Cambridge A Level Hinduism 9487 — 2023 Oct/Nov Paper 1 · Variant 0

Cambridge International AS & A Level 9487/01 October/November 2023 1 hour 30 minutes HINDUISM Paper 1 Concepts in Hinduism 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 [ ]. This document has 4 pages. Any blank pages are indicated. [Turn over 11_9487_01_2023_1.6 © UCLES 2023 *9612053307*

Section A Answer EITHER Question 1 OR Question 2. EITHER ‘The three twice-born classes, remaining within their own activities, should study the Vedas. But among them only the brahmin and not the other two should proclaim the Vedas. The brahmin is the best by nature. The brahmin, the kshatriya and the vaishya are the three twice-born classes. The fourth, the shudra, has only one birth. There is no fifth.’ Summarise what the above passage says about the varna system. [5] (a) 1 Explain how varna might influence a Hindu’s understanding of their svadharma. [10] (b) To what extent is it true to say that the principles of dharmic living are more relevant to men than to women. [15] (c) [Total: 30] OR Describe the cycle of the four ages. [5] (a) 2 Explain why living a dharmic life might be considered easy during the Satya Yuga. [10] (b) Assess the claim that morality is universal. [15] (c) [Total: 30] 11_9487_01_2023_1.6 © UCLES 2023 2

Section B Answer EITHER Question 3 OR Question 4. EITHER Outline the characteristics of a person who is jivan mukti. [5] (a) 3 Explain how the cat and monkey analogies show Hindus different ways to achieve liberation. [10] (b) ‘Ignorance of their true nature is the only thing keeping people trapped in samsara.’ Discuss. [15] (c) [Total: 30] OR ‘Unreality is the world of the five senses; it is materialism; it is the illusion that this world is real in the sense that we can enjoy it forever. Samsara means coming and going, and includes the idea that our real self, the atman which is spiritual and non-material, is imprisoned in our body and is destined to pass from one body to another until we become aware of this fact and do something about it.’ Summarise what the above passage says about the cycle of samsara. [5] (a) 4 Explain the relationship between sanchita, prarabdha and agami karma. [10] (b) Assess the claim that thinking about the karma one is creating will prevent liberation. [15] (c) [Total: 30] 11_9487_01_2023_1.6 © UCLES 2023 3

BLANK PAGE 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 Cambridge Assessment. Cambridge Assessment is the brand name of the University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate (UCLES), which is a department of the University of Cambridge. 11_9487_01_2023_1.6 © UCLES 2023 4