Final Exam Study Guide Introduction to World Religions Be able to identify the following terms Harappa Hindus are a fusion of Indus River Valley natives sometimes called the Harappa or Sarasvati civilization Harappa had Unique language building culture possible Goddess Tree religion Vedas means knowledge Four collections of hymns make the foundation of what later becomes Hinduism Each Veda contains four parts Vedas invoke old deities that are not worshipped as much if at all in later Classical Hinduism Upanishads philosophical works section of the Veda Described as the internalization of Vedic ritual Take the external rituals of the Vedas and meditate on them internally not practiced externally Origins of the meditative and spiritual aspects of Hinduism found in the Upanishads Samsara cycle of death and rebirth lit means what goes around the world as one experiences it When people die they are then reborn into the world in another form Karma becomes a system of cause and effect working over many lifetimes in the samsara cycle Karma any act or action especially ritual action During the period of the Upanishads the idea of Karma begins to take shape as any action that has to do with the cycle of birth and rebirth or Samsara Moksha Develop idea of moksha freedom from the samsara Move into a transcendental plain or state in which one can no longer die deathless Yoga they emphasize spiritual practice yoga which leads one away from ignorance Physical and mental disciplines that yoke the human spirit with the divine goal perfection in concentration and meditation Guru teaches generic and universal messages Brahman the supreme being Some Hindus identify Brahman as totality or the only thing in existence Later Hindu gods goddesses are considered some sort of manifestations of Brahman Atman the individual human soul Some Hindus suggest that the atman is basically an extension of the Brahman Some Hindus only suggest that they are tangentially related Dharma duties righteousness justice Varna one s social group according to the caste system Ashrama one s stage of life Puranas ancient stories Avataras various forms of self Vishnu the all pervasive one Comes to earth in various forms avataras to destroy evil and establish dharma Vaishnavas people who follow Vishnu believe Vishnu will have 10 incarnations in the Saves the primeval man Manu in the form of a fish cycle of the world Nine have already happened Shiva Shaivas those who worship Shiva say that Shiva expresses himself in paradoxical ways He is a creator and a destroyer He is a crazy dancer and a stoic yogi Often represented by a linga a stone conical or cylindrical column Devi Parvati In the later period Devi becomes worshipped on her own in multiple forms Parvati The consort of Shiva viewed as the benevolent mother Trimurti Three Hindu Gods are often seen together in the trimurti or three forms Brahma creator Vishnu sustainer and Shiva destroyer are often portrayed as a single form with three faces representing three primary concepts Ramayana Prince Rama is banished by father with wife Sita and half brother Sita captured by Ravana Rama saves her They return and are crowned king and queen Has twins Sita reveals Rama is their father before they go to war Subjects doubt Sita s fidelity she is banished while pregnant Sita refuses to prove her innocence and accepts Rama s earlier decision Bhagavad Gita War between the related kingdoms of Pandavas and Kauravas Vishnu inhabits Krishna as an avatar and becomes charioteer for warrior Arjuna the soul s quest for salvation in later tradition Is it okay to fight Krishna says yes One should try for peace but if not one must fight for dharma Brahmins Only class allowed to teach the Vedas not all are priests but all are associated with spiritual learning Vedanta Rejects dualism Brahman and Atman are one identical substance Brahman is indescribable reality without attributes under the influence of illusions we delude ourselves into thinking we are different from Brahman Transforming knowledge gained via the three ways rids us of our delusions and we are able to be liberated liberation is akin to waking up from sleep and realizing that what we thought was real was actually a dream Bhakti Yoga The way of devotion surrender to God in this case Vishnu and he will liberate you from samsara Om Om is recited at the beginning of every prayer and scripture recitation Considered to be the beginning sound of the universe and a manifestation of the Brahman The Vedas specify the exact pitch Properly controlled and articulated sound could lead to a mystical experience the music is just as important as the words sung in the hymn All Hindus believe that om is the most sacred symbol but they interpret its meaning in different ways Murtis idols icons forms objects of worship The status of murtis varies among the various sects of Hinduism from becoming the actual deity to rejected altogether Tilaka red forehead mark of married women could come to mean devotion to a particular group of society or worship of a particular deity Puja devotion to a deity or teacher through rituals performed at home imitate temple worship Many puja rituals are specifically for women in the household Women gather and fast and feast in honor of the goddesses on certain holidays Virginity celebrations and rituals Deepavali Necklace of lights New Moon celebration Oct Nov Marks beginning of the New Year People decorate houses with lights set off fireworks wear new clothes The details of the celebration vary from place to place but the holiday itself is pan Indian Auspiciousness Prosperity in this life Linked primarily to wealth and progeny the latter especially for women Married women who have the potential to bear children are said to be auspicious Acharya Religious instructor in the Upanishads students are urged to treat their teachers as gods Connected to particular traditions unlike gurus who teach generic and universal messages Acharya are almost exclusively male while many female gurus exist Siddartha Gautama was to become the Buddha of the current age Shakyamuni Siddartha Gautama the Shakyan Sage Bodhisattva Buddha takes the bodhisattva vow to solemnly work toward Buddhahood and achieve enlightenment Nirvana enlightenment Bodh Gaya the most holy place on Earth for the followers of the Buddhist faith all over the world Bodhi tree where Siddhartha Gautama is said to have achieved enlightenment in Bodh Gaya Paranirvana the end of samsara
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