Hinduism
What is Brahma. How does he look
The prime creator god according to the Vedic tradition. A three headed god with four sets of arms. He sacrificed himself to himself to create the order of the universe.
Who is Mahavira
The 24th Tirthankara of Jainism, and the historical founder of Jainism.
Who is Shakyamuni
The Historic Buddha!!!
What are the 4 castes (in order of rank)
Brahmins - Priests
Kshatriya - Warriors/Rulers
Vaishyas - Agriculturalists, Merchants
Shudras - Laborers
What is the Sruti. What does it include
The four canonical Vedas of the Hindu tradition.
Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda.
What is Digambara
A school of Jainism often considered one of the most strict and rigorous sects.
What is a Buddhist Sutra
A canonical scripture that is said to be the direct oral teachings of Shakyamuni. They almost always open with the arhat Ananda recounting, with his perfect memory that all arhats have, the words of the Buddha.
What does it mean to be "twice born"
The three upper castes have a coming of age ritual that gives them the qualification to read the Vedic texts.
Define Bhakti
Translated as love or devotion, it is personal worship towards an individual deity. It can take a variety of forms.
What is a Digambara's fan made of, what is it's purpose?
Peacock feathers. To sweep bugs out of their path.
Double Jeopardy!!!!!!!!!
What is the relationship between King Ashoka's rule and Buddhism. Explain in detail, most complete answer will receive points.
N/A
Which caste are the atmospheric gods. Why
The atmospheric gods are Kshatriyas. They are violent and swift. It is said thunderstorms are the result of atmospheric gods doing battle with demons.
Who is Agni why are they important
Agni the god of fire, is the god to which all major sacrifices are given. As the mouth of the gods he consumes the sacrifice and transports it to the realm of the gods as smoke.
What is Shvetambara
Another major Jain sec, it is unique in that it believes women can attain salvation! Additionally:
What is a bodhisattva what is an arhat.
In Buddhism, an arhat is a person who has attained enlightenment and nirvana, and is no longer subject to rebirth. A bodhisattva is a person who is able to reach nirvana but delays doing so out of compassion in order to save suffering beings.
What are the four stages of life (in order)
Brahmacharya - The student
Grahstha - The householder
Vanaprastha - The forest dweller
Sannyasa- The renunciate
What is the Mahabharata. Why does it matter? Is there a particular section of it that stands out as a linchpin of the Hindu tradition
The Mahabharata is one of two major epics of the Hindu tradition. It details the cataclysmic battle between the semi-divine Pandavas and their demonic cousins the Kauravas. One of its most famous chapters is the Bhagavad Gita, which takes the form of a conversation between a charioteer and his driver, and has served as a linchpin text in understanding Dharma.
What is chakravartin
The idealized/perfect human in Jainism. The enlightened form all strive for.
What are the four noble truths
What was Mohenjo-daro, what is unique about the site, why does it matter
One of the largest surviving archeological sites of the Indus-Valley civilizations. A major walled city, with a centralized public bath house. Helps show the importance of ablution and water related rituals in India even before the Indo-Aryan invasion.