TEST ITEM FILE
LIVING RELIGIONS
Tenth Edition
Mary Pat Fisher and Robin Rinehart
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Chapter 3 – Hinduism
Multiple Choice
1. How does the Hindi word “dharma” reflect an Indian understanding of religion?
a. It expresses cyclical nature of existence.
b. It refers to the authority found in the sacred myths of the traditions.
c. It expresses the concept of divine love.
d. It refers to a broader complex of meanings including law, duty, power, and so on.
2. According to Indian tradition, when were the Vedas first heard and carried orally?
a. c. 2,000–1,000 BCE
b. c. 8,000–6,000 BCE
c. c. 10,000–8,000 BCE
d. c. 100 BCE–100 CE
3. Bhakti yoga, karma yoga, and jnana yoga are all examples of Indian paths to
a. the deep roots of the Vedas.
b. a healthier mind and body.
c. a state of serene, detached awareness.
d. cosmic bliss.
4. The power of the feminine aspect of the divine is known as
a. shakti.
b. Puranas.
c. Vishnu.
d. Shiva.
5. Hindu sacred texts called the Tantras promote the worship of the divine feminine
through
a. difficult physical postures.
b. mediation on yantras and with hands in mudras.
c. singing devotional songs.
d. controlled breathing techniques.
6. The three major aspects of deity in Hinduism are called
a. Kali, Shakti, and Shaiva.
b. Kali, Rishi, and Brahma.
c. Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.
d. Vishnu, Rishi, and Shakti.
7. The two great Hindu epics are called
a. the Mantra and the Puja.
b. the Vedas and the Mahabharata.
c. the Brahman and the Atman.
d. the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.
8. How have the Puranas influenced how Hindus understand the cosmos and history?
a. They tell narratives of the origins of the cosmos through the deeds of legendary
heroes.
b. They explain the rituals that maintain the cosmos.
c. They are philosophical texts that discuss the true nature of reality.
d. They are the oldest and most authentic texts in the Hindu traditions.
9. The jolliest of all Hindu festivals, characterized by the throwing of colored powder,
and celebrated at the advent of spring is called
a. Sadhus.
b. Ashvina.
c. Holi.
d. Kumbha Mela.
10. The nineteenth-century spiritual leader who recognized the Divine Mother in
everything, including a cat, was named
a. Vivekananda.
b. Ramakrishna.
c. Brahmo Samaj.
d. Mahatma Gandhi.
11. Why are the Vedas so highly revered in Hindu belief?
a. They were written by the sage Valmiki.
b. They are the oldest scriptures in the tradition.
c. They contain the stories of Vishnu.
d. They are thought to transcend human time.
12. The Hindu god of fire is called
a. Kali.
b. Indra.
c. Agni.
d. Ushas.
13. Why is samsara related to karma?
a. because all of life is illusory
b. because self-restraint leads to liberation
c. because the gods give us liberation
d. because our actions affect our future incarnations
14. Why is puja conducted on a daily basis?
a. because it makes the sacred presence tangible
b. because it is prescribed in the Vedas
c. because the Puranas describe daily puja
d. because it is the only form of livelihood for pujaris
15. How has the caste system affected Indian society?
a. by opening religious institutions to all
b. by reinforcing hierarchies and inequalities
c. by expelling the British from India
d. by creating new opportunities of women
16. What is the name for a Hindu spiritual teacher?
a. ashram
b. guru
c. soma
d. rishis
17. Gandhi influenced modern, independent India by teaching
a. people to do puja.
b. the true meaning of the Vedas.
c. nonviolent resistance to military and industrial oppression.
d. that religion was a false doctrine.
18. If you overhear a professor of religion say that Hinduism is not a religion, what might
be his or her academic justification for this statement?
a. It should only be considered a sect of Buddhism.
b. It has no sacred texts.
c. It has many deities.
d. Hinduism has so many variations and is so diverse.
19. The debate around the “Aryan Invasion Theory” shows how scholars of religion
a. are examining older theories that were based on textual sources.
b. should focus more exclusively on textual sources.
c. are examining the Aryan influence on the Vedas.
d. should focus more exclusively on Sanskrit.
20. Hindu tradition teaches that the Vedas
a. teaches yoga.
b. are meant to be sung.
c. are not the work of humans.
d. outlines the caste system.
21. Sangeeta, a devotee of Shiva, says that her religious focus is doing good deeds. From
this statement, what can you surmise about her religious goal?
a. She wants to achieve moksha.
b. She wants to achieve a good incarnation in the next life.
c. She wants to transform her mind through jnana yoga.
d. She wants to learn more about other religions.
22. Why can Advaita Vedanta be called generally monistic?
a. because it denies that anything truly exists
b. because it posits that there is only one god
c. because it posits that the universe consists of three essential qualities
d. because it posits a single reality
23. How do images of Shiva display his ability to reconcile darkness and light, good and
evil, and creation and destruction?
a. He is unmanifested.
b. He is depicted with dreadlocks.
c. He is depicted along with the body of a demon.
d. He is always shown alongside Vishnu and Brahma.
24. Why do some Hindus continue Vedic fire rituals?
a. because the Vedas are the only important texts in Hinduism
b. because they believe fire will erase their sins
c. because this is the only ritual in Hinduism
d. because they believe their offerings will be rewarded
25. Hindu death rituals require
a. cremation, followed by the ritual immersion of bone and ash in the waters of a holy
river.
b. that the body be left out at the place of exposure after purification.
c. that the ritual of seti be performed by the widow.
d. an extended mourning period and immediate burial of the body.
26. In the Hindu concept of ages in the world cycle, dharma
a. is in a state of constant increase.
b. is in a state of constant decline.
c. does not exist.
d. is determined based on personal preference.
27. Why is Samkhya philosophy important for Indian systems of diet and medicine?
a. because of its focus on the unseen reality
b. because of its focus on mental and spiritual well-being
c. because of its focus on the equilibrium of essential qualities
d. because of its focus on developing the body through physical exercise
28. In the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago, the Sri Dattatreya Yoga Centre
teaches a form of Hinduism open to converts regardless of background. This is an
example of
a. global Hinduism.
b. Hinduism’s return to the Vedas.
c. secular Hinduism.
d. caste Hinduism.
29. Raj, an Indian politician, claims that if elected he will fight to restore Hinduism’s
place in national politics. He would be an example of a
a. Hindu naturalist.
b. Hindu secularist.
c. Hindu guru.
d. Hindu fundamentalist.
30. The veneration of Mother Ganga is an example of
a. the influence of the worship of Vishnu on Hindu rituals.
b. Hindu rituals associated with ancient goddess worship.
c. the influence of the worship of Mary on Hindu rituals.
d. Hindu rituals associated with ancient philosophical systems.
Essay
31. The spiritual expressions of Hinduism range from extreme asceticism to extreme
sensuality, from the heights of personal devotion to a deity to the heights of abstract
philosophy, from metaphysical proclamations of the oneness behind the material world to
the worship of images representing a multiplicity of deities. Explain these seeming
dichotomies in Hinduism. Why are there so many variations in this tradition? What
connects the elements of the tradition over time?
32. How are women regarded in the Hindu tradition? Give contrasting examples to show
a range of perspectives. How do you evaluate these contrasts?
33. Some have argued that secularism has robbed India of its traditional Hindu values and
identity. Explain how this perspective has shaped contemporary Indian politics.