hinduism key terms

atman

hindu concept of eternal soul

avatar

hindu concept of incarnation or earthly manifestation of a deity

bhagavad gita

sanskirt for song of the lord, text is reguarded as crowning acheivement of hindu sacred lit

yoga

communion, union of the soul with the supreme, or a process which promotes that union. the yogas represent different paths to liberation

bhakti yoga

hindu concept of devotional service to a personal god. the way to god through love

jnana yoga

the path of knowledge that aims at liberation. the way to god through knowledge

raja yoga

path of self control and meditation to realize god, the way to god through psychophysical exercises

karma yoga

path of self reaization through dedicatting the fruit of ones work to god, the way to god through work

brahma

hindu god of creation

brahman

hindu concept for spiritual oneness of all reality

guru

spiritual teacher

jiva

physical/psych/social self which acts but is not eternal

krishna

incarnation of hindu god vishnu, who appears as main character in text

maya

hindu concept of false or illusory reality

meditation

focused, dicplined conccentration intended to enable experience of the sacred

samsara

sanskrit for the ‘cycle of rebirth’

moksha

release from cycle of death and rebirth in indian religions, liberation

shiva

hindu god of destruction and rejuvination

upanishads

philosophical materials in vedic lit

vedas

knowledge, applies to entire collection of sacred indian lit

vishnu

hindu god of preservation and love, appears on earth in various forms (avatars) in times of crisis

karma

used to refer to the law of cause and effect

dharma

duty, religious duty, intrinsic quality of the self of that which sustains ones existience

caste

race, the stratified system of social classes in traditional hindu society

the four stations of life (castes)

seers (brahmins), administrators (kshatriyas), producers (vaishyas), followers (shudras)

seers (bramins)

preistly, intellectuals, spiritual leaders, philosophers

administrators (kshatriyas)

the people who can orchestrate people and projects

producers (vaishyas)

merchants, farmers, producers, people who create material objects

followers (shudras)

servants, unskilled laborers, followers

untouchables

those below caste system, outcasts

4 stages of life

student, householder, retirement, sannyasin

student

studying, learning from guru, coming of age

householder

forming and caring for your own family unit

retirement

time when person can detach from faily grind of householder stage

sannyasin

time of rejection of worldly life in exchange for a search to attain moksha, a letting go of sense of self