World Religions Intermediate

1. What is "Moksha" in Hinduism?

• A. A Hindu god
• B. A type of yoga
• C. Liberation from the cycle of rebirth ✓
• D. A sacred Hindu river

💡 Moksha is the ultimate spiritual goal in Hinduism — liberation from the endless cycle of samsara (birth, death, rebirth) and union with Brahman (the universal soul).

2. What is the Jewish Sabbath called and when does it occur?

• A. Shabbat, from Friday sunset to Saturday night ✓
• B. Sabbath, every Sunday
• C. Shalom, from Saturday dawn to Sunday
• D. Passover, once a year

💡 Shabbat (Sabbath) is the Jewish day of rest observed from Friday at sunset to Saturday night — commemorating God's rest on the seventh day of creation.

3. What is the significance of the Bodhi Tree in Buddhism?

• A. Where Buddha was born
• B. Where Buddha achieved enlightenment ✓
• C. Where Buddha gave his first sermon
• D. Where Buddha died

💡 The Bodhi Tree in Bodh Gaya, India is where Siddhartha Gautama achieved enlightenment (bodhi) after meditating for 49 days under the sacred fig tree.

4. What is the difference between Sunni and Shia Islam?

• A. Different holy books
• B. Sunni follow elected caliphs; Shia follow descendants of Ali ✓
• C. Different prayer times
• D. Sunni are from Arabia; Shia from Persia

💡 The Sunni-Shia split began over who should lead Islam after Muhammad — Sunnis accepted elected caliphs while Shia believed leadership belonged to Ali (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law).

5. Which religion uses the symbol of the Khanda?

• A. Hinduism
• B. Jainism
• C. Buddhism
• D. Sikhism ✓

💡 The Khanda is the symbol of Sikhism — consisting of a double-edged sword, a circle (chakkar), and two curved swords (kirpans).

6. Which religion teaches the concept of "Ahimsa" (non-violence)?

• A. Christianity
• B. Islam
• C. Buddhism and Jainism (and Hinduism) ✓
• D. Zoroastrianism

💡 Ahimsa (non-violence) is a central principle in Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism — the belief that one should not harm any living being in thought, word, or deed.

7. What is the Sikh holy scripture called?

• A. The Granth
• B. Guru Granth Sahib ✓
• C. The Adi Granth
• D. The Sikh Vedas

💡 The Guru Granth Sahib is the eternal living Guru and holy scripture of Sikhism — compiled by the tenth Guru, Guru Gobind Singh, in 1708.

8. Who is considered the founder of Sikhism?

• A. Guru Nanak Dev Ji ✓
• B. Guru Gobind Singh
• C. Guru Arjan Dev Ji
• D. Guru Tegh Bahadur

💡 Guru Nanak Dev Ji (1469-1539) is the founder of Sikhism — he taught the oneness of God, equality of all people, and the importance of honest work.

9. What is "Nirvana" in Buddhism?

• A. A type of meditation practice
• B. Liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth ✓
• C. A Buddhist prayer ritual
• D. The highest level of monk

💡 Nirvana is the ultimate goal in Buddhism — the extinguishing of desire and suffering, releasing the soul from the cycle of samsara (rebirth).

10. What are the Four Noble Truths in Buddhism?

• A. Life has meaning, joy, purpose, and hope
• B. Life involves suffering, suffering has a cause, it can end, and there is a path to end it ✓
• C. Birth, life, death, and rebirth
• D. Compassion, wisdom, peace, and enlightenment

💡 The Four Noble Truths: (1) Life involves suffering (dukkha), (2) suffering has causes (desire), (3) it can cease, (4) the Eightfold Path leads to cessation.

11. What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

• A. Prayer, Fasting, Zakat, Hajj, Jihad
• B. Shahada, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, Hajj ✓
• C. Faith, Prayer, Charity, Pilgrimage, War
• D. Quran, Prayer, Fasting, Charity, Peace

💡 The Five Pillars are: Shahada (declaration of faith), Salah (prayer 5x daily), Zakat (charity), Sawm (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).

12. What is the Holy Trinity in Christianity?

• A. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit ✓
• B. God, Jesus, and Mary
• C. Father, Son, and Angels
• D. Creator, Savior, and Prophet

💡 The Holy Trinity is the Christian doctrine that God exists as three persons — Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit — as one God.

13. What is "Samsara" in Hindu and Buddhist belief?

• A. A type of Indian temple
• B. The cycle of death, rebirth, and existence ✓
• C. A Hindu deity
• D. A Buddhist prayer wheel

💡 Samsara is the continuous cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth — the soul transmigrates through multiple lives until achieving liberation (moksha or nirvana).

14. What is the concept of "Dharma" in Hinduism?

• A. A type of Hindu festival
• B. The cycle of death and rebirth
• C. Moral duty and righteous living ✓
• D. The ultimate enlightenment state

💡 Dharma in Hinduism refers to one's moral duty, righteous conduct, and the cosmic order — living according to one's dharma leads to spiritual merit.

15. How many books are in the Christian Bible?

• A. 39
• B. 66 ✓
• C. 72
• D. 100

💡 The Protestant Bible contains 66 books — 39 in the Old Testament and 27 in the New Testament. Catholic and Orthodox Bibles include additional books.