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Importance of the Present Life and Afterlife - Hindusim > Varna > Flashcards

Varna Flashcards

1
Q

What is varna?

A

caste system

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2
Q

When does varna date from?

A

the Vedic period (approx 600BC - 300BC)

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3
Q

What are the different castes (in order, highest to lowest)?

A

1) Brahmin
2) Kshatriya
3) vaishya
4) shudra
5) pariah

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4
Q

Examples of types of people in the Brahmin caste?

A

priests
teachers
intellectuals

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5
Q

Examples of types of people in the Kshatriya caste?

A

warriors
police
administrators
rulers

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6
Q

Examples of types of people in the Vaishya caste?

A 
farmers
businessmen (skilled)
traders
merchants
minor officials
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7
Q

Examples of types of people in the Shudra caste?

A

unskilled workers

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8
Q

Examples of types of people in the Pariah caste?

A

clean trains

sweep streets

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9
Q

What are people in the Pariah caste sometimes referred to as?

A

‘untouchables’
outcasts
‘children of God’

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10
Q

What is dependent on varna?

A

ritual purity

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11
Q

In the varna system what is extremely important (determines caste you are born into)? What is the Hindu word for this?

A

duty

dharma

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12
Q

What are the three pillars of Indian life?

A

caste
family
village

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13
Q

Why is the caste system important?

A

ensures order
castes depend on each other
gives clear guidance and ideas of how dharma can be fulfilled

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14
Q

Negatives of the caste system?

A

inequality

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15
Q

what did the family pillar of Indian life entail?

A

extended family lived together

marriages arranged - same social status

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16
Q

Difficulties/negatives of achieving family aspect of Hindu life?

A

most families could not all live together - deaths

restricts who you can marry - element of inequality

17
Q

What did the village pillar of Indian life entail?

A

self-sufficient

men + women worked together to govern villages

18
Q

How did Hinduism change the village pillar of Indian life?

A

role of women reduced

19
Q

Who fought against the caste system? Why?

A

Ghandi

inequality

20
Q

Which group of people started the caste system in India? Where can the idea of the caste system be seen in this group of people’s religion?

A

Aryans

Rig Veda contains hymn about a huge primeval man (Purusa) from which 4 classes came

21
Q

What was the Aryan hymn in the Rig Veda on which the caste system is based (quote)?

A 
'The Brahman was his mouth
The arms were made the Prince
His thighs the common people
And from his feet the serf was born'
- Rig Veda
22
Q

What is the dharma of the Brahmin (Mouth) caste?

A 
mouth needed to chant sacred scriptures - born with capability to lead religious ritual - when Aryans arrived scripture not written - Brahmin = only class that could memorise + recite scripture
mediators between man and divine
only Hindu priests who are literate and have studied vedas = Brahmin
23
Q

What is the dharma of the Kshatriyas (arms)?

A

arms needed for action

protectors of others

24
Q

What is the dharma of the Vaishyas (thighs)

A

thighs = strong + support - temperament to work at manual tasks
provide what is necessary for rest of society to function

25
Q

What is the dharma of the Shudras (feet)?

A

support all other parts

servant to support rest of society

26
Q

What is meant by the term jati?

A

from sanskrit
‘born’
Indian philosophy - a group that has common characteristics
universally - used to indicate caste
Dharma-Shastras (lawgivers of traditional Hindu codes) - used to indicate varna / caste but can also be used to describe products of alliances between castes - aberration of varna

27
Q

Where + what does the word caste originate from? What does it mean?

A

Portugese
casta
pure / chaste

28
Q

What are those who are born into the Shudras caste not known as?

A

not twice born (dvija) - born physically but not spiritually

29
Q

What are those in the Shudras caste restricted from doing?

A

not able to go through religious ceremony to initiate them into Hindu religious life

30
Q

Why has the varna system today been forbidden by law?

A

leads to discrimination against those in lower castes

campaigns against it e.g. Ghandi

Importance of the Present Life and Afterlife - Hindusim (4 decks)

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