Theo World Religions Final

Flashcards covering key vocabulary and concepts from religious studies, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Native American religions.

Upanishads

Metaphysical Dialogues

Ramayana

Story about the avatar of Visnu Rama’s wife Sita is taken by Ravana

Mahabharata

One of the longest epics in the world, detailing the Kurukshetra War and the fates of the Kaurava and Pandava princes. Learned about message of karma yoga

Brahma

God of creation, associated with rajas (passion and desire)

Vishnu

God of preservation, associated with sattva (equilibrium and lucidity), avatar is Krishna

Shiva

God of destruction associated with tamas (inertia)

Karma

action

Samsara

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of samsara

Darsan

The act of seeing and being seen by a deity. gazing at a statue

Prasad

Food that is offered to the deities and then shared among devotees

Puja

The act of worship

Shudras

Manual laborer caste - feet of brahma

Vaishyas

Merchant caste - legs of brahma

Kshatriyas

Warrior caste - arms of brahma

Brahmins

Priest/teacher class - mouth of brahma

Immutability

unchangeable

Pantheism

The belief that the divine pervades all aspects of the universe.

Theandrism

divine human cooperation

Omnipotence

all powerful

Transcendence

above/greater than the world

Anatman

The Buddhist doctrine of 'non-self', meaning there is no permanent, unchanging self.

Anitya

world if fluid/mushy

Theravada

One of the oldest forms of Buddhism, emphasizing personal enlightenment through meditation and adherence to the Pali Canon

Hinayana

Mahayana term for Theravada - lesser vehicle

Mahayana

Greater vehicle - greater focus on compassion

Zen

A school of Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes meditation and direct experience over scripture

Pure Land

A branch of Mahayana Buddhism that focuses on the chanting of Amitabha Buddha to attain rebirth in the Pure Land. dominant form in China

Vajrayana

Tibetan Buddhism - known as the Diamond Vehicle

Three Gems

The Buddha, dharma, and sangha

Dalai Lama

The spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism

Lotus Sutra

A key scripture in Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes universal salvation through the teachings of the Buddha

Amida Budda

The Buddha of Infinite Light and Life, central to Pure Land Buddhism.

Abraham

A patriarch in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, recognized for his covenant with God

Isaac

The son of Abraham in Biblical tradition, known for being a patriarch of the Israelites.

Ishmael

The first son of Abraham, recognized in Islamic tradition as a prophet. Father of the arabs

Mecca

The holiest city in Islam, home to the Ka’aba and the destination for Hajj

Medina

A city in Saudi Arabia significant in the early history of Islam as the location of Muhammad's tomb

Ka’aba

A sacred structure in Mecca, regarded as the house of God by Muslims.

Mt. Hira

The mountain where Muhammad received his first revelation from the Angel Gabriel.

Hadith

the recorded sayings, actions, and tacit approvals of the Prophet Muhammad

Koran

The holy book of Islam, believed to be the word of God as revealed to Muhammad.

Shahadah

The Islamic declaration of faith, stating that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger

Allah

The Arabic word for God in Islam

Islam

A monotheistic faith that follows the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad as laid out in the Koran. - submission

Dhimmi

A non-Muslim citizen in an Islamic state with protected status.

Hijrah

The migration of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina, marking the start of the Islamic calendar.

Shirk

association - worshiping something that isn’t god as god, eg. a statue

Kufr

ingratitude - refers to atheism - most serious of sins

Jinn

supernatural beings in pre-Islamic Arabian religion and Islam, often called genies in Western culture

Qatr

small mindedness - leads us to deny gods revelations

Taqwa

fear/awe of god

Sunni

The largest branch of Islam - accepts order of caliphs - elected calips

Shi’ite

A branch of Islam - caliphs should belong to family of muhammed

Sufism

mystical religious order of Islam that focuses on the inner, spiritual journey to experience God directly through practices like meditation, love, and devotion

Ummah

The global community of Muslims bound together by faith.

Caliph

successor of prophet mohammed

Imam

Muslim religious leader

Salat

The ritual prayer performed five times a day in Islam.

Zakat

A form of almsgiving in Islam, regarded as a tax together with Salat and one of the Five Pillars of Islam.

Ramadan

The holy month of fasting, prayer, and reflection in Islam.

Hajj

The pilgrimage to Mecca that every Muslim who is able must undertake at least once in their lifetime.

Chippewa

derogatory word for Anishanabe

Ojibwe

Another name for Anishanabe

Anishinabe

northeaster MN tribe

Sioux

derogatory word for Oceti Sakowin

Oceti Sakowin

7 fire places - 7 bands

Lakota

one of the Oceti Sakowin bands, Black Elk and Lame Deer were members, west

Nakota

Oceti Sakowin band, located in middle

Dakota

Oceti Sakowin band, located in east

Wakan Tanka

The great spirit

Thunder Beings

Thunder and rain - west - black

White Giant

Cleansing/snow - north - white

Morning Star

light/peace/wisdom - east - red

Sun

growth/warth/fertility - south - yellow