Exam 3: Hinduism

A guru's feet are believed to emanate great power, so devotees will often bend to touch the feet of their spiritual teachers.

Hinduism is largely separable from other dharmic traditions, such as Buddhism or Janism.

The oldest of the known Vedic scriptures is the __________.

The nineteenth century spiritual leader who recognized the Divine Mother in everything, including a cat, was named __________.

Pilgrimages are important but rarely undertaken by Hindus due to the remote and mountainous locations of many sacred places.

The spiritual expressions of Hinduism range from extreme asceticism to extreme sensuality, from the heights of personal devotion to a deity to the heights of abstract philosophy, from metaphysical proclamations of the oneness behind the material world to the worship of images representing a multiplicity of deities. Explain these seeming dichotomies in Hinduism. Why are there so many variations in this tradition? What connects the elements of the tradition over time?

Historians of Hinduism agree that "Aryans" invaded and influenced the Indus Valley.

Brahmin priests who are trained in Vedic practices and in the proper recitation of Sanskrit texts are called __________.

Following the ancient Vedic traditions, Hindu ritual fire ceremonies occur around a sacred fire place that is called an altar.

Spiritual disciplines designed to clear the mind and support a state of serene, detached awareness are called __________.

The Hindu god of fire is called __________.

The three major aspects of the deity in Hinduism are called __________, __________, and __________.

The Hindu word for religion, which also refers to duty, natural law, social welfare, ethics, health, wealth, power, and so on, is __________.

Today Hinduism is experiencing a vibrant growth beyond the Indian subcontinent.

How are women regarded in the Hindu tradition? Give contrasting examples to show a range of perspectives. How do you evaluate these contrasts?

A Hindu woman's role is usually linked to her husband's, who takes the position of her god and teacher.

The two great Hindu epics are called __________ and __________.

The father of modern, independent India who taught nonviolent resistance to military and industrial oppression was __________.

The complex system of hierarchies and inequalities that constitutes life in India is referred to by the English word __________.

Hindu death rituals require cremation, followed by the ritual immersion of bone and ash in the waters of a holy river.