World Religions HUM 2093 Exam 2

Mahayana Buddhism

"The Great Vehicle." Has the largest following of the Buddhist sects. Nirvana is open to all, including females. It is accessible and universal, open to modern ideas and ways. The goal is holy existence of self-sacrifice and compassion and ultimately Nirvana. Stresses social salvation. Followed in China, Japan, and Central Asia. The focus is on reverence for Buddha and for bodhisattvas, enlightened persons who have postponed nirvana to help others attain enlightenment. 56% of modern Buddhists.

Theravada Buddhism

"Way of the Elders" branch of Buddhism followed in Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. Remains close to the original principles set forth by the Buddha; it downplays the importance of gods and emphasizes austerity and the individual's search for enlightenment. 38% of Buddhists today.

Zhu Xi

(1130-1200 CE) the systematizer who was the most important member of the Neo-Confucian School of Principle. Created a new state orthodoxy. his school integrated Confucianism (morality), Daoism (creation), and Buddhism (quiet-sitting concepts) writings. Famous for theoretical & philosophical writings—for example, taught that all reality is seamless mixing of principle (universal pattern) & vital force (transforming principle into actual material objects—cf. Plato's Theory of Ideas)— the Supreme Ultimate is the essential pattern of reality (cf. Neoplatonic concept of God as Form of Forms)— promoted new, streamlined version of Confucian canon, consisting of Four Books: • Analects of Confucius • Mengzi • Great Learning (part of Three Texts about Rituals) • Doctrine of the Mean (part of Three Texts about Rituals) Believed main goal of Confucianism is individual's moral improvement & quest for becoming a sage rather than traditional Confucian emphasis on preparation for public office. Became officially sanctioned in Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Guru Nanak

(1469-1539 CE) Spiritual Teacher ______, the founder of Sikhism; established a community among Hindus, Muslims, and Jains. He proclaimed a God who united all alike in a bold new monotheistic theology that insisted on the equality of all human beings and the welfare and protection of the poor and downtrodden.

Noble Eightfold Path (Buddhist)

(fourth Noble Truth)—way to end suffering & transition from samsara to nirvana: 1. right view: seeing & accepting Four Noble Truths 2. right resolve: developing right attitudes such as freedom from desires, friendliness, or compassion 3. right speech: avoiding lies, divisive speech, hurtful speech, gossip 4. right action: abstaining from wrongful conduct such as stealing or killing 5. right livelihood: not engaging in occupation that harms or causes suffering to others, whether human or animal—honesty in business, not cheating others— avoiding professions such as trade in weapons, living beings, meat, alcoholic drink, or poison 6. right effort: developing one's mind through meditation to replace negative thoughts with positive 7. right mindfulness: developing constant awareness in four areas: in relation to one's body, feelings, mood or mental state, thoughts 8. right meditation: developing mental clarity & mental calm by concentrating the mind through meditation

The Bab

(means the Gate in Arabic) Sayyid Ali Muhammad (1819-1850) saw himself as the successor to al-Kazim. after receiving several religious visions, including of martyred Imam Husayn—as the Gate (also Manifestation of God), he foretold the imminent coming of the Mahdi, and declared that his purpose was to prepare humanity for his advent—wrote many works considered by Bahais to be revelations from God—after gathering many followers, he was arrested by Iranian ruler for heresy (he denied Quran was final revelation of God) and executed in 1850 in Tabriz.

Guru Gobind Singh

10th Guru, last human Guru. Created the order of the Khalsa, a group of elite, 'pure' Sikhs. Originally intended to defend the Sikh community from the oppression of the Mughal empire. Considered most important guru after Guru Nanak—trained in military techniques, traditionally represented as worldly prince, ready for battle—though Sikhs originated as religious bridge between Hindus & Muslims. He led Sikh troops in several battles against Moghuls rulers (Muslims), though eventually made peace with them—two important innovations: creation of Khalsa & designation of Adi Ganth (Sacred Scripture) as his successor-guru

Six Realms of Rebirth (Buddhism)

1) gods (devas): realm of bliss, the most comfortable and sought-after of the realms, but has disadvantage of being so easy that most inhabitants use up good karma they had previously accumulated and are eventually reborn in lower realm 2) asuras (demons, demigods): more pleasurable realm than that of humans, but plagued by envy of devas—souls may be reborn in this realm because of good intentions but bad actions 3) humans: realm of mixed pleasure and suffering, but in some ways most advantageous realm, because presence of suffering offers best opportunity for enlightenment 4) animals: inhabitants arrive in this realm because of stupidity or prejudice in previous life—can see human realm just as asuras see realm of devas 5) ghosts: filled with sentient beings called hungry ghosts who suffer from constant hunger and thirst but can never satisfy their desires 6) hell (naraka): place of torture and constant suffering—rebirth here the result of hatred in previous life

Four Noble Truths (Buddhist)

1) All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow. 2) The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hated and desire. 3) The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirture. 4) The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path

Four Yogas (sacred paths) (Hinduism)

1) Jnana yoga: path of transcendent knowledge. even knowledge beyond the ordinary confines of the body, space, & time—advocates study in order to liberate oneself from desires that delude the soul 2) Karma yoga: path of action, particularly non-selfish action to serve others, perform certain rituals, & accumulate benefits which result in better rebirth— Mahatma Gandhi a practitioner of Karma yoga 3) Bhakti yoga: path of devotion—first mentioned extensively in earlier texts like some of the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita advocates devotion to Krishna 4) some people add fourth yoga: Raja Yoga: path of physical exercise & meditation, which leads to higher levels of consciousness as difficulty increased

Five Ks of Sikhism

1) Kes (uncut hair) 2) Kangha (wooden comb) 3) Kara (steel bracelet) 4) Kirpan (short sword) 5) Kachh (pair of shorts, worn under clothes)

Five "thieves" of Sikhism

1. lust 2. anger 3. greed 4. attachment 5. pride

Four stages of Shrine Festival (Matsuri) (Shinto)

1. purification—shrine & grounds ritually swept clean 2. presentation—solemn ceremony bringing offerings to kami 3. prayer—reading of norito, or prayer 4. participation—all worshipers present evergreen branches on offering table, sip sake, then enjoy themselves in a kind of carnival within the shrine precincts

Five Features of Shinto

1. purity vs. impurity 2. traditionalism 3. importance of matsuri (shrine festivals) & practical forms of religious expression 4. sociological role of religion 5. polytheism & the theoretical expression of Shinto

Zhuangzi

369-286 BCE. Great teacher of Daoism after Laozi one of the main contributors in Daoism; used stories and humour to promote a philosophy of freedom from social constraints and conditioning that could lead one back to an original undistorted state of being. Stressed usefulness of the useless. Wrote book by same name, deals with many of same themes as Daodejing, such as unity of the Dao, value of serenity & withdrawal, celebration of nature—critical of political involvement as hopelessly unproductive, incapable of producing meaningful change—only hope for change comes from within, when selfish desires & ambitions are conquered—sage realizes union with Dao without getting entangled in narrow dogmatism, such as that found in Confucianism—wise person avoids intellectual & moral rigidity, taking instead a relativist standpoint—once one realizes the true Dao, it is possible to be at peace with oneself, one's neighbors, and all others, even in times of great loss.

Axial Age

A period of history (around 600 to 200 BCE) when many traditional polytheistic ideas were questioned and important new religious leaders and ideas emerged: Homer, early Greek philosophy, Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Elijah, Isaiah, Zoroastrianism.

Siddhartha Guatama

A prince who never experienced reality/suffering/the real world because was sheltered in the palace with a perfect life. Left his wife and kid when 29 to see the real world and understand the cause of suffering, enlightenment, and wisdom. Achieved enlightenment after 6 years. Becomes the Buddha (meaning "one who has awakened") and formulates the Four Noble Truths. Spent next 45 years traveling through NE India teaching his views—died at age of 80, having achieved nirvana & thus escaping the cycle of death & new life

Mahavira

An extreme aesthetic who founded the religion Jainism and thought of several Hindu concepts, such as karma, in a very concrete way. Perhaps a contemporary of the Buddha—at age 30 left home to pursue spiritual awakening—joined group of ascetic followers of Parshva—left group & wandered land naked for 12 years—in 13th year of wandering attained kevala jnana, or omniscience—traveled throughout India for 30 years teaching tenets of Jainism—had 11 disciples, all of whom achieved kevala as well—achieved moksha and nirvana (ultimate peace of mind, free from samsara) at 72

Xunzi

Another disciple of Confucius. Believed that humans are basically evil, without an internal moral compass—however, they can be trained in ways of morality, & this is purpose of Confucian education—goodness is a product of conscious effort - disagreed with Mengzi's theoretical stance, which contrasted with his more realistic stance.

Hundred Schools of Thought

Confucianism/Daoism/Legalism/Yin Yang philosophies flourished during the Zhou dynasty. Scholars advised government to create order and increase power.It is also known as the Golden Age of Chinese philosophy because a broad range of thoughts and ideas were developed and discussed freely.This period ended with the rise of the Qin Dynasty and the subsequent purge of dissent. • Confucianism • Daoism • Legalism: human nature corrupt, so only strict enforcement of laws by state can produce ordered society • Mohism: based on idea of universal love, "everyone is equal in the eyes of heaven"—opposed Confucian emphases on ritual & music as extravagances— opposed war, except perhaps in self-defense • School of Yin-yang: explained universe in terms of yin (dark, cold, female, negative) & yang (light, hot, male, positive) and Five Elements (water, fire, wood, metal, earth) • School of Diplomacy: emphasized diplomatic approach to politics • Agriculturalism: agrarian movement that advocated communalism & egalitarianism—believed ideal ruler would work in the fields alongside subjects

Five Principal Relationships (Confucianism)

Confucius accepted standard class divisions & social structures of Chinese society, advocating that people live in accordance with their various relationships with others: 1. father & son 2. ruler & subject 3. husband & wife 4. older & younger brother 5. friend & friend

Mengzi

Disciple of Confucius. Believed that humans are basically good, although they could do bad things if they lost their way fundamental human goodness illustrated by fact that anyone will stop to help a child who has fallen into a well—opposed to strict regulations & harsh punishments—education a better solution to problem of "list mind of virtue"—four inborn virtues: • benevolence • righteousness • ritual • wisdom

Bahaullah

Means "Glory of Allah"; Mirza Husayn Ali, one of the Bab's followers and a leader of the movement. Declared he was the messianic figure the Bab had prophesied. Baha'i means "follower of __________." Banished from Iran. Hid in Kurdistan in 1854 as a Sufi Dervish and became known for his wisdom and wrote several books during that time. Became recognized as the Babis leader after challenging brother to meet him so "God could strike down the imposter" and the brother failed t oshow.

Spring and Autumn Period

Name comes from the chronicle kept by the dukes in the kingdom of Lu called The Annals of the _________ and _______. It covers 722-481 BCE. It includes the decline of Zhou royal authority and the succession of strong leaders from rival kingdoms who kept the balance of power in northern China. During these times, larger, more powerful kingdoms were very military centered. Main kingdoms = Qin, Jin, Qi, and Chu. Leaders often took the name of king even when the Zhou king was still alive in Luoyang. It was a very violent age. Innovations in this era, despite the war, include first metal coins, the discovery of how to smelt iron ore into iron. The iron helped create knives, swords, spears, arrowheads, armor, iron-tipped plows, musical instruments including bells. The end of this period brought changes to military, such as chariots being replaced by cavalry, training soldiers, and adding many more men to their armies.

Confucius

Real name Kong Qui or Kongzi (551-479 BCE) he was an influential teacher, thinker, and leader in China during the Spring & Summer Period, who developed a set of principles for ethical living. He believed that coercive laws and punishment would not be needed to maintain order in society if men following his ethics ruled. He taught his philosophy to anyone who was intelligent and willing to work, which allowed men to gain entry into the ruling through education.

Parshva

Seminal figure within Jainism. The 23rd tirthankara (800-700BCE), who continues to be a popular object of Jain devotion. At age 30 renounced world & became monk—led a monastic order with many followers, both ascetic and lay (half a million acc. to a traditional Jain text)—achieved moksha at 100—considered by many scholars as actual founder of Jainism

Krishna

The most popular avatar of Vishnu, hero of the Bhagavad Gita, where he offers counsel to the warrior Arjuna—numerous tales of his birth, childhood, & other stages of life—in one, king has heard that his sister's eighth child would kill him, so he tries to kill the boy, who turns out to be _______, but fails—he then attempts to kill all baby boys in kingdom, but _____ manages to escape & kill him—as he grows older he is enormously attractive to all the local women, who in turn loves all of them, but especially one named Radha

Bhagavad Gita

The sacred 'song of God' composed about 200 BC and incorporated into the Mahabharata (a Sanskrit epic) " concerning Krishna, who, as an avatar of the god Vishnu, teaches the ways of salvation to King Arjuna, particularly through devotion. This is perhaps the most influential of all Hindu scriptures.

Tirthankara

means "ford-builders," and are people who construct path through the great ocean of worldly life, allowing others to follow the path to Moksha.

Laozi

regarded as founder of Daoism—traditionally identified as a 6th C BCE archivist named Lao Dan within the Zhou Dynasty—purported author of book called Daodejing (Tao Te Ching), the Book of the Dao and the De (the Way and Power/Virtue/Integrity)—divided into two sections, first dealing primarily with Dao, second with De—book put together in present form by 3rd C CE, but earlier date to 4th or 3rd C BCE—possibly list of anonymous aphorisms passed down in oral form & eventually committed to writing—foundational text of Daoism, basis for all later Daoist works—because of its inherent ambiguities, interpreted in variety of ways in both ancient & modern world: as philosophical or religious classic, as political work, as book dealing with military strategy, as transcendent spiritual masterpiece

"Three Jewels" of Jainism

spiritual concepts meant to keep a person "on track" for spiritual liberation- Right Faith (darshana), Right Knowledge (jnana), and Right Practice (caritra)

Warring States Period

the period from 475 BC until the unification of China under the Qin dynasty, characterized by lack of centralized government in China. It followed the Zhou dynasty.

5 "great vows" of Jain Ascetics

• ahimsa - avoiding inflicting violence on other life forms • abstain from lying • do not take what has not been given • renounce sexual activity • renounce possessions