South Asian Religions

Question 1

Indus Valley

Answer 1

Ancient agriculture civilization. Aryas brought vedas in which are the oldest Hindu scriptures

Question 2

Proto-Shiva

Answer 2

Part of an ancient seal in the Indus civilization. Is three faced lord of the beasts

Question 3

Dravidian

Answer 3

Southern Indian language and region displaced by the Aryans. Language does not connect to Indo-European roots

Question 4

Aryans/Indo Europeans

Answer 4

Brought in Indo European language. Invaded India and introduced Vedic culture

Question 5

Four Vedas

Answer 5

Rigveda-hymns of praise
Sāmaveda- songs
Yajurveda- how to physically set up cermonies and take offerings
Artharveda- highest Veda, contains mantras and hymns, partly translated form Rigveda

Question 6

Rg Veda 10.90/ Purusha Sukta

Answer 6

Scripture describing Sacrifice Purusha (ancient man) and divide into four parts.

Question 7

Arman-Brahman

Answer 7

Arman is the individual soul, while the Brahman is the more universal soul. “Atman is Brahman” is a common phrase meaning all beings are divine in a way

Question 8

Agni

Answer 8

Divine fire (actually appears as just fire) takes gifts up to the gods

Question 9

Dharma

Answer 9

Moral duty/ cosmic order

Question 10

Bhakti

Answer 10

Represents love and devotion to a god of worship

Question 11

Margas

Answer 11

Margas are pathways
Karma marga- path of duties
Jnana marga- path of knowledge
Bhakti marga- path of devotion

Question 12

4 stages of life

Answer 12

Brahmacharya-student stage
Grihastha-householder stage
Vanaprastha- hermit stage
Samnyasa- wondering, meditation stage

Question 13

Advaita Vendānta

Answer 13

Philosophy. We are all separate individuals but are part of a whole. Non dualist take

Question 14

Maya

Answer 14

Sankara teaching. Maya is a delusion. Tricks people into thinking there individuals and that the universe is made up of different things

Question 15

Shankara

Answer 15

Author and deified philosopher of the maya and advaita teachings

Question 16

Shiva

Answer 16

God of destruction, paired with pavarti, father of Ganesha

Question 17

Lingam

Answer 17

Phallic statue of Shiva

Question 18

Krishna Gopala, gopis

Answer 18

8th avatar of Vishnu. Mischievous as a child. Raised in farm family. Used flute to teach gopis (females of cow herds). Was very popular and leader of the cowherds

Question 19

Bhagavad Gita

Answer 19

Hindu Scripture. Prince Arjuna had to be a warrior to fulfill his duty to the gods. His craft was his offering. A new take on how to achieve moksha

Question 20

Rama

Answer 20

7th avatar of Vishnu. Exiled from kingdom wife joins him. She gets captured and Rama slays Ravana to get her back. Completes exile and returns to being king

Question 21

Kali

Answer 21

Destroyer of evil, subset of sivaism. She bestows moksha

Question 22

Parvati

Answer 22

Goddess of fertility love and devotion

Question 23

Lakshmi

Answer 23

Goddess of wealth, fortune, and prosperity

Question 24

Shakti

Answer 24

Goddess of cosmic energy and forces in the universe. Female energy and empowerment

Question 25

Devi

Answer 25

Female form of god, goddess

Question 26

Ram Mohan Roy

Answer 26

Argued for religious freedom, denounced caste system and tried to stop sati (widows being burned with there dead husbands). Britains outlawed sati practice

Question 27

Brahmo Samaj

Answer 27

Movement. Denounced several aspects of Hinduism (polytheism, samsara, vedas, avatars) vouched for women education, adopts more Christian practices

Question 28

Ramakrishna

Answer 28

Saint. Argued for the universality of religion spread modern Hinduism, influenced Vivekananda (student) to introduce Hinduism to the parliament

Question 29

Vivekananda

Answer 29

Introduced yoga and Vedanta to western world. Started world parliament of religions

Question 30

Rabindranath Tagore

Answer 30

Author and poet. Ruled British government. Won Nobel literature prize.

Question 31

Mahatma Gandhi

Answer 31

Didn't favor partition, proponent of the peaceful protest

Question 32

RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh)

Answer 32

National volunteer Organization. Was against British rule, Hindu nationalists. Continues to this day

Question 33

Gautama Siddhartha, Shakyumuni

Answer 33

Buddha, initiated Buddhism

Question 34

Cakalravartin

Answer 34

Term. Describes an ideal, altruistic universal leader

Question 35

Middle way

Answer 35

Moderate between indulgence and asceticism

Question 36

3 marks of existence

Answer 36

- impermanent - no self (anatman) - suffering/unsatisfaction

Question 37

3 refuges

Answer 37

- Buddha; no one is fully enlightened - dharma; basing life off 4 noble truths and 8 fold path - sangha; look for support and guidance from all who follow the eight fold path

Question 38

4 noble truths

Answer 38

- suffering exists - it has a cause - it has an end - it has a cause to bring to the end

Question 39

Ashoka Maurya

Answer 39

Ancient emperor, spread Buddhism throughout India. Dharma consisted of little sin and many good deeds

Question 40

Stupas

Answer 40

Housing remains if saint figures (buddha's toenail and such). Treated with high respect (veneration). Started with Ashoka

Question 41

Theravada

Answer 41

Teaching of the elders. Abstain from evil and accumulate good to purify mind

Question 42

Mahayana

Answer 42

``` From tantra (yoga school) salvation is only obtained though trust in Amitabha. Great Vehicle, and through help of bodhisattvas ```

Question 43

Vajrayana

Answer 43

Himalayan take on Buddhism "thunder vehicle". Also emphasizes the bodhisattva role

Question 44

Bidhisattvas

Answer 44

Delay own inner peace to help and teach others how to get there

Question 45

Upaya

Answer 45

Mahayana Buddhist teaching. Means skillful means, helps others with enlightenment

Question 46

Lotus Sutra

Answer 46

Mahayana sutra Lotus is not different from the mud. Addressed how enlightened had hard time explaining enlightenment to non-enlightened people

Question 47

Amitābha

Answer 47

Buddha of life and light

Question 48

Avalokiteśvara

Answer 48

compassion Buddha incarnation

Question 49

Śūnyatā

Answer 49

From Theravada Buddhism, talks about not self, and how all things are empty of nature. Acknowledges nonexistence

Question 50

Decline in Buddhism in India

Answer 50

Brahmins gained power, muslims invaders occurred, tantra (that Hinduism and Buddhism condeveloped was a thing).