Podcast
Questions and Answers
How do the concepts of Atman and Brahman relate to one another within the Upanishads?
How do the concepts of Atman and Brahman relate to one another within the Upanishads?
- Atman is considered separate from and subservient to Brahman, representing individual consciousness bowing to the divine.
- Atman and Brahman are distinct entities that interact but never merge, maintaining their individual identities.
- Atman and Brahman are ultimately identical, with Atman representing the individual's innermost self and Brahman representing the universal existence. (correct)
- Atman is a temporary manifestation of Brahman, destined to dissolve back into the universal divine force after death.
What is the ultimate goal in Hinduism, and how is it achieved?
What is the ultimate goal in Hinduism, and how is it achieved?
- To accumulate good karma through righteous actions, ensuring a favorable reincarnation in the next life.
- To attain worldly success and recognition, demonstrating one's dharma in society.
- To become a priest to perform sacrifices for the better of society.
- To achieve Moksha by breaking free from the cycle of Samsara (birth, death, and rebirth). (correct)
Which of the following best describes the role of Karma Yoga?
Which of the following best describes the role of Karma Yoga?
- Accumulation of wealth to support religious institutions and charitable causes.
- The intellectual pursuit of understanding the Vedas and other sacred texts.
- Selfless service to God, detached from personal gain or results of actions. (correct)
- Intense devotion to a specific deity through elaborate rituals and offerings.
During which period were stories about gods and goddesses, such as the story of Ganesha receiving his elephant head, primarily compiled?
During which period were stories about gods and goddesses, such as the story of Ganesha receiving his elephant head, primarily compiled?
How does the concept of 'Maya' relate to the 'Three Gunas'?
How does the concept of 'Maya' relate to the 'Three Gunas'?
How did Maharishi Mahesh Yogi adapt traditional yoga practices, and what was his primary goal?
How did Maharishi Mahesh Yogi adapt traditional yoga practices, and what was his primary goal?
Which of the following is NOT a stage of life (Ashrama) in Hinduism?
Which of the following is NOT a stage of life (Ashrama) in Hinduism?
How do the roles of Vishnu and Shiva differ within the Hindu pantheon?
How do the roles of Vishnu and Shiva differ within the Hindu pantheon?
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a classical period text, are most closely associated with which type of yoga?
Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, a classical period text, are most closely associated with which type of yoga?
Which of the following statements reflects Osho's teachings?
Which of the following statements reflects Osho's teachings?
Flashcards
Brahman
Brahman
Impersonal divine force or universal existence in Hinduism.
Atman
Atman
The innermost self or true self, which is identical to Brahman.
Karma
Karma
Action, but also the consequences of actions, influencing one's future.
Samsara
Samsara
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Moksha
Moksha
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Mudra
Mudra
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Satva
Satva
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Rajas
Rajas
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Tamas
Tamas
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Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga
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Study Notes
- Hinduism originated from the Indus Valley Civilization.
Basic Hindu Concepts
- Four stages of life (ashramas) include student, householder, hermit, and wandering ascetic.
- Student (Brahmacharin)
- Householder (Grihastha)
- Hermit (Vanaprastha)
- Wandering ascetic or renouncer (Sadhu/Yogi)
- Traditional Hindu society is structured into classes.
- Brahmins are priests who perform sacrifices and belong to the highest class.
- Kshatriyas are warrior-aristocrats, often royalty.
- Vaishyas are merchants or farmers.
- Shudras are peasants or workers.
Concepts of Higher Power
- Brahman is an impersonal divine force or universal existence.
- Atman is the innermost self or true self.
- Atman=Brahman, as emphasized in the Upanishads.
- Karma refers to action and its consequences.
Concepts of Life After Death
- Life, death, and rebirth are part of a cycle.
- Reincarnation is the soul leaving the body and entering a new one, with the self remaining the same.
- Samsara is the wheel of birth, death, and rebirth.
- Moksha is the ideal goal of liberation, breaking the cycle of samsara.
Major Deities
- Vishnu is the preserver.
- Shiva is the destroyer, but also benevolent.
- Devi is a term for female deities, divided by scholars into benevolent and fierce goddesses.
- Examples include Laksmi and Durga.
Mudra
- Mudra is a position of the hand that expresses sacred symbols.
Vedic Sacred Texts
- Rg Veda contains hymns to the deities.
- Upanishads explore Hindu philosophy, including yoga.
Classical Period Texts
- Sutras are short sayings or proverbs.
- Epic poems include the Mahabharata, which contains the Bhagavad Gita, and the Ramayana.
Medieval Period Sacred Texts
- Puranas contain stories about gods and goddesses.
- Example: a story about how Ganesha got his elephant head in the Shiva Purana.
Yoga
- Written evidence of yoga is found in the Indus Valley Civilization.
- Upanishads contain philosophical mentions of yoga.
- The Bhagavad Gita parallels the philosophy in the Upanishads.
- Yoga Sutras, written by Patanjali, codified the teachings of yoga.
- Yoga means yoke or union with God.
- The aim of yoga is self-realization (the ultimate truth), where Atman=Brahman.
Three Gunas
- Maya (illusion) consists of three gunas (qualities).
- Satva represents purity and knowledge.
- Rajas represents activity and motion.
- Tamas represents inertia and laziness.
- Truth lies beyond the three gunas.
Types of Yoga
- Karma yoga is selfless service to God where one detaches from good deeds.
- Bhakti yoga is pure love or devotion to God, expressed through music, hymns, chants, and song.
- Raja yoga is a scientific approach to bring the mind under control to achieve high states of consciousness.
Eight Limbs of Raja Yoga
- Yamas and Niyamas are restraints and observances which represent simple rules like "don't kill, don't steal".
- Asana refers to physical poses.
- Pranayama is the control of vital energy through various levels of increasing difficulty.
- Pratyahara involves disconnecting from physical things and not being bothered by distractions.
- Dharana is concentration.
- Dhyana is meditation.
- Samadhi is a super-conscious state of full awareness.
- Jnana yoga is an intellectual path, studying philosophy by reading Upanishads and other literature.
Yoga in the West
- Yoga's arrival in the West faced passionate supporters and harsh critics.
- Swami Vishnu, a disciple of Sivananda, opened the Sivananda Yoga Camp in Val-Morin in 1962 after arriving in Montreal in 1959.
- Osho rejected staunch rules and structure, emphasizing freedom and self-liberation through total acceptance and non-division.
- Maharishi Mahesh Yogi focused on meditation with mantras, aiming to spread his message by setting up meditation centers globally.
- His transcendental meditation offered simple techniques to the same goal as traditional yoga, appealing to many as traditional yoga seemed too strenuous.
- Maharishi became a celebrity, further popularized by not being celibate
- These movements gained traction during the Vietnam War era.
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