World History: Buddhism, Hinduism, and Confucianism Vocab.

Brahman

The universal spirit or supreme being in Hinduism; the ultimate reality.

Atman

The individual soul; believed to be part of Brahman.

Reincarnation

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth of the soul.

Karma

The law of cause and effect; one’s actions influence future lives.

Dharma

Duty or moral responsibilities based on one’s caste and stage of life.

Moksha

Liberation from the cycle of reincarnation; union with Brahman.

Caste System

Social structure dividing people into hereditary groups (priests, warriors, merchants, laborers.)

Vedas

Ancient Hindu scriptures containing hymns, philosophy, and rituals.

Upanishads

Philosophical writings that explain the ideas in the Vedas.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods (e.g., Vishnu, Shiva, Brahma in Hinduism.)

Siddhartha Gautama

The founder of Buddhism, later called the Buddha (‘Enlightened One’.)

Four Noble Truths

The central teachings of Buddhism: life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, ending desire ends suffering, follow the Eightfold Path.

Eightfold Path

The Buddhist guide to behavior—right views, right speech, right action, etc.

Nirvana

Ultimate goal of Buddhism; a state of perfect peace and release from rebirth.

Meditation

Practice of focusing the mind to achieve inner peace and release from rebirth.

Middle Way

The path of moderation between self-indulgence and self-denial.

Theravada Buddhism

A branch that emphasizes strict practice and the Buddha’s original teachings.

Mahayana Buddhism

A branch that teaches salvation is possible for all and emphasizes compassion.

Confucius

Chinese philosopher (551-479 BCE); founder of Confucianism.

Analects

A collection of Confucius’ teachings recorded by his students.

Filial Piety

Respect for one’s parents and ancestors; central to Confucian thought.

Five Relationships

Key social relationships: ruler-subject, father-son, husband-wife, elder brother-younger brother, friend-friend.