Siddhartha Test Prep Flashcards
What does Siddhartha’s name mean?
“One who has accomplished a goal”
What is Buddha’s real name?
Siddhartha
What is a Brahmin?
Top of hindu caste system; priests, religious leaders
What is Om?
Meditative saying meaning “one” universal symbol
What is Atman?
Part of the universal existence or soul
What is Brahman?
The supreme being
What is the Rig Veda?
The longest and oldest of sacred texts, means “Knowledge of the Verses” (Rig=Read)
What is an Ablution?
Act of washing oneself, ritual or physical
What is Prajapati?
Lord of the people, deity associated with creatures
What is the Sama Veda?
Shortest veda; veda of hymns and chants (Sama=Song)
What are the Chandogya Upanishads and when were they written?
Body of sacred texts (rules, etc.) written 800-400 B.C.
What is Satya?
Sanskrit for “truth”; idea of being truthful in actions, avoiding falsehood
What is a Samana?
Under the umbrella of Ascetics.
What is an Ascetic?
Self-disciplined person who does not allow for pleasure
What is Nirvana?
Buddhist goal: liberation to end suffering by following the Eightfold path
What is Mara/Maya Veil?
Mara - demon that tempted Buddha
Maya Veil - falsehood by claiming to have good qualities
Who are the three main gods of Buddhism/Hinduism?
Brahma - creator
Vishnu - Preserver
Shiva - destroyer
Who is Lakshmi?
The goddess of wealth and prosperity; wife of Shiva
Who is Vasudeva?
The ferryman/potential god who helps enlighten Siddhartha
Who is Govinda?
Siddhartha’s loyal friend who becomes a Buddhist monk and is enlightened by Siddhartha
Who is Kamala?
Siddhartha’s love interest, who bears him a son
Who is Kamaswami?
Merchant and Siddhartha’s boss for a while
Who is Siddhartha Jr.?
Siddhartha’s rebellious son, who he loves and then runs away
What are the three lessons Siddhartha learns?
1) Siddhartha comes to the conclusion that he alone can learn about himself, and by doing so, reach what he has been striving for.
2) He knows he cannot seek happiness within the everyday lives of regular people and wealth.
3) Eventually, after listening to and learning from the river for many years, Siddhartha finally achieves peace within himself, without want or need.
What are the human traits Siddhartha must experience on his path to enlightenment?
Gambling, Wealth, Love, Starvation, Thoughts
What are the Four Noble Truths?
1) Life is suffering.
2) Suffering is caused by ignorance and attachment.
3) Suffering is ended by overcoming ignorance and attachment.
4) The path to suppression of suffering is the Noble Eightfold Path.
Describe the plot of the excerpt of the Bhagavad Gita.
Arjuna doesn’t want to kill his family, but Vishnu tells him he should because he isn’t really “killing” anyone, because they are all reborn.
Essay: Name and explain an archetypal symbol in the book Siddhartha. Be sure to explain why it is important.
The River.
Represents death and rebirth, the flow of time into eternity, and transitional phases of life cycles.
This is important because every time Siddhartha changes, it happens by a river. The river also helps to enlighten him.
Essay: The herald/harbinger archetype. Give an example from the book, and explain why it is significant to the story. How does this character behave like a herald/harbinger? Be able to give the basic characteristics of a herald/harbinger.
Herald: carrier of the power of destiny, plays an important part in the transformation of the main character. In this case, the herald is Siddhartha’s inner voice that tells him to follow the path that the gods have called him to. The inner voice acts like a herald because it’s voice signals Siddhartha’s transformations. It is significant to the story because it stops Siddhartha from killing himself (the Om scene), and it guides him.
Essay: Another archetypal character besides the herald/harbinger. Explain the characteristics of the archetype as well as how the character fits the description/follows the role of the archetype.
Mentor: Vasudeva, the ferryman.
Mentors teach and give gifts. Vasudeva taught Siddhartha to follow a simpler life and to listen to the river, while also giving him food and shelter. Therefore, he is a mentor. Siddhartha eventually reached spiritual enlightenment.
Define “mundane”.
Lacking interest or excitement; dull
Define “paradox”.
Statement that logic cannot agree with, but makes sense
