Hinduism Review

1.Moksha is a release from the confines of the reality and an entrance into the realm of the divine.

2.The doctrine that says all reality is ultimately one is called Monism. An analogy would be all rivers, lakes, and streams all flow into one ocean. Rivers, ponds, lakes and oceans appear to be quite distinctive, yet the share a common essence; they are all made up of water.

3.Brahman is a belief in which all things that make up the invisible and visible reality have something in common and are connected to the universe. Atman is the ultimate reality within the self. These two are related because the universe is connected with the eternal self and the eternal self is connected to the universe. These two terms are the same.

4. The General Function of Hinduism’s many deities is to serve as a connection between reality and the divine reality sense it is beyond the reach of mere humans.

5. The Doctrine of Samsara states that an individual is reincarnated from one life form to another until the individual can reach Moksha.

6.The name of Hinduism's most popular sacred text is the Bhagavad-Gita.

7.In Hinduism the two principles that connect the divine world to this world are karma and dharma. Karma is a moral law that states every action produces response which justifies the action committed. Dharma is a set of moral rules of life which must be achieved to reach Moksha.

8.The four caste systems are the Brahmin which are the priest, the Kshatriya which are warriors and administrators, the Vaishya which are the farmers, merchants, and artisans, and the Shurdra which are servants and laborers.

9.Krishna encourages Arjuna to engage in war because it is Arjuna’s sacred duty to engage in war. Arjuna was born to battle as a warrior because it is a part of her dharma.

10.The first stage is that of a student in which one does intensive study if the Vedas and other sacred literature. This stage last until marriage. The second stage is Householder and in this stage a person pursues a career and raises a family. The third stage is the forest dweller (The stage ensues after the birth of a grandchild) and in this stage a man takes retreat to fully engage in a spiritual quest. The fourth stage is sannyasin and in this stage the forest dweller is ready to come back to society however he is completely detached from the material things this world ensues.

11.The first goal of life is sensual pleasure (Karma) and this is a legitimate aim to pursuit pleasures in one’s life. The second goal is Artha and this is an attempt to reach material success, social power and prestige that accompanies it. The third goal is Dharma and this is when a person tries to achieve living a moral and ethical life. The fourth goal is Moksha and in this the goal is to achieve the infinite being, awareness and bliss of liberation.

12.The three paths to liberation are the path of works, the path of knowledge and the path of devotion. People who are engaged into day-to-day task of earning a living and raising a family prefer the path of the works. People who have a talent for philosophical reflection and reasoning should follow the path of knowledge. People who get emotionally attached easily are best perceived to follow the path of devotion.

13.The three most important schools in Hinduism philosophy are Vendanta, Sankhya and Yoga. The basic task that concerns all three is that the attainment of knowledge is needed to rid oneself of the ignorance that binds the self to Samsara.

14.Three important gods and goddesses are Vishnu who is the preserver of the world, Shiva who is the god known for destruction, and Kali who is known for being a violent destroyer to her enemies.

15.Avatars are incarnations or living embodiment of a deity. Two important Hindi avatars are Kirshnu and Rama.

16.The text that is most closely associated with Bhakti Marga is the Bhagavad-Gita.

17.The three aspects of Hindu devotional life are household and village rituals, pilgrimage to holy places and veneration of cows.

18.Mahatma Gandhi influenced Hinduism by stating that all wisdom lights the way to the divine.

19.The significant changes that took place in the caste system in the 20th century were the Indian government forbade the discrimination of any outcast and the government also instituted affirmative action plans that promote economic and social rights of the outcasts.

20.A sati is the suicidal burning of a widow because her death is seen as a sign of virtue for her love of her husband. Since 1829 sati has been forbidden however it still rarely occurs in some places in India.

21.The significant development that occurred between Hindus and Muslims in 1947 was that the Muslim community created the country of Pakistan during the partition of India so that way Muslims could have a homeland in which they could live in without the fear of being discriminated against by the Hindus. This caused a bloody civil war and many followers of both religions were killed because most were forced to move out of their homes.