Theme 3 (Religious Life) Flashcards
What are the 4 ashramas?
1) Student Stage (Brahmacharya)
2) Householder Stage (Grihastha)
3) Retirement Stage (Vanaprastha)
4) World Renouncer Stage (Sannyasa)
What does the Brahmacharya stage involve?
- boy lives away from home & studies with a guru
- begins after ritual of sacred thread when they are reborn
- must remain celibate
- study Vedas and other texts
- serving guru and collecting alms for him
- could choose a career
- learn how to set up and maintain household puja
What does the Grihastha stage involve?
- become member of the community
- marry and have kids
- Artha & kama
- perform sacrifice
- observe religious rituals
- give to charity
- teach children spiritual values
- protect family
What does the Vanaprastha stage involve?
- going on pilgrimage “forest dwellers”
- sexual relations forbidden
- devoting time to spiritual matters
- retire from, family & social life (son takes over)
- begin to lose possessions
- practice puja
- little contact with family
What does Sannyasin stage involve?
- focusing mind on supreme
- becoming fully dependent on God as protector
- awareness of self and god
- food must be given or found
- meditate
- lead Kumbh Melah
- become wandering hermits
Why is the ashrama system not practiced by many people in India?
+ Why did the system come about?
- 1/3 of Hindu population are Sudras and it is rare for them to follow this
- women are religiously excluded
+ to give people their dharmas
How does following the ashrama system allow one to reach Moksha?
+ why was the second ashrama introduced?
Based on the ideal that to renounce materialism & worldly pleasures should be an important aspect of the later stages of life
+ as celibacy meant people weren’t having children and male sons are needed to protect shakti
Which stage of life do most Hindus achieve?
+ what can Hindus not do after progressing to the next stage
Householder stage
+ revert back
What are the 4 castes?
Brahmins (priests, teachers & intellectuals)
Kshatriyas (warriors, police & administrators)
Vaishya (farmers & business people)
Shudra (workers)
What are the duties of Shudras?
+ Why is marriage compulsory?
- render service to others
- take pride in their work and be loyal
- to follow moral principles (to move up in next life)
- to marry (compulsory)
+ as they often can’t afford to complete the student stage
Who are Vaishyas?
+ What are their duties?
- twice-born
- accept sacred thread
- allowed to take part in more religious action than Sudras (e.g touching Vedas)
+ protect animals
+ create wealth & prosperity
+ produce goods for workers
+ to give taxes to Kshatriyas
Who are Kshatriyas?
+ what are their duties?
- Protectors of society
- Twice-born
+ protect citizens from harm especially vulnerable groups
+ accept all challenges
+ ensure others do their dharma
+ take advice from Brahmins
+ ensure an heir
Who are Brahmins?
+ what are their duties?
- providers of education and spiritual leadership
+ study and teach the Vedas
+ perform sacrifices and religious ceremonies
+ accept and give to charity
+ offer guidance
+ develop ideal qualities (honesty, wisdom etc)
What is the origin of the Varna System?
- dates back to the second millennium BCE
- The Aryans invaded India & divided society into 4 classes
- Aryan scriptures (Rig Veda) contains a hymn about a huge primeval man called Purusa (4 classes come from him)
Which 4 body parts of Purusa do the 4 varnas come from and why?
+ Purusa quote
Brahmins (head)
- they talk to others and educate them on Hinduism
Kshatriyas (arms)
- they are fighters and protecters
Vaishyas (thighs)
- hold up society
Shudras (feet)
- always closest to the dirty ground and are walked on
“The Brahman was his mouth The arms were made the Prince”
What is the importance of the Varna System?
(Who supported this system?)
- helps to keep an ordered & structured society
- encourages working together (community)
- works with Samsara
- traditional
- encourages completing dharma & aiming for Moksha
- Shakti controlled
- ensures Brahmins are respected
(Gandhi)
