Eastern Religious Traditions Midterm

Aryan (Hinduism)

Nomadic People

Aryan Scriptures (Hinduism)

Vedas

Veda (Hinduism)

Literally means knowledge. The 4 scriptures originally were orally transmitted

The 4 Vedas (Hinduism)

Rig, Yajur, Sama, Artharva

Agni (Hinduism)

Fire god, mediator between humans and the gods, who brings gods to sacrifice in vedic sacrificial rituals

Shiva (Hinduism)

The gods of destroyer

Vishnu (Hinduism)

Preserver of the universe (avatar/incarnations: Krishna and Rama)

Brahma (Hinduism)

Creator

Brahmin Caste (Hinduism)

Priest

Kshatriya Caste (Hinduism)

Warrior

Vaishya Caste (Hinduism)

Merchant, farmer, craftsman, etc.

Shudra Caste (Hinduism)

Slave

Outside of the Caste System (Hinduism)

The untouchables (Called Harigan by Ghandi, Called Dalit by themselves)

Brahman (Hinduism)

The underlying essence of the universe, usually translated as the Absolute Truth/Ultimate Reality/the Supreme/ Supreme Being/Brahman is the supreme, unitary reality, the ground of all Being.

Atman (Hinduism)

the Deep Self, the eternal Self, essence within each individual. It is successively reincarnated until released from samsara. Atman and Brahman are identical, but atman is viewed from an individual perspective, and Brahman is viewed from a collective perspective Svetaketu and his father's conversations illustrate the feature of the Brahman, and the relationship between Brahman and Atman through the analogies of things made of clay, river and ocean, etc.

Karma (Hinduism)

Action and deeds, the moral principle of cause and effect. A person's situation in any given moment has been shaped by all previous actions. Karma is the driving force of one's successive transmigration.

Dharma (Hinduism)

Law, duty, righteousness, upholds cosmic and social order.

Samsara (Hinduism)

cycle of rebirth

Moksha (Hinduism)

liberation or freedom from the cycle of rebirth or the bondage of samsara

Ramayana (Hinduism)

The epic involves in issues of fulfilling one's dharma in the public, political realm, and in the private, familial realm. Rama is the example of an ideal man, son and king; Sita is the example of loyal wife, Lakshmana is the loyal brother and Hanuman is the selfless devotee.

The Bhagavad Gita (Hinduism)

The shortened version from the longest epic Mahabharata , which has a great impact on Ghandi

Jnana yoga (Hinduism)

Knowledge

Karma yoga (Hinduism)

(action), cultivate "desireless action" or acting without attachment to the fruit or benefits of the action

Bhakti yoga (Hinduism)

devotion, which comes to dominant Hindu practice and belief. The path of devotion is available to anyone, regardless one's gender or caste. The only requirement is selfless devotion.

What are the 4 stages of life in Hinduism?

Student, Householder, Forest-dwelling hermits, Renouncers

What are the 4 aims of life in Hinduism?

Dharma (Duty/Righteousness), Kama (Fulfillment of desire), Artha (Pursuit of wealth & social prestige), Moksha (Ultimate liberation from transmigration)

Upanayana Ritual (Hinduism)

sacred thread ritual, initiation ritual for boys of the twice born classes (everything but Shudra caste, lowest caste)

Wedding Ritual (Hinduism)

An initiation ritual for women, somewhat equivalent to upanayana ritual for men. The wedding is sanctified by a fire sacrifice. Offerings are poured into the fire to offer to gods to ask for blessings.

Death Ritual (Hinduism)

Purify the body, cremation. It is considered to be the last sacrifice.

Jina (Jainism)

Conquer, those who conquer one's desire to achieve final liberation

Founder of Jainism

There's 24 tirthankaras and Mahavira. Promotes non-harm and ascetic life

Division of Jainism

Digambara (sky-clad), Shvetambara (white clad)

Three Jewels of Jainism

Right faith, right knowledge, right behavior

ahimsa (Jainism)

non-violence

jiva/ajiva (Jainism)

Life/no-life. There are five categories of living things based on the sense one has

Five-sensed (Jainism)

(hearing, touch, taste, smell and sight): gods, human beings, animal(monkey, cattle, elephant, parrot, snake...)

Four-sensed (Jainism)

(touch, taste, smell and sight): Larger insects (butterfly, fly, wasp..)

Three-sensed (Jainism)

(touch, taste and smell): small Insects (ant, bug, flea..)

Two-sensed (Jainism)

(taste and touch): worms, shellfish...

One-sensed (Jainism)

(touch): vegetable-bodies and earth-bodies (stone, clay, minerals), water-bodies (river, sea rain), fire-bodies (lights, flame), wind-bodies (gases, wind)

Loka (Jainism)

place of rebirth hell, human realm (middle), heaven, crown of the loka (where disembodied jivas reside)

karma (Jainism)

in Jainism, it means "action" as well. All actions involve various forms of matter that weigh down the jiva and thus hinder one's liberation. Immoral actions that violates the principle of non-violence or other Jain ethical teachings dirty the jiva with heavier impurities. Highly virtuous actions, on the hand bring about only small quantities of light matter that is easy to be removed from one's jiva.

Sallekhana (Jainism)

ritual fast to death by gradually reducing intake of food or liquid. This is a common practice within Jain community. Jains do not think this is committing suicide. Not only monastics, but also laity practice Sallekhana. This practice is believed to be auspicious, and can help one to remove one's karma.

Sikh (Sikhism)

Learner/Disciple

Gurus (Sikhism)

There are 10 human gurus, Founder: Guru Nanak, The 11th one is Granth Sahib (Adi Granth) which is the scripture

God (Sikhism)

Akal Purakh (Timeless one), Formless One, Vahiguru (the Supreme guru)

hukam (Sikhism)

divine order, all-embracing principle, to submit oneself to hukam, the divine order means to remove one's egotism

The 5 "K"s (Sikhism)

Kes: uncut hair, Kangha: Comb, Kach: short breeches, Kara: Bracelet, Kirpan: Sword

Practices (Sikhism)

congregational and individual worship, singing hymn plays an important role in worship Congregational meals: renouncing caste system

Nature (Chinese Cosmology)

Chinese cosmology operates according to its own law. The law is not given by an outside law giver.

Cyclical Process (Chinese Cosmology)

Rotation of day and night, rotation of the 4 seasons

Progress of growth/decline (Chinese Cosmology)

Rising/falling of the tide, the waxing/waning of the moon

Yin/Yang (Chinese Cosmology)

Bright part is Yang, dark part is yin

What are aspects of Yin? (Chinese Cosmology)

Female, Dark, Passive, Cool, Wet, Soft

What are aspects of Yang? (Chinese Cosmology)

Male, Bright, Aggressive, Hot, Dry, Hard

Wu Xing (5 basic elements) (Chinese Cosmology)

Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal

Book of Changes (Chinese Cosmology)

A divination manual

Fengshui (Chinese Cosmology)

the layout and location of one's residence or the tombs of one's ancestor can impact one's fortune

Confucius (Confucianism)

Teacher, transmitter and preserver of the teachings of sages

Sage Kings Confucius admired

King Wen, King Wu, Duke of Zhou

5 Confucianism Books

Book of Poetry, Book of Change, Book of Documents, Book of Rites, Spring and Autumn Annals

li (Confucianism)

rites, norms of behavior, propriety, decorum, li can morally transform people, or instill moral qualities in a person, to enable one aware of his/her social position, to discipline oneself. Confucius believed that li could bring order to the society by morally transforming people.

Five Cardinal relationships (Confucianism)

ruler-subject, husband-wife, father-son, older brother- younger brother, friend-friend. zhengming: rectification of name. Everyone knows his/her position in the society and acts according to his/her position entitles him/her to do and fulfill what they are supposed to do.

Filial piety (Confucianism)

devotion to one's parents or ancestors. Filial piety not only means one should take care of the material needs of one's parents, but also should have right attitude when one serve one's parents or ancestors.

Junzi (Confucianism)

morally perfect person. Idealized person.

ren (Confucianism)

humane, benevolent. A humane person overcome his/her selfish interest to put other people's benefit before him/her. A humane person should

Dao/ Tao in Confucianism

moral and social order, moral truth; the appropriate way to do things

Author of Dao de jing (Daoism)

Laozi/Lao-tzu

Dao/Tao (Daoism)

the Way, cannot be described by language. Dao is the source of everything, and makes things as they are. Dao is associated with simplicity, naturalness, spontaneity and full of potential.

Wu wei (Daoism)

literally means non-action, in Daoism it means doing nothing against the Dao (Way), let things follow its own natural course.

Freedom in Zhuangzi (Daoism)

free oneself from the formula of behavior, free from artificial constrains and open up one's mind and make room for spontaneous and natural response to occur.

Relativism in Zhuangzi (Daoism)

nothing is absolutely good or bad, desirable or undeniable. It depends on perspectives and contexts.

Dao in Zhuangzi (Daoism)

Zhuangzi emphasis on that the Dao determines the particular way of the cosmos to operate and the nature (inborn qualities) of each individual. It makes all things equal and transcends all the conventional distinctions.

Wu wei in Zhuangzi (Daoism)

doing nothing against the Dao, no action based on any purposeful motives of gain or striving, avoiding conflicts and obstruction and finding a way to fit the constrain to act at ease and effortless.

Xinzai (Mind fast) (Daoism)

free oneself formulaic way of thinking, free from man-constructed standard

Buddha (Buddhism)

The enlightened/awakened one

When did the Buddha realize the act of people suffering? (Buddhism)

When he left the castle and saw the old, the sick and the dead

The Four Noble Truths

suffering (birth, old age, sickness, death etc, and suffering of grasping five skhanda, five skhanda means five aggregates, including form, feelings, perception, thought formation, consciousness ), cause of suffering (caused by craving), end of suffering, the way to end suffering (eightfold path).

Jnana (wisdom, discernment) (Buddhism)

right view and right resolve

Right view (Buddhism)

opposite to Hinduism, Buddhism believes there is no permanent self (anatman).

Sunyata (Buddhism)

emptiness, means empty of a permanent self.

Sila (virtue) (Buddhism)

right speech (no false speech, avoid harsh speech, divisive speech and frivolous talk), right action ( no killing, no lying, no stealing, no sexual misconduct, no intoxication, or the five precepts) and right livelihood (avoid any occupation that harms human beings or animals, such as occupations involved in trading in weapons, alcohol, poison, meat or human beings should be avoided.)

Samadhi (concentration) (Buddhism)

right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration (meditation)

Karma (Buddhism)

action, deeds, driving force of one's transmigration

Transmigration (Buddhism)

six realms of existence (the low-level realms: residents of hells, hungry ghost, and animal; the high-level realms: human being, demi- god, and god)

Nirvana (Buddhism)

blow out/transcend the cycle of birth and death (samsara), liberation from suffering

Hindu Rituals

Rites of sacrifice were performed to sustain cosmic order and please the gods. Late Vedic period, philosophical innovations began to supplant the older Vedic emphasis on sacrifice. Upanishads, namely, philosophical texts became more widely spread.

Haumai (Sikhism)

Self-centered pride, self-reliance and ignorance of one's reliance on God

Manmukh (Sikhism)

Bound to ego

The principle of geomancy (Chinese Cosmology)

The balance of yin and yang; the smooth movement and preservation of qi (vital force)

Eight characters and individual destiny (Chinese Cosmology)

One's destiny can be decided by the year, month, day and time of one's birth. The year, month, day and time are represented by eight Chinese characters.

Ideal ruler/government (Confucianism)

Rule with li, rule by virtue, rulers should be moral examples for the subjects to follow.

Four Noble Truths (Buddhism)

suffering, cause of suffering, end of suffering and the way to end suffering

______ is the fire god

agni

rama

vishnu

usha

agni

Karma decides ______

none of the above

one’s future lives

one’s present life

a&b

a&b

Rama is the incarnation of ________

brahman

shiva

vishnu

lakshmi

vishnu

According to the reading, Sita (also called Janaki) ________

was killed by the fire

passed the fire ordeal to prove her chastity

committed suicide by throwing herself into the fire

accepted Rama’s accusation and left Rama

passed the fire ordeal to prove her chastity

Rama accepted his exile without protest to fulfill his dharma as a son and subject

true

false

true

The major argument of Rama’s long speech to Bharata is that no one can change their inevitable end, so everyone should do what they are destined to do

true

false

true

Rama and Bharata shared the same view on the dharma of a son

true

false

false