Caste system
Social Structure of Hinduism, defines both level of social acceptability and role to play in society
Siddhartha Gautama
a wealthy prince looking to understand human suffering, founder of Buddhism
karma
Roles and functions assigned to all living things and each Hindu caste, the fulfillment of which leads to reincarnation as a higher form of life or a higher caste
buddha
Siddhartha Gautama; son of an Indian nobleman who attained Enlightenment after leaving home to discover the source of human suffering
Torah
Holy book of Judaism consisting of the first five books of the Old Testament which includes Mosaic law.
Allah
Arabic term for monotheistic God worshiped by the Abrahamic religions
Coptic Christianity
Christian sect of Egypt
Mahayana
“the Greater Cart”; predominant form of Buddhism found in China, Korea, and Japan including Chan and Zen traditions
Shamanism
Religious belief that focuses on people (often called medicine men) who are believed to have access and/or power over the spiritual world
Untouchables
Lowest social class in Hindu society who were not even considered part of the caste system. Performed tasks that were considered polluting such as street sweeping, etc.
Zoroastrianism
Monotheistic religion native to Persia, known for the balance between good and evil
Moksha
Peaceful escape from the cycle of reincarnation to merge with the Brahman.
Pope
Bishop of Rome, head of the Christian church in Western Europe.
Stupas
Buddhist temples constructed in India by Asoka to house relics of the Buddha
Vedas
Oral traditions of the Indo-Aryan tribes that were later recorded by Brahmins in Sanskrit which form the foundations of Hinduism
Animism
Traditional religious belief that natural objects have spirits
Sanskrit
Sacred language of Classical India in which Brahmins recorded the sacred texts of Hinduism
Augustine
Early Christian theologian and Church Father who wrote The City of God which defined the early theology of the Catholic Church
Bodhisattvas
Buddhist holy men whose prayers could aid others in achieving reflected enlightenment even after their death
Jesus of Nazareth
Founder of Christianity. Executed by the Romans c. 35CE for treason and whose death and resurrection is believed by Christians to bring salvation to believers
Ancestor Worship
Practice of venerating ancestors whose spirits protect their living relatives
Reincarnation
Hindu cycle of life, death, and rebirth before reaching nirvana or enlightenment
Paul
Early Christian apostle who wrote many letters to early Christian churches interpreting the meaning of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus
Islam
a monotheistic religion with an ethical code consisting of the Five Pillars
Devi
Mother Goddess of ancient Indian Culture, later incorporated into Hinduism;
Buddhism
Religion focused on renouncing desire to find relief of suffering, follows the eightfold path.
Hinduism
Religion focused on increasing Karma and following current role and duty in society
Dharma
Current role, duty and purpose in society in Hinduism.
Brahma
Creator god in Hinduism, all other gods and goddess are extensions of it.
Upanishads
108 Hindu Religious teachings, start as commentary on the Vedas
Bhagavad Gita
epic poem about the god Krishna, a part of a larger work describing a war between two kings called the Mahabharata
Nirvana
peaceful release from suffering
Abraham
God spoke to them and told them to lead the Hebrew people to Canaan from Babylon
Daoism
philosophy based ideas of Lao Tzu, focuses on the energy of the universe and believes there is always light in darkness and darkness in light.
Confucius
Seeks to understand the political and social turmoil in the mid Zhou dynasty, his teachings will be the basis of morality for many Chinese dynasties.