Deck 3: Encountering Hinduism: Many Paths to Liberation

Question 1

What is the third goal of Hindu life that relates to spiritual, mental, and physical pleasure?

A)artha
B)moksha
C)dharma
D)kama

Answer 1

D

Question 2

Lakshmi is the goddess of:

A)fortune and wealth.
B)destruction and evil.
C)knowledge and wisdom.
D)war and thunder.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

It is estimated that there are _____ Hindus in India today.

A)1.5 billion
B)220 million
C)900 million
D)750 thousand

Answer 3

C

Question 4

In the varna system of classification, Kshatriyas are:

A)farmers.
B)priests.
C)artisans.
D)warriors.

Question 5

The Hindu "books of knowledge" consisting of hymns to various deities, instructions for sacrifice, songs for sacrifice, and spells to bring on blessings and keep away evil are collectively known as the:

A)Shastras.
B)Laws of Manu.
C)Vedas.
D)Upanishads.

Question 6

An important prayer ritual in Hinduism is the prayer to the sun called the:

A)Murti.
B)Lingam.
C)Varna.
D)Agnihotra.

Question 7

Which of the following best describes atman?

A)It is a person's innermost self or soul.
B)It is the single "world soul" that is the foundation of everything in this universe.
C)It is the personal soul that collects karma.
D)It is the individual soul that earns reward or punishment in the next reincarnation.

Question 8

Which of the following statements best describes suttee, rarely if ever practiced any longer:

A)It is the practice of burning a widow on the funeral pyre of her husband.
B)It is the act of worshipping the sun by reciting prayers thrice a day.
C)It is the act of offering water to gods at sunrise and sunset.
D)It is the practice of chanting hymns while circling the sacred trees of Hindus.

Question 9

Which of the following terms do Hindus use to refer to the image of a deity?

A)puja
B)bhakti
C)murti
D)bindi

Question 10

Instead of thinking of their religion in mainly historical ways by looking to the past of their religion, Hindus typically look to:

A)knowledge gained from yoga.
B)knowledge gained from one's guru.
C)their many scriptural writings.
D)the spiritual truths beyond historical events.

Question 11

In Hinduism, devotion to one's chosen god is called:

A)dharma.
B)bhakti.
C)kama.
D)artha.

Question 12

The books detailing sacrifice and its power are called the:

A)Brahmanas.
B)Upanishads.
C)Puranas.
D)Shastras.

Question 13

Which of the following statements is true of dharma?

A)It is specific to one's place in the world.
B)It explains all human inequalities.
C)It is related to one's behavior in preceding lives.
D)It liberates the individual soul from rebirth.

Question 14

In the context of Hindu deities, who is worshipped by pouring milk over the lingam?

A)Vishnu
B)Shiva
C)Indra
D)Brahma

Question 15

Rama and Krishna are incarnations of

A)Vishnu.
B)Shiva.
C)Ganesha.
D)Brahma.

Question 16

Which of the following describes karma?

A)It is a wide-ranging term for righteousness, law, and duty.
B)It is the cycle of reincarnation.
C)It is liberation from rebirth and samsara.
D)It is the deeds and acts as they influence reincarnation.

Question 17

Which of the following statements is true of Brahmins?

A)They chant songs for sacrifice.
B)They lead in battles and defend others.
C)They support the higher castes by lowly service.
D)They provide the necessary semiskilled labor for society.

Question 18

What two symbols of Hinduism are dealt with in this chapter?

A)the Om and the lotus
B)the lotus and the swastika
C)the swastika and the Om
D)the Om and an image of a yogin

Question 19

Which of the following is the correct order of caste/class, from bottom to top of the social order?

A)Dalits, Shudras, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Brahmins
B)Dalits, Shudras, Vaishyas, Kshatriyas, Brahmins
C)Shudras, Dalits, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Brahmins
D)Dalits, Shudras, Vaishyas, Brahmins, Kshatriyas

Question 20

The cycle of reincarnation is called:

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

Question 21

What is the path of active service that breathing and postures assist?

A)Hatha yoga
B)Bhakti yoga
C)Karma yoga
D)Jnana yoga

Question 22

Which of the following statements is true of Vivekananda's beliefs?

A)He emphasized Vedic sacrifices to become prosperous.
B)He stressed the philosophical teachings of the Vedas.
C)He advocated religious pluralism.
D)He put value on ordinary life.

Question 23

The Hindu festival of Dassera:

A)celebrates harvests.
B)promotes fertility of animals and crops.
C)celebrates the deeds of a god.
D)indicates the change of seasons.

Question 24

What is a Hindu festival celebrated to renew family bonds?

A)Raksabandhana
B)Diwali
C)Holi
D)Dassera

Question 25

What teaches a form of yoga to enable members to realize "the god within"?

A)World Parliament of Religions
B)Self-Realization Fellowship
C)Spiritual Regeneration Movement
D)Hare Krishna movement

Question 26

The Upanishads teach that underlying reality is a spiritual essence called:

A)Brahman
B)Vedanta
C)jiva
D)Samsara

Question 27

Doing puja in a place of pilgrimage:

A)leads to the betterment of one's next reincarnations in this world.
B)makes one a part of the cycle of reincarnation.
C)gives one freedom from fulfilling vows.
D)prevents one from attaining moksha.

Question 28

The use of yoga in the West has become controversial because some Hindus have charged that:

A)yoga is being used for non-religious and profit-making purposes.
B)yoga is being used to create and channel energy for sexual pleasure.
C)yoga is being used to turn inward in quest of one's true self and deliverance.
D)yoga is being used to turn outward to devotional union with the divine.

Question 29

The stage of life at which a Hindu man devotes his concentration to achieving moksha is the:

A)forest-dweller stage
B)retirement stage
C)sannyasin stage
D)householder stage

Question 30

At what type of worship do children play an important role?

A)in the temple of various gods
B)outside the temple of various gods
C)in the streets of Indian cities during religious festivals and processions
D)at the home shrine

Question 31

In the context of Hindu funerals, four balls of rice are offered on the twelfth day after death to symbolize:

A)the separation of the immortal soul from the body of the deceased.
B)the release of the soul from all moksha.
C)the achievement of a good reincarnation by the deceased.
D)the happy union of the deceased with his or her forebears.

Question 32

The most popular type of yoga in India and the West is:

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

Question 33

The elephant-headed god who is the son of Shiva is called:

A)Brahma.
B)Ganesha.
C)Varuna.
D)Indra.

Question 34

In the context of Hindu funeral rituals, one part of the ritual treatment of the body of the deceased is:

A)placing it in a coffin along with some personal items and covered with flowers.
B)washing it and wrapping it in an old red cloth.
C)placing on wood with feet facing north toward the home of the god who rules the dead.
D)dipping it in fresh, flowing water for ritual purification.

Question 35

The festival of lights celebrated by almost all Indians irrespective of their religion is:

A)Raksabandhana.
B)Diwali.
C)Holi.
D)Dassera.

Question 36

In the context of Hindu funerals, what group of the Dom caste handles the body and incurs the ritual pollution of burning it at the funeral ground?

A)Dalits
B)Shudras
C)Vaishyas
D)Brahmins

Question 37

What spring-time Hindu festival features the splashing of paint-dust colors on one's body and clothing?

A)Diwali
B)Ganesha Chaturthi
C)Rama Navami
D)Holi

Question 38

Which of the following is the traditional Indian way of disposing human remains?

A)cremation of the body on a wood fire
B)burial of the body in a coffin
C)permanent storage of the body in a tomb
D)setting the body adrift on a boat

Question 39

What refers to the path of union with, or yoking to, a god or Brahman?

A)Agnihotra
B)yoga
C)kama
D)artha

Question 40

Short sacred sounds or words used widely in prayer or meditation are called:

A)the Brahmanas.
B)shastras.
C)the Puranas.
D)mantras.

Question 41

Hinduism is remarkably concentrated in South Asia and the South Pacific.

Question 42

In Hinduism, this term means "release" from life, particularly from the continuous cycle of death and rebirth.

A)artha
B)kama
C)moksha
D)dharma

Question 43

This diety has both a human-like form in an image and the powerful image of the lingam and the trident.

A)Shiva
B)Vishnu
C)Brahma
D)Ganesha

Question 44

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi founded the Transcendental Meditation in North America.

Question 45

The power or essence of a deity is believed to be in the murti, either temporarily or permanently.

Question 46

Explain the Vedic understanding of a "circle of life."

Question 47

Hinduism has funeral practices that focus on:

A)comforting grieving relatives.
B)preserving ritual purity.
C)lessening karma.
D)joining one's ancestors.

Question 48

The name of the civilization that preceded the coming of Aryans into India was called the Indus Valley civilization.

Question 49

The rishi was a priest in Vedic times who was able to commune directly with the gods.

Question 50

Hinduism derives its name from within the Hindu faith.

Question 51

Unlike the jiva, one's atman is subject to karma and reincarnation.

Question 52

The Upanishads are texts that instruct men and women in proper marriage and household rituals.

Question 53

This gesture is the traditional way of showing respect to someone in India.

A)bowing
B)applying tilak
C)clapping
D)offering prasad

Question 54

The practice of yoga is independent of one's practice of moral guidelines.

Question 55

Selfless action without desire for reward is true renunciation for the Bhagavad Gita.

Question 56

Hindus of the lower castes are allowed to worship the "high" gods of Hinduism.

Question 57

What is the largest pilgrimage event in the world?

A)Kumbh Mela
B)Shiva Ratri
C)Raksabandhana
D)Dassera

Question 58

Right-handed Tantrism is highly controversial among Hindus, while left-handed Tantrism is commonly approved.

Question 59

Temples built on sacred mountains or in sacred cities are places of pilgrimage.

Question 60

In the context of Hindu worship, the place of ritual is purified, and any evil spirits lurking to interfere with the puja are driven away with the help of:

A)the Puranas.
B)mantras.
C)the Brahmanas.
D)shastras.

Question 61

Briefly explain Brahman in the context of the Upanishads.

Question 62

What is Transcendental Meditation (TM)?

Question 63

Briefly explain pilgrimage and its advantages as proposed in Hinduism.

Question 64

Explain briefly the renouncer stage of a Hindu man's life.