meaningful
60
What does Bhakti Tradition allow for?
more equitable and accessible (across caste lines and householders); does not require renunciation like Sannyasins
61
Sannyasins
"renouncers" - give up their wealth, relationships, personal possessions to achieve MOKSHA (release from samsara); cultivate wisdom to be released from SAMSARA (through discipline)
62
Tantric Tradition
NOT MAINSTREAM - passed down from a master to a disciple (relationship) - secretive; often transgressive (engaging through things that are forbidden)
63
How do Hindus divide the Vedas?
Into two categories = Smriti & Shruti
64
Smriti (Vedas)
“what is remembered;” lesser scriptures, made by human hands
65
Shruti (Vedas)
“what is heard;” eternal and unauthored revelations merely “heard” by ancient sages and then memorized and transmitted orally; more authoritative texts
66
Karma
"action" crucial way to escape samsara; ritual action; early emphasis of ritual action
67
Before Classical era
Brahamns (priest); emphasis on KARMA (action); action is understood as ritual action under the Brahamns (to be released from samsara)
68
Classical Era
- emphasis on tradition - "sacrifice" - growing emphasis on reasons behind sacrifice and need to put in effort to understand the why ON YOUR OWN (WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF TO ACHIEVE MOSHKA and not needing priest) -putting effort and emphasizing the WHY on performing a ritual than HOW to do it (attaining knowledge to be released from samsara)
69
What kind of shift is there in dharna during Classical era?
shift in dharma in a sense that is it an ethical importance (behaving morally correctly)
70
Ramayana (Epic)
Ram (avatar of VISHNU); story of love and wandering in which Ram recuse Sita from the demon king Ravana
71
Mahabharata (Epic)
a war story punctuated by an extended meditation on duty and the divine - war between two families (over who rules the kingdom)
72
How does dharma play out in the Mahabharata?
- Krishna is wrestling in with what is his dharma (his responsibilities as a family member/prince) - Warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna discuss karma and dharma AND present the BHAKTI PATH as an alternative to the paths of action and wisdom
73
How are epics influential?
- people are learning to think about their faith and its history - making accessible some of these teaches of these traditions in a way that Vedas are not written as - Engages = learn how to go about living your lives through Hindu traditions
74
What other huge role does EPICS have?
HUGE ROLE in communicating/engaging these to a WIDE range of people - not everyone knows or reads at all

RLGN 1100 (2 decks)

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