Hinduism: Living the Hindu Life | Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B (1RB0)
Hinduism: Living the Hindu Life
- 103 questions
- 8 subtopics
- Hinduism, one religion of seven
- Paper 1, Paper 2 and Paper 3
Hinduism: Living the Hindu Life is examined in whichever of the three papers Hinduism is studied for, because this section is the same in all three areas of study.
It covers Hindu yoga: karma, jnana, raja and bhakti, Hindu focuses of worship and representations of the divine, Hindu places of worship: temple, home and heart, Hindu forms of worship in the temple and home, Hindu sacred festivals, Hindu pilgrimage: the Ganges, Varanasi and Vrindavana, Hindu environmental projects and cow protection and Hindu charity, dana and seva.
Sample questions from Hinduism: Living the Hindu Life
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
-
Hindu yoga: karma, jnana, raja and bhakti
Name four of the eight limbs of astanga yoga.
Show the answer
Four of the eight limbs are asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (absorption). -
Hindu focuses of worship and representations of the divine
Why do some Hindus worship at hills such as Govardhan?
Show the answer
The Bhagavata Purana tells how Krishna lifted Govardhan Hill to shelter villagers from a storm. Devotees walk round the hill as an act of worship. -
Hindu places of worship: temple, home and heart
How can you tell a Shaiva temple from a Vaishnava one?
Show the answer
A Shaiva temple usually holds a Shiva lingam, with a statue of Nandi facing the shrine. A Vaishnava temple centres on murtis of Vishnu or his avatars. -
Hindu forms of worship in the temple and home
What are bhajan and kirtan in Hindu worship?
Show the answer
Bhajans are devotional songs. Kirtan is call-and-response chanting of God's names, often with drums and cymbals. -
Hindu sacred festivals
What story lies behind Holi?
Show the answer
Prahlada, a devotee of Vishnu, survived when the demoness Holika tried to burn him. Holika herself was burned, so good triumphed over evil. -
Hindu pilgrimage: the Ganges, Varanasi and Vrindavana
What do Hindu pilgrims do at the Ganges?
Show the answer
Pilgrims bathe to wash away sins and offer flowers and lamps. Many scatter the ashes of the dead in the river. -
Hindu environmental projects and cow protection
What is a goshala?
Show the answer
A goshala is a Hindu shelter where cows are cared for until they die naturally. Cows are never slaughtered there. -
Hindu charity, dana and seva
What does Bhagavad Gita 3.10–11 teach about sacrifice?
Show the answer
At creation, beings were given sacrifice (yajna) as the way to prosper. Humans and gods nourish each other through sacrifice.
The 8 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Hindu yoga: karma, jnana, raja and bhakti | What yoga means, the eight limbs of astanga, when a Hindu might turn to each path, why the variety matters, and Bhagavad Gita 6.46 and 6.47 on the highest yogi. | 12 |
| Hindu focuses of worship and representations of the divine | Smarta worship of five deities, the guru, Govardhan hill, sacred rivers, the tulsi plant, sacred animals and the land of India, and Bhagavad Gita 6.20 to 6.31 on seeing God everywhere. | 13 |
| Hindu places of worship: temple, home and heart | The mandir's garbhagriha and shikhara, circling the shrine, telling a Shaiva temple from a Vaishnava one, home shrines and outdoor worship, festivals in public space, and Bhagavad Gita 9.23 to 9.27 on offerings. | 13 |
| Hindu forms of worship in the temple and home | Puja, arti, darshan, havan, bhajan, kirtan and japa, meditation and Bhagavad Gita 6.44 to 6.47, why the Arya Samaj prefers havan, and comparisons with Christian church worship and images. | 14 |
| Hindu sacred festivals | The stories behind Diwali and Holi, the Upanishad prayer linked with Diwali, Navratri and Dussehra, Ram Navami, Ratha-yatra and Janmashtami, Raksha Bandhan, and why Vaishnavas and Shaivas favour different festivals. | 13 |
| Hindu pilgrimage: the Ganges, Varanasi and Vrindavana | What a tirtha is and the purpose of yatra, Rig Veda 10.75 on sacred rivers, why the dying travel to Varanasi, the Kumbh Mela, whether pilgrimage still matters, and the sites Shaivas and Vaishnavas favour. | 13 |
| Hindu environmental projects and cow protection | Care for rivers and sacred places, the goshala and cow protection at Bhaktivedanta Manor, Rig Veda 10.87, the Bishnoi at Khejarli, the Chipko movement, the Bhumi Project, and differing priorities. | 13 |
| Hindu charity, dana and seva | Charity as a householder's duty, Bhagavad Gita 17.20 on the best gift and 3.10 to 3.12 on sacrifice, Taittiriya Upanishad 1.11 on how to give, and Chinmaya CORD's work for wellbeing, women's rights and inclusion. | 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.
-
Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
-
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.
-
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
Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies B Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 5,266 questions with their answers.