Hinduism | AQA GCSE Religious Studies A (8062)
Hinduism
- 136 questions
- 10 subtopics
- Paper 1
- Paper 1
Hinduism is examined in Paper 1, The study of religions — one of the two religions chosen from seven.
It covers Brahman and the three features of the divine, the Tri-murti, the deities and avatara, matter, maya and Hindu cosmology, atman, samsara, karma and moksha, dharma, the four aims and personal virtues, places and focuses of worship, forms of worship: havan, puja, arati and darshan, Diwali, Holi and pilgrimage, the four paths of yoga and Hindu environmental projects and charities.
Sample questions from Hinduism
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Brahman and the three features of the divine
What are the spiritual worlds in Hindu belief?
Show the answer
The spiritual worlds are eternal realms where God is directly present. Vaishnavas name Vaikuntha and Shaivas name Kailasa as such realms. -
The Tri-murti, the deities and avatara
Who is Ganesha and what is he known for?
Show the answer
Ganesha is the elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati. Hindus pray to Ganesha to remove obstacles at the start of anything new. -
Matter, maya and Hindu cosmology
What does tamas mean?
Show the answer
Tamas is the quality of darkness, ignorance and inertia. A tamasic person is lazy, confused or destructive. -
Atman, samsara, karma and moksha
How does karma decide a person’s next birth?
Show the answer
Karma built up in one life shapes the circumstances of the next. A store of good karma leads towards a better birth. -
Dharma, the four aims and personal virtues
Name the four varnas.
Show the answer
The four varnas are brahmins, kshatriyas, vaishyas and shudras. Each traditionally had its own occupations and responsibilities. -
Places and focuses of worship
Give two examples of outdoor Hindu worship.
Show the answer
Shrines stand beside roads, under sacred trees and on riverbanks. Pilgrims also worship at rivers, hills and other places held to be holy. -
Forms of worship: havan, puja, arati and darshan
Why is fire used in havan?
Show the answer
Fire is treated as the god Agni, who carries offerings to the deities. Flames also stand for purification and the burning away of bad karma. -
Diwali, Holi and pilgrimage
Describe two ways Hindus in Britain celebrate Diwali.
Show the answer
Families light diyas, draw rangoli patterns and exchange sweets and gifts. Leicester holds one of the largest Diwali street celebrations outside India.
The 10 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Brahman and the three features of the divine | These questions explain Brahman as nirguna and saguna, the spiritual worlds, the three features of the divine, Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.9.1, and how Advaita, Dvaita and Vishishtadvaita differ on atman and Brahman. | 14 |
| The Tri-murti, the deities and avatara | Students learn the Tri-murti and why Brahma is rarely worshipped, the Vaishnava, Shaiva and Shakta traditions, Ganesha, Lakshmi, Hanuman and Saraswati, avatara with Rama and Krishna, and whether the deities are separate gods. | 14 |
| Matter, maya and Hindu cosmology | The subtopic covers prakriti and the three gunas and their effect on diet and behaviour, maya and suffering, the creation hymn of Rig Veda 10.129, the four ages ending in the Kali Yuga, and other worlds. | 13 |
| Atman, samsara, karma and moksha | These questions define atman, samsara, karma and moksha, differing views of moksha and jivanmukti, free will, karma as an explanation of suffering and its critics, knowledge and ignorance, and the value of human birth. | 14 |
| Dharma, the four aims and personal virtues | Students learn dharma, sanatana and varnashrama dharma, the four varnas and ashramas and modern criticism of varna, the four aims of human life, and personal virtues such as ahimsa, self-control and love. | 14 |
| Places and focuses of worship | The subtopic covers home shrines and the mandir, outdoor worship and worship in the heart, the murti and how it is prepared, sacred people, rivers, plants and animals, India as a holy land, and debate about images. | 14 |
| Forms of worship: havan, puja, arati and darshan | These questions explain home puja and prashad, havan and the use of fire, arati, darshan, bhajan, kirtan and japa, a well-known mantra, and how Shaiva and Vaishnava worship and forehead markings differ. | 14 |
| Diwali, Holi and pilgrimage | Students learn the meaning and origins of Diwali and how it is celebrated in Britain, Holi and the stories of Holika and Krishna linked to it, and pilgrimage to Varanasi and the Kumbh Mela. | 14 |
| The four paths of yoga | The subtopic covers the meaning of yoga and the four paths of karma, jnana, astanga and bhakti yoga, the Bhagavad Gita's teaching on them, and why the path a Hindu follows can depend on personality. | 13 |
| Hindu environmental projects and charities | These questions explain the beliefs behind Hindu care for the environment and animals, cow protection and goshalas, a Hindu environmental project, sewa, and the work of Hindu charities such as ISKCON Food for Life. | 12 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA GCSE Religious Studies A Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,734 questions with their answers.