Topic 1: Intro to Hinduism Flashcards
why is the term “Hinduism” problematic?
because it is a foreign term used by the British to group together various individuals who did not fit within the mold of monotheism. it is a blanket term for many different religions and cultures and only began being associated with religion in the last 200 years
what is the meaning of Sindh?
it means ocean
how did the term Sindh become Hindh?
the Persians couldn’t pronounce the “s” sound, so it become Hindh
what is the meaning of Hindusthana?
that place called Sindh
what was Alexander the Great’s ultimate goal?
to rule the world, and he believed that if he conquered India he would achieve that
what is a Hindu?
a person from the region of Sindh or Hindh
how did Sindh become India?
because the Greeks couldn’t pronounce the “s”, so it became Indos -> India
what is India?
both a country and a subcontinent
how was India formed?
a floating landmass that collided with the Eurasian plate forming the Himalayan Mountains
why did the British colonize India?
because of their wealth (diamonds, spices, cotton, etc), and they wanted to exploit them for their resources
what method did the British use to colonize India?
the divide-and-conquer method, which involved turning the rulers against one another (e.g. paid Muslim leaders to speak poorly about Hindu leaders, vice versa)
what are the three monotheist religions?
Judaism, Islam and Christianity
why did the British build a railway on the subcontinent?
to transport the various resources they controlled
what is the term for riding on top of trains?
train surfing
what is the term insiders prefer rather than “Hindu”?
Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal faith / “the right way of living”
what are Jain Aescetics?
are a group that stands very strongly against violence. they would wear facemasks to avoid breathing in insects and killing them, and they would walk barefoot to avoid stepping on any insects.
what is Ahimsa?
the Indian principle of nonviolence
what are Buddhist monks?
they cannot eat any animals that are sacrificed for them, they do not want to harm animals if it is unnecessary. they will only eat meat if it is leftover
what is the main industry on the Indian subcontinent?
farming/agriculture, fueled by the monsoon season (June - September)
how does the climate influence religious practices?
rain rituals: prayers to the rain God Indra
frog marriages: when it rains, frogs search for their mate, so they have frog marriages to try and encourage rainfall. (when it floods, they get divorced)
what is the belief about Mount Meru?
it is believed to be the center of the world, where..
- the Gods live at the top
- demi-gods live on the mountain and in the oceans
- Hell is below the mountain underneath the oceans
what is the significance of the Banyan tree?
it is the national tree of India, and it is where the Buddha became enlightened
what is the link between animals and Gods?
images of the Gods often involve the God riding on various animals (e.g. tigers, elephants, etc.)
what is the chronology of how the Indus Valley Civilization was discovered?
- the locals knew there was a village/people that preceded them
- Charles Masson was the explorer who first documented/illustrated the ruins
- the British built the railway
- archaeologists began to excavate
what were the two largest cities in the Indus Valley Civilization?
Mohenjodaro and Harappa
what is the meaning of Mohenjodaro?
mound of the dead
what is the meaning of Harappa?
fortress
what is the significance of the stone seals found in the Indus Valley?
they are similar to family crests, and each seal is unique to a different family. each seal had a different kind of creature or animal on it, as well as script that has never been translated to this day.
they were used to establish the original owner of traded goods
what were some of the most notable findings in the Indus Valley Civilization?
- sewage systems
- paved roads
- multi-story homes
what was the main industry in the Indus Valley Civilization?
the trade industry
what are the old/new beliefs about who built the Civilization?
old: believed that the Aryans built it (light-skinned people)
new: after finding skeletal remains of local people, it was determined the locals built it
how are the stone seals related to current Hindu traditions?
the animals/creatures on the stone seals are very similar to current images of Hindu Gods
who are Rudra and Indra?
Rudra: God of Storms
Indra: Rain God / God of Thunder
what is a Homa/Havan?
a fire sacrifice in modern Hindu tradition
what objects were found inside the fire altars inside the Indus Valley Civilization?
antlers and cow bones
what is the significance of a Linga?
it is a phallic (male) object meant to honour the God Shiva, it is said to symbolize the power of creation
what happened to the Indus Valley Civilization?
due to climate change and draught, there was not enough water to sustain the people, resulting in a decline in population and a migration eastward
