REL113 Asian Religions Final Oral Exam Study Guide

Ren (仁)

Co-humanity or Benevolence in Confucianism.

Li (禮)

Ritual propriety and Ceremonial living in Confucianism.

Wuwei (無為)

Non-action or Effortless action in Daoism.

Registers (Lu)

Bureaucratic certificates of spiritual rank in Celestial Masters.

Sepulchral Plaints

Underworld lawsuits filed by the dead in Early Chinese Religion.

Atman

The eternal and unchanging Self in Hinduism.

Brahman

The ultimate and impersonal reality in Hinduism.

Dharma

Social duty in Hinduism or Cosmic Truth/Teaching in Buddhism.

Karma

The causal law of action and mental 'traces' in Hinduism and Buddhism.

Anatman (Anatta)

The Buddhist doctrine of 'No-Self'.

Nirvana

The 'extinction' of suffering and the ego in Buddhism.

Bodhisattva

One who vows to save all beings before entering Nirvana in Mahayana Buddhism.

Upaya

Skillful means or cultural translation in Mahayana Buddhism.

Kami

Sacred spirits or powers found in nature and ancestors in Shinto.

Torii

The gateway marking the transition to sacred space in Shinto.

Mudang

Female shamanic mediators between spirits and humans in Korean Shamanism.

Shinbyeong

'Spirit sickness' marking a shaman’s initiation in Korean Shamanism.

Nembutsu (Nianfo)

Reciting Amida’s name to ensure rebirth in Pure Land Buddhism.

Tariki (Other-Power)

Reliance on Amida’s grace rather than self-effort in Pure Land Buddhism.

Zazen

Seated meditation focused on 'just sitting' in Zen Buddhism.

Koan

Paradoxical riddles used to break rational thinking in Zen Buddhism.

Satori

A sudden flash of insight or awakening in Zen Buddhism.

Self-Reliance

A Victorian value applied to Buddhism.

Optimism

A Victorian lens that filters out pessimism.

Mindfulness

The modern, scientific rebranding of meditation.