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June 2021
Q1.1: Which one of the following is the Hindu term for matter?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Dharma B Maya C Prakriti D Tri-murti
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: C Prakriti
Q1.2: Give the names of two Hindu avatars.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority considered for marking. The ten avatars of Vishnu are: Matsya (The Fish) / Kurma (The Tortoise) / Varaha (The Boar) / Narasimha (The Man-Lion) / Vamana (The Dwarf) / Parasurama (The Angry Man) / Lord Rama (The Perfect Man) / Lord Krishna (The Divine Statesman) / Balarama (Krishna's Elder Brother) / Kalki (The Mighty Warrior) – still to come. Shiva has no avatars according to sruti scripture, but the Shiva Purana claims a number including – Hanuman / Piplaad / Nandi / Grihapati, etc.
Q1.3: Explain two ways in which belief in the atman influences Hindus today.
Answer:
influence on individuals, communities and societies To be a ‘detailed explanation’ the ‘influence’ of the way must be included. • Gives a sense of being special / since this is the eternal and pure part of each person / lends to the idea of sanctity of life / so Hindus respect life. • Might influence a Hindu to be a pacifist / be a vegetarian / out of respect for the atman / which resides in all. • Leads to recognition that people cannot see their atman / ‘He cannot be seen, but He is the Seer’ (Bhagavad Gita) / have to trust it exists. • Leads to belief in immortality / as the atman cannot be destroyed / perpetuating belief in rebirth into many lifetimes / ‘Indestructible is the presence that pervades all this, no one can destroy this unchanging reality. It is not born, it does not die; having been it will never not be; unborn, enduring, constant, and primordial, it is not killed when the body is killed’ – (Bhagavad Gita). • Shaivites see the atman as part of Brahman, to be reunited as one through moksha / this might make them give greater respect to their own life / devote themselves to religious study more / eg jnana yoga / in order to achieve moksha. • Vaishnavites see the atman as being separate from Brahman / achieving moksha allows the atman to be reunited with (but still separate from) Brahman / they might show greater devotion to achieve moksha / eg bhakti yoga. • Leads to belief that only the atman truly exists / all else is illusion (maya) / ‘Everything else is destroyed except the atman’ (Bhagavad Gita) / hence leads to a religious path / eg the yogas, etc.
Q1.4: Explain two beliefs about the deity Ganesha.
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Hindu belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Hindu belief and teaching – 1 mark • Ganesha is the son of Shiva and Parvati / born because of Parvati’s love and desire for a child / created from the dirt Parvati washed from her body and then transformed into a living being / story found in Shiva Puranas. • Ganesha is a little boy with an elephant head / his father tore off his head / then in remorse ordered that the head of the first living being to pass the home should be taken / this was an elephant / story found in Shiva Puranas. • Ganesha has a broken tusk / he snapped his own tusk in anger at the moon / who was laughing when Ganesha had fallen in a night-time ride / holds this broken tusk to signify perseverance. • Ganesha is the deity to remove barriers and obstacles / Hindus worship Ganesha at the start of new enterprises / eg business, marriage, etc / offerings made are believed to bring luck / goad in his right hand signifies helping humans to avoid obstacles (push through). • Ganesha guards gates or doorways / as per a role he played for his mother, Parvati / which led to his head being removed by Shiva when he would not let him pass whilst his mother was bathing. • Ganesha is considered a deity to bring good fortune / offerings are made to ask for that good fortune ahead of new ventures / includes wealth. • Ganesha is deity of education and wisdom / elephant head signifies wisdom / praying to him is believed to help the worshipper / signified by rosary he holds. • Ganesha is worshipped by all Hindus / Ganapatians who are non-sectarian / so all Hindus believe Ganesha is an important deity / even to the extent of believing Ganesha to be the Supreme Deity / ‘O Lord Ganapati, You are Brahman’ (Ganapati Atharvashirsa). • Ganesha should be worshipped on Ganesha Chaturthi / ten-day festival in honour of Ganesha,
Sources of authority might include:
Shiva Puranas – gives the story of Ganesha’s birth, and of his elephant head, and broken tusk; Ganapati Atharvashirsa - ‘O Lord Ganapati, You are Brahman’ , etc
Q1.5: ‘For Hindus, it is more important to believe that God is ‘within the heart’ than to
believe that God is everywhere.’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Hindu teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
[SPaG 3 marks]
Extra space
Q2 Hinduism: Practices
Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view [SPaG 3 marks] understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• God within the heart / God is pure consciousness (cit) / God is part of each person / encouraging an idea of a personal God / this brings comfort to the worshipper / brings a sense of closeness to God / also the obligation to respect life. • Believing that the nature of human life is to be reunited with God / hence God must be within / as the atman is itself part of God. • Believing God is within the heart can influence people to look after life / any attack on or disrespect to life is thus an attack on and disrespect to God / because God is within all / this affects attitudes to abortion, euthanasia, meat-eating, conservation. • Believing God is within the heart would make a believer show greater respect and devotion to God / as God is there with them / hence they might try to focus better on their spiritual path / or study scripture more to better understand / since this is the path to moksha which is the goal for all Hindus / it must be more important. • Believing God is within the heart allows belief in God as antaryami / the controller within / consciousness / so leading to belief that the conscious nature is guided by God / gives a sense of right and wrong / justifies decision-making, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• God everywhere / God is pure existence or true essence (sat) / makes more sense for God to be this / separate and different from humans / not understandable by humans. • ‘Everything is Brahman’ (Upanishads) / this belief influences people to look after everything around them as well as themselves / better for the world as a whole to believe this / as humans would take greater responsibility for the planet. • Believing God is everywhere would make a person look at everything differently / sense of awe and wonder / leads to sense of thankfulness for and to all. • Believing God is within the heart might make a person more selfish or egotistical / they are God and are right / this attitude will not help others or the world, etc. Q2 Hinduism: Practices
Q2.1: Which one of the following is not a path to union with the divine (yoga)?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Action (Karma) B Devotion (Bhakti) C Liberation (Moksha) D Meditation (Astanga)
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: C Liberation (Moksha)
Q2.2: Give two ways in which Hindu charities work for women’s rights.
Question 2 continues on the next page
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority considered for marking. Education / educating women to know their rights / educating women to know how to defend themselves / providing free/low-cost legal services / providing sanitary care / training women to set up small businesses and co-operatives / providing small loans to help women set up small businesses / support for orphaned girls / support for women to leave abusive homes / support for women to leave the sex trade / Sarvajal setting up water ATMs to provide clean water nearer to villages / campaigning to Government for greater rights and protections for women / employing women, including in lead roles / listening to women to involve them in decision-making for their own communities / campaigning to Government about women’s rights, etc.
Q2.3: Explain two contrasting reasons why places of pilgrimage are important in
Hinduism.
Answer:
similarities and differences within and/or between religions and beliefs First contrasting reason Second contrasting reason If similar reasons are given, only one of them may be credited up to 2 marks max. Students may be credited for giving reasons for the importance of specific places; or for responding in the light of why ‘different places’ are important. Reasons given for specific places might include: • Varanasi is important because it is the home of Shiva / it is a city of temples, so that many forms of devotion and worship are possible / it is a city of holy men, so that Hindus can receive teaching, instruction and guidance in their faith from a learned source / it is beside the Ganges with its funeral ghats, as Hindus believe that having their ashes spread here is auspicious or • Vrindavan is important because it is where Krishna grew up, who is an avatar of Vishnu / it has many temples dedicated to Krishna, so that devotion made here has more merit / it has the biggest ISKCON temple in the world, so that Krishnans might want to worship here. • Mt Kailash is important because it is the source of the Ganges, which is itself a god / it is where Shiva lives and meditates, so to go here shows great devotion to Shiva / it is only reached by a very difficult journey on foot, so shows devotion and determination, bringing great merit. • Kumbh Mela held at four river-bank sites is important because it is only possible for a few days every three years / the biggest Kumbh Mela is only available for a few days every twelve years / it is attended by many holy men, so that Hindus can gain merit from seeing or being seen by these, as well as learning from them / to bathe in the waters at Kumbh Mela brings great merit, even Reasons given for different places might include: • By going to different places a Hindu is able to experience different deities / so can show their devotion more widely. • Having different places allows a Hindu to pick and choose whichever suits them best / Hinduism teaches that it is the mindset which makes a pilgrimage special, not the place / hence to go somewhere which resonates better is better / such as going to Mt Kailash when looking for merit to make up for sins (papa). • By going to different places a Hindu might learn more about their faith / as they will be able to speak to different priests and holy men, etc.
Q2.4: Explain two reasons why sacred plants and animals are important in Hinduism.
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Hindu belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Hindu belief and teaching – 1 mark • Belief in God everywhere (sat) means a Hindu believes everything is a home for and reflection of God / this includes all of nature – animal and plant life / hence plants and animals are sacred because of their link to God. • Many sacred plants are valued for their medicinal qualities / eg holy basil (tulsi) / linked to Vishnu / used in treating many ailments / such as high blood pressure, diabetes, stress, fever, etc. • Some sacred plants are associated with deities or important beings / eg tulsi is the plant of Vishnu / eg the Buddha (seen as holy man in Hinduism) sat beneath the peepal tree to become enlightened / eg Shaivites offer the leaves of bael patra plant to Shiva whilst chanting his name ‘Om nama shivaya’. • Scriptures mention and describe many plants as being sacred / giving good merit / eg ‘He who plants five or six mango trees attains the abode of Garuda and lives happily forever like gods’ • It is traditional to see certain trees near temples in India / eg banyan trees / these give shade to travellers and are mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita for praise / lotus plants grow in temple ponds / symbolising the transition from ignorance to knowledge. • Common to use plants in worship / lotus flowers as offerings / symbolises truth, good fortune and moksha / coconuts and other fruits as offerings / flowers as offerings. • Many animals are associated with deities / eg Ganesha and the mouse / each deity has a vahana or vehicle / eg Vishnu and Garuda (bird) / also animals symbolise characteristics of their deity / eg Shiva wears a cobra round his neck to symbolise that he cannot be touched or affected by evil. • It is common to see animals at Hindu temples / particularly cows and monkeys / these are protected by the temple / fed by the worshippers / as an act of worship or devotion / bringing good merit (punya) in the pursuit of moksha. • Cow protection is enshrined in Hindu law / Krishna was a cowherd / temple processions include decorated cows / illegal to kill cows in most Indian states / cow retirement homes (goshalla) / Goposhtami festival / hence encouraging the belief that the cow is important, etc.
Sources of authority might include:
Vedas – ‘Brahman is all’ Shaivite prayer – ‘Om nama shivaya’ Vrukshayurveda - ‘He who plants five or six mango trees attains the abode of Garuda and lives happil forever like gods’, etc
Q2.5: ‘For Hindus, the best place to worship is in a temple.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Hindu teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
Extra space
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Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• Perfect atmosphere and aids to worship / decoration encourages devotional attitude / provides a number of shrines to allow a wide-range of offerings and requests. • Temples are managed by priests / Brahmin and none / these people are trained to understand the scripture, but particularly to be able to carry out all the Hindu rituals / many rituals cannot be carried out by non-priests / eg havan ceremony. • Temples are available all the time / though central shrine (and some side shrines dependent on temple) are not open to worship all the time / can still do private prayer and reflection / can still speak to priest for advice and for blessings. • Temple encourages greater devotion / as the worshipper has to physically attend the temple / will usually purchase offerings / will usually engage in worship with full focus on that. • If Hindus do not worship in the temple / there is no point to the temple / that fact that there are so many Hindu temples in Hindu communities proves they are the primary place for worship, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• Brahman is everywhere (sat) / hence anywhere may be appropriate for worship / the important thing is the attitude / ‘People may worship me in whatever form they wish. The form does not matter to me; only the quality of the love which is expressed in worship’ (Bhagavad Gita). • It is not always possible to get to the temple / for example, those who have jobs may have to choose their time to worship at the temple / it is thought good practice to worship early in the morning / that might be easier at home. • Every Hindu home has a shrine / to which Hindus make offerings every morning / many Hindus make offerings of all food during the day to this shrine / this suggests the home shrine is the most important place for Hindu worship. • Hinduism has many focuses for worship / from Brahman to deities to rivers to plants etc / the crucial thing is the focus of worship not the place where it happens. • Of itself a temple is meaningless / it is the atmosphere which is generated / and those in attendance / which make it important / these can be replicated outside of temples / eg at home shrines, at Kumbh Mela, etc.