Hinduism Overview Quiz

Introduction:

• The "core four" characteristics common to most belief systems are: central founders, gods, and divine beings; basic beliefs; sacred texts and symbols; important dates, events, or places in history.
• Five themes explored in each belief system are: prayer and worship; morality; compassion and tolerance; creation; life after death.

Hinduism:

• Gods & Founders: Hinduism has no single founder and is a pluralistic tradition.
• Important Gods: Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the protector), Shiva (the destroyer), Krishna, Rama, and various forms of the mother goddess Devi.
• Basic Beliefs: Atman (individual soul), Brahman (world soul), Samsara (cycle of suffering and reincarnation), Moksha (release from suffering), Karma (good and bad deeds), Dharma (ritual acts and moral behavior).
• Texts & Symbols: Vedas (main origin religious texts), Upanishads (commentaries on the Vedas), Puranas (eulogizing gods and providing history), Mahabharata (epic of kings and wars).
• Events & Places:
  • Indus River civilization (2500-1500 BCE) influenced early religious traditions that led to Hinduism.
  • Vedas compiled (1200 BCE), joining Aryan and Indus cultures.
  • Jainism and Buddhism emerged (600-500 BCE) as separate traditions.
  • Mahabharata emerged (400 CE).

Buddhism:

• Gods & Founders: No single omniscient or omnipresent deity.
• Siddhartha Gautama: Born a prince (c. 563 BCE), he sought enlightenment after witnessing old age, sickness, and death.
• Important Figures: Guanyin (goddess of compassion), Sariputra (Buddha's first disciple).
• Basic Beliefs: Four Noble Truths (life is suffering, suffering comes from desire, ending desire ends suffering, following the Eightfold Path leads to Nirvana).
• Texts & Symbols: Tripitaka (earliest teachings of Buddha), Jatakas (legends about Buddha's previous lives), Sutras (discourses by Buddha or his disciples).
• Events & Places:
  • Life of Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE).
  • Reign of Ashoka (3rd century BCE) spread Buddhism throughout the Mauryan Kingdom.
  • Bihar (Bodh Gaya): place of Siddhartha's enlightenment, considered holiest.
  • Angkor Wat: massive temple complex in Cambodia.

Confucianism:

• Gods & Founders: Kongzi (Confucius) born in 551 BCE during a time of decline and warfare.
• Key Ideas: Order can be restored by looking to the past, emphasizing education and relationships with others.
• Basic Beliefs: Five important relationships (parent-child, ruler-ruled, husband-wife, elder-younger sibling, friend-friend), importance of respect, filial piety, education, and five virtues (benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, trustworthiness).
• Texts & Symbols: Five Classics (Book of Poetry, Book of History, Book of Rites, Book of Changes, Spring and Autumn Annals), Four Books (Analects, Mencius, Great Learning, Doctrine of the Mean).
• Events & Places:
  • Confucius' lifetime (551-479 BCE).
  • Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE): Confucian teachings became basis for government exams.
  • Taishan (Mt.Tai) and Qufu: pilgrimage sites in NE China.

Daoism:

• Gods & Founders: Laozi born in 604 BCE, little known about his life.
• Key Ideas: Believed in natural order and a universal force (Dao) guiding all things.
• Basic Beliefs: "Dao" as the origin of all creation, "Qi" as energy transforming all things, yin and yang representing balance, "Wu-wei" (nonaction) as a path to inner peace.
• Texts & Symbols: Dao de Jing (book of the way), Zhuangzi (commentary on Laozi's ideas), Yin-yang symbol.
• Events & Places:
  • "Classical period" (6th-2nd centuries BCE): original Daoist manuscripts composed.
  • Han Dynasty (202 BCE - 220 CE): Daoism formalized as a religion with Laozi as a semi-divine figure.
  • Holy sites associated with nature, like Taishan (Mt.Tai) and Longtan waterfall.

Judaism:

• Gods & Founders: Singular God, Yahweh.
• Abraham: Chosen as "father" of the Hebrew people around 1800 BCE.
• Moses: Led the "Exodus" from Egypt and received the Ten Commandments.
• Basic Beliefs: Covenant between God and Abraham, Ten Commandments (ensuring monotheism and forbidding bad behaviors), reverence for the Jewish community, coming-of-age ceremony (bar/bat mitzvah).
• Texts & Symbols: Tanakh (all Jewish scriptures: Torah, Nevi’im, Ketuvim), Mezuzah (holder for important scripture), Talmud (stories, laws, debates), Star of David.
• Events & Places:
  • Abraham's migration to Canaan (c. 1800 BCE).
  • Moses leads Hebrews from Egypt (c. 1200 BCE).
  • Kingdom of Israel founded (c. 1000 BCE).
  • "Diaspora" (132 BCE) from homeland.
  • Nation state of Israel created (1948).
  • City of Jerusalem, Temple Mount, and Western (Wailing) Wall.

Christianity:

• Gods & Founders: Singular God, holy trinity (God the father, son (Jesus), holy spirit), Jesus (believed to be the promised Messiah), 12 Disciples/Apostles, Paul, Peter.
• Basic Beliefs: Salvation through belief in Jesus Christ, afterlife (based on faith and deeds), various sects.
• Texts & Symbols: Christian Bible (Old and New Testament), Gospels (recording of Jesus' life), Holy Cross (symbol of Jesus' crucifixion).
• Events & Places:
  • Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem (c. 4 BCE).
  • Crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus (29 CE).
  • Constantine accepts Christianity (312 CE).
  • Crusades (11th-13th centuries).
  • Protestant Reformation (16th century), Martin Luther.

Islam:

• Gods & Founders: Singular God, Allah, Muhammad.
• Basic Beliefs: Five pillars (Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj), God is omnipotent and will judge all based on actions.
• Texts & Symbols: Quran (book of Muhammad's revelations), Hadith (sayings associated with Muhammad), Star and crescent (Ottoman association).
• Events & Places:
  • Muhammad's birth in Mecca (570).
  • Hijra (Muhammad's flight to Medina) (622).
  • Death of Muhammad (632) and Abu Bakr's choice as caliph.
  • Ottoman Empire (14th-20th centuries).
  • Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
  • Kaaba in Mecca (pilgrimage site).
  • Prophet's mosque in Medina.

Test your understanding of Hinduism, its key characteristics, and core beliefs. Explore themes such as morality, compassion, and the significance of sacred texts and important deities. This quiz covers essential concepts from the rich tradition of Hindu beliefs.