World Religions and Philosophies Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the origins, morality, purpose, and core teachings of major world religions and philosophies as presented in the lecture notes.

Book of Genesis

The text in Judaism explaining that God created the world in $6$ days and rested on the seventh, marking the origin of humankind with Adam and Eve.

Sabbath

A day of rest in Judaism that commemorates God resting on the seventh day after creating the world.

Messiah

The role Jesus of Nazareth's followers believed he fulfilled, centered on his death and resurrection for salvation.

Samsara

In Hinduism and Mahayana Buddhism, the continuous cycle of rebirth (or birth, existence, and dissolution) through which beings and worlds pass.

Karma

The law of action and consequence where intentional actions influence a person's future existence and rebirths.

Atman

The divine soul found within each person according to Hindu belief.

Dependent Origination

The Mahayana Buddhist teaching that all things arise from interconnected causes rather than a first cause or creator God.

Tian (Heaven)

In Confucianism, a moral and natural force that governs the universe and maintains order and balance.

Tao

The ultimate, mysterious, and formless force in Taoism that acts as the natural principle giving rise to everything.

Yin and Yang

Complementary forces emerging from the Tao that interact to create balance in nature, humanity, and all living beings.

Kami

Sacred forces, gods, or spirits in Shintoism that exist naturally in nature, ancestors, and sacred sites like mountains and rivers.

Izanagi and Izanami

The deities in Shintoism who created the Japanese islands and many other kami.

Amaterasu

The Sun Goddess and a key deity in Shintoism linked to the Japanese imperial family.

Faith seeking understanding

Anselm of Canterbury's description of Christian theology, where reason and scripture are used to deepen existing belief.

Moksha

The ultimate goal in Hinduism, representing liberation from the cycle of reincarnation ($\text{samsara}$) and union with the divine ($\text{Brahman}$).

Siddhartha Gautama

The founder whose teachings form the basis of Theravada Buddhism, which began in ancient India around the $5\text{th century BCE}$.

Torah

The primary source of God's laws and ethical teachings in Judaism.

Ten Commandments

Located in the Book of Exodus; Chapter $20$, these are the rules given by God to Moses to guide ethical behavior toward God and others.

Dharma

In Hinduism, the foundational concept of duty and righteousness, meaning doing the right thing in the right way at the right time.

Ahimsa

A fundamental Hindu moral virtue meaning 'non-injury' in thought, word, and action toward all living creatures.

Sathya

The Hindu virtue of truthfulness and honesty in speech and personal life.

Five Precepts

Moral guidelines in Buddhism that involve refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying, and intoxication.

Bodhisattva ideal

The Mahayana Buddhist commitment to achieving enlightenment to help all other beings be free from suffering, rather than seeking personal salvation.

Ren

The Confucian virtue of humaneness or compassion.

Li

The Confucian virtue of proper conduct and respect for rituals.

Yi

The Confucian virtue of righteousness or justice.

Xin

The Confucian virtue of honesty and trustworthiness.

Wu Wei

A core Taoist principle of 'non-forcing action,' or acting naturally without struggle.

Makoto (Sincerity)

A Shinto moral value emphasizing genuine intentions and honesty.

Tikkun Olam

A Jewish concept meaning 'repairing the world,' representing the expectation that people help improve the world.

Nirvana

The purpose of life in Theravada Buddhism, defined as the end of suffering.

Qadar

Divine Destiny in Islam; the belief that Allah has complete knowledge and control over everything that happens.

Al-Lawh al-Mahfuz

The Preserved Tablet in Islam which records all events and human choices according to Allah’s complete knowledge.

Bhagya

In Hinduism, destiny that results from the karma of past and present lives.

Prarabdha Karma

Known as 'The Cards' in Hinduism, these are major life events such as birth and family that are considered set.

Purushartha

The concept of 'The Play' in Hinduism, indicating that individuals have free will in the present moment despite past karma.

Shakti

In Hindu theology, the divine feminine active force meaning 'power' or 'energy' that brings the universe into being.

Purusha

The masculine principle in Hindu theology representing consciousness.

Tawhid

Islam’s central doctrine of monotheism, asserting that God is one, all-powerful, and all-knowing.

Apostles’ Creed

An early summary of Christian beliefs structured around the Trinity, affirming God as creator and the resurrection of Jesus.

Constitution of Medina

An early Islamic social contract that promoted cooperation and granted religious freedom to different communities.

Shahada

The Islamic testimony of faith: 'There is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.'

Four Noble Truths

The core teaching of Theravada Buddhism which explains the nature of suffering and how to overcome it.

Noble Eightfold Path

The Buddhist guide to living a balanced and mindful life to end suffering.

Junzi

The Confucian goal of becoming a 'gentleman' or morally superior person through the consistent practice of virtue.

Filial Piety

A central Confucian value requiring lifelong respect, care, and obedience to parents and ancestors.

Five Basic Relationships

The Confucian system for social harmony based on roles: King to Subject, Father to Son, Husband to Wife, Elder brother to Younger brother, and Friend to Friend.