Religion Exam 1: Hinduism

Dalits

"the oppressed ones", who are below the first four classes.

Laws of Manu

A different type of literature found during the classical period. As the epics do in literary ways the law manu's do in formally legal ways. It covered all of life for the upper four classes of Hindu society.

Agnihotra

A ritual to the sun.

Hinduism

A very old religion that has no identifiable "founder". Involves many deities and is practiced in India and other countries world-wide.

The Puranas

Ancient texts eulogizing various deities, primarily the divine Trimurti, God in Hinduism through divine stories.

Varuna

God guaranteeing moral order.

Brahma

God of creation.

Agni

God of fire.

The Mauryan Dynasty

Governed North India, was pro buddhist and its most famous king Ashoka extended Aryan rule and Buddhist influence into all of India.

Dharma

Has many meanings including law duty, moral teachings, and more. Every person has a dharma or path that depends upon their caste, social position, stage of life and gender.

How did Hinduism begin

Our best knowledge is that it began in an area of India near the Ganges River.

Left-handed tantrism

Path that is open, which is appropriate for those with an especially adventurous, fearless temperament, centers on rituals that engage in actions strictly forbidden in Hinduism. (frowned upon by Hindus)

Right-handed tantrism

Path that uses mantras or sacred words, used in prayer or meditation, sacred diagrams called mandalas and ritual techniques based on body geography. (approved amongst Hindus)

Jnana Yoga

Philosophical intellectual study.

Moksa

Release from the cycle of birth and rebirth into a state of infinite bliss. This is how Hinduism understands the human condition!

Heart of the Vedic religion

Sacrifice by means of fire.

Karma Yoga

Service to others.

3 main deities during the 3 devotional movements

Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti and the goddess.

Brahman

World soul, the ground of all being. It is the foundation of all that is through out the universes.

Tantras

Writings in the tantric movement, which are the basis of the second movement. They criticize established religious practices and the upholders of those practices, especially Brahmins.

The Upanishads

Writings of philosophical dialogues between teachers and students who seek the sacred knowledge in a withdrawal for ordinary life. These writings teach that there is an underlying spiritual essence.

Whats in the Gita

The god Krishna appears to the warrior class leader, Arjuna, to convince him to do his social duty of fighting. The Gita's solution is a masterful blend of world-affirming action and world denying detachment from the results of ones actions.

Shudras

The servant class.

Atman

The soul or innermost self of the individual. Brahman is present in all people in the form of this.

Aryans (Indo-Europeans)

Took control of the Indus Valley peoples in what could be known as the "Aryan Invasion Theory". They brought their religion with them which the existing population took on.

Third development

Turned Hindu reform or revisionism, during this development attempts were made to renew Hinduism spiritually and socially.

The Classical Period

Was a time of religious turmoil with Buddhism and Jainism.

Rishis

Were priests who were able to commune directly with the gods. (seer divine)

Hatha Yoga

physical posture.

Kama

All types of worldly pleasures involving sex (sanskrit).

Yoga

An ancient meditational practice that yokes the body and mind in the quest for religious deliverance. Aims at removing humans from overwhelming mental flow of the material world in order to recapture their original spiritual purity.

The Vedas

Books of hymns and chants that were used in worship. "books of knowledge". The gods and the people were strengthened by the Vedic rites. The rites were performed by the rishis.

Vishnu

Cosmic figure who descends to earth when he is needed. He supervises universal order and prosperity, protecting and preserving the world. He takes on various incarnations including Rama, hero of Ramayana and Krishna, hero of Bhagavad Gita.

Yajur Veda

Describes various ceremonies recited by the Adhvaryu or officiating priest.

Bhakti Yoga

Devotion to a deity.

Bhakti

Devotion to a god. First development.

Puja

Devotional actions of worshipping a god or venerating a human.

Soma

Drink which produced an altered state of consciousness (drug) which the Rishis used to commune directly with the gods.

Avatars

During Classical Period, When lower gods were identified with the higher traditional gods and were worshipped in many forms known as

Brahman and Atman relation

Each persons innermost soul(atman) is a part of the one world soul(brahman).

Sama Veda

Focuses on chant knowledge to be sung by the Udgatar or priest that chants.

Rig Veda

Focuses on hymn knowledge receited by the Hotar or presiding priest.

Bhagavad Gita

Found in the Mahabharata, its another solution to this tension. "song of heaven" or "song of the world", is a long poem on religious duty.

Rammohan (Roy)

Founded the Society of Brahmanism and claimed that the Upanishads reveal the one god of all people.

Dayananda Sarasvati

Founded the noble society, he found the pure, original essence of Hinduism in the Vedas centering on monotheism and a reasoned morality.

Atharva Veda

Includes practical prayers and chants that protect the devotee from snakes, illness and other dangers.

Indra

King of the gods with traits of both war god and thunder god.

Four Vedas

Known as "books of knowledge", which provided hymns to various deities, instructions for sacrafice and spells for everyday life. Rig veda, sama veda, yajur veda and atharva veda.

Moshka

Liberation from the cycle of birth-death and rebirth.

Artha

Material success.

Shakti

Most upholder of the universe. She is the sister of Krishna and wife of Shiva. She is worshipped as Devi, the goddess who is one with Brahman, Lakshmi and Kali.

Shiva

Often portrayed as a destroyer or creator. In the cosmic cycle of creation, destruction and re-creation, this god guides and empowers destruction. His wife is Parvati and his son is Ganesha.

Four stages of a Hindu mans life

Student, householder, retirement and sannyaisn.

Ramakrishna

Taught traditional Hindu beliefs and spiritual techniques. He was a devoted temple priest of the goddess Kali.

The role of The Guru

The Hindu Guru-shishya tradition is the oral tradition or religious doctrine or experiential wisdom transmitted from teacher to student.

Goal of the student (Brahman)

To transcend this world and realize that "that art thou".

Upanishads criticized

The Vedic rituals and rejected the rising social and economic power of priesthood. The Upanishads urge physical and mental rigors that become increasingly important for Hindu practice.

Brahmanas

The books detailing sacrifice and its power.

Vaishyas

The common people, merchants, teachers manual laborers...etc

Karma

The consequences of ones action. One's status in the next life is heavily dependent on this.

Samsara

The cycle of reincarnation.

Brahmins

The top priestly class in the varna system. Religious and social power collected into one type of priest who called themselves this.

The Mahabharata and The Ramayana

The two great Hindu epics written during the classical period. These epics feature a tension between the aim of upholding the world found in the Vedas and that of isolating a person from society in order to achieve individual liberation found in the newer Upanishadic tradition. Both epics emphasize that social and moral obligation must be maintained and that rulers acting in Hindu tradition have key roles in maintaining it.

Kshatriyas

The warrior and princely class.

Practices of the Rishis

They chanted sacred poems and prayers and made sacrifice milk, grains, clarified butter or ghee and sometimes animals.

How did Hindus with the Aryan threat

They integrated foreign elements into the broader Hindu tradition, the way they dealt with this became typical of Hinduism today.