World Religions Midterm

Inward Training/Techniques of the mind I

another source from guanzi collection, dates to 7 BCE (perhaps the first one written), probably composed mid 4th c. BCE

Chinvat Bridge

zoroastrian bridge in the after life that you have to cross to reach heaven "Bridge of judgement"

Digambara

"Clothed in sky"; a member of the Jain sect in which monks ideally do not wear clothing Jains who live naked in small groups (sky clad)

Sallekhana

"Holy Death"; death by self-starvation, valued in Jainism as a noble end to a long life of virtue and detachment

Yogacara

"Practice of yoga"; major Mahayana school of Indian Buddhism that emphasizes the nature of consciousness

Sruti

"What is heard" that which is heard, refers to the revelation of the vedas

Devas

"heavenly devine, anything of excellence" a deity

amitabha

"infinite light." The savior of the Pure Land School that saves by grace. Buddha, wanted to establish pure land

Dvija

"twice-born", refers to the upper three varnas sanskrit for twice born

smrti

"what is remembered", later texts following the Vedas

Theravada/ Hinayana/Nikaya

'Way of the Elders' branch of Buddhism followed in Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. It remains close to the original principles set forth by the Buddha; it downplays the importance of gods

Confucius

(551-479 BCE) A Chinese philosopher known also as Kong Fuzi and created one of the most influential philosophies in Chinese history. His doctrine of duty and public service had a great influence on subsequent Chinese thought and served as a code of conduct for government officials. Although his real name was Kongzi (551-479 B.C.E.).

Karma

(Hinduism and Buddhism) the effects of a person's actions that determine his destiny in his next incarnation The belief that actions in this life, whether good or bad, will decide your place in the next life.

Bahubali

(Jainism) famous arhat; son of Rishabha; fought brother for throne, then renounced kingship to stand in meditation for a year. Famous statue of him in Karnataka (aka Gometeshvara) He was the second of the hundred sons of the first tirthankara

Madhyamika

A Mahāyāna school of Buddhism that emphasizes codependent origination middle position between realism and the idealism

Avatara

A descent or incarnation of a deity in earthly form.

Jati

A sub-varna in the caste system that gave people of sense of community because they usually consisted of people working in the same occupation. in India, a group that defines one's occupation and social position

Veda

Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism. Early Indian sacred 'knowledge'-the literal meaning of the term-long preserved and communicated orally by Brahmin priests and eventually written down.

Qi

Breath

Lunyu

Confucius Analects, manual for governance

4 noble truths

Core of Buddha's doctrine; all life involves suffering, desire is the cause of suffering, elimination of desire brings the end to suffering, and disciplined life conducted in accordance with the Eightfold Path brings elimination of desire

Darsan

Darsan is "seeing" in Hinduism. In Hindu worship, the beholding of a deity (especially in image form), reversed person or sacred object. The experience is often conceived to be reciprocal and results in the human viewer's receiving a blessing.

Asura

Demi God, evil

3 Kayas

Dharmakaya, Shambhogakaya, Nirmanakaya

Laozi

Founder of Daoism "old Master", author of the Daodejing

Mahavira

Founder of Jainism Great Hero

Zarathustra/ Zoroaster

Founder of Zoroastrianism

Shangqing

Highest clarity founded by medium/shaman yang xi, based on scriptures supposedly received from immortal lady wei of heaven of highest clarity, ascetic sext based on external alchemy (making elixers/potions to attain true person)

Devi Mahatmya

Hindu religious text describing the victory of the goddess Durga over the demon Mahishasura. Important becaus it explains the past history of the religion and the virtues that they value. Battle between the Goddess (who protects the worlds and destroys misfortunes) and the demons. The Goddess killed both demons and order in the world was restored. - respect through embodiness

Eightfold Path

In Buddhism, the basic rules of behavior and belief leading to an end of suffering wisdom (right understanding, right thought), moraltity (right speech, right conduct, right livelihood right effort), concentration (right mindfulness, right meditation)

Anekantavada

In Jainism, a principle of perspectivism about all truth for less than omniscient being who cannot see things from all perspectives. (Often referred to as a principle of pluralism.) not-one-worldview

Fravashi

In Zoroastrianism the term used which describes the premortal essence or spirit which enters a mortal body Eternal spirit

Angra Mainyu

In Zoroastrianism, the evil god, engaged in a cosmic struggle with Ahura Mazda.

Ahura Mazda

In Zoroastrianism, the good god who rules the world. Main god of Zoroastrianism who represented truth and goodness and was perceived to be in an eternal struggle with the malign spirit Angra Mainyu.

Aryana Vaejah/ Iran/ Eire(land)/ Ireland

Land of the aryans

Moksa

Liberation from the never-ending cycle of life (aka Samsara).

Ahimsa

Non-violence in Jainism, nonviolence and respect for all living things

Vedanta

One of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy The end of the Vedas

Daoist Canon

Perfection Mystery Spirit refers to the hundreds of texts brought together by Daoist monks after the introduction of Buddhism to China as part of the larger attempt to oragnize and institutionalize Daoism as a religion

Brahmanas/ Brahmin

Priest Class

Pure Land

Pure Land traditions/teachings, focused on Amitabha Buddha, implies that entering the pure land is equivalent to the attainment of enlightenment. Each Buddha has a pure land. Central teaching is that it is no longer practical or possible to attain nirvana in our present day but that karmic merit can lead to the pure land through reliance on Pure Land sutras and devotion to Amitabha.

Upanisads

Sacred scriptures of Hinduism. The ending of the Vedas, the earliest recorded Hindu scripture. philosophical viewpoint, held that everything in the universe is brahman, moksha.

Agni

The Hindu god of fire

Siva

The destroyer the destroyer; god of dance The destroyer and the great doctor; overcomes all opposites and exposes polarities non-dualities that come from the same source, reminds us that Brahman is beyond duality and exposes life's paradoxes (i.e. creates illness, but holds the cure)

Druj

The lie in Zoroastrianism

Bhagavad Gita

The most important work of Indian sacred literature, a dialogue between the great warrior Arjuna and the god Krishna on duty and the fate of the spirit. a section of the Indian epic the Mahabharata A Hindu holy book where the god Krishna teaches the importance of selflessness, performing religious duties, and of devotion to God.

Achaemenid Empire

The name of an ancient Persian Empire (c. 550-330 BCE) which was composed of many smaller kingdoms. The realm was divided into twenty-three satrapies whose administration and taxation was managed by subordinate local rulers.

Mahayana

The name of the more mystical and larger of the two main Buddhist sects. This one originated in India in the 400s CE and gradually found its way north to the Silk road and into Central and East Asia. "the Great Vehicle" - The largest of Buddhism's three divisions

Visnu

The preserver, shows how Brahman's energies play out in love towards us; saves the earth against chaos

Nirvana

The state of englightenment for Buddhists. the state of bliss associated with final enlightenment, nirvana 'with remainder' is the highest level possible in this life, and virvana 'without remainder' is the ultimate state

Zhenren

True Person Human ideal, a person completely aligned with dao and so they are immortal

Brahman

Ultimate reality

House of Song/ House of endless lights

Zoroastrian Paradise heaven

Saoshyant

Zoroastrian messiah that will bring peace to the world. "Savior", final descendant of Zarathushtra and the spiritual leader who will usher the final judgment

Dong Zhongshu

a Han Dynasty Chinese scholar, traditionally associated with the promotion of Confucianism as the official ideology of the Chinese imperial state

Tripitaka

a Sanskrit word meaning Three Baskets. It is the traditional term used by Buddhist traditions to describe their various canons of scriptures Buddhism Sacred Text

dana

a giving ritual in which Theravada families present gifts of food, at their homes or a temple to bhikshus who conduct rituals including chanting and merit transfer

Bodhisattva

a person who has attained enlightenment but who has postponed nirvana in order to help others achieve enlightenment

Videvdat

a portion of the Avesta devoted especially to spells against demons and prescriptions for purification Law against the evil god given rules and rituals for how to keep the evil decas away, purifies the world, anticipated world end, removing objects of ritual pollution

Sakta Philosophy

branch of hinduism

Celestial masters

emphases on making a new covenant with deities, who operate like bureaucracy (not through blood sacrifice) Chinese Daoist movement that was founded by Zhang Daoling in 142 CE -- first organized group of Daoists -- Before their foundation, Daoism did not exist as an organized religion. - group od daoist wjo created a theorcratic state -- took over in Sichuan Province as the Han Dynasty fell apart

Sakti

female energy within the human body; refers to the female consort of a male divinity "female energy" within the human body, also refers to the female consort of a male divinity Hindu worship directed toward the feminine aspect of Shiva

Self cultivation

goal of Daoism

Asoka

great emperor of India, promoted buddhism/dharma conquest after he realized the devastation he caused

Lotus school/Tiantai/ Tender

highest school of buddhism

Atman

in Hindu belief, a person's essential self Soul

Jiva

individual soul Eternal soul/consciusness, all living things are endowed with Jiva

Samnyasa

is the stage of renunciation within the four main stages of life (asramas). They abandon their home, society and essentially all the links to the world. Renunciation is linked with trying to gain liberation whilst still alive through the performance of austerities, discipline and spiritual exercises.

Aryan

nomads from Europe and Asia who migrated to India and finally settled; vedas from this time suggest beginning of caste system warrior people who arrived in the Indus River Valley from Asia around 1500 BC. They brought with them religious books called Vedas, and a strict caste system.

Sramana

non vedic indian religious movement, gave rise to yoga jainism and buddhism, popular concepts include samsara and moksa

Wuwei

non-action/not- doing non action, 'not doing' as a way of being in the world, a state not of 'doing nothing' but of acting without intention or self interest, an ideal for both Daoists and Confucians, though most prominently associated with the former

Shen

numinous or spirit

Vedic Sanskrit

old into-aryan language

Zhuangzi

one of the main sources of daosim Named for the thinkers who had these ideas

Doadejing

one of the main texts of Daoism

Ramayana

one of two classical Hindu epics telling of the banishment of Rama from his kingdom and the abduction of his wife by a demon and Rama's restoration to the throne epic literature, teaches ideal behavior and perfect marriage

Jaina

one who practices Jainism, follows a Jina

gongan / Koan

paradoxical expressions

Old Avestan

primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism

Ch'an/ Chan/Zen/ dhyana

school of Mahayana Buddhism

Upaya

skillful means a term used in Mahayana Buddhism to refer to an aspect of guidance along the Buddhist Paths to liberation where a conscious, voluntary action is driven by an incomplete reasoning around its direction

3 characteristics of existence

suffering impermanence no-self

Ritual Masters

taoist priests

samsara

the cycle of life and rebirth in Hinduism (Hinduism and Buddhism) the endless cycle of birth and suffering and death and rebirth

Rsabha

the first Tirthankara of our current time cycle; aslo called Adinath

Mahadevi

the great goddess; represents the sum of all goddesses and divine femininity; also known as Devi.

Siddhasila

the realm of liberated souls, where the jivas rise up to once freed

Henotheism

the temporary elevation of one god over another, without denying the existence of others, in some polytheistic religions is called

Dao

the way- the ultimate, the path taken by followers of a particular tradition

Astika

those religious traditions which consider the Vedas to be "that which is (true)"

Nastika

those religious traditions which consider the Vedas to be "that which is NOT (true)"

Asha

truth, order, justice, godliness, righteousness. inseparable quality of God

De

virtue, power, inner power attained through integrity and alignment with the dao

Jing

vital essence

Svetambara

white-clad, less extreme sect of Jainism one of 2 early sectarian nodes within Jainism where mendicants wear simple white robes, believe females can attain liberation