Topic 4: Intro to Hinduisim 4 Flashcards
what is the literal meaning of Upanishad?
sitting near devotedly
what were the main concerns of the Upanishads?
philosophy
what is the sacred thread ceremony?
the right of passage when a child becomes a student (a teacher ties a string around a student’s shoulder to represent the passing of knowledge)
what were the mystery questions in the Vedas?
- who created the egg
- who created Purusha
- what makes fire sacrifices effective
what is the nature of ultimate reality?
Brahman
what is Jiva?
the illusory self (temporary, pleasure principle, polluted)
what is Atman?
the true self (eternal, undying, spiritual goal)
what is the blind men and the elephant example?
it represents the difference between true self (atman) and illusory self (jiva)
the blind men rely on their senses to see reality, but they are all wrong
what did the blind men think the elephant was?
tusks: spear
tail: rope
ear: fan/carpet
body: wall
leg: cow
trunk: snake
how does the Rg Veda example (2 birds on one tree) represent Jiva and Atman?
one bird is Jiva, representing daily life (eating, chirping, etc.) and the other bird is Atman, who observes and is always there
how does the example of the rope represent Jiva?
a man enters a dark cave and touches a rope, he is afraid because he thinks it is a snake (fooled by sense of touch)
what is the literal meaning of Kali?
dark/time
