Introduction to World Religions Test 2

What does Jain mean?

"conqueror" which refers to the spiritual victory involved in overcoming one's own greed, which is rooted in one's ego desire.

The basic principles of Shintoism

1) Love of Natural Beauty 2) Harmony with the sprits- Harmony with the Kami 3) Purification Rituals; Shinto worship is directed toward the gods of nature (The ritual bath). - The waterfall removes all impurity, has Kami within it. They believe you will have a chance to renew yourself through these rituals.

The Five Great Relations of Confucianism mentioned by Mencius

1) father to son 2) older brother to younger brother 3) husband to wife 4) elder parts of the population to younger parts of the population and 5) the ruler to the minister From our modern perspective, the terms used reflect a male-centric custom, which illustrates the limitations of Mencius' Confucianism, which was heavily influenced by a patriarchal society.

What is a tirthankara in Jainism?

A title that means "ford-maker" or "crossing builders." Jains believe that Tirthankara crossed the river into the external world and built the bridge between samsara (the secular) and Nirvana (the sacred).

Water is the most important Daoist image.

Because the water is flowing, water gives a lot of benefits to other natural elements and also for us. We cannot live without water. The water is soft. As the saying goes- soft and fair goes far. Like water flowing without any limit, Dao is present everywhere moving freely through every part of the universe.

Anitya

Buddhism: everything is subject to change. In Taiji, yin-yang, the Book of Changes, and Daoism, Confucianism, they also all put emphasis on how important it is to change.

Cheondogyo is a monotheistic religion based on the Korean Hananim faith.

Chendogyo literally means the religion of the heavenly way. Chendogyo was a growing religion in Korea.

During the Han dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), Confucianism was declared the national creed guiding state policy. The Confucian Classics were the basic wisdom studied and discussed by scholars and government officials.

Confucius proposed his ideas and his editorial works called the Five Classics to the government. He hoped that his teachings should be a requirement for all the young people to learn but was rejected by the government. However, about 300 years after he died, his ideas became accepted by the government and then became the national creed.

The literal meaning of Doadejing

Doadejing has only 81 chapters, this is perhaps the shortest textbooks of religious text of all. The 81 chapters contain fewer than 5 thousand Chinese letters. Doadejing translates directly to mean the book. Meaning the book of the way and integrity. Integrity is also sometimes translated as power- your inner power.

The five principles of Jainism

Five main vows: 1) ahimsa (non-violence), 2) satya (not lying), 3) asteya (not stealing), 4) brahmacharya (chastity aka sexual purity), 5) aparigraha (non-attachment aka non-possessiveness).

Who is the founder of Sikhism?

Guru Nanak, a guru, is a title, meaning he is a spiritual teacher. He is the founder of Sikhism and was highly influenced by Kabir.

Han in Korean religions literally means one in number or wholeness (including the many). The personification of it is Hananim, who corresponds to the God of Westerns.

Han is actually the backbone of the Korean spirit. That means one in number or wholeness. Yet Han also includes the many. So, the one and many. Han literally means the one in wholeness, including the many. So Han itself is impersonal. But when Han is personified then it is expressed as Hananin. Hananin means God in Korean.

The fundamental categories of Japanese religion: harai, ke, and kegare.

Harai is a ritual. It means something public and open to society itself. It is associated with the occasions but also refreshment and novelty. Ke signifies one's personal situations. Also, the Japanese term for qi in Chinese. Kegare refers to pollution or depression or withered rundown situations or impurities. Indicates the impurity of qi, our personal situations.

What was Confucius's view on human nature

He never said if human nature was originally evil or naturally good.

How did Confucius decide to be a teacher?

He was living in a very chaotic society. (The society was in great political and social turmoil). His father was killed, ministers killed rulers. So Confucius saw that the only way out of this chaos was a return to classical standards of virtue.

The Confucian concept and meaning of Heaven; in Confucianism, Heaven is all present and all relational, rather than "wholly other and "all powerful."

Heaven, is one among the four elements. We all have a heavenly nature. Our inner spirit is a heavenly nature according to Confucius. It is given by habit, but the habit again does not mean the realm after life. In Chinese this is called Tian. This is the ultimate reality in Confucianism, but it isn't separate from our present life. Heaven is all around us. Omnipresent. Omi means all. Heaven doesn't control us. But heaven is kind of a lure for fulfilling because it is in our inner nature. We need to hear the heavenly voice from our inner spirit.

Which religions did Sikhism attempt to reconcile?

Hinduism and Islam: (Hinduism is the most ancient religious tradition in India). Those two religions were in significant conflict. Yet Sikhism attempted to reconcile and harmonize the two religions.

What is Mahavira's original name?

His original name is Vardhamana.

Xunzi's view of human nature

Human nature is naturally evil

Mencius' view of human nature

Human nature is originally good

Doadejing, one of the world's shortest primary religious scriptures

It is known for its deliberate obscurity for presenting the mystery of the way. Interaction of yin and yang. So yin is like beauty as the people have the conception of ugly their view of beauty is now occurring. This means there is no conception or notion of yin without ugly or beauty without the other. They are always interactive.

Confucian humanism: the integration of four dimensions of humanity

Humanism beings with the self, which is the smallest unit of humanism within The Confucian context. Then self is surrounded by community. They are inseparable. One cannot exist without the other. Community is defined as the vehicle for human flourishing. Then self and community are surrounded by nature. Nature is all forms of life. Then nature, self, and community are surrounded by heaven. In this sense, Confucianism is a type of religion. Since heaven is a religious characteristic, yet this heaven is not the same as the Christian heaven. It is not about the afterlife. Heaven is the source of moral virtues. So, in sort, it is the self, community, nature, and heaven.

Confucianism so values the written words that calligraphy has been the greatest influence of Confucianism on the arts.

It is a requirement for Confucians to learn calligraphy, because the Chinese ideograms are thought provoking. This helped them to then get the correct meaning of letters like ren. Calligraphy is used as the best artistic image or form in the Confucian tradition.

Daoziao (Daoist religion) is characterized by belief in numerous gods (polytheistic like Hinduism) and ancestral spirits, magic-making, ritual, and the aid of priests. In addition to a reverence for heaven, the reverence for nature- mountains, rivers, animals, plants, stars, constellations, sun, and moon- was also expressed in Daoist religion (pantheistic).

It is characterized by a belief in numerous gods. (So in this sense Daoism is polytheistic like Hinduism). In addition to a reverence for heaven, sun and moon, and more were expressed in Daoist religion (So in this sense Daoism is pantheistic). Daoist believe the divine reality is present in nature, like mountains, rivers, and animals. So both pantheism and polytheism are present in Daoist belief.

Taiji Zhuan (tai ch'i chaun) as martial art in the Daoist tradition

It is originally a spiritual practice, your mind cultivations. It is the bodily practice that helps maintain the rhythm of the universe, leading to the way of the Daoist spirit. The traditional East Asian marital arts such as Taiji Zhuan, Karate, and Taekwondo require the body's disciple and the disciple of the mind. The basic skills of Taiji Zhuan are how to combine or harmonize yin and yang rhythms. Like how physical strength will not guarantee victory but the combination of strength with precision and timing can guarantee victory. All of them are from the perfect balance between offense and defense. The offense for example is yang where the defense is yin. The opposites make a balance.

Confucianism is neither an institutionalized religion nor a worship-centered religion.

It's not like Christian or Abrahamic religions. Confucianism does not have any worship service on a regular basis like Wednesday or Saturday or Sunday. Their sanctuaries are not used for service it's just for memory of Confucius and some saints. This is a type of religion that is infiltrated into people's way of life. So it has been culturized. Both Confucianism and Daoism are not institutional. Confucianism is also not a worship center religion. They do have a service for ancestral rights but they don't have a worship service. Their goal is to realize the heavenly nature in our everyday life.

Twenty-Four Saints known as Tirthankara's

Jains venerate the twenty-four saints in their temples and follow them as role models. Mahavira is the youngest, he had his own teachings and sermons which came to be known as the Orthodox teachings of Jainism. (Remember, the present form of Jainism is traced to him).

Who is Kabir and what did he do?

Kabir is a Hindu and what he did was attempt the reconciling of Hinduism and Islam. Meaning he attempted to have them both see that they express the divine reality in different ways and can get along. Yet Kabir never founded a new religion out of those two religions.

The meaning of kami: the kami spirits associated with particular places in nature; and the ancestors and even the animal spirits.

Kami or the object of worship, is broader than the meaning of God. Kami does include the divine person, and it's a spirit. The term is an honorific for novel sacred spirits. Which implies a sense of a duration for their virtues and authority. The Kami spirit is associate with specific places of nature. Kami is everywhere.

Both Jainism and Sikhism have some connection with Hinduism, sharing with it certain characteristics, such as a belief in karma and samsara.

Karma and Samsara: (Karma is the "action" good deeds will benefit you but bad deeds will lead to a bad future effect) (Samsara is a cycle of birth and rebirth) All religions of India share these two beliefs. Plus, Buddhism does as well. However, their definitions, notions, and meanings of karma slightly differ.

What is karma in Jainism?

Karma in Jainism is inherently physical and exists in the whole universe. Karma particles are attracted to the action of the soul. Any action, good or bad, cannot be freed from Karma.

What is Karma in Sikhism?

Karma in Sikhism is something that an individual gains throughout their life. It determines what happens to that individual's atma in the next life.

Daoists aim at enjoying a long life (human life is the highest value) but also accept death because death is a part of the natural order of things.

Life is good as long as it is with Dao. So life-and-death is also the way of nature. Also Zhuangzi said, "The people were better before they were literary and civilized." When his wife died Zhuangzi was singing and dancing pleasantly. He said that the death was not the end, but rather another current of life, much like the shift from day to night. Life and death are also included in the natural order of yin and yang.

Who is Mahavira?

Mahavira's title is like a Buddha, Enlightened Being, or Christ, anointed with the spirit. So, Mahavira is the Great Hero.

Jainism is nontheistic

Nontheistic is one of the religious belief systems, and it means no reference to God. Without mentioning God, they developed their religious thoughts and notions of the sacred, power, transcendent power. Nontheistic also means "not having or involving in a belief of God or gods."

Confucius saw the family structure as the environment in which the virtues of a lifetime could be developed, virtues that would eventually benefit society as a whole. Society is a kind of extension of the family structure.

One of the virtues is Xiao (filial piety), these virtues eventually benefit society as a whole.

The Confucian concern for relatedness was a response to the disintegration of order; Confucius wanted to restore the social harmony of the past: the family, the school, the local community, the state, and the kingdom.

Relational nature is critical in Confucianism, and it was a response to the disintegration of order. So he wanted to restore the social harmony of the past. Family, according to Confucius, is the smallest unit of society. Society is the extension of the family. So the family in society should have a thin connection because society is an extension of the family.

According to Confucius (551-478 BCE), a humanities teacher, a return to classical standards of virtue is the only way out of chaos. Confucianism is another nontheism.

So, who is Confucius? - Confucius is neither a philosopher nor a prophet even though he had taught philosophical teachings. However, his main concern was how to be a well-rounded person, moral, spiritual person as a human to a human being. So, he is a teacher of humanities. What is the definition of a prophet? - Prophet means the person who has privileged access to the divine.

The personal ideal of Confucianism is the noble person or the true human being (junzi).

Several elements define the Confucian way of virtues (love, benevolence). These virtues represent the main characteristics of the Confucianist ideal person, which is referred to as junzi. It is literally meaning a novel person but does not indicate any hierarchical structure. Instead, it just means a great person.

The meaning of Shinto; Shintoism has no orthodox canon of sacred literature

Shinto is a Japanese Religion. Shintoism is also called the religion of the kami. What is the Shinto? Shinto literally means the way of the divine.

The meaning of Sikhs

Sikhs means "disciples" or "seekers of truth"

Daoism places great value on withdrawal from the crowd to a contemplative life in nature.

So that we can see reality itself. Zhuangzi put great emphasis on this, since it is necessary to follow the way. The way of nature.

State Shinto (emphasis on the divine origins of the emperor): Shinto devotion helped pave the way for the establishment in 1868 of the Japanese Meiji monarchy; a former system of national shrines and militaristic nationalists. emphasis on the divine origins of the emperor.

State Shinto takes a different path from traditional Shinto. This is for the imperial Japanese way of religion. The government adapted. They used the Shinto religion to support their militaristic, imperialistic regime. Shintoism also claims that the emperor was the offspring of Amaterasu, the sun goddess. According to Japenese mythology the universe was created by two deities- Izanagi and Isanami, who had Amaterasu. All the Japenese emperors are descendants of Amaterasu. They then venerated as the divine being. Japan also invaded many other Asian countries during this period and also attacked Pearl Harbor.

Which of the Confucian scriptures is most cited, including Confucius' sayings?

The Analects includes his words and dialogues with his students. Zhong (Sincerity) and shu (Generosity) are also key terms found in the Analects.

Daoist view of civilization

The Daoist view of civilization is a little negative. Our society was originally innate, according to Daoism. Nevertheless, we departed away from the way of nature, Dao. Plus, as we continue to get more civilized, the more chaotic our society becomes. To develop our civilized society, we need to establish many things like law, legal system, moral conduct, rules and regulations, and language. However, our language often distorts the true meaning of the true reality. We now have a very rigid view of good and evil. By having a rigid view of morality, good/evil, we become highly exclusive, and we easily judge others. We judge them as an enemy if they have different views of good and evil. Then society will fall into great turmoil. The more laws we establish, the more crimes we observe.

The Four-Seven Debate in Korean Neo-Confucianism: "Four" Virtues (Beginnings)- Humaneness, Righteousness, Courtesy, Wisdom, Seven Emotions- joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, dislike, fear,; the difference between Toegye (the Four is from li while the Seven is from qi). Yulgok (non-dualistic: the Four are the good parts of the Seven.)

The Four-Seven Debate is very famous in the Neo-Confucian tradition. Four Virtues or sometimes translated as four beginnings, are Humanness, Righteousness, Courtesy, and Wisdom. Seven emotions: Joy, anger, sorrow, pleasure, love, dislike, and fear The issue here in the Four-Seven Debate was how they are interactive and what the relations are between the two. The Four Virtues are the specification of Li. In contrast, the seven emotions are the vitals of energy. Toegye argues that the four virtues are from li, whereas seven is from qi. Toegye's idea is dualistic. In other words, Toegye argues that the Four and Seven are from two separate realms. He argues that we should care for our emotions to live a virtuous life. Yulgok, however, opposes this idea. He does emphasize living a virtuous life, but philosophically and metaphysically. He also argues the Four and Seven are not from different realms. So Yulgok's idea is non-dualistic. The Four is nothing but the good parts of the Seven.

Both Shintoism and Confucianism particularly had the veneration of ancestors in common.

The Kami

From a Daoist perspective, the proper job would be determined by what the individual is most capable of doing.

The basic tenant of Daoism is to go with the flow of nature. Do not take any over action or attachment to action. So don't bite off more than you can chew.

In regard to Confucianism, the Communists after the Communist Revolution rejected it as not being egalitarian.

The communist revolution was lead by Dong Zhongshu, who rejected Confucianism as not being egalitarian. Even if both Confucianism and communism emphasize communal life, their is still a big difference. The big difference is that from the communist perspective, Confucianism suppressed the egalitarian or equal value of people's lives. From the communist perspective, Confucianism espoused or supported class distinctions, social hierarchy. People should live up to their names, but the side effect emphasized the distinctions (Let Children be Children, etc.), which was used for maintaining the privileged class even though this is not what the Confucians intended.

The present form of Jainism can be traced to whom?

The current form of Jainism is attributed to Mahavira.

The Confucianists emphasize the character-building shaped by education

The education is very important, the purpose of education is to be a well- rounded person. Confucius teachings say not to "make an intellectual person, but to make the character building the virtuous person."

The meaning of the two dots of contrasting color inside the light and dark in the yin/yang symbol? (See the PowerPoint slide)

The light side is yang, and the dark side is yin. (You can relate this image to the sun and the moon). You see that the sun is bright so that is yang. The moon is dark, so that would be yin. When yin goes extreme, it'll wane and change to light, the bright side. (yang). The sun changes night to day and the moon changes day to night. The dots of contrasting color means via the opposite arise so everything has its opposite. The force of yang is present in yin, and the other way around.

Pungryudo was originally the ritual Sky-Worship of ancient Koreans. Pungryudo was the main religion of the Korean people in the period between the 10th century BCE and the 1st Century BCE.

The most ancient Korean religion is the Sky-Worship. Which involved serving, venerating, and revering the one God. So, this is a monotheistic religion. Unlike other East Asian countries, Korea highly developed monotheistic traditions. Yet, this one god is never exclusive. (Never against the many). Sort of the one embracing the many. So this one god has pluralistic characteristics. Korea also received a lot of different religions such as Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, other religions, and Christianity. So Korea is a religiously pluralistic society.

Confucian virtues: Ren and Xiao (filial piety)

The virtue Ren has diverse meanings. It can refer to love, mercy, benevolence. The best translation of Ren, however, is human heartedness. Since all of those virtue's come from the inner heart. Xiao (filial piety) refers to one's devotion to one's parents and one's loyalty to siblings.

Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism

These three religions grew largely in China and Korea and later spread to Japan. Confucianism and Daoism are known as Chinese native religions. Buddhism was introduced to China from India, but Buddhism was successfully indigenized in China.

Confucian main scriptures: the Five Classics and Four books. You need to know their main themes.

These were written before Confucian was born. But when Confucian was born he compiled organized and edited and divided the classics into five different categories. These were Yijing (The Book of Changes), Shijing (The Book of Poetry or The Book of Odes), Liji (The Book of Rites), Shujing (The Book of Documents), Yuejing (The Book of Music), and Chunqiu (The Spring and Autumn Annals). Yijing addresses the cosmological aspects of humans nature. Shijing demonstrates the significance of human feelings based on mutual responsiveness (Relationships one). Liji represents the significance of the ritual practice. Chun Qiu presents a historical vision of human nature. Then Shujing presents his political vision. The Four Books are the Analects (Lunyu), The Great Learning (Dauxe), The Doctrine of the Mean (Zongying), and the Mencius (Menzi). These four were written after Confucius died.

Sikhism is monotheistic: there is only one God, worshipped under many names around the world.

They strongly believe there is only one God. However, this type of monotheism is not the same as Abrahamic religious notions of God, which are rather exclusive. Nevertheless, the one God is worshipped as many names around the world, so they do embrace other religions. They highly respect the different names of God. (Like the Hindu Gods for example).

Ren is a written character made up of the pictographs, what does the pictograph mean literally?

This Chinese ideogram is a combination of the symbols for person and two. The two parts of this character, the left one, means Ren. In contrast, the right one means two. So two represents the community. So this literally means the community is in the person. The word person signifies supporting each other, as shown in the portion of the image that shows the one bar cannot stand without the other. The symbol Ren represents a person's relationship with nature. in his or her innermost being. Then the two parallel bars on the right side stand for community. A person cannot be defined without his or her community and vice versa. So Ren becomes the foundation of any communal spirit and the carrying spirit over the person. So human heartedness forms the inner spirit.

The two religions with which Shinto has been most blended.

What are those? Buddhism and Confucianism. Buddhism was successfully growing in China, Korea, and Japan, and Confucianism as well. Shinto blended those two religions.

Chinese history

When Confucian followers ruled, they gained power in the Han Dynasty. At the time, even all government officials were Confucians. Then people would try to challenge them and Confucian values would always be brought up.

What does wu wei, the key concept of Daoism, mean?

Wu Wei means "not doing." "Not doing," however, should not be taken to mean "doing nothing" or thought to suggest that an individual is "being lazy." On the contrary, the Wu Wei signifies the most potentially creative reaction based on spontaneity. So, it means to make the most possible spontaneous or creative action. At the level of Wu Wei, a musician freely plays the piece without drawing his or her memory of the notes. This is like a masterful action. Wu means "not," and Wei means "action." So the action of Wei is the action based on artificial desire without causes of an attachment to that action. So like, the action without over action. Because over action goes against the way of nature. Wu Wei means to follow the natural way of nature. Taking no action contrary to nature.

yin-yang (Taiji)

Yin-yang a symbol to show opposites attract. The yin side is dark, receptive, and yielding. Where yang is aggressive, assertive. They are defined by their simultaneous depictions of oppositions and fellowship. While yin is soft and yielding, yang is hard and assertive. But they are always interactive and complementary. Taiji is defined as the ultimate or the supreme reality. Taiji is divided into two opposite forces. They are yin and yang.

Zhu Xi (1130-1200) developed a type of Neo-Confucianism, which synthesized Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism. You need to know his idea of li and qi.

Zhu Xi is a very well-known Neo-Confucian Scholar. Zhu Xi's synthetic system of Neo-Confucianism represents the interaction and harmony of li and qi. Zhu says li is the principle of the universe, while qi is the material force as physical form or you can say this is vital energy, physical energy, your emotions. Zhu Xi emphasized the interaction and harmony, between li and qi.

Daoist teachings were expressed more emphatically by Zhuangzi. He rejected the idea that government can fix society. Writings attributed to him are called the Zhuangzi.

Zhuangzi means the writings of Daoism. The main scripture or the bible of Daoism is Daodejing. The second primary writings of Dao is Zhuangzi. Two great scholars of the time- Laozi is known as the founder of Daoism also the author of the Daodejing. Zhuangzi highly developed the Daoist teachings. So the teachings were expressed more emphatically by Zhuangzi. Daoism emphasizes the contemplative life. Zhuangzi greatly advanced the significance of contemplation for Daoism. He rejected the idea that government can fix society. Government cannot fix society. So what we can do is withdraw from society to practice Dao. To see the reality in itself, we need to withdraw from society. Society is already corrupted. So we know the meaning of Dao and can make society better by practicing Dao.