Hinduism Study Guide exam 1

25. The understanding of karma in Hinduism relates to a major part of Indian society, please explain.

Karma spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to the world.

27. Why is describing what Hindus believe and practice so difficult?

As we have seen, describing what Hindus believe and practice is difficult, for there are many Hindus, many sources, and many types of belife and practice

Explain the differences between Brahma, Brahman, and Brahmin.

Brahmin = priest of the Vedic religion Brahman= the highest Hindu deity; the Absolute. Brahma= one of the names of Brahman; Ultimate Reality; the creator god

22. True of False: There are 6 collections of the Vedas

False 4 Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda Atharva Veda

30. True or False: There is not a widely-accepted theory about the origins of Hinduism.

False Hinduism, like most religions, tells a creation story to explain the origin of our universe. However, to Hindus, ours is but one of an infinite number of universes, linked through an endless cycle of birth, life, death and rebirth, each with its own unique creation myth.

24. True or False: moksha is the understanding that all spirits are trapped on earth.

False Moksha, also called vimoksha, vimukti and mukti, is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism which refers to various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release.

29. True or False: All Hindu goddesses are represented as loving, nurturing goddesses (e.g. Kali), while all Hindu gods are depicted as fierce gods (e.g. Vishnu).

False The Hindu gods; Shiva, Parvati, Krishna, Vishnu, Lakshmi, Ganesh, Nataraja, Devi, Saraswati, Shakti, Buddha, Kali, Murugan, Patanjali, andHanuman serve as a way in which devotees can see, touch and feel this unknowable God, Brahman. They give the layperson a tangible, knowable aspect of the Supreme Being.

32. Describe several characteristics of some of the following Hindu gods and how they are viewed by their Hindu devotees.

Shiva is the third god in the Hindu triumvirate. The triumvirate consists of three gods who are responsible for the creation, upkeep and destruction of the world. The other two gods are Brahma and Vishnu. Brahma is the creator of the universe while Vishnu is the preserver of it. l. All other gods and goddesses are simply facets of this one God. This supreme being is viewed as the god of all other religions and equal to all existence or the ultimate reality.

35. Which of the following gods is not one of the Hindu Trinity? [Know the members of the Hindu Trinity.]

The Hindu creator god. It is often said that there is a trinity of Hindu gods: Brahma the creator, Vishnu the preserver and Shiva the destroyer. But while Vishnu and Shiva have followers and temples all over India, Brahma is not worshiped as a major deity.

33. How many incarnations of Vishnu do most Vaishnavites believe Vishnu has and will take?

They believe 9 and think he will be reincarnated once

26. What does trimurti mean?

refers to the three primary "faces" of God, although they are typically depicted as individual deities oral traditions

28. Explain the wheel of samsara and how do humans attain freedom from it?

Hindu concept of the wheel of birth and rebirth. By fully grasping the unity or oneness of all things, the believer has the potential to break the illusion upon which samsara is based and achieve moksha—liberation from samsara.

Who were the Aryans and how do they relate to the cultures of ancient India?

Indo - Europeans who entered the Indus Valley prior to 1000 BCE. They expressed their evolving in the hymns of the Rig-Veda. As these aryans mixed with the native peoples, they shared customs, traditions, rites, symbols, and myths.

23. What does atman mean and how does it relate to the Hindu belief system?

The essence of Brahman that is present in individuals. one of the most basic concepts in Hinduism, the universal self, identical with the eternal core of the personality that after death either transmigrates to a new life or attains release (moksha) from the bonds of existence.

36. According to the lecture, which of the following does not describe characteristics of Hindu temple worship? [Know how Hindus view the temples and what they do when they come to the temples.]

This is because Hindus have home shrines where they can partake in home puja, this is considered part of their dharma whilst temple worship is not. ... This is important as the temple provides a social environment to maintain the bonds between the communities and prevent Hindus feeling alone. A Hindu temple is a symbolic house, seat and body of god. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together, using symbolism to express the ideas and beliefs of Hinduism

31. True or False: According to the lecture, the Vedas present a comprehensive, unified view of the beginning of the universe.

True

34. True or False: Followers of Shiva (sadhus) are noted for their aversion to physical pleasure; they avoid anything that brings to mind sexuality (going so far as to put loin cloths on goats or hanging bricks from their genitals).

True A sadhu, also spelled saddhu, is a religious ascetic, mendicant or any holy person in Hinduism and Jainism who has renounced the worldly life. They are sometimes alternatively referred to as jogi, sannyasi or vairagi. It literally means one who practises a ″sadhana″ or keenly follows a path of spiritual discipline.