Hinduism Beliefs- Paper 1

• Brahman


  Hindu name for God or supreme being
• Hinduism Beliefs about Brahman


  -"in truth Brahman is all"

  -he is an ultimate reality beyond human comprehension and understanding until you achieve moksha

  -he is the source of all life

  -hes everywhere (omnipresent)-"he is far, and he is near"
• Nirguna Brahman


  God without form (like something hiding behind the clouds, a non-personal divine conciousness)
• Saguna Brahman


  God with form (personal & loving God- shown as Om symbol)
• Brahma vs Vishnu vs Shiva


  Brahma- creator, Vishnu- sustainer, Shiva- destroyer
• Laksmi


  consort of Vishnu- godess of welath and prosperity
• Shakti


  conosort of shiva, represents female energy
• shakti- tridevi


  kali-fierce and wild goddess, represents time and death

  pavarti-
• why is brahma least worshipped?


  he had contreversial actions- created a substitute wife etc. and got punished by shiva to be less worshipped
• vishnu features


  blue skin- he is infinite and enless like the sky

  the mace- his authority and role to protect and remove evil

  the discus- he maintains order and righteousness in universe
• shiva features


  third eye- spiritual knowledge and power

  blue body- he drank the poison meant for the world-saving it from destruction, showing he cares about us
• Antaryami


  God exists inside all of us
• why does vishnu appear as avatars?


  to remind us to follow religious and moral laws, coming down to earth as an avatar allows him to step in when neccesary to restore moral order throughout the world (shows his loving nature willing to send himself to save and protect us)
• When does Vishnu come to earth?


  "whenever there appears on earth a decline in righteousness I send myself to birth"
• vishnus avatar examples


  lord rama (the perfect man- restored peace worldwide), lord krishna (divine statesman), kalki (mighty warrior still to come)
• shiva's forms


  -the lord of dance (nataraja), the lingum, the great yogi (yoga teacher)
• cosmos


  universe
• cosmology


  approaches to ideas about the universe
• cosmology beliefs


  -time is cyclical

  -material world repeatedly created

  -universe is one of many bubbles floating in vishnu's breath

  -three tiers in universe- heavenly, earthly, lower

  -not a single creation story, instead many

  -there are two realities- spirit (purusa) and matter (prakriti)
• maya


  the illusion
• purusa


  spirit, more important than prakriti
• prakriti


  matter, it is temporary and often viewed as blocking us from achieving moksha if we become too fixated on materialistic earthy desires (prakiriti)
• quotes to show uncertaincy about universe creation


  -"who verily knows and who can declare it?"

  -"who knows whence it first came into being"

  -"he verily knows or perhaps he knows not"
• prakriti + purusa


  the two forces Brahman projected itself into, from this everything was created
• triguna


  the three stages/ elements that make up prakriti (matter)
• parts of triguna


  sattva= goodness

  tamas=darkness

  rajas=passion and activity
• how does triguna impact world?


  if there is an increase in rajas and tamas a decline in righteousness will occur (leading to wars, natural disasters etc.) increase in sattva will lead to increase in righteousness
• yugas


  cycles that the world goes through
• the four yugas


  gold (longest, purest), silver, copper, iron (shortest, unpurest- one were currently in)
• atman


  the soul/ inner self, eternal doesn't die when the body/ anything material/ tangible (prakriti) dies
• quote about everlasting nature of atman


  "atman, the spirit of vision is never born and never dies"

  "he does not die when the body dies"
• the four aims of life


  DAKM:

  dharma= your duty/ path in life

  artha= earning ones living lawfully

  kama= delight in the senses

  moksha= liberation from cycle of samsara
• Sanatana Dharma


  eternal truth- ideal perfect way of life that all hindus should try and follow
• the parts of sanatana dharma


  AASS:

  asteya= no stealing

  ahimsa= non-violence

  sauca= purity

  satya= pursuit of truth
• quote about following your own dharma


  "far better do ones duty ill than another's duty well"
• salvation


  saving the soul from rebirth (samsara), union with God
• transmigration

  the movement of the atman from one body to another
• karma


  the consequences of your own actions
• meditate


  praying whilst staying still and focusing the mind on God
• selflessness


  to act for others, not thinking about what you will get out of it