World Religions Lecture Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture on major world religions including Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Brahman

The one unifying spirit in Hinduism that individuals move closer to by obeying the law of Karma.

Karma

The sum of all a person's deeds, both good and bad, which dictates reincarnation into a higher or lower social status.

Dharma

Duties in Hinduism that depend on a person's position, gender, and occupation.

The Caste System

Social classes into which a person is born and lives their entire life, which was outlawed in 1948.

Vedas and Upanishads

A number of sacred texts in which Hindu beliefs were recorded.

Siddhartha Guatama

Founder of Buddhism, born into a wealthy family in north India around 480 BCE, who sought spiritual enlightenment.

Four Noble Truths

Core Buddhist beliefs stating that life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, eliminating desire eliminates suffering, and the Eightfold path helps overcome desires.

Eightfold Path

The path in Buddhism followed to help individuals overcome desires.

Tripitaka

The collection of Buddha's teachings recorded by his followers.

Torah

The sacred scripture of Judaism recording laws and historical events, including the first five books of the Bible.

Ten Commandments

Laws given to the Hebrews by God through Moses describing how people should behave toward God and one another.

Covenant

The promise made by God to Abraham to be the God of the Hebrews.

Jewish Diaspora

The spreading out of the Jewish people caused by discrimination, persecution, and expulsion by the Roman Empire.

Messiah

A savior sent by God to bring eternal life, believed by Christians to be Jesus.

Bible

The sacred text of Christianity.

Hijra

The journey of the prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Medina in 622 CE, which became the founding of Islam.

Quran

The sacred scriptures followed by Muslim worshippers, also spelled Koran.

Sharia

The collection of Islamic laws.

Five Pillars of Islam

The five foundational practices of Islam: faith in Allah, praying five times daily toward Mecca, charity for the poor, fasting during Ramadan, and pilgrimage to Mecca.

Allah

The one God in the monotheistic religion of Islam.