Hinduism — Beliefs and Teachings
What's covered
Key facts
In Advaita Vedanta the atman is identical with Brahman.
Brahman is beyond human description (the Upanishadic "neti, neti" — "not this, not that").
Krishna teaches Arjuna about his svadharma as a warrior.
Hindu cosmology is cyclical: creation, preservation, destruction.
Advaita Vedanta of Shankara sees moksha as union with Brahman.
Ahimsa is non-violence to all beings.
Agami / kriyamana karma is karma being created right now.
Artha and kama are pursued within dharma, not at others' expense.
Antaryamin is experienced as the inner guide and conscience.
Vishnu descends as avatara to restore dharma when evil rises (Gita 4.7-8).
Sample questions
A taste of the 110 questions in this topic — answers marked. Sign up to practise the full set with spaced repetition.
What is the atman?
- ✓Eternal individual self
- •The cycle of death and rebirth
- •The moral duty of each person
- •The ultimate formless reality
What is Brahman?
- •Cosmic moral order governing all life
- •Eternal individual self
- •The cycle of reincarnation
- ✓Ultimate, formless reality
What does dharma mean?
- •Devotion and loving surrender to God
- •Liberation from the cycle of rebirth
- ✓Religious duty and right order
- •The soul's journey through many lives
Name the three gunas (qualities).
- •Ahimsa, karma, moksha
- •Brahman, atman, antaryamin
- •Dharma, artha, kama
- ✓Sattva, rajas, tamas
What is jivanmukti?
- •Freedom from karma through devotion
- •Liberation after bodily death
- ✓Liberation while still living
- •Release from dharmic obligations
Why is humility valued in Hinduism?
- •Earns merit for a better rebirth
- •Pleases the gods directly
- ✓Reduces ego, opens to truth
- •Wins respect from one's community
Try it for four weeks. Free.
One school. Unlimited classes. No card limit. No teacher limit. If your students aren't practising daily by the end of the trial, you owe us nothing.