Exam 1 Religion (Atheism and Buddhism)

Aesthetics (sensory, beauty)

Without senses there would be no religion bc religion is founded on a relation between embodied being and the world around them (sensation makes religion)

Symbol

Something that brings people beyond the sign (universal and eternal) Can express stuff beyond language.

Ritual

system of symbolic communication

Myth

symbolic story

What does it mean to say, “to study religion, you need to come to your senses?”

idea that religion has to do with 5 senses (touch smell taste hearing sight)

Ascetic

A religious ascetic is a person who practices self-denial and discipline to cultivate virtue and faith12. Religious ascetics may live a monastic lifestyle, either alone or with others, and follow certain "exercises" of the faith, such as prayer, fasting, almsgiving,

Social structures

denote ordering of human relations on different levels (macro micro institutional ideological)

Structural violence (two dimensions)-

(what it does)-leads to direct violence and internal oppression due to power imbalance. It is interlocking forms of oppression passed down generation to generation

1st dimension structural violence

physical/psych/spiritual harm to a specific groups experience as a result of unequal distribution of power and privilege

2nd dimension structural violence

people who stay silent (silent aquesants or bystander effect)

Family resemble theory

compare it to games and family resemblance helps us create a new approach

4Cs

4Cs-

Creed (theologies and statements of belief listing what u believe)

Codes (standards for ethical conduct/ rules)

Cultus (rituals informed by creeds and codes)

Community ( groups and institutions toed by creeds tie people together)

Atheist-

the belief that God doesn’t exist ( the way of no way (do not believe in a god or higher power)

Agnostic

the belief that humans cannot know whether god exists or the position of particular individuals that they themself know whether god exists.

Anti-theist

strong rejection of god belief often marked by intense oposition to theists

negative athiesm

-someone who does not affirm theism (doesn't believe but does not negate fact that there could be one)

Positive atheism

someone who affirms that theism is false.

Humanism

a worldview affirming the supreme importance of human beings, human agencies, and human life here and now

Secularism

A world view that emphasizes life on earth as opposed to transcendent realities with an emphasis on strictly separating church and state

Secular humanism

a worldview that rejects religion and supernaturalism in order to emphasize and celebrate human life here and now

Freethought

an intellectual tradition of independent inquiry based on logic and science rather than religious authority

Three main types of Buddhism

Mainstream (theravada) vs. Mahayana (Great vehicle) and Vajrayana (Tibetan)

Mainstream (Theravada)

early mainstream Buddhist branch now popular in sir Lanka and southeast Asia (way of the elders) FOCUS ON INDIVIDUAL ENLIGHTENMENT MUST BE MONK TO REACH ENLIGHTENMENT

Mahayana (Great vehicle)

large Buddhist branch, based on Indian sutras that emerged a few centuries after the buddhas death and distinguished by its doctrine that all sentient beings will eventually become buddha (ENLIGHTENMENT IS GROUP EFFORT AND ANYONE CAN REACH IT)

Vajrayana (Tibetan)-

Mahayana Buddhist expression popular in Tibet and focused on secretive tantric teachings and practices

Bodhisattvas

(enlightenment being) an exemplar of compassion who vows to remain in the world to help other beings achieve enlightenment MAHAYANA TRADITION

Buddhas

“awakended one” a being who achieves enlightenment. He best known buddha is Sid Gauntama

Zen

Japan tradition school, rooted in chan tradition of china, emphasizes either “just sitting or koan study”

Koan-

paradoxical world puzzle typically utilized in Rinzai Zen tradition that calls forth a solution that eludes rational thinking

Arat-

worthy one, the exemplar in mainstream tradition this enlightened being will reach nirvana with death

Lama-

Tibet term for teacher of budha

( political and spiritual leader of the tibetan people and incarnation of avalokiteshvara. today s dalai lama is the 14th in this lineage )

Dharma-

TEACHING or law one of the three jewels-laws of the universe

Sangha-

COMMUNITY- the buddhist community one of the three jewels

Nirvana-

BLOWING OUT- the goal of buddhist traditions namely the bliss of liberation from suffering and ignorance of samsara.

Saṃsara-

WANDERING- unsatisfactory cycle of birth death and rebirth and redeath

Three Marks of Existence / reality

Dukkha, Anatta, Anicca

Dukkha-

SUFFERING- dissatisfaction the first of the 4 noble truths (reality shaped by this)

Anatta-

NO SELF- individuals are not permanent entities

Anicca-

IMPERMANENCE- nothing is permanent

Four noble truths-

1. Suffering (life is suffering)

2. Suffering caused by craving (or disire)

3. Secession (end craving to end suffering)

4. Fallow 8 fold path to end desire

Three biggest religions nyc

Christian Jewish Unafiliated

three biggest religions in the world

christian islam unaffiliated

Three reasons the demographics change

Fertility, switching, migration

Mindfulness-

being present in the moment (meditative practice)

Four Passing Sights (and general life of Siddhattha Gotama)-

Rich prince shaded from the world- goes out and sees an elderly man, illness, a dead person, and a monk

8 fold path

The Eightfold Path is a summary of the Buddhist practices that lead to liberation from the cycle of rebirth and suffering12. It is a middle way between extremes of asceticism and sensual indulgence23. It consists of eight aspects of life: right view, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right samadhi