Hinduism Study Guide

not to be passed to anyone other than priestsRig Veda: oldest/most sacred, over 1000 poems to various gods (hymns of creation, praise, etc.

)Soma Veda: hymns chanted at soma sacrifices (hallucinogenic beverages use as an offering to the Gods)Yajur Veda: instructing priests in fire and soma servicesAtharva Veda: collections of charms, spells and incarnations used for healings and curses, hymns for domestic use

the desire not to harm any form of life (basis of nonviolence), promoted by Mohandas Ghandi

story in Smriti scriptures about Arjuna who was caught between his duty as a warrior and his dedication to nonviolence

the soul, the individual's essential nature, the real self of each person

incarnations of a god/goddess who came to rid the world of evil

symbol of Hinduism

bahminical sacrificial rituals

part of the Path of Devotion

Creator god

all gods and goddesses are images of him, the Ultimate Reality/Absolute Reality, has no attributes, 3 forms (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva)

pursuit of harmony with the dharma is a primary concern, social order affects it

festival of lightsNo universal date > celebrated in the fallLength depends on where you live > North 5 days, south 1 daySome consider this the start of the new yearCelebrates the return of Rama to his kingdom after a 14 year exile* People lit lamps to guide him and his friends on their journey* Today people decorate with colorful lights and candles* Begins at darkness so the lights really shineAlso celebrated by Sikhs and Jains

Mohandas Gandhi advocated the equality of all religions, worked hard to alleviate tensions between religious traditions

premier place for spiritual healing, symbol of life without end, ritual bathing (power to wash away the karma), at death ashes are put in the river

their service that consists of singing and reading scriptures

founded Sikhism, student of the Hindu poet Kabir who was heavily influenced by Islamic mysticism

roots in the Sanskrit "sindhu" meaning "river"

celebration of loveCelebrated in the springTime where the divisions between castes is suspendedFun-loving pranks are performed as a reminder of the fun Krishna had as a boyCommemoration of the love between Krishna and RadhaSquirt each other with red liquor or throw red powder during the festival* Holika tried to poison Krishna, but he exposed her for the demon she was

Founded by MahaviraMix of elements from Buddhism and HinduismReacting against some sacrificial elementsBecause Jainism is big on non-violence, they will only eat things that will not kill plants or animalsAlso big on non-injuryVegetarians- Diet mostly fruit, milk, and nuts

involves looking at oneself in the 3rd personLearning > The information received from the outside worldThinking > Internal reflection of what's been learnedViewing > Seeing from God's point of view

the moral law of cause and effect that determines where we wind up in or next life

Path of Action selfless service to others, performs right actions for the sake of Brahman (not personal gain)

popular avatar of Vishnu, considered a god

goddess of prosperity, good fortune, and beauty, linked to Vishnu

Poem of a war between 2 families over heritance

founder of Jainism

elusions (body, mind, and emotions that do not equal a person's real self), only they the release of maya can one achieve union with Brahman

true self-realization, liberation from the endless cycle of rebirth, pursuit of union with the infinite being, awareness, and bliss of liberation

holds that all reality is ultimately one, deities are all points of contact with the divine

statue, picture, or image of the god which is utilized for the ritual of pujacleansed, dressed and given food, flowers, and incensespecial to each family

the Divine Mother often representing the goddess Devi or Great Goddess, linked to Shiva

NOT HINDUISM

use Murtiscan be individual or collectivedone by women when homeBrahmin perform in TempleDeity is awakened with bellsMurti cleansed and dressed and given food/flowers/incensePrayers, hymns, scripture all doneAt the end, people eat offering

collections of stories about Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva (noteable example of Smriti Scriptures but is not an epic)

Popular avatar of Vishnustory in Ramayana

Prince Rama was forced into exile with his wife and brother, Ravana kidnaps his wife and he has to bring her home

meaning to flow together, 3 nonexclusive ways to deal with it (Ways of Action, Wisdom, and Devotion)

official language of Hinduism and the scripture

goddess of learning, literature, and music, linked to Brahma

traditional burning of a widow (that is now forbidden)

Destroying god

more sacred form, revealed to the ancient by the gods, not one syllable should be changed, includes Vedas

means learner

Founded by Guru NanakBlend of Hinduism and IslamMembers will reject this notion because their religion is unique

Holds that God is transcendent and can be realized thru nature and thru the experience of each personGod is Ultimate Reality, immanent, and eternally realGod is formless and eternalHaving no beginning or endBelieve in karma, samsara, mokshaReject the caste systemGod created all people equalTheir service = gurdwara

Word means "that which is to be remembered"Certain Hindu traditions originally passed down orally thru the agesPopular to read

concerned with the cycle of rebirth, liberation from rebirth, and the relationship between Brahman and atman, translates to "to sit down beside"

Preserving god

Social order significantly affects individual identity and one's dharmaOne's ethical dutyProvides the standard by which to judge the righteous or wrongness of actionIndividuals are bound to the cast he/she was born into until death4 levels of the Caste SystemBrahmin: the priestsKshaatriya: warriors and administratorsVaishya: producersLike farmers, merchants, artisansShudra: servants and laborersAprishya: (the untouchables) having the most degrading jobs in society, considered defiled, so low they aren't mentioned

4 Stages of life--Students: Responsible for studying the Vedas and other sacred literatureHouseholds: Marked by pursuing a career and raising a familyForestdwellers: Require retreat from worldly bonds to engage fully in the spiritual questionWandering ascetic (called sannyasin): Must return to society but remain detached from social life, Live as if you have no memory of previous life

Kama: pursuit of pleasure within the limits of dharmaArtha: pursuit of material success, social power and prestigeDharma: pursuit of harmony with dharma as a primary concernMoksha: pursuit of union within the infinite being, awareness and bliss of liberation

No one religion can claim knowledge of the absolute truthThe ultimate reality (which others call God) is unknowableIf all the truth statements and experiences of the world's religions were collected, the sum would be close to the Truth but it wouldn't be the TruthBe a good version of whatever you are1021 > Muslims conquered NWSome rulers were tolerant of Hinduism, while others elected to destroy Hindu temples and statues1605 > Ruler Akbar dies, so does Muslim toleration for Hinduism Good interreligious dialogue with Catholics because of the dominance of poverty and lack of basic human needs that plague IndiaJesus' teaching and Beatitudes are attractive* He was pure of heartCatholicism respects Hinduism's encouragement of contemplation of the divine mystery Empathizes with the desire for freedom from the anguish of our human conditionWe can learn from their asceticism/flight to God with love and trust