world religion exam

anthropocentric

Regarding humankind as central or most important element of existence, especially as opposed to God or naimals

agnosticism

• ‘Without knowledge’

• Not sure whether there is a God or not (not enough evidence both ways)

fundamentalist

• Taking truth literally from religious text

• Cruel punishment & specific traditions that follow

• Strict ways of worship & prayer

atheism

• Person actively opposed to religion, not merely just denying existence of God

• Could be someone who believes in existence of God but chooses to go against this or attack mainstream religions

milestones

theocentric

• Deeper understanding of reality beyond cosmos

• Belief God created universe & separate from it; each person created in image of God

• Purpose of life is to discover path that will lead to (re)union w God & to live in accordance w rules & values that reflect & can achieve purpose

cosmocentric

• Universe alive & filled w spiritual presence 

• Human lives dependent on nature’s patterns

• Stories, narratives & symbols all reflect beginning & continuation of cosmos

• Many native/indigenous cultures integrate ways to honour nature’s sacredness into daily life

be able to rank the major world religions from oldest to youngest

Good Friday

• Remembers death of Jesus Christ 

• Supreme goodness & extraordinary love of God

• God’s offer of salvation through forgiveness of sins

Peter

• Simon Peter

• Death 64 CE

• First pope & peaches at pentecost 

• Buried in rome & becomes first center of Christianity

• Clashes w Paul b/c Peter thinks u have to be Jewish first to follow Christ so they call a council. In end, Paul wins & don’t need to become Jewish first & will keeping Jewish scripture & Jewish law was left behind

• Break w Judaism 

Holy Trinity

God, Jesus, Holy Spirit

orthodox

• Pope vs. 4 Bishops after changing beliefs in Church without consulting bishops 

• Bishops tired of this & break off into Eastern Orthodox vs. Christianity 

• 1054 

saint

• Medieval Church: People travelled where saints were so could worship thru shrines & show devotion 

• Importance of saints differ between denominations 

• Feast Days: saints resemble diff ways, person of Christ. Catholics often turn to saints to intercede w God & examples of how should live lives  

• Remain part of Church, form communion of saints

paul

• 35-64 CE

• Apostle to Gentiles (most influential before Jesus, realized preaching the wrong thing)

• Established Dec 25 Jesus Birthday bc winter & summer solstice 

• Established idea that Non-Jews can practice Christianity 

• Crucified upside down bc felt didn’t deserve same death as Jesus 

easter tridium

3 days outlining final days of Jesus life, death, & resurrection (Thursday to Easter Sunday)

protestant

• Protestant reformation in 16th century

• Driven by Martin Luther’s criticisms 

• Elizabeth I results in Protestant becoming division 

• Increased liturgy, invention of printing press

• 95 Thesis

explain what vatican ii was & importance in terms of interreligious dialogue

• 1962-1965

• Pushes Church into the world 

• Part of move to Ecumenism

• Accepting eachother’s Eucharist (Eastern & Western Churches) 

• Focusing on what unites & respectfully discussing differences

key ecumenical statements in “nostra aetate”

• Canada promotes understanding of religious cultures 

• Turth & grace among nations “as a sort of secret presence of God” 

• Church rejects nothing which is true & holy in these religions 

• Acknowledge & promote spiritual and moral goods in religions

• Council exhorts Catholics & Priests to be familiar w world religions

• Declaration on Christian Education, recognizing education in religion should be preparation not only for eternal life but also for life in multicultural society 

• Respect is ultimate goal 

• Dialogue excludes nobody

• Declaration of religious freedom (carried w aid of communication and dialogue) 

• Church life demands faith particularly aware, profound & responsible 

• Church know not possible to maintain integrity of its faith in splendid isolation from faiths of others

apostles creed

council of Trent

• Part of counter reformation (response to everyone leaving catholicism) 

• 3 sessions from 1545-1563 - does not revert damage, stops ppl from leaving Church in big #’s

• Doctrine reaffirmed (all faith alone, scripture alone concepts ignored by Church as reaffirmed what Protestants got rid of) 

• Structural changes (Corruption gone, better education for priests, got rid of nepotism, celibate priests, tone down indulgences like tickets to heaven) 

• Religious orders 

  • St. Ignatius Loyola

  •  Jesuits (scholars & missionaries that help spread Church internationally)

  •  spiritual movements that make room for ppl to practice religion in certain ways

messiah

• Christianity: Jesus, came to same humanity from sins, rose from the dead on Easter Sunday. Performed miracles, was part of the Holy Trinity. Will return 

• Judaism: Jesus was not the Messiah, Messiah has to come back before Temple is rebuilt. May have been a prophet 

• Islam: born miraculously & performed miracles but was not son of God & never died, ascended into heaeven & will return to help humanity in future

the crusades

• 1096-1270

• Holy wars where people argue that Church or God is behind them

• Large population explosion so not a lot of jobs

•  1st Crusade: eastern side of church needs help bc Islam pushing into territory, so Pope calls 1st crusade

  • Antioch captured in 1099 followed by Jersualem. Takes Jerusalem back, starting crusade = sins forgiven, land part of the deal, would bring in criminals

  • Some kings brung army in, crusades dont go as planned. Went into Jewish areas and attacked Jewish people who lived there

• 3rd Crusade: Jersualem lost in 1187

• 4th Crusade: final crusade sponsored by papacy

  • Christians gather up & attack Constatninople, creaitng massive tension between east & west & one of the first splits 

rosh Hashanah

• Jewish new year

• Sep or early oct

• 2 day festival commemorating creation of world 

• Day of judgment: God balances a person’s good deeds over past year against bad deeds & decides what next year will be like. God records this in Book of Life

• 10 days of repentance (forgiveness from God & others) 

• Ends w blowing of Shofar (ram’s horn) 

• Time spent in synagogue to repent mistakes & spend time with God

sabbath

• Time to put aside work, shopping, housework & instead focused on family, prayer & friends 

• Jews may go to synagogue on Friday evening

• When return home families share meal that begings with Kiddush (prayer over wine). Usually challah (special egg bread) blessed & eaten at the meal

• About rejuvenation, not restriction

• Home ritual helped Judaism endure even in hostile societies

Torah

• Written over 400 years

• Means ‘revelation’ ‘teaching’ or ‘instruction’. For Jews means a way by which to live

• First 5 books of the Hewbrew Scriptures (Pentateuch)

  • Genesis = myth & story about evolution 

  • Exodus = story of Moses leading Israelites back to Canaan 

  • Leviticus = rituals & ceremonies performed during Temple worship (not as needed bc no temple) 

  • Numbers = Outlines Israelities faith growth while wandering for 39 years in desert before tnering Promised Land

  • Deuteronomy = Outlines 613 laws that Jews are called to follow (addition to 10 commandments) includes Kosher, marriage, family, property, murder, etc

  • Rabbis interpret these books

tzitzit & tallit

• Biblical command to attach fringes to corners of foru-cornered garments

• Tzitzit: strings attached to corners of the tallit

• Always made of white wool & spun with sacred intention 

• Used for mitzvah

• Serves as constant reminder of obligation to God

• 8 strings & 5 knots are a physical representation of the Torah’s 613 mitzvahs

kabbala

• Mystical reading of the Roah 

• Done in Hasidic divisions 

• Zohar (text)

• Ein sof (text)

• Focus on harnessing physical experiences when trying to find God

shema

• Most important/fundamental statement of Jewish beliefs taken from Torah

• Refers to 2 fundamental concepts: 

  • God is their God & Jewish people are the ‘chosen people’ 

  • Second belief is Monotheism 

  • “Hear, O Israel: the Eternal One is our God, the Eternal God alone”

gentiles

non-jewish people

canaan

• Promised land established thru Abraham (patriarch of semitic faiths) 

• 40 years wandering desert till Israelites reach Canaan 

• Split into Israel (north) & Judah (south) after Solomon’s reign

hasidism

• Ultra-orthodox division 

• Live in exclusive communities, rejecting modern world

• Founder taught communion w God happens thru prayer, good deeds, humility & joy 

• Emphasize singing, dancing & Kabbalah (mystical reading of the Torah)

• Very traditional clothing & grooming (black clothes, tassels, complete body covering, beards, etc.) 

• Strict observance of Jewish law

abraham

• Patriarch of semitic faiths 

• Experience where God speaks to him & wants to form covenant 

• Establishes first covenatn w God & humans, underlying all of Judaism & result in them being the favoured people

• Promises will be Father of a great nation & chosen people

• Promise of a promised land 

• Father of all monotheistic religions

mitzvoth

• Keeps covenant (act of doing good deed, more than a commandment that gives people ethical direction) 

• 613 mitzvoth in Torah

• 10 commandments (heart of law)

• Prayer 3x/day (morning, noon, night) 

• Tzedakah (charity, 10-15%)

• Shabbat - friday sundown to sat sundown, no work

• helps Jews live in right relationship w God

yom kippur

• Day of atonement

• Ending festival of Rosh Hashanah

• Most important religious day: book of life & God’s judgments finally sealed on this day

• Jews spend day seeking reconciliation w God & atoning for sins

• Marked by 25 hour fast, no signs of comfort or luxury 

mitzvot: define

• Keeps covenant (act of doing good deed, more than a commandment that gives people ethical direction) 

• 613 mitzvoth in Torah

• 10 commandments (heart of law)

• Prayer 3x/day (morning, noon, night) 

• Tzedakah (charity, 10-15%)

• Shabbat - friday sundown to sat sundown, no work

• helps Jews live in right relationship w God

kashrut (kosher)

• Jewish laws devoted to food

• May eat all fruits & vegetables, split-hooved animals, chicken, turkey, duck & fish with fins & scales 

• Cannot eat horses, pigs, birds of prey or shellfish 

• Permitted foods must be slaughtered in ritual fashion (all blood is drained) & must be killed with as little pain as possible

• No meat or dairy can be eaten together & all utensils for each type must be separate

• Kosher diet helps them not get sick bc avoid conatimated foods

• Establishes Jews as identifiable group & speaks to huamnity & humility of Jewish people

• Demosntrates sacrifices & submitting to higher power

• hygiene (getting rid of mediums for growth of bacteria, forbidding animals that have health problems) 

• Moral lessons (sensitive to feelings of ppl and animals) 

• National reasons (Tikkun Olam mission, repairing world. Special diet reminds of mission) 

• Mystical (holy people so holy diet, get characteristics of each animal u eat. Non-kosher food blocks spiritual potential of the soul)

• Discipline: if discipline in diet, then discipline in other areas of life

zionism

• Support for state of Israel

• Refers to movement to re-establish Jewish homeland

• Israel establish in 1949 

• Follows from diaspora, constantly living in temporary homes & desire to return to promised land  

• Follows Holocaust where Jewish people began to return to Israel & zionist movement grew larger

• Began to lobby the UN tog rand the land of Israel as their homeland 

• Retribution for the Holocaust  

• Desire to return to the promised land

• Founded in late 19th century

canaan

• Promised land established thru Abraham (patriarch of semitic faiths) 

• 40 years wandering desert till Israelites reach Canaan 

• Split into Israel (north) & Judah (south) after Solomon’s reign 

• Stories told of the land in the Old Testament (journey there, spiritual significance, etc)

imam

• Series of infallible leaders

• After death of Muhammad, called to take charge of Islam & guide the community 

medina

• Where Muhammad ran away 

• People became opps to Muhammad (from wealthy class, dont like that he is getting power & taking followers)

• Gains lots of followers here

• Unified Islmaic community he rules over

• Desire to protect territory & expansion into other cities 

• Died in Medina in 632 CE

ka’ba

• House of God, huge sube sanctuary at Zamzam well

• Located in mecca 

• Everyone must visit once in their life & pray at the Ka’bah (pillar) 

• Muhammad went here to get rid of all idols

qur’an

• Sacred text (recitation)

• Holiest book in Islam

• Gives guidance on worship, behaviour, how to view world

• Usually chanted aloud

• Wahi (revelation) revealed to Muhammad thru Angel Gabriel

• Transmitted orally from Muhammad to companions then passed down

• Unaltered word of God

• Criticism not permitted

• 1st source of Islamic law

muhammad

• Final & seal of prophets (last of those who have come to convey divine wisdom. Completes teachings) 

• Received Wahi (revelation) of Qur’an thru angel Gabriel on Mount Hira over 23 year period

• Hadith & Sunnah are collections of his word & actions

• Clear ban on images bc belief of trying to take on God’s power

• Presented as a deceiver & heretic in Eastern Chruch historically

• Did not reject previous messangers of God

mosque

• Every friday, Muslims offer mandatory congregational prayers

• Centre of religious community

• Includes dome/minaret (which ppl are called to prayer)

• Steady supply of water to perform Wudu 

• Women & men pray separately (to avoid distraction)

•  Prayers led by Iman who delivers sermon b4 Friday prayers, speaks from elevated platform called a Minbar

ramadan

• Many Muslims will try to eat a large meal called suhur just before dawn.

• When daylight is over, most Muslims will break the fast with dates or water, following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, before having a proper meal later.

• Evening meals during Ramadan are occasions for family and community get togethers

• Discipline through diets makes u stronger and more disciplined in other areas like spiritually, appreciating God’s gift to others, and get sympathy for those who do not eat

friday: Islam

• Congregational prayers @ Mosque

• Friday prayers led by Iman who delivers a sermon before

story of Muhammad’s life

- Final & seal of prophets (last of those who have come to convey divine wisdom. Completes teachings) 

→ Born - Mecca 570 CE

• 2000 years after Abraham

• Very thriving, lots of trade, many cultures, lots of powerful groups competing for power

• Was a camel driver so lots of trade and different religions & cultures

→ Abu Talib (uncle) / Khadijah (wife)

• Parents died young

• Uncle is leader of an important clan 

• Wife likes his intelligence & maturity, was wealthy 

→ Journey to Heaven (619 CE)

• Angel Gabriel appears to him when he is sitting in a cave; tells him that he is the messenger of God 

•  Numerous visitations, wife encourages him to listen 

• Begins to preach monotheism in Mecca

• to a rock in Jerusalem (Temple Mount) and goes on a journey to heaven

• Build own monument there vs. Jerusalem Temple

• Reason why there is so many political conflicts over this 

→ Medina

• Runs away here

• People become opps to Muhammed (from wealthy class, dont like that he is getting power and taking followers)

• Gains lots of followers here

• Unified Islamic community that he rules over

• Hijrah is known as his journey & beginning of Islam 

• Wants to protect territory & expansion into other cities

→ Mecca Submits 629 CE

• Group of followers try to take Mecca

• Takes a large chunk of Saudi Arabia

• Islam holds entire territory 

• Goes to Ka’bah and gets rid of all the idols 

→ Died - Medina 632 CE

• 61 yrs old

• No sons 

• 1 Daughter Fatima

- Clear ban on images bc belief of trying to take on God’s power

- Presented as a deceiver & heretic in Eastern Chruch historically

- Did not reject previous messangers of God

5 pillars

→ 1st: Shadah

• Basic statement of Islamic faith: anyone who cannot recite wholeheartedly is not a Muslim

• “There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger”

• Proclaiming Allah is only God, Muhammad is prophet & that they personally accept this as true

→ 2nd: Salat

• Obligatory prayers (5x a day)

• Connects Muslims to eachother

• Series of movements & prayer (uniting mind, soul & body in worship) 

• Put aside all everyday cares so can focus on God

• Ritual cleansing Wudu before

• Prayer must be said facing Mecca 

• Pray bc Allah told them to do this, obtain great benefit in doing so

• During prayer each Muslim is in direct contact w Allah. No need of a priest as an intermediary 

• Can pray anywhere, but especially good to pray w others in a Mosque (reminder all humanity is one, all equal in sight of Allah) 

→ 3rd: Zakat

• Compulsory giving 2.5% wealth to charity each year

• Type of worship & self purification

• Obey GOd, help acknowledge everything comes from God & dont own anything 

• Whether rich or poor is God’s choice (help those chosen to make poor)

• Self-discipline & freedom from love of possessions/greed

• Freedom from love of money, self

→ 4th: Sawm 

• Ramadan eating 

• Large meal suhur (breaking fast when daylight over w dates or water following example of Prophet Muhammad) 

• Evening meals occassions for family & community get-togethers

• Discipline makes stronger spiritually, appreciating God’s gift, sympathy for others 

• Eid ul-Fitr

  • Festival ending ramadan

  • Dressing up & visiting Mosque for prayer

  • Visting family & friends for celebratory meals & gift giving

→ 5th: Hajj 

• Muslims of every ethnic group, colour, socila status, & culture gather together in Mecca & stand before Kaaba praising Allah together

• Designed to promote the bonds of Islamic brother/sisterhood by showing that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah.

•  The Hajjis or pilgrims wear simple white clothes called Ihram. During the Hajj they renew their sense of purpose in the world.

•  Mecca is a place that is holy to all Muslims.

jihad

→ To struggle or effort, means more than holy war

→ 3 diff kinds of struggle

• Believer’s internal struggle to live out Muslim faith as well as possible (greater Jihad)

• Struggle to build a good Muslim society

• Holy war: struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary (lesser Jihad) 

→ Muslim faith/territory under attack, Islam permits beleiver to wage military war to prectect

→ Shariah law sets very strict rules for such conduct of war:

→ Not used to…

• Force conversion/colonize other nations

• Gain territory for economic gain

• Settle disputes

• Demonstrate leaders power 

→ is for…

• Self defense 

• Strengthening islam

hijab

→ veiling cover

→ Some areas of Islamic faith require that women cover every part of their body & hide faces behind a veil, while others define veiljg as covering hair in public 

→ Veiling was a pre-Islamic practice in Arabia & no longer universal among Muslim women

→ Sign of devotion & obedience, strength in spiritual aspect of faith

5 pillars (define)

→ 5 obligations every Muslim must satisfy in order to live a good & responsible life according to Islam 

→ pointless to live life without putting one’s faith into action; carrying out 5 pillars shows putting faith first

→ Between individual Muslim & Allah - no point in carrying them out insincerely or trying to cheat bc God canoot be fooled & only person who suffers is individual concerned

grandfather teachings

→ commonly shared from coast to coast

→ stories or origins of the teachings in all communities. Each community adapted teachings to suit community valutes 

→share concept of moral respect for all living things, peace & harmony

→ 1. Truth 

• Turtle (carries truth & teachings on back) 

• Teaches patience, being true to self & honouring gifts

• Speaking only ab what lived & experienced 

• 13 markings on Grandmother Turtle’s back (13 months & 28 days) 

→ 2. Humility

• Wolf (brings food for pack before eating himself)

• To understand,must listen

• Ask for help when needed, all equal

• Think of yourself less, on earth to make difference in lives 

→ 3. Love

• Eagle (Closest connection w Creator) 

• Kind & safe

• Peace w others and selves, building block for relationships

• Children great storytellers, do what u love

→4. Honesty

• Sabe 

• Used to walk among humans to remind to remain true to nature & represents what means to be honest 

• Hurts yourself & others by lying

• Be honest & truthful 

→ 5. Wisdom

• Beaver 

• Natural gifts of sharp teeth to wisely cut logs & branches to build dams

• Encourages responsible & sustainable use of ones gift & talents

→ 6. Respect

• Buffalo

• Gives every part of his being to sustain human way of living, not bc he is of less value but respescts balance & needs of others 

→ 7. Bravery

• Bear

• Balanced life w rest, survival & play

• Find inner strength to face difficulties of life & courage to be yourself

• Stand for what is right, make positive choices w conviction 

totem

• Links to mythical ancestors

• Protective entities (represents family group, can have individual or for whole tribe/nation) 

• Can be for individual or entire tribe

• May show up in other forms of jewelry (ex. beading) 

• Persons of same totem considered to be close relatives & may not marry

shamans

→ belief & practices for communication in spiritual world

→ practitioner of shamanism: shaman

→ messengers between human world & spiritual world

→ treat illness by amending soul (sometimes called medicine man) 

→ enters supernatural realms/dimensions to get solutions to problems afflicting the community

→ coordinates rituals, but lots of ppl are actively involved

the Indian act

→ 1876

→ governs administration of Indigenous ppls and land in Canada

→ outlines definition of Indigenous status, reserve land management & structure of FNMI governments 

→ been criticized for assimilative nature  

wakantanka

→ The Great Spirit (called by Siouan people) 

→ Creator & sustainer of life 

→ unity w ancestors & warriors that have divine powers

→ cure sick, protect hunter, give victory to warrior, food to hungry, answer requests of those who prayed

→ ancestor spirits work w Great Spirit to help humanity & drawed on for guidance and wisdom

ceremony

→ rituals & celebrations varying for diff nations & communities

→ spiritual practices, communal gathering, recognition of important life events/seasonal changes 

→ maintains cultural identity & culture to land

smudging

→ 4 sacred medicines: sage, sweet grass, tobacco, & cedar

→ stand in circles, elder/conductor of circle smudge

→ cleanse hands & eagle feather (help smudge people)

→ smudge senses first, then breath, eyes, ears, hair feet, then pray in silence 

→ breath: sacred words come out of

→ eyes: see all good things Creator has to offer

→ ears: hear good words ppl have to say

→ hair: identity, DNA of history

→ feet: walk mother earth with great respect

animism

→ belief everything is alive & connected (no separation between physical & spiritual worlds)

→ everyone has a soul/spirit (everything embodies life) 

→ do believe in supreme creator but have any number of spirits who are less powerful

→ many spirits bc many human needs (ex. Fisherman wants to be on good terms w spirit of sea to help catch fish, be safe, etc)

two row wampum

→ 1st treaty

→ 1523 Jacques cartier

→ need to communicate w FNMI bc entering a new land

→ good relationship for 100 years. FNMI call shots, allow them to use resources for trade

→ Europe gets greedier & wants to make permanent settlements bc have a colony

→ Beads used to record pieces of history

→ flowing alongside eachother, never crossing. 

→ symbolizes peace friendship, mutual support

dharma

→ connected to karma that determines ur station in life

→ is duty & requirement of that station in life (code of conduct) 

→ determined by family, age, gender, caste) 

→ embracing & living this duty completely is a spiritual exercise

→ helps remove Karma which in tern, moves u into better station in life

brahman

→ supreme being/spirit of universe everything is derived from & which will all eventually reunite 

→ power that sustains universe & deepest reality

→ does not have a form, gender, cannot be described or seen

→ ppl free to imagine brahman as anything which is why Hinduism has multiple gods or deities which each respesnt a different facet of Brahman

lotus

→ seat for Gods & Goddesses

→ grow in pure water

→ symbols of universe

aum/om

→ sacred syllable

→ placed at beginning of most Hindu texts

→ sacred exclamation to be uttered at beginning & end of a reading

→ consists of 3 phonemes, a, u, and m

→ symbolizes Three Vedas, Hindu Trinity or three stages in life (birth, life & death) 

→ aum can be seen as way of saying name Brahman. Used to symbolize God’s singularity; stating that multipilicity of existence symbolized in the aum syllable is really founded in a singular God 

→ syllable OM represents supremacy of Brahman & chanted at beginning & end of all Hindu prayers & readings from scripture

upanishad

→ upanishad period in 600 bce

→ focus = meditation

→ meditations and reflections, commentaries 

→ record teachings of the Holy Men (reflections on the Vedas)

→ 14 main books

→ shift in focus of antri ritual to working to God

ganges

→ river in India

→ ashes thrown during cremating (milestone) 

→ if someone dies soemwhere else in world, member in family takes ashes to india or ships their body there to be cremated

→ body brought & burnt alongside domes

→ oldest son supposed to be at start of process of the body burning

moksha

→ release from samsara (goal)

→ goal of all humanity regardless of religion

→ alternative pathways to salvation each religion

→ follow station in life & Atman to know what is right path for them

→ not the belief that the soul reaches a new palace, but extinctio the Atman “evaporates” to return to or become one w Brahman

indus valley

→ 2500 BCE

→ develops along Indus river valley in NW India

→ Farmers

→ Beliefs

• Matriarchic (followed female leaders, opposite of patriarchal)

• Fertility Gods/Goddesses (large place in society, farmers, connected to those concepts)

• Peaceful

karma

→ action

→ every person born into station of life merited by deeds of their former life

→ law of cause & effect

→ everything u do affects destiny

→ add baggage to soul & determines if u will be reincarnated into better caste or easier to reach salvation from or opposite 

→ if perform good deeds, spiritual exercieses & meditation u can be reborn to higher form in future life

→ live according to dharma

bhakti

→ yoga - path to devotion

→ particular deity & spend lives worshipping them thru prayer in home shrine (called puja or in a temple) 

→ Bhagavad-Gita is text used to inform this type of worship

→ begin day w ritual: purify w water before participating 

→ syllable OM represents supremacy of Brahman & chanted at beginning & end of all Hindu prayers & readings from scripture

→ in practice called Japa, worshippers chant names of deities repeatedly as well as sacred phrases (mantras)

hindu trinity

→ Brahma - power of creation

→ Vishnu - power of preservation

→ Shiva - power that reduces all to nothing

→ symbolize cycle of existence (brith, death, destruction)

aryan civilization

→ 1500 BCE

→ Conquerors from central asia

→ spoke Sanskrit, have written language

→ Nomadic hunter/gatherers (conquer territory, leave some ppl behind)

→ used chariots in battles

→  Beliefs: male, sky gods assiocated w hunt, fierce warriors, male power, nomadic, cattle powers) 

→ Caste system comes from here

• System of stratifying society (divied into rulers, priests, cattle herders)

→ system reflected & complimented understanding of Karma & Dharma (being respectful, following roles in societym etc.)

→ but became highly entrenched & limiting, led to discrimination

samsara

→ outlined in the upanishads 

→ when you die, your soul (atman) finds another vehicle (body) in which to inhabit - reincarnation

→ type of body determined by karma from previous lives

→ process of birth, death, rebirth

→ process viewed as negative trap

→ goal is to release the Atman so that it can be returned to its source, brahman

→ connected to moksha, which is the release from samsara that is the goal of all Hindus

brahman: define

→ supreme being/spirit of universe everything is derived from & which will all eventually reunite 

→ power that sustains universe & deepest reality

→ does not have a form, gender, cannot be described or seen

→ ppl free to imagine brahman as anything which is why Hinduism has multiple gods or deities which each respesnt a different facet of Brahman 

→ everything comes from Brahman & everything desires to return to Brahman (realizing this allows to defeat death) 

→ release atman so can be returned to its source, Brahman

→ Goal of Moksha to return/become one with Brahman 

→ syllable OM represents supremacy of Brahman & chanted at beginning & end of all Hindu prayers & readings from scripture 

→ Aum: way of saying Brahman name; symbolizes GOd’s singularity, multiplicity of existence symbolized in the stllable is found in a singular God

caste

→comes from the Ayran civilization who had system of stratifying society. Was divided into rulers, priests and cattle herders.

→ Karma: add baggage to soul & determines if reincarnated in better caste or easier to reach salvation from, or opposite

→ Involved in Dharma (code of conduct to follow) 

→ reflects & compliments understanding of Karma & Dharma (being respectful, following roles in society, etc.) 

→ originally meant to simply organize society, however over years became highly entrenched and limiting

→ lead to discrimination (banned in 1940s when India regained autonomy from England) 

→ Caste in order:

1. Brahmin

2. Kshatirya

3. Vaishya

4. Sudras

5. Harjans/Parishs 

→ ranks different occupations, goals, duties, and required characteristics. 

→ highest occupation is priests, religious teachers with goals of knowledge & education

→ lowest: “unclean occupations” like tanning leather, remoivng dead animals, washing toilets, etc. goal is to move beyond caste in their next life

reincarnation

→ life exists in circles rather than a line

→ all living things are reincarnated (born again & again) into different life forms

→ goal of life to release self from cycle of time

→ time is cyclical (moves from one period of life to another without any beginning of end) 

→ connects to samsara, process of birth, death, rebirth that atman goes through

→ reincarnation viewed as negative trap, goal is to release atman so that it can be returned to its source, Brahman

bodhisattva

→ enlightened individuals destined to become buddhas

→ attainment of nirvana in order to alleviate suffering of others 

→ vow not to enter Nirvana untal all beings enter together (commit putting others before self) 

→ extend compassion & guidance

→ # is theoretically limitless, applied to great scholars, teachers, Buddhist kings

→ Celestial bodhisattvas considered manifestaions of eternal Buddha & serve as saviour figures & objects of personal devotion 

anicca

→ offering of flowers to temple/statue in home in light of the Buddha u are worshipping

→ symbolizes impermanence (will decay) 

→ flowers will fade & wilt, demonstrate impermanence

three baskets

→ Vinaya-Pitaka (basket of discipline) addressing rule of monastic life & codes of conduct

→ Sutta-Pitaka (basket of discourses) teachings of Buddha & Jatakas, collection of birth stories about previous lives of Buddha meant to illustrate morality

→ Abhidamma-Pitaka (basket of further teachings): nature of consciousness & includes Dhammapada, collection of 424 verses on ethics

→ most accurate record of Buddha’s teachings

nirvana

→ End suffering through reaching 

→ Unmaking of sensual craving & conceptual attachment 

→ to follow 8 fold path of enlightenment to its end is to reach Nirvana 

→ All Buddhists look forward to experiencing Nirvana, however Buddhas are different from their followers in that they are able to be awaken on their own (without model teacher) 

→ when the life of the arhat (worthy one, saint who has achieved Nirvana) ends, they enter the state of nirvana - life energy of Arhat is blown own 

→ Liberation from samsara

→ through self effort, nirvana could be reached in one lifetime regardless of one’s position in society 

→ eternal peace 

sanga

→ Theravada (Way of Elders) branch of Buddhism 

→ believed to be from og followers of the Buddha

→ monks/nuns & only they can achieve enlightenment 

→ Emphasis on monastic life, resulting in religious hierachy 

→ Lay people support monks/nuns & can gain merit by following the Buddha 

→Guidelines: 

• Chastity

• Begging for good

• Giving up possessions

• Meditation & pacifism

mahayana

→ Great Vehicle - branch of buddhism

→ 200 BC Mahayana (more liberal school) emerges 

→ China, Korea, Japan

→ Buddhism for masses

• Compassion for all living things as supreme virtue

• No monasticism as the only legitimate path (more inclusive)

• Focus on Buddha (celebrates divine saviour) 

→ Buddha more than 1 historical person

→ Buddhas existed b4 will exist after Gautama & considered divine beings

→ Buddhahood everlasting & creates new Buddhas from its power. Every person is a potential Buddha

→ Believe in Bodhisattvas who answer prayers & aid people (guides) 

→ Buddhas in making & can dwell on earth/Buddhist heavens from where they offer divine assistance (transferenceof their karma) to those who worship them 

→ Scripture: Tripitakas, but others including “secret” teachings of Buddha & later Chinese & Tibetan writings 

→ End Goal: Compassion & liberation for all. Salvation offered thru grace & compassion of Buddha

→ Wisdom attained thru meditation, devotion to a bodhisattva, ritual & spiritual exercises

story of siddhartha guatama (the Buddha)

→ Prince Siddharta Guatama in Kapilavatthu (near present-day border of India & Nepal)

→ 563 BCE

→ Parents: King Suddhodana & Queen Maya had waited for a child for long time. Everyone in kingdom rejoiced at his birth 

→ Miraculous occurences during birth:

• Vision of white elephant entering mother’s room & thats how she became pregnant 

• Painless birth, Buddha arrives & immediately starts walking & talking 

→ Seer Asita prophecy: “The son fo the king of Sakya will become a world ruler, or, if turns away from the courteous life, a fully liberated one, a Buddha.” 

→ lived in the royal life (privileged, comfortable existence) 

→ Brahman priests came to Temple to name baby & forecast future, when taken there the statues of the gods bowed before him 

→ Started levitating when meditating when sitting under tree 

→ Four Sights realized: 

• Old man, sick person, dead person, ascetic 

• Went to great meditation teachers & found only temporary cessation of suffering & not definitive end of birth, old age, illness & death

• Moved into jungle to spend years in extreme ascetic practices 

→ violent practices in jungle like barely eating, extreme pains, breathing as little as possible (effort to control body & mind) 

→ discoveries:

• Not violent asceticism with self-flagellation & not courteous life full of sensory longing was way to liberation, but middle ground of concentration & letting go was

• 4 noble truths 

→ Tempted by Demona Mara (appetites, hunger, desires of flesh) 

→ Once reached enlightenment

• Sat under Bodhi tree

• Ate solid food & regained strength, then secluded from sensual pleasures & unwholesome states, entered upon & abided in the first jhana (applied & sustained thought w/ rapture and pleasure born of concentration)

• 3rd & 4th jhanas

• Teach others what had discovered & became Buddha

• Taught to royal people, other 5 ascetics 

four noble truths of buddhism

1. To live is to suffer (life is suffering)

→ inevitable physical suffering such as pain, sickness, injury, tiredness, old age and eventually death 

→ psychological suffering: sadness, fear, frustrations, disappointment, depression

→ noble truth does not negate the fact life can also be filled w happiness (wont last forever) 

2. Cause of suffering is desire (tanha) and attachment to impermanent things 

→ attachment to transient things & ignorance thereof (always wanting things to be the same but it wont last forever, everything is changing)

→ not only physical objects, but also ideas & in greater sense, all objects of our perception

→ ignorance lack of understanding how mind is attached to impermanent things 

→ reason for suffering is desire (tanha): passion, pursuit of wealth & prestige, striving for fame & popularity, craving & clinging

3. Suffering can be brought to an end

→ cessation of suffering can be attained thru nirvana

→ unmaking of sensual craving & conceptual attachment

→ extinguishes all forms of clinging & attachment

→ can be overcome thru human activity, simply removing cause of suffering. Freedom from all worries, troubles, complexes, fabriciations, ideas 

4. Solution to suffering is the Noble Eightfold path

→ path to end of suffering - gradual path of self-improvement

→ middle way between two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) & excess self-mortification (asceticism) 

→ end of cycle of rebirth

→ extend over many lifetimes, throughout which every individual rebirths

what Buddhism rejected & preserved from Hindu faith

→ Similarities: 

• End suffering (primary goal of Buddha)

• Personal responsibility

• Samsara - reincarnation & endless cycle of birth, death, rebirth 

• Dharma: expected to follow the Dharma. But Dharma refers to teachings of Buddha, not duty 

• Cyclical timelines:  universe eternal w ages of creation & destruction following upon eachother. “Eternal” religions 

  • Many worlds like heavens inhabited by Gods & Goddesses, hells by demons

  • Middle realms of animals & humans

  • Liberation (moksha/nirvana) from samsara (rebirth in one realm or another) central to both

→ Differences:

• Annica (impermanence): world is in constant flux & nothing stays the same

• Anatta (no-self) philosophical concept that there is “no self” no permanent identity/existence

• Everyone made of variety of parts, which are impermanent & ultimately illusion

• Rather than finding Atman within, the Buddha, found no self/ultimate reality, only essence underlying existence

• Hundism more speculaitve & focused on ritual, Buddhism practical & focused on direct inward observation of human condition

• Quesitons of exsitence of God for individuals to deal with on their own (No “God” in Buddhism”)

• Buddha rejected all systems of class/hierarchy, made everyone responsible for own faith and salvation

• Earliest sacred texts of Buddhism written in pali (local dialect) vs. Sanskrit (language of priests) 

• Buddha believed that thru self effort, Nirvana can be achieved in one lifetime, regardless of position in society 

dali lama

→ current leader of the Tibet

→ 14th in direct line of succession through rebirth

→ Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism)

→ 750 CE Buddhism spread to Tibet & mixed w local religion

→ Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan

→Focus:

• Fighting fire w/ fire (harness sensual energies of life & turn them against themselves)

• Practices to achieve this: Mandalas, mudras & mantras. Can only be learned thru study w a master

• Practices invoke sound, movement, sight capitalizing on sensual energies as ways to enhance spiritual energies

→ Buddha view:

• Human who experienced enlightenment then taught others how to do the same

→ other important individuals:

• Lamas important religious leaders hwo reincarnate to continue leading out of compassion 

→ Scriptures:

• Reliance on scared text called Tantras 

→ End Goal:

• Reach Nirvana in a single lifetime rather than passing thru countless lives before achieving salvation

the middle way

→ Noble Eightfold Path

→ path to end of suffering (gradual path of self-improvement)

→ middle way between two extremes of excessive self-indulgence (hedonism) & excessive self-mortificaiton (asceticism)

→ leads to end of cycle of rebirth

→ can extend over many lifetimes

ahimsa

→ no violence; being aware of not hurting any living (physically, emotionally, mentally) to the slightest degree (can be interpreted as compassion as shows care for all beings)

→ controlling negative emotion projects, restraint from harming 

→ Spiritual progress b/c lord resides in every living being

→ Five Precepts:

1. Abstain from killing/harming living beings

2. Abstain from stealing

3. Abstain from improper sexual conduct

4. Abstain from false speech, ex. Telling lies, setting people against eachother, gossiping

5. Abstain from taking alcohol & harmful drugs 

→ aims to cultivate inner peace, reduce suffering & promote harmony 

→ core teachings of Buddhism that emphasize compassion, kindness, & non-harming 

→ practices like vegetarianism, meditation, mindfulness, acts of kindness