Q&A Hero

Q: How many vows to lay adherents of Jainism make?

Q: The literal translation of a Nirgrantha is _________.

Q: Mahavira's ascetic practice was summed up in the _________.

Q: The term ________ refers to the liberated soul.

Q: Goshala became the head of the ascetic sect of _________.

Q: The commitment of noninjury to any and all living beings is referred to as _________.

Q: Mahavira based his life on the ascetic and teaching practices of ________ who lived some 250 years earlier.

Q: The two religions that emerged from early Hindu civilization to offer answers on karmic release were ________ and _________.

Q: Mahatma Ghandi believed that "cow protection" was _________. a. an archaic notion b. consistent with veganism c. not necessary in the modern world d. the central fact of Hinduism

Q: Followers of the Great God Shiva have given him the title "Mahadiva," meaning the _________. a. enlightened one b. high priest c. great god d. one

Q: In the Trimurti, or Triad of the Gods, how is Brahma identified? a. as the Creator b. as the Destroyer c. as the Energizer d. as the Preserver

Q: Among the Tamils, poets who were devotees of Vishnu were called _________. a. Alvars b. Nayanars c. Shivaites d. Vishnuites

Q: The Mahabharata and the Ramayana gave rise to the literature of the _________. a. brahmins b. gurus c. priests d. sects

Q: The erection of monumental shrines and temples began to flourish in this period. a. Brahman b. Gupta c. Rajah d. Sankhya

Q: In the Yoga of Meditation in the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna's prescription is oriented toward a bhakti-union with _________. a. a deity b. another mortal c. the cosmos d. the universe

Q: The Bhagavad Gita's greatest historical significance lies in its endorsement of _________ as a true way of salvation or liberation. a. bhakti b. shakti c. tapas d. yoga

Q: The first mention of Hindu temples and temple priests is found in the _________. a. Bhagavad Gita b. Brahmanas c. Code of Manu d. Karma Marga

Q: Who founded the Vedanta system that is identified by the philosophy of nondualism? a. Madhua b. Patanjali c. Shankara d. Vishni

Q: Which darshana does Indian tradition consider to be the oldest of the darshanas? a. the Nyaya system b. the Sankhya system c. the Vedanta system d. the Yoga system

Q: What does the Hindu word darshana mean? a. attainment of salvation b. contemplation of death c. rejection of the supernatural d. view of the nature of things

Q: Which of the following is NOT one of the four stages in the ideal life plan? a. the householder b. the priest c. the sannyasin d. the student

Q: What "saving" knowledge allows admittance into the realm of reality where karma ceases to exist and rebirth reaches an end? a. acceptance of the right doctrine b. intuitive certitude by mediation c. knowledge of union d. the ideal life plan

Q: The ashramas are not applicable to which caste? a. the Brahmins b. the lowest caste c. the top three castes d. the warrior caste

Q: According to the Way of Knowledge, what is the cause of human misery and evil? a. avidya b. karma c. mana d. moksha

Q: The Code of Manu includes which of the following tenets? a. moksha is unattainable b. one must not seek pleasure c. one must observe the rules of their caste d. one shall not pursue the artha

Q: How does the Way of Worksdefine the role of women? a. "women and men are equals" b. "women are the head of the household" c. "women are to be honored by the men" d. "women are to serve meekly their men"

Q: What are the "pinda" in the shraddha rites? a. ancestral rebirths b. memorial prayers c. rice balls d. sacrificial rites

Q: Where is the Way of Works first defined? a. in the Brahmanas b. in the Dharmasatras c. in the Padmapurana d. in the Sanskrit literature

Q: Which of the Way of Works could be called "the way of ritual?" a. Dharma Marga b. Karma Marga c. Mana Marga d. Maru Marga

Q: What are the two paths of desire derived from the sacred law of the Brahmins? a. artha and dharma b. artha and kama c. dharma and moksha d. moksha and artha

Q: As Brahmanism changed to accommodate ascetics who were dwelling alone in forests, the fire on the altar was replaced by _________, the inner fire in the ascetic's heart." a. atman b. dharma c. marga d. tapas

Q: As major changes occurred in Brahmanism from 300 B.C.E. to 700 C.E., Some Brahmins expanded their priestly duties to include performance of pastoral duties such as _________. a. disciplining of children b. meditating in the forest c. performing marriages d. practicing yoga

Q: What was a reason for dissent from early Brahmanism during the religious awakening that occurred in India in the sixth century B.C.E. a. dualism b. emphasis on costly sacrifice c. lack of sacred texts d. individualism

Q: What is the Hindu word for "view of the nature of things?" _________

Q: The pursuit of Dharma requires _________.

Q: The modern movement known as Theosophy was founded in __________.

Q: Ardent devotion to a deity for aid received or promised is referred to as _________.

Q: One who pursues the goal of artha is seeking _________.

Q: The _________ is considered to be the most holy river.

Q: Puja refers to _________.

Q: The _________ is the most influential literary work associated with the way of devotion.

Q: _________ represents release from the rebirth cycle.

Q: Yoga became a highly evolved technique in Brahmanism for _________.

Q: _________ refers to liberation from the cycle of samsara. a. agni b. jiva c. moksha d. monism

Q: The metaphysical view that ultimate reality is made up of only one substance is referred to as _________. a. henotheism b. karma c. monism d. mayanism

Q: Which of the following is NOT represented in the Smriti? a. Darshana b. Dharma Shastras c. Krishna Recension d. Nibandhas

Q: The _________ suggests that one's thoughts words, and deeds have an ethical consequence. a. Law of Brahmans b. Law of Kalpas c. Law of Karma d. Law of Turiya

Q: The Brahman term _________ refers to the transcendental self. a. atman b. jiva c. moksha d. tapas

Q: The Upanishads refer to Brahman unmanifest as_________. a. He-She b. It c. God d. Mayana

Q: The trend toward _________ in India suggested an interiorizing of religion. a. asceticism b. practice of magic c. public worship d. temple building

Q: The Upanishads are often in what form? a. dialogues b. first-person narratives c. letters d. poetry

Q: What spiritual theme did the Upanishads mainly contemplate? a. interpretations of existence b. origins of the universe c. the afterlife d. the power of ritual

Q: The Brahmanas described a public rite referred to as the Asvamedha or Horse Sacrifice. How long did it take to complete this rite? a. 100 days b. a fortnight c. over a year d. up to one week

Q: The Brahmanas were meant to direct the priests in the use of _________ and _________. a. herbs, medicines b. hymns, prayers c. libations, food d. reward, punishment

Q: In the Brahmin class system, the common people were referred to as _________. a. kshatriyas b. rajaynas c. shudras d. vaisyas

Q: According to Brahmanism, _________ were thought to be the pivotal beings of the universe. a. cosmic beings b. gods c. priests d. the supreme being

Q: The 129th hymn of the tenth book of the Rig-Veda is addressed to a great unnamed cosmic reality that is referred to as _________. a. creator of the cosmos b. cosmic man c. he who sees all d. that One Thing

Q: The __________ provides evidence of the development of an anatomically informed medical art. a. Agni-Veda b. Atharva-Veda c. Rig-Veda d. Sama-Veda

Q: What rhythmic chants were used by priests at the soma sacrifice? a. Agni-Veda b. Atharva-Veda c. Rig-Veda d. Sama-Veda

Q: In the Vedic conceptual system, these deities were chiefly associated with, and were outgrowths of, the act of worship itself. a. divine deities b. henotheistic deities c. liturgical deities d. nature deities

Q: Which of the Vedic gods was ruler of the mid-region of the sky? a. Indra b. Purusha c. Vritra d. Vishuakarman

Q: What effect did soma, a sacred drink used in rituals, have on those who drank it? a. a deadly effect b. a humbling effect c. an hallucinatory effect d. it did not have an effect

Q: During the Vedic age the altar grounds included a seat strewn with grass near the fires. For whom was the seat reserved? a. the altar builder b. the invisible divine guests c. the kindler of the sacrificial fire d. the libations pourer

Q: What is the Rig-Veda? a. an anthology of religious poetry b. an explanation of the caste system c. an oral history of the divas d. directions for preparation of the sacrifices

Q: In the Aryan social structure the Rajah typically obtained his position through_________. a. age b. election c. heredity d. war

Q: Tribes with a __________ heritage have held territories in northeast India since at least the early second millennium B.C.E. a. Indo- Aryan b. Indo- European c. Mongoloid d. Persian

Q: The tribes of Indo-Aryan nomads that conquered the Indian natives belonged to the same ethnic group that conquered what ancient land? a. Etruvia b. Mesoamerica c. Old Europe d. Persia

Q: While modern Hindus have become accustomed to using the term "Hinduism" when speaking English, among themselves they use the ancient word _________. a. dharma b. adhvaryu c. rajah d. varna

Q: The Indo-Aryans originally migrated from _________.

Q: The _________ were Indian natives that resisted the invasion of the Indo-Aryans in the northwest of India from about 1800-1500 B.C.E.

Q: "Samsara" is an Upanishad doctrine of __________.

Q: "Turiya" refers to _________.

Q: The four varna are _________, _________, _________, and __________.

Q: When the Aryans engaged in public worship they gathered here: _________.

Q: The _________ was the acknowledged leader of early Indian tribes known as Aryan.

Q: The only general obligation of early Hindus was to _________.

Q: In the religious Dogma evolved by the Brahmins, linking the _________ with the _________ provided an explanation for the inequalities of life.

Q: "Varna" is the Brahmin word for _________.

Q: Each stage of a Mayan's life was dominated by what? a. calendric horoscopes interpreted by priests b. public ceremonial sacrifices c. the growing cycle of maize d. the shape of the sky dome

Q: Even in modern times the Maya retain a devout attitude toward which of the following? a. material structures b. sources of sustenance c. the association of colors and nature d. the calendar