SOR Key Beliefs - Unit 4

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The Two Great Commandments

Christianity - love thy God, love thy neighbour

Agape

Christianity - selfless love in the service of others, implying action is required when others are suffering and in need.

Genesis 1:27 (sacred text)

Christianity - describing human’s as made in God’s image, implying all creation is precious.

CST’s

Christianity (Catholicism) - human dignity, preferential option for the poor, solidarity, subsidiarity, common good, care for our common home,

Dharma

Hinduism/Buddhism - means duty, the universal natural laws, observance of which enables human beings to be happy and saves them from future suffering.

The Pancha Mahabhutas

Hinduism - The five elements that all things are created from

vasudhaiva kutumbakam

Hinduism - means the world is one family, encourages adherents, particularly those in the householder stage, to look after those in need.

Moksha

Hinduism - the liberation from samsara, might believe they must care for others to achieve this

Karma

Hinduism/Buddhism - A Sanskrit word meaning action. Any physical or mental action is karma, can also be the result of an action. Meritorious karma allows for favourable rebirth.

Ahimsa

Hinduism/Buddhism - non-violence, compassion for all living beings, sentient (thinking) and non-sentient.

Ashrama

Hinduism - The stages marking an adherents journey, including student and householder. They each come with specific actions, such as the student must study with a guru, and householder must be kind to domestic animals. Can go through all stages, but most adherents only go through first two.

Varna

Hinduism - the social categories based on occupation or personal nature. Each individual is responsible for observing the duties that come with their caste, which they have for their entire lifetime until rebirth.

Atman

Hinduism - the ultimate being in the soul which is in all living things

Puja

Hinduism - the act of showing reverence to a god, a spirit, or some other aspect of the divine, could be by respecting others

Advaita

Hinduism - reunification of atman - self - and Brahman - ultimate essence or divine. The oneness of Brahman with Atman.

Samsara

Hinduism//Buddhism - The endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth

Yogas

Hinduism - The path by which the devotee attains moksha. Includes spiritual knowledge, becoming one with Brahman, worshipping a particular God throughout your life through actions, and doing duties correctly entire life.

Brahman

Hinduism - The ultimate ground of reality in nature, 3 parts

• Brahma - creator

• Shiva - destroyer

• Vishnu - preserver

Ghandi

Hinduism - Source of authority, supports simplicity, self-reliance, ahimsa

Yamas

Hinduism - Restraint or proper conduct including ahimsa (non-violence), Brahmacharya (self-control), and aparigraha (moderation)

Niyamas

Hinduism - positive duties including tapas (self-discipline)

varnashrama dharma

Hinduism - unique dharmas governed by one’s varna and ashrama

sanatana dharma

Hinduism - worldwide duty of all people, includes yogas and yamas (incl. ahimsa)

4 Noble Truths

Buddhism - outline the nature of suffering and how to end it
Dukkha - Life involves suffering

• Samudaya - the cause of suffering

• Nirodha: the end of suffering

• Magga: the path to end suffering (Eightfold path)

Noble Eightfold Path

Buddhism - the eight things adherents must do to achieve nirvana

• Wisdom

  • Right view

  • Right intention

• Ethical conduct

  • Right speech

  • Right action

  • Right livelihood

• Mental discipline

  • Right effort

  • Right mindfulness

  • Right concentration

Paticcasamuppada

Buddhism - Everything is connected because of causes and conditions. Nothing exists on its own

Nirvana

Buddhism - the ultimate goal of Buddhism, a state of peace, freedom from samsara

The Three Jewels

Buddhism - also known as the Triple Gem

• Buddha: the teacher

• Sangha: the students (monastic community)

• Dharma: Buddha’s teachings

Bodhisattva

Buddhism - person who chose to stay on Earth after achieving nirvana to instruct others

Three Marks of Existence

Buddhism - a teaching of the Buddha

• Anicca: impermanemce

• Anatta: no self, permanent soul or self

• Dukkha (also in Noble Truths)

Anatman

Buddhism - the belief in no soul

Karuna

Buddhism - compassion towards others’ suffering

Metta

Buddhism - loving kindness, showing goodwill to all of humanity

Dana

Buddhism - generosity, a central practice of this is donating to the sangha

Five Precepts

Buddhism - things adherents must not do

• don’t kill

• don’t steal

• don’t lie

• don’t misuse sex

• don’t take drugs or alcohol that cloud the mind

Imago Dei

Christianity - all humans are created in the image and likeness of God

Incarnate Revelation

Christianity - Jesus was the revealed son of God, and was both human and divine

10 Commandments

Christianity - 10 key teachings for adherents including you shall have no Gods before my, you shall not kill, you shall not steal, you shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.

Tikkun Olam

Judaism - Repair the world and leave it better than you found it

Kavod Habiryot

Judaism - respect for human beings and dignity of all people

B’tselem Elohim

Judaism - humans are made in the image of God

Pikuach Nefesh

Judaism - preserving human life overrides virtually all other religious obligations

Kosher

Judaism - diet rules

Shabbat

Judaism - holy time, Friday to Saturday sundown

Halacha

Judaism - law

6 Articles of Faith

Islam - key beliefs

• Allah is the one and only God

• Belief in Angels

• Belief in Holy Books

• Belief in Prophets (especially the final prophet Muhammad)

• Belief in the Day of Judgement

• Belief in Predestination (Allah has the knowledge of all that will happen)

5 Pillars of Faith

Islam - key practices

• Shahada - declaration of faith

• Salat - prayer

• Zakat - almsgiving

• Sawm - fasting

• Hajj - Pilgrimage to Mecca

Sharia

Islam - law

Jihad

Islam - contains both greater and minor

• Greater Jihad - internal battle against wrongdoing to act according to the will of Allah

• Minor Jihad - purifying the world around them

Karamah Al-Insaan

Islam - the inherent dignity of all humans

Ka’aba

Islam - most sacred temple

Muhammad (PBUH)

Islam - last and most important prophet and ideal model of beliefs. some believe he is the living Qur’an

Maya

Buddhism - the concept of illusion, deception, or the unreal nature of the material world, which obscures true reality

Dependent Arising

Buddhism - you only exist because of a particular interrelated set of circumstances - not you as a distinct entity separate from everything else, everything that appears is interconnected

Reincarnation

Hinduism - same soul in a new life due to belief in atman)

Rebirth

Buddhism - not the same entity in new life due to belief in anatman

Tripitaka

Buddhism - sacred text

• Theravada Buddhism, closed canon

• Mahayana, open canon (to an extent, later sutras, especially bodhisattva (enlightened ones))

• Tibetan - open (the book of the dead)

• Also known as Pali Cannon, Three Baskets

• Original teachings, discipline

• Made up of Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka

Vinaya Pitaka

Buddhism - part of Tipitaka, rules and regulations for Buddhist monks and nuns

Sutta Pitaka

Buddhism - part of Tipitaka

• discourses attributed to the Buddha

• ethics, meditation, philosophy, and doctrine

• actual teachings of the Buddha

  • contains the four Noble Truths, Eightfold path, karma, samsara, etc.

• presented as sermons, stories and parables

Abhidhamma Pitaka

Buddhism - part of Tipitaka

• philosophical and psychological analysis of the Buddha’s teachings

• breaks down human conscience, mind states, and reality

• considered more advanced and theoretical

• used in daily chanting, study and teachings

Mahayana Sutras

Buddhism - Written in Sanskrit, compassion, emptiness, and bodhisattvas

Vedas

Hinduism - Shruti text written in Sanskrit, details rituals, duties of priests

Shruti

Hinduism - heard sacred text

Smriti

Hinduism - remembered sacred text

Upanishads

Hinduism - Shruti text, discusses Atman and Brahman

Epics

Hinduism - Smriti text, includes the Bhagavad Gita, teaches ethics and morality

Puranas

Hinduism - smriti text, legendary/mythical stories

Law Books

Hinduism - Smriti text, books of ethics and morality for society, always evolving

The Bible

Christianity - Made up of old and new testament

Matthew 22:39

Christianity - love your neighbour as yourself

Luke 4:18

Christianity - he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor… to set the oppressed free

Proverbs 31:8-9

Christianity - speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves… defend the rights of the poor and needy

TaNaK

Judaism - sacred text containing Torah (law), Nevi’im (prophets, and Ketuvim (writings)

Talmud

Judaism - source of Jewish law (halacha)

Mishnah

Judaism - commentary on Torah

Qur’an

Islam - considered the direct word of Allah, as told to Muhammad by the Angel Gabriel over 23 years. Consists of 114 suras arranged according to length (longest first)

Hadiths

Islam - collection of traditions containing sayings of the prophet Muhammad, not the actual words of Allah, second in importance to Qur'an

Tzedakah

Judaism - charitable giving to those in need, precedent set in the Torah, failing to do this is considered a sin

Tzedek

Judaism - removing systemic oppression so that charity is no longer needed.