USC Religion 141 Midterm

Abrahamic Traditions

Judaism, Christianity and Islam, worship the God of Abraham

Dharma Traditions

Hinduism, Buddhism, Dharma is a purpose, don't have a common God/founder

Vedas

Ancient Sanskrit writings that are the earliest sacred texts of Hinduism

Teleology

What is the endgame?

Moksha

The ultimate goal of Hindu life, liberation from suffering, reincarnation

Atman

An individual soul reincarnated over many lifetimes

Brahman

Universal soul, superconsciousness. Once you end reincarnation you become one with Brahman

Cyclical Time

The world passes through endless cycles of destruction and rebirth. Dharma traditions follow this.

Shakti

The feminine creative power of the goddess

Artha

One of the goals of Hindu life which means wealth (earn your keep)

Kama

One of the goals of Hindu life which means beauty and the aspiration for beauty/love

Dharma

One of the goals of Hindu life which means how you live righteous-sly

Karma

Action/reaction, if you do something, something will happen

Yoga

Path of action

Jnana

Path of study, texts, and learning

Raja

Path of introspection/meditation

Bhakti

Path of devotion including chanting, singing, and dancing

Brahmacharya

First stage of Hindu life from 0-25, (celibate student)

Grhasta

Second stage of Hindu life from 25-50, (marriage, family, household)

Vanaprastha

Third stage of Hindu life from 50-60, (living without attachment, acts of service)

Sanyas

Last stage of Hindu life from 60-end (renounce everything to leave the cycle of rebirth)

Brahmin

Priest level of the caste system (heads)

Kshatriya

Warrior/king class of the caste system

Vaishya

Merchant/farmer class of the caste system

Shudra

Labor class of the caste system

Dalit

"Untouchable" oppressed caste

Polytheism

Belief in more than one god

Theravada

Oldest branch of Buddhism focused on the oldest tradition with a goal to be individually liberated

Mahayana

Largest branch of Buddhism including Zen Buddhism that offers salvation to all and allows popular worship

Vajrayana

Newest branch of Buddhism which also offers salvation to all

The Buddha

Siddharta Gutama who was born in a wealthy family and lived an excessive and sheltered life but one day becomes intrigued by the rest of the world and is consumed by a desire to end suffering

Buddha (3 Jewels)

The teacher

Dharma (3 Jewels)

The teaching

Sangha (3 Jewels)

The community

Samsara

Cycle of suffering in Buddhism

Nirvana

Liberation from the cycle of suffering in Buddhism

4 Noble Truths

Doctrine of Buddhism

1. Life is suffering/there is suffering

2. The origin of suffering is attachment

3. There is a way to end suffering

4. The Buddhist path is the way to end suffering

Eightfold Path

Also called the Middle Way, the path to end suffering (view, intentions, speech, actions, mindfulness, livelihood, effort, and concentration)

Boddhisatva

Someone who is capable of becoming enlightened but chooses not to, to help others achieve enlightenment. (Rejected by Theravada Buddhism)

Sikh

Disciple or student

Bhakti

15th century movement opened worship across caste and gender lines (God is available to everyone)

Langar

Communal kitchen that feeds the poor in Sikh services, based on the belief that all people are equal and all members of all social statuses eat together

Kirtan

Chanting and singing of God's name and poetry/sacred texts and prayer and meditation on God's name

Guru Gobind Singh

10th and last Guru focused on martyrdom and justice who initiates the Khalsa (army of the pure)

Guru Granth Sahb

Collection of hymns/poems written by Gurus in a Punjabi script

5 K's of Sikhism

1. Kesh (hair remains uncut)

2. Kangha (comb)

3. Kirpan (dagger)

4. Kechara (undergarments)

5. Kara (steel bracelet)

1947 Partition

Division of British India into India and West Pakistan and East Pakistan. Sikh's became minorities in both and it pitted them against each other

Operation Blue Star (1984)

Invasion of the golden temple which led to the assassination of India's prime minister

Ozawa vs. US (1922)

Whiteness based on scientific racism

US vs. Shangat Singh

Man on the street test

Gurudwara

Sikh place of worship or temple

Golden Temple

Holiest Sikh temple in Amristar in India

Sant

A wise, considerate, judicious and knowledgeable person who has a good understanding the faith

Linear Time

Time based on past, present, and future

Antisemitism

Prejudice against Jews

Shoah

Hebrew term for the Holocaust; meaning "catastrophe"

Theodicy

Why do bad things happen to good people?

Israel

Political state in 1947, the promised land and cultural center of Judaism

Prophet

God's messenger (chosen)

Rabbi

Interpreter of holy texts (chooses)

Abraham

The patriarch and first Jewish person, had sons Isaac (Judaism) and Ishmael (Islam)

Covenant

Contract, agreement between Abraham and God that if they obeyed God they would be blessed with the holy land of Israel

Moses

Chosen by God to lead the Jews out of Egypt and out of slavery, also expands the covenant

Exodus

A mass departure (like when Moses led the Jews out of slavery)

Zion

Name of the city of Jerusalem/the holy land of Israel

Halakah

Body of Jewish law

10 commandments

Thee 10 laws given by God to Moses

1. Do not have any other God before the God

2. Do not kill

3. Honor your mother and father

4. Don't steal

5. Don't say God's name in vain

6. Don't commit adultery

7. Keep the Sabbath Holy

8. Don't covet

9. Don't bear false witness against your neighbor

10. Don't make idols

The Talmud

Collection of Jewish law and tradition by rabbis based on oral traditions

Deuteronomic Theology

If you break the law you will be punished, if you follow the law you will be rewarded

Tanakh

Hebrew Bible

Synagogue

Jewish house of worship

Jerusalem Temple

First built by King Solomon. Destroyed by the Babylonian Empire and again by the Romans

Code of Hammurabi

The set of laws drawn up by Babylonian king Hammurabi dating to the 18th century BC, the earliest legal code known in its entirety

Mitzvot

Commandment of Jewish law

Monotheism

Belief in one God

King David

Second King of Israel who commits adultery and is punished by God

Messiah

Savior sent by God

1947

Establishment of Israel as a state

Zionism

A movement to create a Jewish homeland in Palestine