Ch 2 Hinduism Inquizitive

Lingam

A column of light, a pillar of ice, or a phallic-shaped stone can all be examples of what Hindu sacred object?

Dharma, Moksha, Artha, Kama

According to classical Hinduism, which of the following are among the four aims of life?

Tantra

Amas is a Hindu whose spiritual path involves awakening shakti energy in the base of his spine and directing it through invisible energy centers in his body known as chakras to the top of his skull. Amas talks a lot about overcoming duality, including the duality of male and female, in order to realize his unity with the divine. What tradition does Amas most likely practice?

Hindu castes

Dalits are an oppressed social group previously known as "outcasts" and "untouchables."

puja

Devraj keeps a small shrine in his home. With his family, he lights a lamp and makes offerings of fruit, flowers, or even water to small statues of Hindu gods. What Hindu tradition are Devraj and his family participating in?

Samsara, Moskha

For most Hindus, the ultimate problem is ___ and the ultimate goal is ____.

Bragwan Shree Rajneesh Maharishi Mahesh Yogi A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

From 1959 through the 1980s, a number of Hindu leaders gained notoriety in the United States as gurus (spiritual teachers). Who of the following were gurus active in America during this period?

ethnic, missionary

Hindus have been content to think of theirs as a religion of a people rather than the religion of all people. For that reason, it has typically been classified as a[n] ___ religion (like Judaism and Navajo religion) rather than a ___ religion (like Buddhism and Islam).

Varanasi

Hindus think of the ancient city of ___ as a tirtha, or "crossing place," from life to death and from death to spiritual liberation. According to many Hindus, if you die in this city, Shiva will whisper into your ear the mantra of the crossing, enabling you to achieve moksha, or release from rebirth and suffering.

the emergence of Hindu nationalism as a religious force

In 1992, Hindu mobs destroyed a 450-year-old mosque in northern India. Thousands were killed in the ensuing violence. What larger pattern in Hinduism was this event related to?

Brahman, and Atman

In Vedanta philosophy -Press Space to openbrahmankarmadharmaatmanmokshasamsara refers to the divine principle and -Press Space to openbrahmankarmadharmaatmanmokshasamsara refers to the individual self-soul that migrates from life to life. Advaita Vedanta teaches that these two are actually one and the same, while Dvaita Vedanta teaches that they are distinct.

Arjuna is bound by duty to fight against his own family. But if he does so, he will be forced his kill his own friends, relatives, and teachers.

In the Bhagavad Gita, what is Arjuna's dilemma?

Vedas

Just as to be an American is to accept the Constitution as the law of the land, to be a Hindu is to accept the ___ as true knowledge.

nana

Karn is a Hindu whose spiritual path involves renouncing the world. Karn has quit his job and lives as a sannyasin so that he can focus entirely on attaining moksha. He studies the Upanishads and hopes to escape samsara by fully realizing that atman is one with brahman. Which path does Karn most likely practice?

bhakti

Keya's religious tradition involves cultivating intense love for her chosen god (ishtadevata), whom she describes as her spiritual husband. Her spiritual practices include songs of praise, chanting, and ecstatic dancing. Which path (marga) is Keya most likely following?

Ahisma, Bhagavad Gita

Mohandas Gandhi's philosophy of ethics and nonviolence drew from multiple religious influences, including the Jain concept of ___, daily readings of the __, and even the Christian gospels.

India, Nepal, Indonesia, the United States

Order the countries below from the country with the highest number of Hindus to the country with the lowest number of Hindus.

The Indus Valley Civilization flourished. The Rig Veda, the oldest of the four Vedas, is composed. The early Upanishads are composed. The Bhagavad Gita is composed.

Order the events below from furthest in the past to the most recent.

Karma

Pia is a Hindu who believes her tradition calls her to ethical and political engagement. She is inspired by Gandhi and she reads the Bhagavad Gita regularly. She interprets the yogic idea of acting without desire for results as a commandment to act through nonviolence. Which path does Pia most likely practice?

Polytheism, idol worship, karma, and reincarnation are superstitions. The Hindu epics are merely myths. Designating Dalits as "untouchables" is undemocratic. Revelation cannot be supported by reason, including the Vedas.

Select positions on Hindu beliefs and practices endorsed by Ram Mohan Roy and the Brahmo Samaj.

False

Since its founding in or before 800 BCE, Varanasi has been independently governed by Hindus and even today its sacred spaces and places of worship are exclusively Hindu.

monotheistic, polytheistic, essentialism

Some Hindus insist that Hinduism is ___ and that to describe it otherwise is racist. Others insist that Hinduism is ___ and that to describe it otherwise is to spout colonialist lies. Still others claim that both of these arguments fall prey to ___ by assuming that Hinduism is one unchanging thing.

Some Indians argue that the "Aryans" came from the Indian subcontinent, not Europe. There is no evidence that the Aryans were invaders. They might have migrated peacefully or arrived as traders. Some Indians claim that Sanskrit is the mother of European languages.

The Indus Valley civilization vanished by 1500 BCE. The so-called "Aryan invasion thesis" theorizes that Northern Europeans invaded northern India from the west, destroying the Indus Valley civilization, and that traces of Aryan culture survive in modern Hinduism. Which of the following are objections, nuances, or variations to the Aryan invasion thesis?

False

The Vedas have been found written on stone tablets dating back to 1500 BCE.

Kumbh Mela

The ___ has been recognized by Guinness World Records as the largest gathering in human history.

Vishna, avatars

The god ___ is said to have ten forms, known as ___, including a fish, a boar, a man-lion, and even the Buddha!

Ganges

The sacred ___ River flows through Varanasi, India. Hindu pilgrims come to this river to bathe in its water, throw coins as offerings, and to cremate and scatter the ashes of deceased loved ones.

Hindutva

The view that only those who view India as both fatherland and holy land are true citizens of India is consistent with the ideas of which of the following?

Holi

What Hindu holiday have these boys been celebrating?

Cremation

What type of event is depicted in this clip?

Durga

Which goddess was created by the other gods as a superhero in order to defeat an unstoppable buffalo demon?

the Vedas

Which of the following Hindu texts is the most ancient?

karma, jnana, bhakti

Which of the following are among the three margas or the three yogas?

Brahma Shiva Vishnu

Which of the following deities are part of the traditional Trimurti of Hinduism?

fire sacrifice

Which of the following elements is most central to the hymns and rituals described in the Vedas?

Practices such as pilgrimages, idol worship, and temple offerings are superstitious corruptions of true Hinduism. Arranged marriage, child brides, and widow burning are a corruption of true Hinduism. Hindus should move away from the epics and Puranas and go "back to the Vedas."

Which of the following were positions on Hindu beliefs and practices endorsed by Dayanand Sarasvati and the Arya Samaj?

the Mahabharata

Which text describes a great war between the Pandavas and their cousins, the Kauravas?

the Bhagavad Gita

Which text is most important for the emergence of bhakti (devotional) Hinduism?

The Ramayana

Which text tells the tale of the prince Rama and his wife Sita who is kidnapped by a demon king named Ravana?

Darshan

While visiting family in India, Madhuri has planned a trip to see a famous statue of one of her favorite gods. For Madhuri, this is more than tourism: looking into the eyes of the statue is an intimate connection with a god. What Hindu tradition is Madhuri participating in?

The Hart-Celler Act was passed, opening the doors to Indian immigration.

Why was 1965 an important year for Hinduism in America?

Vivekananda emphasizes that Hinduism was reasonable and compatible with modern science.

Why was Swami Vivekananda ideally suited to represent Hinduism at the 1893 World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago?

Dalits

___ are an oppressed social group previously known as "outcasts" and "untouchables."

Om, Mantra

___ is a powerful ___ employed at the beginning and ending of many Hindu ceremonies and rituals. It is also written with honey on newborn's lips or tongue during a birth ceremony.

Divali

___ is one of the most popular Hindu holidays and is also celebrated by Jains, Sikhs, and some Buddhists. In North India, it commemorates Rama and Sita's return from defeating the demon king Ravana. In South India, it commemorates Krishna's defeat of a demon king. Celebrations typically involve lights and fireworks.

Indra, Agni

___, the warrior god, and ___, the fire god, are two deities featured prominently in the Vedas.

Ganesha

____ is often depicted near doorways and thresholds and is known as the remover of obstacles.