Hindu Traditions Test Bank Amore Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Hindu Traditions

Multiple Choice Questions

1. What are the earliest compositions in the Hindu tradition?
   1. The Sutras
   2. The Dharmashastras
   3. The Upanishads
   4. The Epics
   5. The Vedas
2. In the Hindu tradition, who are the rishis?
   1. Priests and Priestess
   2. Women Mystics
   3. Yogi Masters
   4. Unclean or Poor
   5. Visionaries or Seers
3. Which term refers to the experience of Hindus seeing or being seen by a deity or a guru?
   1. Darshana
   2. Dharma
   3. Shruti
   4. Atman
   5. Jnana
4. Where does the term “Hinduism” come from?
   1. The word Sind, referring to the region of the river Sindhu (Indus)
   2. The term Hindi, the official language of India
   3. The region of the Hind Mountains
   4. The Arabic term hanif
   5. The Sanskrit term Hindutva
5. In Hinduism, what does the Sanskrit word dharma refer to?
   1. Righteousness, specifically in religious and social obligation
   2. Prayer to the gods
   3. A religious leader
   4. Philosophy
   5. The realm of rebirth and change
6. Which of the following is the civilization in the Indus Valley region dating as far back as 2750 BCE?
   1. Persian Empire
   2. Indo-European Culture
   3. Proto Shiva Civilization
   4. Mesopotamian Culture
   5. Harappa Culture
7. What is the second path to liberation according to Krishna?
   1. Way of action (karma yoga)
   2. Way of knowledge (jnana yoga)
   3. Way of devotion (bhakti yoga)
   4. To see and be seen by a deity (Darshana)
   5. To recite chants with concentration (Mantra)
8. Shruti (“that which was heard”) literature refers to which of the following?
   1. The Puranas
   2. The epics
   3. The dharmashastras
   4. The Vedas
   5. Sant poetry
9. When do scholars believe the Vedas were composed?
   1. 500 BCE
   2. 100–300 CE
   3. 1750–1000 BCE
   4. 2500–1500 BCE
   5. 1500–600 BCE
10. What part of the Vedas is known as the Upanishads?
    1. Poetic writings
    2. Epic narratives
    3. Theological works
    4. Philosophical works
    5. Ethical works
11. Which of the following is NOT one of the Vedic collections?
    1. Rig
    2. Purana
    3. Sama
    4. Yajur
    5. Atharva
12. What is the literary genre of the Mahabharata?
    1. Philosophical
    2. Theological
    3. Ethical
    4. Epic
    5. Poetic
13. In what Hindu text is the Creation Hymn found?
    1. The Mahabharata
    2. The Sama Veda
    3. The Upanishads
    4. The Atharva Veda
    5. The Rig Veda
14. The origins of the four classes (varnas) of Hindu society are traced to which of the following?
    1. The emanation of the comsmic principle of rta
    2. The creation of the god Brahma
    3. The cosmic sacrifice of the “Supreme Person”
    4. The great rishi Sobhari
    5. The command of the god Varuna
15. The Upanishads were written around the same time as the life of what religious leader/founder?
    1. Jesus
    2. Abraham
    3. Guru Nanak
    4. The Buddha
    5. Muhammad
16. What is the literal meaning of the word karma?
    1. Luck
    2. Life
    3. Consequence
    4. Action
    5. Power
17. In the Hindu tradition, what is samsara?
    1. Liberation
    2. The teachings of the Vedas
    3. The continuing cycle of death and rebirth
    4. The consequences of good and bad behaviour
    5. Social and religious obligation
18. In the Hindu tradition, what is moksha?
    1. “Liberation” from the cycle of rebirth
    2. “Wisdom” gained through study of sacred texts
    3. “Power” gained through yoga
    4. “Duty” based on one’s social/religious caste
    5. “Action” that has good or bad consequences
19. In the Hindu tradition, what is Atman?
    1. The human soul
    2. The Supreme Being
    3. The power of the gods
    4. The cycle of death and rebirth
    5. The knowledge needed for liberation
20. In the Hindu tradition, what does the phrase tat tvam asi (“you are that”) refer to?
    1. The connection of Brahman and Atman
    2. The identification of Krishna as Lord
    3. The command to follow your dharma
    4. The teaching that a person is the product of his/her karma
    5. A student identifying Shankara as a god
21. In the Hindu tradition, which of the following are types of smrti (“that which is remembered”) literature?
    1. Epics (itihasas)
    2. Ancient Stories (Puranas)
    3. Codes of Laws and Ethics (dharmashastras)
    4. Both B and C
    5. All of the above
22. In the Ramayana, which of the following describes Rama?
    1. Young heroic prince
    2. Young ascetic devotee
    3. Elder wise sage
    4. Elder troubled king
    5. Young wayward poet
23. In the Ramayana, who is Sita?
    1. Wife of Rama
    2. Sister of Rama
    3. Rival of Rama
    4. Temptress of Rama
    5. Half-sister of Rama
24. The Bhagavad Gita is an extract from which larger work?
    1. The Ramayana
    2. The Mahabharata
    3. The Chandogya Upanishad
    4. The Manava Dharmashastra
    5. The Puranas
25. Krishna is considered an avatara (incarnation) of which god?
    1. Brahma
    2. Indra
    3. Parvati
    4. Shiva
    5. Vishnu
26. The Bhagavad Gita takes the form of a conversation between whom?
    1. Arjuna and Krishna
    2. Shiva and Vishnu
    3. Arjuna and his son
    4. Rama and Sita
    5. Arjuna and Shiva
27. What are the three ways to liberation described in the Bhagavad Gita?
    1. Action, prayer, devotion
    2. Knowledge, pleasure, devotion
    3. Action, knowledge, devotion
    4. Knowledge, prayer, meditation
    5. Soldier, scholar, sage
28. What does bhakti yoga, discussed in the Bhagavad Gita, refer to?
    1. The way of sacrifice
    2. The way of devotion
    3. The way of knowledge
    4. The way of action
    5. The way of meditation
29. The Hindu Purana texts primarily concerned which of the following?
    1. The “newer” deities
    2. Laws and codes of ethics
    3. The genealogy of great sages
    4. Great stories of legendary heroes
    5. Philosophical speculation
30. Which of the following is NOT one of Vishnu’s avataras?
    1. Krishna
    2. A tortoise
    3. Rama
    4. A fish
    5. Ganesha
31. How many incarnations will Vishnu have in the present cycle of creation, according to Hindu tradition?
    1. 7000
    2. 5
    3. 100
    4. 50
    5. 10
32. The linga, a conical or cylindrical stone column symbolic of creative energy, is associated with which Hindu god?
    1. Brahma
    2. Parvati
    3. Vishnu
    4. Shiva
    5. Ganesha
33. Which of the following is NOT a form of the Hindu Goddess?
    1. Hanuman
    2. Kali
    3. Devi
    4. Parvati
    5. Durga
34. The Hindu god Ganesha has the head of what animal?
    1. Cow
    2. Cobra
    3. Monkey
    4. Tiger
    5. Elephant
35. The Hindu trimurti (“three forms”) includes which three gods?
    1. Shiva, Ganesha, Lakshmi
    2. Brahma, Vishnu, Devi
    3. Vishnu, Shiva, Devi
    4. Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva
    5. Brahma, Shiva, Parvati
36. In what age (yuga) are we thought to be living today, according to traditional Hindu reckoning?
    1. Dharma yuga
    2. Kali yuga
    3. Krta yuga
    4. Dvapara yuga
    5. Treta yuga
37. What is the most famous text outlining the nature of righteousness, moral duty, and law according to the Hindu caste system?
    1. Bhagavad Gita
    2. Mahabharata
    3. Puranas
    4. Ramayana
    5. Laws of Manu
38. Who makes up the kshatriya caste in Hindu society?
    1. Merchants
    2. “Untouchables”
    3. Rulers and warriors
    4. Servants
    5. Priests and teachers
39. Who makes up the shudra caste in Hindu society?
    1. Servants
    2. “Untouchables”
    3. Priests and teachers
    4. Merchants
    5. Rulers and warriors
40. In the Hindu tradition, what are the ashramas?
    1. The final texts of the Vedas, written last
    2. The four stages of life recognized in the classical period for males in the top three castes
    3. The temples built to the three deities of the trimurti
    4. The seers thought to have “heard” the ancient texts
    5. The four social classes
41. Kama, one of the aims of human life according to classical Hindu literature, means what?
    1. Sensual pleasure
    2. Performing one’s duty
    3. Prosperity and power
    4. Action
    5. Liberation
42. What view of women is expressed in the Laws of Manu?
    1. They are equal in status to men.
    2. They are completely unimportant to rituals.
    3. They have special power.
    4. They are to treat their husbands as gods.
    5. They should conduct rituals.
43. What is the most important school of Hindu philosophy?
    1. Vedanta
    2. Mimamsa
    3. Yoga
    4. Samkhya
    5. Nyaya
44. Which of the following is true, according to Shankara’s advaita interpretation of Vedanta?
    1. God is radically transcendent of creation.
    2. The only truth is what we perceive in everyday life with our senses.
    3. Atman and Brahman are related but separate.
    4. Reality is non-dual, made up of the single reality of Brahman.
    5. Only certain people can be liberated through devotion to the gods.
45. In the Hindu tradition, what did “left-handed” tantra involve?
    1. Yogic rituals performed before great battles were fought
    2. The ritual performance of activities forbidden in everyday life
    3. Strict celibacy
    4. Rituals strictly between members of the same caste
    5. Elaborate ritual hand gestures
46. In the Hindu tradition, what is South Indian bhakti?
    1. Knowledge
    2. Meditation
    3. Action
    4. Devotion
    5. Liberation
47. Tamil poetry and devotionalism is predominant in which geographical area?
    1. North India
    2. South India
    3. The Indus Valley
    4. East India
    5. Cambodia
48. When did Islam first arrive in India?
    1. Early nineteenth century
    2. Second century CE
    3. Twelfth century CE
    4. Mid-eighth century CE
    5. Late seventh century CE
49. Which European explorer opened the way to the Indian subcontinent for a long line of traders, missionaries, and eventually rulers?
    1. Marco Polo
    2. Christopher Columbus
    3. Samuel de Champlain
    4. Ferdinand Magellan
    5. Vasco da Gama
50. Who was the influential Hindu participant at the 1893 World’s Parliament of Religions in Chicago?
    1. Ram Mohan Roy
    2. Vivekananda
    3. Rabindranath Tagore
    4. Dayananda
    5. Ramakrishna
51. How did Mahatma Gandhi understand the Bhagavad Gita?
    1. As an allegory of the conflict between good and evil within human beings
    2. As a political manual
    3. As historical proof of the existence of Vishnu
    4. As a tool of oppression used by the brahmin caste to maintain power
    5. As justification for war in a good cause
52. The Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts students to think of his acharya as which of the following?
    1. A god
    2. A deceiver
    3. A fellow student
    4. A disciplinarian
    5. A mere human
53. In the Hindu Tradition, what is prasada?
    1. Icons or objects used in worship
    2. Food ritually presented to, then returned by, a deity
    3. Clarified butter used in many Hindu rituals
    4. Music that accompanies temple rituals
    5. A household shrine
54. One of the earliest symbols in the Hindu tradition may be the naga, which means what?
    1. A tiger
    2. A serpent
    3. A dancer
    4. A singer
    5. A warrior
55. At the simplest level, the red dot (bindi) on the forehead is which of the following?
    1. Decorative
    2. Oppressive
    3. Exclusive
    4. Religious
    5. Gendered
56. In the Hindu tradition, which term refers to ritual devotion at home to a deity or spiritual teacher?
    1. Prasada
    2. Puja
    3. Jnana yoga
    4. Tilaka
    5. Sati
57. In the Hindu tradition, Ayurveda referred to an important system of which of the following?
    1. Meditation
    2. Prayer
    3. Medicine
    4. Philosophy
    5. Governance
58. In which Hindu festival do people throw coloured powder on each other?
    1. Kumb Mela
    2. Holi
    3. Navaratri
    4. Deepavali
    5. Onam
59. What Hindu festival means “necklace of lights”?
    1. Deepavali (or Diwali)
    2. Navaratri
    3. Bathukamma
    4. Onam
    5. Holi
60. In a Hindu wedding, what does the couple take seven steps around together?
    1. Ritual fire
    2. A sacred tree
    3. A small shrine
    4. A copy of the Vedas
    5. The bride’s father
61. What holy word is chanted at the beginning and end of all Hindu prayers?
    1. namaste
    2. mantra
    3. murti
    4. om
    5. smrti
62. There have been at least how many waves of Hindu migration outside the Indian sub-continent?
    1. 2
    2. 3
    3. 6
    4. 8
    5. 10
63. Americans spend approximately how much on yoga and yoga related products on a yearly basis?
    1. 100 million dollars
    2. 2 billion dollars
    3. 750 million dollars
    4. 10 billion dollars
    5. 27 billion dollars
64. The present day political issue of dividing and divided religious groups is part of the historical legacy of which of the following?
    1. Muslim conquests of parts of northern India
    2. Literal readings of the Bhagavad Gita
    3. Cultural threats related to Buddhism
    4. Ramifications of the caste system
    5. Political activism in the modern era
65. Which of the following does India NOT currently have?
    1. Caste system
    2. Civil code
    3. Environmental activism
    4. Quotas for castes
    5. An understanding of secularism

True or False Questions

As a term for religious identity, the word “Hinduism” did not catch on until the nineteenth century.

There are indications that some features of the Hindu religion as practised today date back before 1750 BCE.

There are six Vedic collections.

All Hindu traditions believe the Vedas were created by God.

According to the Hindu “Hymn to the Supreme Person,” the universe was created through the cosmic sacrifice of the primeval man.

In the Hindu tradition, the continuing cycle of death and rebirth or reincarnation is known as moksha.

“Atman” in the Hindu tradition refers to the Supreme Being.

The literature of Classical Hinduism is called smrti (“that which is remembered”).

The Bhagavad Gita is an extract from the famous epic, the Ramayana.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna describes six ways to liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Rama, hero of the Ramayana, is believed to be an incarnation of the god Vishnu.

In the form of Parvati, the Hindu Goddess is the wife and consort of Shiva.

All Hindus worship the three gods of the trimurti (“triple form”): Brahma, Shiva, and Vishnu.

The shudras are the servant caste in traditional Hindu society.

Members of the three upper classes in traditional Hindu society were generally called “twice born.”

Yoga is the most important Hindu philosophical school.

The goal of yogic practice is samadhi, absorption into and union with the divine.

Hindu influence did not particularly spread beyond the Indian peninsula.

Alvar poetry is an important part of the South Indian bhakti tradition.

The Sant tradition of North India held the divinity to be without form.

The Brahmo Samaj, a Hindu reform organization, was founded in 1928 by Dayananda Sarasvati.

The use of icons or idols is very rare in Hindu temple worship.

The naga, one of the earliest symbols in Hindu tradition, is the form of a tiger.

The forehead mark or bindi is only worn by married Hindu women.

The term puja refers to rituals and worship performed in the home.

The Hindu festival of Deepavali (or Diwali) is celebrated with the throwing of coloured powder.

The upanayana ritual initiates a young boy into the study of the Vedas.

There are no rituals specific to women in the Hindu tradition.

Acharyas are Hindu religious instructors that usually belong to a specific lineage and teach a particular sectarian tradition.

Hindus, on the whole, reject medically assisted reproductive technology on religious grounds.

Short Answer Questions

How are deities or the divine generally understood in Hinduism?

Why is “hearing and seeing the sacred” important in Hinduism?

Why is the concept of religion in the Western, post-Enlightenment sense only loosely applicable to the Hindu tradition?

What are three different theories on the origins of Hinduism?

What are the four major sections of each Vedic collection? How have they been traditionally regarded?

What are the primary themes of the Vedic hymns?

How do the teachings of the Upanishads differ from the teachings of the earlier Vedic texts?

How do the concepts of karma, samsara, and moksha relate in Hindu cosmology, stemming from the Upanishads?

In the Hindu tradition, what does smrti literature refer to, and how does it differ from shruti?

What are the three ways to liberation from the cycle of death and rebirth described by Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita? Briefly describe each.

Which deities constitute the Hindu “trinity” (trimurti, or “triple form”)? In what ways is a polytheistic interpretation of this notion misleading?

What was Shankara’s influential interpretation of Vedanta philosophy?

What are the distinct characteristics of the Sant tradition of North Indian devotion (bhakti)?

What did the influential Hindu reformer Ram Mohan Roy emphasize?

What are the characteristics of puja worship in the Hindu tradition?

Essay Questions

Is Hinduism a polytheistic or monotheistic religion? Explain both sides with examples. Why might these terms be problematic in reference to Hinduism?

What are the contrasting notions of the feminine and the role of women in Hindu tradition and scripture? Discuss using examples.

What are the classical epics about, and why are they instructive? Why do you think they have been the most popular Hindu scriptures over the years?

What are the primary lessons of the Bhagavad Gita? In what way can the story be interpreted allegorically?

Explain the caste system, including the origin myth and the rules laid out in the dharmashastras. What exceptions have there been to this? Why do you think the caste system has persisted for so long?

What are some examples of modern attempts to reform or rethink Hinduism? How has the reality of modern pluralism impacted these efforts?

Explain the significance of the word and sound om in the Hindu tradition.

What are the biggest differences between Hinduism and the three monotheistic, Abrahamic religions?