Deck 3: Hinduism Many Paths to the Summit

Question 1

The Sanskrit term for the dominant theme in the Bhagavad Gita is __________.

A) dharma
B) karma
C) maya
D) moksha
E) samsara

Answer 1

A

Question 2

What is the Sanskrit name for the priestly class in traditional Hindu society?

A) Brahmin
B) Dalit
C) Kshatriya
D) Shudra
E) Vaisya

Answer 2

A

Question 3

According to the Hindu philosophical tradition known as Advaita Vedanta, the idea that the material world is real is __________.

A) a Buddhist teaching that was mistakenly accepted by some Hindus
B) an illusion created by our minds overcome with desire
C) an illusion planted in our minds by the Evil One
D) one of the fundamental teachings of the Upanishads
E) the ultimate truth, revealed by the God Krishna

Answer 3

B

Question 4

By the middle of the twenty-first century India will surpass __________ to have the highest population of any country in the world.

A) Brazil
B) China
C) Indonesia
D) Nigeria
E) the United States

Question 5

The Great Mother Goddess who always desires the well-being of her children

Question 6

The Hindu Goddess often portrayed as a bloodthirsty warrior, illustrating the power of destruction that leads to regeneration

Question 7

One of the creation poems of the Rig-Veda provides the earliest allusion to __________.

A) the belief that men are superior to women
B) the four-fold class (varna) system that would later evolve into the complex Indian caste system
C) the universe being essentially the body of a giant
D) the importance of human sacrifice for the ordering of social life
E) none of the above

Question 8

According to most historians, the __________ migrated from central Asia into northern India about 1500 B.C.E.

A) Aryans
B) Dravidians
C) Mongols
D) Muslims
E) Siberians

Question 9

The most popular pilgrimage spots for all Hindus are __________.

A) along the banks of the Ganges River
B) along the banks of the Indus River
C) in Calcutta
D) in the Punjab region
E) in Sri Lanka

Question 10

The Laws of Manu are a collection of __________.

A) hymns to gods used in sacrificial rituals
B) incantations, remedies, and charms
C) magical formulae
D) philosophical utterances
E) religious and ethical guidelines for individuals and society

Question 11

The indigenous people of India are known as the __________, which means "original dwellers."

A) Adivasis
B) Aryans
C) Hindus
D) Vaishnavites
E) Yogis

Question 12

Which of the following occupational groupings is among the "untouchable" castes in traditional Hindu society?

A) bakers
B) construction workers
C) cremation workers
D) weavers

Question 13

Which of the following organizations is part of the Hindu nationalist coalition?

A) the Bharata Janata Party (BJP)
B) the Brahmo Samaj
C) the Communist Party
D) the Congress Party
E) the International Society for Krishna Consciousness

Question 14

This influential nineteenth-century Hindu reformer undertook a twelve-year spiritual journey, following the disciplines of Jainism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity; as a result, he became convinced that all religions are simply different paths to the same summit.

A) Mohandas K. Gandhi
B) Ram Mohan Roy
C) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
D) Sri Ramakrishna
E) Vivekananda

Question 15

The name "Hinduism" first emerged in India __________.

A) at the time of the Aryan invasion
B) in response to the development of Buddhism in India
C) when the British took control
D) when it was coined by Mohandas K. Gandhi
E) when Muslims began to arrive

Question 16

The Rig-Veda is a collection of __________.

A) ethical and religious guidelines for individuals and society
B) hymns to deities in the Hindu pantheon
C) incantations, remedies, and charms
D) magical formulae
E) philosophical utterances

Question 17

Established in C.E. 1526 and continuing in power until the 18th century, the greatest Muslim dynasty in India was __________.

A) the Aryan Empire
B) the British Empire
C) the Gupta Empire
D) the Maurya Empire
E) the Moghul Empire

Question 18

In 1947 India was partitioned into the nations of India and __________.

A) Afghanistan
B) Bangladesh
C) Iran
D) Pakistan
E) Sri Lanka

Question 19

The major characters of the Bhagavad-Gita are the God Krishna and a warrior named __________.

A) Arjuna
B) Gandhi
C) Kali
D) Radhakrishnan
E) Vishnu

Question 20

This "great-souled" leader of the Indian National Congress skillfully orchestrated the movement of civil disobedience against British rule that ultimately convinced the Crown, in 1947, to allow India to become an independent, sovereign nation.

A) Mohandas K. Gandhi
B) Ram Mohan Roy
C) Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan
D) Sri Ramakrishna
E) Vivekananda

Question 21

What role do the Gitas and Upanishads play in contemporary Hinduism? Use examples to illustrate your points.

Question 22

Mahatma Mohandas K. Gandhi was influenced strongly by the teachings of Jesus, especially the Sermon on the Mount, while the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was influenced by Gandhi's teachings on and example of nonviolent resistance. Is this kind of cross-fertilization of religious teachings a wise (or even legitimate) practice? Why so or why not? .

Question 23

Who are the three major deities of postclassical Hinduism, and what roles do they play in the religious system?

Question 24

In what ways is the Hindu teaching on war ambiguous?

Question 25

Why do Hindus venerate cows, and what are the effects of this custom?

Question 26

What role does Brahman play in Hinduism? How does this idea compare with the typical Western notion of "God."

Question 27

How have traditional Hinduism and modern reformers like Gandhi confronted the social inequities of India?

Question 28

Using the "framework for understanding" religion (humanity, problem, cause, reality, end, means, sacred) describe the basic outlines of Hinduism. What do you see as the most valuable insight of this religious tradition?

Question 29

Why would the beer commercial that told viewers "You only go around once!" probably not have been shown in India?

Question 30

Defend or refute one of the following assertions. Be sure to define your key terms.
a. The doctrines of karma and reincarnation make people oblivious to questions of social justice.
b. Hindu nationalism is a threat to the stability of the region and to India's identity as a secular, democratic nation.
c. The doctrine of ahimsa (non-violence) may be fine on the personal level, but it would be crazy to make it the policy of a nation-state.

Question 31

What are the similarities and differences among the three basic types of yoga (karma, jnana, and bhakti)? Which one do you find the most appealing? Why so?

Question 32

Choose one of the key doctrines of Hinduism (e.g., karma, dharma, samsara, maya) and discuss its significance for understanding the religion.