Cambridge A Level Hinduism 9487 — 2021 Oct/Nov Paper 2 · Variant 0

This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated. Cambridge International AS & A Level DC (CE) 203961 © UCLES 2021 [Turn over HINDUISM 9487/02 Paper 2 Development of Hinduism October/November 2021 1 hour 30 minutes You must answer on the enclosed answer booklet. You will need: Answer booklet (enclosed) INSTRUCTIONS ● Answer two questions in total: Section A: answer one question. Section B: answer one question. ● Follow the instructions on the front cover of the answer booklet. If you need additional answer paper, ask the invigilator for a continuation booklet. INFORMATION ● The total mark for this paper is 60. ● The number of marks for each question or part question is shown in brackets [ ]. * 1 1 0 8 1 7 5 0 0 2 *

2 9487/02/O/N/21 © UCLES 2021 Section A Answer EITHER Question 1 OR Question 2. EITHER 1 (a) Outline the different areas of concern for the four Vedas. [5] (b) Explain the importance of the Upanishads for the development of Hinduism. [10] (c) Assess the claim that nastika traditions are not forms of Hinduism. [15] [Total: 30] OR 2 (a) Summarise the story told in the Mahabharata. [5] (b) Explain why there is disagreement about whether some texts are smriti or shruti. [10] (c) ‘The Bhagavad Gita is the only important part of the Mahabharata.’ Discuss this claim. [15] [Total: 30]

3 9487/02/O/N/21 © UCLES 2021 Section B Answer EITHER Question 3 OR Question 4. EITHER 3 “Do you aspire after Divine Grace? Then propitiate the Mother... She it is who has deluded the whole world, and is conjuring up the triple device of creation, maintenance and dissolution. She has spread a veil of ignorance over all and unless she unbars the gate none can enter the Inner Court.” Sri Ramakrishna (a) Summarise what the above passage says about the nature of the divine. [5] (b) Explain why believing Brahman is saguna might help Hindus on the path to liberation. [10] (c) Assess the claim that Shaktism has nothing in common with other theistic traditions. [15] [Total: 30] OR 4 (a) Outline the difference between henotheism and polytheism. [5] (b) Explain why some people might argue that monotheism is the best way to describe Hinduism. [10] (c) ‘Hindus believe the divine is unknowable.’ Discuss this claim. [15] [Total: 30]

4 9487/02/O/N/21 © UCLES 2021 Permission to reproduce items where third-party owned material protected by copyright is included has been sought and cleared where possible. Every reasonable effort has been made by the publisher (UCLES) to trace copyright holders, but if any items requiring clearance have unwittingly been included, the publisher will be pleased to make amends at the earliest possible opportunity. To avoid the issue of disclosure of answer-related information to candidates, all copyright acknowledgements are reproduced online in the Cambridge Assessment International Education Copyright Acknowledgements Booklet. This is produced for each series of examinations and is freely available to download at www.cambridgeinternational.org after the live examination series. Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of the Cambridge Assessment Group. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which itself is a department of the University of Cambridge. BLANK PAGE