Modern World Views - Hinduism/Buddhism/Atheism/Agnostisism

vedas

meaning knowledge or widsom
collection of the hindu scriptures

dravidians

dark-skinned inhabitants of india

aryans

indo-europeans who entered the indus valley before 1000bc
expressed their religion in the hymns of the rig-veda (poetry)

caste

the permanent social class into which a person is born
social and religious obligations are determined by caste

upanishads

meaning sitting closely by a teacher
deal with the nature of the universe
last of the vedas

ramayana

and epic of the idealman

mahabharata

a long epic poem featuring the activities of the god krishna
includes the bhagavad-gita

brahmin

highest caste
mostly contains priests

brahman

name of the highest diety

atman

the essence of brahman that is present in individuals
the universe itself
behind all of the changes in the individual

guru

a teacher of religious duties

moksha

release of the soul from the cycle of rebirth
once it is liberated

reincarnation

atman leaves the body and is given a new body to inhabit
although bodies are replaced

karma

a person's thoughts and deeds are followed

samsara

the wheel of rebirth that turns forever
the soul is reborn until it reaches perfection

shudra

fourth caste
caste of laborers
not permitted to hear the reading of Vedas

vaishya

third caste
caste of merchants and artisans
members were allowed to participate in the vedic practices of religion

kshatriya

second caste
contains warriors

henotheism

a belief that affirms one diety without denying the existence of others

bhagavad-gita

krishnas counsel

dharma

living according to the duties of ones caste

pantheism

god is in everything

syncretism

all roads lead to the same divine

4 nobel truths

1. all life is suffering
2. suffering comes from desire
3. to end suffering you must desire
4. to end desire follow 8 fold path