Hinduism Depth Study · HSC Studies of Religion

What are the ethical teachings of Hinduism on bioethics, and how do Hindus apply them to issues of life and death?

Ethics: describe and explain Hindu ethical teachings on bioethics OR environmental ethics OR sexual ethics (this page: bioethics)

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, bioethics. The teachings Hindus apply to medical questions (the eternal atman, ahimsa, dharma, karma and rebirth, daya and dana), with Bhagavad Gita and Yoga Sutra sources, their application to abortion, euthanasia, IVF, organ donation and genetic technologies, diversity of Hindu views, and the 2023 to 2025 HSC questions.

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What are the ethical teachings of Hinduism on environmental ethics?

Ethics: describe and explain Hindu ethical teachings on bioethics OR environmental ethics OR sexual ethics (this page: environmental ethics)

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, environmental ethics. The sources of Hindu ethics and the principal teachings (Brahman in all things, ekam sat, ahimsa, dharma and rita, karma and samsara, yajna and restraint), their application to diet, rivers, trees, animals and climate, movements such as the Bishnoi and Chipko, and the 2019 to 2025 HSC questions.

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How did one significant person or school of thought shape the development and expression of Hinduism?

Significant people and schools of thought: explain the contribution to the development and expression of Hinduism of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other than the Vedas, drawn from: Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Mirabai (Mira Bai), Bhakti Movement, Ram Mohan Roy, Ramakrishna, Mohandas Gandhi, Purva Mimamsa school of thought, Vedanta school of thought; analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on Hinduism (this page: Mirabai)

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, significant person. Mirabai (about 1498 to 1547), the Rajput princess and poet-saint of Krishna bhakti - her devotion to Giridhar Gopal, her bhajans, her defiance of royal, caste and gender expectations, her impact on Hindu devotion and on reformers like Gandhi, and the 2022 to 2025 HSC questions (NESA's 2022 and 2023 answers used her).

13 min read →

Significant people and schools of thought: explain the contribution to the development and expression of Hinduism of ONE significant person OR school of thought, other than the Vedas, drawn from: Shankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Mirabai (Mira Bai), Bhakti Movement, Ram Mohan Roy, Ramakrishna, Mohandas Gandhi, Purva Mimamsa school of thought, Vedanta school of thought; analyse the impact of this person OR school of thought on Hinduism (this page: Mohandas Gandhi)

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, significant person. Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869 to 1948) - his Vaishnava and Gita roots, satya, ahimsa, satyagraha, karma yoga, swaraj and the campaign against untouchability - his contribution to the development and expression of Hinduism, his impact and its critics, with the 2020 to 2025 HSC questions (NESA's 2025 guidelines used Gandhi).

14 min read →

How is the marriage ceremony (vivaha) expressed in Hinduism, and what is its significance for the individual and the Hindu community?

Significant practices in the life of adherents: describe ONE significant practice within Hinduism drawn from Marriage ceremony, Pilgrimage, Temple Worship; demonstrate how the chosen practice expresses the beliefs of Hinduism; analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual and the Hindu community

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study. The Hindu marriage ceremony (vivaha samskara) step by step (kanyadana, panigrahana, the sacred fire, laja homa, saptapadi, sindoor and mangalsutra), how it expresses dharma, the grihastha ashrama, the purusharthas, karma and the divine, its significance for the couple, family and community, and the 2023 to 2025 HSC questions.

13 min read →

How is pilgrimage (tirtha-yatra) expressed in Hinduism, and what is its significance for the individual and the Hindu community?

Significant practices in the life of adherents: describe ONE significant practice within Hinduism drawn from Marriage ceremony, Pilgrimage, Temple Worship; demonstrate how the chosen practice expresses the beliefs of Hinduism; analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual and the Hindu community

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study. Hindu pilgrimage (tirtha-yatra) to sacred crossing places such as Varanasi, the Ganga, the Char Dham and the Kumbh Mela, what pilgrims do (vows, bathing, darshan, puja, circumambulation), how it expresses Brahman, the gods and goddesses, karma, bhakti and moksha, its significance for the individual and community, and the 2021 to 2025 HSC questions.

14 min read →

How is temple worship (puja) expressed in Hinduism, and what is its significance for the individual and the community?

Significant practices in the life of adherents: describe ONE significant practice within Hinduism drawn from Marriage ceremony, Pilgrimage, Temple Worship; demonstrate how the chosen practice expresses the beliefs of Hinduism; analyse the significance of this practice for both the individual and the Hindu community

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, significant practice. The Hindu temple (mandir) and murti, the order of temple puja (darshan, offerings, abhishekam, arti, prasad, pradakshina), festivals, how worship expresses Brahman and the deities, bhakti, karma and moksha, its significance for individuals and communities in Australia, and the 2021 to 2025 HSC questions.

14 min read →

What are the ethical teachings of Hinduism on sexual ethics, and how do Hindus apply them?

Ethics: describe and explain Hindu ethical teachings on bioethics OR environmental ethics OR sexual ethics (this page: sexual ethics)

HSC Studies of Religion Hinduism depth study, sexual ethics. The sources of Hindu ethics, kama governed by dharma, the ashramas, brahmacharya and self-control, marriage as a samskara, fidelity, ahimsa and consent, social issues (dowry, child marriage), diverse contemporary views, verified Gita and Yoga Sutra sources and the 2019 to 2025 HSC questions.

14 min read →

What are the principal beliefs of Hinduism, and how are they recorded in its sacred texts and writings?

Preliminary course, Religious Tradition Study (Hinduism): define Atman and Brahman; examine the principal Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism; investigate the connection between Dharma and Karma; outline the importance of Moksha for a Hindu devotee; recognise union with God through Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Raja Yoga and Jnana Yoga; identify the importance of the Vedas, including the Upanishads, and the Ramayana and Mahabharata, including the Bhagavad Gita; examine extracts from the Vedas and the Epics which demonstrate the principal beliefs of Hinduism

Year 11 (Preliminary) Studies of Religion, Hinduism. Brahman and atman, the principal gods and goddesses and avatars, dharma and karma, samsara and moksha, the four yogas, and the Vedas, Upanishads, Ramayana and Mahabharata (Bhagavad Gita), with verified Gita extracts, drills and practice questions linking beliefs to the HSC depth study.

14 min read →