Religion IV: Chapter 5: Hinduism

Diwali is a what similar to Hanukkah for Jews and Christmas for Christians?

"Festival of Lights"

Maya

A Sanskrit "illusions." A teaching of the Upanishads that say that only Brahman is permeant; everything else is an illusion.

Shruti

A canon of Hindu scripture, it is from a word that means "what is heard."

Soma

A hallucinogenic beverage that was used as an offspring to Hindu gods and vedic ritual sacrifices.

Dharma

A person's duties in life, especially related to social obligations within one's caste.

Mantra

A sacred verbal formula that is repeated in prayer or meditation

Transcendental Meditation

A technique derived from Hinduism that promotes relaxation through recitation of a mantra.

Sikhs

A term meaning "learners."

Transcendent

A term that means "lying beyond the ordinary range of perception"

Brahmins

Priests who make up the highestcaste

Most Hindu families have a shrine or special place in their home they perform what?

Puja

Diwali celebrates the return of _______________, the seventh avatar to his kingdom after a fourteen-year exile.

Rama

Death and rebirth are part of the cycle known as samsara, or the transmigration of souls, more commonly known as what?

Reincarnation

Parvati

The Divine Mother

Yoga

The Hindu discipline aimed at training the consciousness for a spiritual insight and tranquility

Avatar

The incarnation of a Hindu god, especially Vishnu, in human or animal. form. According to Hindu belief, Vishnu has been incarnated nine the tenth time will usher in the end of the world.

Satygraha

The policy of non-violent resistance initiated by Gandhi as a means for pressing for political reform.

Kama

The pursuit of artistic, recreational, and sensational pleasure.

Artha

The pursuit of both material and political and wealth.

Moksha

The pursuit of liberation from the cycle of rebirth through actions, thoughts, and devotions.

Caste System

The social class system in Hindu India.

Sanskrit

An ancient language of India that is the language of Hinduism and the Vedas. It is derived from a word that means "perfected."

Vedas

Ancient scriptures that are foundation of Hinduism. They are composed in Sanskrit. The most important part of the vedas is the Rig Veda, which consists of 1,028 hymns praising the gods of the Aryan tribes who invaded India from the northwest around 2,000 BCE.

Karma

Based on belief of reincarnation, it is the notion that the form the soul will take in the next life is determined by its behavior in this life.

Karma

Based on the belief in reincarnation, the Hindu and Buddhist belief that the form the soul will take in the next life is determined by its behavior in this life.

The Puranas are a collection of stories about three great gods of Hinduism. What are the three gods?

Brama, Vishnu, and Shiva

Puranas contain stories and myths about what?

Creation and the history of the world

The northern part of India tends to celebrate Dwali in how many days, while parts of southern India celebrates it in one day?

Five days

Devas

From the Sanskrit for "sitting one," they are celestial beings in the Hindu tradition.

Gurus

From the Sanskrit for "teacher," Hindu teachers and guides in philosophical and spiritual matters.

Sikhism is a blending of which two religions?

Hinduism and Islam

Brahmis

Hinu preists. Te term is also used to describe the highest social class in the Hindu caste system.

Brahman

In Hinduism, Ultimate Reality or Absolute Reality

Bhakti

In Hinduism, the devotional way of achieving liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth, emphasizing the loving faith of a devotee for the gods.

Atman

In hinduism, the individual soul or essence

Everyone is on a cycle determined by what?

Karma

According to Sikhs to perform ascetic practices and to wear or carry with them the "five k's" as a sign of devotion. What are the "Five K's"?

Kesh, Kanga, Kacha, Kara, and Kirpan

Diwali begins at the time of darkness, so the what truly do break through the darkness?

Lights

Vaishyas

Made up those families who are farmers and merchants

Shudra

Servants

Hinduism origins are from approximately 1500 BCE on the what?

Subcontinent of India

Formal worship takes place in a what?

Temple

Iconclasm

The "breaking of Icons," the belief that there should be no human depiction of the sacred for it places the icon as a source of worship rather than what the image presents.

Iconoclasm

The "breaking of icons," the belief that there should be no human depiction of the sacred for it places the icon as a source of worship rather than what the image presents.

Samsara

The experience of rebirth, life, and death over and over again until one has achieved oneness with Brahman.

Saraswati

The goddess of learning, literature, and music

Lakshmi

The goddess of prosperity, good fortune, and beauty

Besides a Festival of Lights, consider Diwali is the start of the New Year. True/False?

True

Diwali is celebrated also by Sikhs and Jains. True/False?

True

Hinduism did not begin with a founder or a particular event that marked its beginnings. True/False?

True

Hinduism may be the worlds oldest living religion. True/False?

True

Holi is a spring festival of a rather riotous nature commemorates the love between Krishna and Radha. Often the division of the castes is suspended during this time of celebration. True/False?

True

Skruti is one of the most sacred scriptures, not one syllable is to be changed. True/False?

True

Temples have images of many gods and goddesses, but are dedicated to one god in particular. True/False?

True

There are five periods of Hindu history. True/False?

True

There is no universal Hindu calendar, so there is no uniform day the Festival of Lights begins. True/False?

True

Three primary forms of Brahma symbolize the cycle of life; Brahma is the creator god, Vishnu is the preserving god, and Shiva is the Destroying god. True/False?

True

Through Hindus are able to frequent shrines and temples more often, the Ganges River is considered the most sacred of all places for Hindus. True/False?

True

Under Karma, who is one now acts is determined by deeds in the person's previous lives. True/False?

True

Hindus hold that all gods and goddesses are myrid images of the ________________ _________________ or the ______________________ __________________.

Ultimate Reality or the Absolute Reality

Kshatriyas

Warriors