Deck 3: Hinduism

Question 1

The word Vedas is related to the English word

A) visit.
B) vision.
C) vex.
D) vertical.

Answer 1

vision.

Question 2

Vedic worship primarily involved

A) offerings to nature gods at fire altars.
B) solemn circular dances.
C) fasting for a month, beginning at the new moon.
D) silent meditation.

Answer 2

offerings to nature gods at fire altars.

Question 3

A symbolic object associated with Krishna, indicative of the playful aspect of the divine, is a

A) shell.
B) flame.
C) flute.
D) flower.

Answer 3

flute.

Question 4

A mantra is a

A) sacred painting.
B) form of meditation.
C) breath exercise.
D) short chant.

Question 5

Which of the following is an idea that the Hindu mystic Ramakrishna is famous for propagating?

A) The many religions are so many paths to God.
B) The supreme being causes no harm and forgives all.
C) Be the change you wish to see.
D) In the conquest of the demon within lies true wisdom.

Question 6

The Vedic god of fire is

A) Soma.
B) Indra.
C) Agni.
D) Varuna.

Question 7

In Hinduism, the notion that the everyday world is full of change, as well as of struggle and suffering, is called

A) samsara.
B) dharma.
C) moksha.
D) maya.

Question 8

In Hinduism, the Upanishads are a record of

A) philosophical and religious ideas that arose in meditative traditions.
B) rituals practiced by those who left society to become forest ascetics.
C) practical prayers and charms to protect people against snakes and sickness.
D) appropriate procedures to follow when performing ceremonies for the gods.

Question 9

When was the Bhagavad Gita written?

A) 2000-1500 BCE
B) 1000-800 BCE
C) 400 BCE-400 CE
D) 700-900 CE

Question 10

The Bhagavad Gita is part of a long Indian epic poem called the

A) Iliad.
B) Purana.
C) Gita Govinda.
D) Mahabharata.

Question 11

The prince who is counseled by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita is

A) Arjuna.
B) Ganesha.
C) Lakshmi.
D) Hanuman.

Question 12

The term maya may be translated as

A) liberation.
B) nonharm.
C) bliss.
D) illusion.

Question 13

Bhakti means

A) freedom from suffering.
B) studying the sacred texts.
C) devotion to a god.
D) working for the good of others.

Question 14

The god Rama is frequently paired with

A) Devi.
B) Sita.
C) Lakshmi.
D) Ganesha.

Question 15

Which god-ordinarily shown with the face of a monkey-helped return Sita after her abduction to Sri Lanka?

A) Hanuman
B) Ganesha
C) Ganga
D) Lakshmi

Question 16

The ideal of causing no harm to living beings is

A) karma.
B) moksha.
C) jnana.
D) ahimsa.

Question 17

The modern Indian who used nonviolent means to help lead India to independence in 1947 was

A) Mohandas Gandhi.
B) Ram Mohan Roy.
C) Rabindranath Tagore.
D) Ramakrishna.

Question 18

The religious practice of the majority of Hindus is

A) bhakti, the devotion to a god or gods.
B) dhyana, the practice of meditation.
C) yoga, the practice of spiritual and discipline.
D) sannyasin, the renunciation of possession.

Question 19

In Hinduism, the moral law of cause and effect that determines the direction of rebirth is

A) moksha.
B) bhakti.
C) karma.
D) dhyana.

Question 20

A major social class sanctioned by Hinduism is known as

A) karma.
B) caste.
C) monism.
D) stratum.

Question 21

In Hinduism, a brahmin is a member of the

A) priestly caste.
B) warrior caste.
C) peasant caste.
D) merchant caste.

Question 22

In the context of Hinduism, the goddess associated with destruction and rebirth is

A) Sita.
B) Kali.
C) Usha.
D) Lakshmi.

Question 23

A major city of pre-Vedic culture in the Indus River valley was

A) Harappa.
B) Benares.
C) Madras.
D) Pataliputra.

Question 24

Which of the following Hindu devotional practices can be traced back to the Harappa culture?

A) the anointing of phallic stones
B) the belief in a singular divine being
C) the worship of gods at outdoor fire pits
D) the veneration of horses as symbols of power

Question 25

Which deity is often shown with blue skin?

A) Lakshmi
B) Hanuman
C) Shiva
D) Krishna

Question 26

A guru is a

A) religious teacher.
B) tree spirit.
C) drink used in Vedic rituals.
D) trance state.

Question 27

An important symbol of Shiva is the

A) stupa.
B) lingam.
C) banyan tree.
D) candle.

Question 28

In Hinduism, the term Brahman originally referred to

A) the cosmic power present in the Vedic sacrifice and chants.
B) a form of knowledge that can only be gained by living a pious life.
C) the illusionary nature of the everyday world.
D) a cosmic law that governs the direction of rebirth of all souls.

Question 29

A sannyasin is a

A) craftsman or merchant.
B) nature spirit.
C) warrior-noble.
D) wandering renunciant.

Question 30

In the context of the Vedanta school of Hindu philosophy, the position that all apparently separate realities are ultimately one is known as

A) monism.
B) samadhi.
C) ahimsa.
D) theism.

Question 31

Hinduism is the dominant religion of

A) Myanmar (Burma).
B) Bangladesh.
C) Nepal.
D) Sri Lanka.

Question 32

The goal of ultimate liberation from egotism and rebirth is called

A) moksha.
B) samsara.
C) bhakti.
D) jnana.

Question 33

Puja is

A) an object held in the hand when worshiping the goddess Durga.
B) a devotional ritual.
C) a sacred dance.
D) a special powder placed on the images of deities.

Question 34

Krishna is considered to be an incarnation of

A) Shiva.
B) Durga.
C) Vishnu.
D) Kali.

Question 35

In Hinduism, the three gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva, are often linked together and called the

A) Trimurti.
B) Devi.
C) Kundalini.
D) Atman.

Question 36

The elephant-headed god, who is a symbol of abundance, is

A) Saraswati.
B) Kali.
C) Rama.
D) Ganesha.

Question 37

The goddess of good luck is

A) Durga.
B) Lakshmi.
C) Saraswati.
D) Kali.

Question 38

Transcendentalism is the name for

A) an American movement influenced by Hinduism.
B) a type of Hindu metal sculpture design that specializes in statues of Shiva.
C) a movement in Hinduism that emphasizes the use of the body for spiritual purposes.
D) a political movement that emphasizes nonviolence.

Question 39

Facts lending support to the "Aryan invasion theory" include

A) the advanced ancient civilization discovered in the ruins found in the Indus River valley.
B) ancient seals showing someone seated in a yogic meditation posture.
C) ancient Sanskrit's relation to Greek and Latin.
D) important concepts found in the Upanishads.

Question 40

Critics of the "Aryan invasion theory" and the "Aryan migration theory" often maintain that these theories are

A) not substantiated in the Vedas.
B) contradicted in the Upanishads.
C) used to justify the caste system.
D) a continued relic of Western cultural imperialism.

Question 41

In Hindu practices of meditation, the state of complete inner peace resulting from meditation is known as

A) samadhi.
B) moksha.
C) dhyana.
D) bhakti.

Question 42

The yoga path focused on meditation is

A) raja yoga.
B) karma yoga.
C) kundalini yoga.
D) jnana yoga.

Question 43

The yoga path that focuses on various stretching postures and balancing is

A) jnana yoga.
B) karma yoga.
C) bhakti yoga.
D) hatha yoga.

Question 44

Describe three geographical features of India that relate to Hindu devotional practice, and explain the connection.

Question 45

Explain the different theories that account for the emergence of the Vedic period. Include the evidence that scholars have used to substantiate their views and challenge other theories. Which seems the most plausible to you, and why?

Question 46

What are the four Vedas about? Please describe them.

Question 47

Describe the roles of the river Ganges in Hindu practice.

Question 48

Define the concept of Atman, and describe how it is similar to, and also different from, the typical Western concept of self.

Question 49

Define the concept of maya, and describe the impact of this concept on the Hindu understanding of death.

Question 50

Describe the categories of the caste system, and explain how they function within Hindu thought and practice.

Question 51

What are the four stages of life, and what are the obligations associated with each?

Question 52

Describe three of the yogas, and explain how they function within Hindu practice.

Question 53

Name the three gods of the Trimurti. Describe the basic identities and roles of each of the gods.

Question 54

Identify two Hindu deities usually portrayed in feminine forms. Describe a key characteristic of each.

Question 55

Explain the concept of the guru. Offer two or three reasons why the concept has attained popularity in the Western world.

Question 56

Explain the Hindu veneration of the cow in a way that would allow a Westerner to understand the basic Hindu belief behind the practice.

Question 57

Describe two well-known examples of Hindu sculpture.

Question 58

Describe how Hinduism of the past and the present shapes the roles of women.

Question 59

List three ways in which Gandhi has contributed to contemporary social issues. Describe how one of those contributions has resulted in political action beyond the traditional Hindu realm of influence.

Question 60

Describe three areas of Hindu influence outside of India.

Question 61

Assume that you have been asked to arrange a tour of the three most significant Hindu sites. What would they be? Why would you choose those sites?

Question 62

Have you ever encountered someone in your culture who could be considered a sannyasin? Describe the characteristics that would allow you to make such an identification.