World Religions Simplified Q3 Content Test

myth

not a lie, but a story to proclaim truth

totems

things that represent a group

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taboo

actions that must be avoided

sacrifice

something given to please, appease, or provide for the gods or spirits

sacred place

specific place that is considered sacred

sacred=holy=set apart

sacred space

space around a sacred place

magic

this is the ability to control nature

not magic in the way we would usually think, as in a card trick

includes imitative magic

imitative magic

control nature on a smaller scale

done via voodoo dolls

fetish

a good luck charm, is used to control nature

four leaf clovers, for example

dances are specific to

Native American religions

dances

intended to make the spirits happy and to tell a story

spirit world

there is one supreme spirit that is personal and abstract

there are many other spirits in nature

the Peace Pipes are a way of connecting to the spirit world

animism

all living things have a spirit

white people kill, Indians preserve

sacrifice

the Sundance is an example, it was performed by self-inflicted pain

taboos

avoid dead people and gravesites

Death and afterlife

there are two souls, neither of them are immortal

life/breath and free soul

life/breath

when the body dies, it dies

free soul

leaves during dreams and disease

this soul is free at death and goes to the land of the dead

supreme god

created the world and then left

this god is not involved in the world and does not care

lesser spirits

they are spiritual forces

they have an impact on the world

you can sacrifice to them or trade with them, etc.

there are a lot of them

ancestor spirits

past relatives

they care about their living family

they can impact things greatly

you want to be on their good side so they will help you after they die

the leaders of the African religions are

diviners, spiritual curers, and prophets

diviners heal circumstances

spiritual curers heal the body and mind

prophets speak on behalf of the gods

sacrifice

incredibly important, everything they do revolves around sacrifice

a severe crime will result in a severe sacrifice

rites of passage of African religions are

birth, puberty, marriage, and death

birth - babies often weren’t named because of high death rate

puberty - time to grow up and become adults, men learn toughness, women get fat

marriage - happens after adulthood

death - make the dead happy so they will be good to you

Hinduism background

started in 2000BC when White invaders went to India

Indus Valley Civilization

this is the oldest known religion to the common world

there are about 1 billion worldwide

Hinduism Caste system

Brahmin

Ksatriya

Vaisya

Shudra

Untouchables

Hinduism mantras

short, repeated prayers

Hinduism guru

they are spiritual teachers, share their knowledge, liberated in this life

Hinduism karma

cause and effect

Hinduism dharma

a person’s duty based on who they are

Hinduism samadhi

union with the Brahman during yoga

Hinduism atman

human souls

Hinduism samsara

transition from one life to the next life

Hinduism gods

BBVS

Brahman

Brahma

Vishnu

Shiva

Hinduism - three ways to salvation

works - follow the religion with no mistakes

knowledge - know everything, karma has no effect

devotion - be fully devoted to gods, family, and boss

Hinduism stages of upper caste men

Student

Household

Hermit

Wandering Beggars

Hinduism moral goals

CCCIKPPP

don’t kill a cow

pleasantness

patience

control of mind

control of senses

purity

intelligence

knowledge

Hinduism Bhagavad-Gita

teaches the duty of each caste and the modes of salvation

Hinduism sects

sankhya - remove yourself from the material world

yoga - meditation is key

vaisheshika - elemental things are eternal, there is no need for god

Buddhism background

560 BC

founded by Siddhartha Gautama Buddha

about 400 million

Buddhism nirvana

have no desires

desire is suffering, but if you don’t have desires, you are suffering

Buddhism dharma

the teaching of Buddha

shows moral behavior

this is not the same as dharma in Hinduism

what is the difference between dharma in Hinduism and Buddhism?

hindu dharma is the way a person should live life based on who they are

buddha dharma is the teachings of buddha

Buddhism karma

what is done by you will come back to you

Buddhism mantra

a phrase that is repeated

Buddhism bodhisattva

one who has reached buddhahood

Buddhism Four Noble Truths

life is suffering

suffering is caused by desire

end of suffering is possible

follow the 8fold path to end pain

Buddhism Eight Fold Path

U ACE MOST

right understanding of reality

right actions

right concentration

right effort

right meditation

right occupation

right speech

right though

Buddhism ouzo

count recitation of mantras

Buddhism bell

tells when meditation is over

Buddhism koans

puzzles that lead you to enlightenment

Buddhism sutras

are broken into three topics (discourse, discipleship, doctrines)

aka Tripitakas

Thereveda Buddhism

one must gain enlightenment on his own with no help

Buddha is one person

Mahayan Buddhism

happiness

many Buddhas

Pure Land Sect Buddhism

there is a place without sin that some will go to

Syncretism Buddhism

mixing different worldviews

a Buddhist might be okay with Jesus being one of their gods

Intuitive Sect Buddhism

focus on the experience

Rationalist Sect Buddhism

truth is in the scriptures and logic should be used

these would be the easiest people to evangelize to

Sociopolitical Sect Buddhism

lotus sutra is the only true text

they hate other buddhists

Tibetan Buddhism

recite phrases, names, words, etc.

over-indulge in sin in order to conquer it

they have the prayer wheel and the book of the dead

what is the buddhist new year for?

how is buddha’s birthday celebrated?

what is the robe offering?

start the year fresh and rededicate the faith

kids dress up like buddha, wash the baby Buddha, fireworks, flowers

new robes and gifts are given to monks and one monk gets a special robe

(who gets to choose the one special monk?)

Jainism background

600 BC - Babylon

founded by Lord Mahavira

4-5 million

Jainism tirthankaras

show people the way of release

Jainism ahimsa

avoid injuring any living thing

whether through action, word, or thought

this is why they walk on paths (bc they don’t want to hurt the grass or kill bugs)

Jainism living things

living things in Jainism can include humans, animals, insects, plants, earth, stones, fire, air, and water

Jainism monastics

these are the monks of Jainism

they are extremely dedicated

know what mortification of the body is - the body is the way to pay for sins, so they will beat themselves to pay for their sins

Five Vows of Jainism

ASABA

all of these terms end in “a”

ahimsa

satya

acharya

brahamcharya

aparigraha

Six essentials of Jainism

samayik - meditation

chauvisso - pray and appreciate the Tirthankaras

vandana - respect the Sadhu/Sadhavias

pratikraman - repent and confess bad thoughts and actions

kayotsarg - non-attachment to the body

pachcha khan - religious vows

three realms of Jainism

lowest realm - hell, punishment

middle realm - human life, where we are now

upper realm - where the gods live

the upper realm is not the main goal; nirvana is the main goal

Jiva and Ajiva Jainism

Jiva is the soul and spirit - you exist, Jiva is your personhood

Ajiva is totally inanimate - Ajiva is like the creditor that pays to release the Karma that holds you down

Jainism Religious Writings

45 Agmas - books on math, astronomy, codes of conduct

12 Angas - basic religious writings; oral tradition

Digambaras Jainism

they do not wear clothing, only men

they do this to show they are not thinking sexually

Sventambaras Jainism

these ones like women

they wear white

carry bowls for begging and eating

they wear a loincloth, broom, and masks

(masks ensure that bugs are not accidentally eaten, since killing a bug would be a sin)

Sthanakavasi Jainism

this group hates temples and idols

they like women

they are firmer in older teachings

they are against temples because why would you need a temple if the body is the payment for sin?

Sikhism background

1400AD Dark Ages

India

no caste system

monotheistic

10 gurus

Sikhism Waheguru

this is the indirect name of god

it would be like us calling God God instead of Jehovah

Sikhism guru

a divine teacher who is a mediator of god’s word

Sikhism maya

all is an illusion

life is like a big dream you are in, but the dream does matter and is important

Sikhism naam

divine name of god

this is like us calling God Jehovah instead of God

Sikhism gudwaras

Sikh shrine, the Aid Granth is a scripture placed on cushions

Sikhism founders

Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji - tried to mix Hindu and Islam

Gobind Singh - 10th guru, reunited the Sikhs after the assassination of the 9th guru

Sikhism Rehat Maryada

if you believe in one god, the gurus, the teachings of the gurus, and the Adi Granth, you are a Sikh

Sikhism Five Symbols of Identity

uncut hair

comb

steel bangle

undershorts

short sword

Granth Sahib

Sikhism central holy scripture

Sikhism Adi Granth

hymns about the name of God

Sikhism Japji

a part of the Granth prayed silently by all Sikhs everyday

Rebirth

your actions, wrongdoings, and results of them are placed in another being

Reincarnation

your being is manifested in another being

What is the difference between Buddha changing his mind and God changing his mind?

Buddha changes the substance of his thought and changes based on the discovery of more truth

God doesn’t change the substance or his actual beliefs, but the circumstances change

Triple Gem

Buddha - enlightenment (nothingness)

Dharma - teaching in Buddhism (impermanent)

Sangha - community (you should not be connected, because you should not have desires)

Superstition

subtle lack of faith in God

a person tries to appease the world of unseen power

legalism

when grace is evicted, laws and power take over, legalism becomes the focus

grace is replaced with keeping the law

Brahmin

educated people

Ksatriya

rulers, administrators, warriors

Vaisya

merchants, craftsmen, artisans (skilled)

Shudra

servants (unskilled)

Untouchables

lowest of the lows, these people usually cleaned trash, toilets, etc.

the untouchables used to not even be in the caste system because they were so low

Brahman

supreme god, eternal, unknowable, impersonal

Brahma

the creator, no one likes him because he is the one who started this disaster

Vishnu

preserver, god of love, benevolence, forgiveness, has come to the earth before