Eastern Religious Traditions Exam

Aryan

nomadic people

Aryan scriptures

Vedas

Veda

literally means knowledge. The four scriptures originally were orally transmitted

The four vedas

Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Artharva Veda

Rituals in Vedic times

Rituals was important in Vedic times, especially rites of sacrifice were performed to sustain cosmic order and please the gods. (Note: sacrifice means offerings to god/gods)

Late Vedic period

philosophical innovations began to supplant the older Vedic emphasis on sacrifice. Upanishads, namely, philosophical texts became more widely spread.

Agni

fire god, mediator between human beings and the gods, who brings gods to sacrifice in vedic sacrificial rituals

Shiva

the gods of destroyer

Vishnu

preserver of the universe (avatar/ incarnations: Krisna and Rama)

Brahma

creator

Brahmin

priest

Kshatriya

warrior

Vaishya

merchant, farmer, craftsman etc

Shudra

slave

Twice-born classes

The first three classes are also called twice-born classes as their boys can have a Upanayana ritual, means sacred thread ritual that symbolizes their second birth in a religious sense and they are eligible for study Vedic knowledge under a guru (teacher)

Untouchable

They are called Harijan (children of God) by Mahatama Ghandi, but they call themselves Dalit (the oppressed).

Brahman

the underlying essence of the universe, usually translated as the Absolute Truth/Ultimate Reality/the Supreme/ Supreme Being/

Brahman (definition)

Brahman is the supreme, unitary reality, the ground of all Being.

Atman

the Deep Self, the eternal Self, essence within each individual. It is successively reincarnated until released from samsara.

Atman and Brahman

Atman and Brahman are identical, but atman is viewed from an individual perspective, and Brahman is viewed from a collective perspective

Karma

originally it means action and deeds, the moral principle of cause and effect. Karma encompasses all kinds of actions, not only physical actions, but also speech and mental actions. A person’s situation in any given moment has been shaped by all previous actions. Karma is the driving force of one’s successive transmigration.

Dharma

means law, duty, righteousness, all of which have to do with living in a way that upholds cosmic and social order.

Samsara

cycle of rebirth

Moksa

liberation or freedom from the cycle of rebirth

Moksa (definition)

Moksa: freedom or liberation from the bondage of samsara. It marks the end of transmigration and the end of effects of karma. Moksa can mean the union of one’s atman with Brahman, such that no sense of individuality any longer exists. Or it can mean the eternal existence of atman in the company of the supreme God (here the supreme God is manifested by many gods). There are also debates on whether moksa can achieved when a person is still alive or have to wait till one dies.

Ramayana

the epic involves in issues of fulfilling one’s dharma in the public, political realm, and in the private, familial realm.

Bhagavad Gita

the shortened version from the longest epic Mahabharata , which has a great impact on Ghandi

Three yoga (ways)

Jnana yoga (Knowledge); Karma yoga (action), cultivate “desireless action” or acting without attachment to the fruit or benefits of the action; Bhakti yoga (devotion): which comes to dominant Hindu practice and belief. The path of devotion is available to anyone, regardless one’s gender or caste. The only requirement is selfless devotion.

Four stages of life

Student; Householder; Forest-dwelling hermits; Renouncers (Sannyasi)

Four aims of life

dharma: duty or righteousness; kama & artha: these two aims apply to the second life stage of householders. Kama means the fulfillment of desire and artha means pursuit of wealth and social prestige. Kama and artha should be pursued in accordance with dharma; moksa: ultimate liberation from transmigration

Upanayana

sacred thread ritual, initiation ritual for boys of the twice born classes

Wedding

an initiation ritual for women, somewhat equivalent to upanayana ritual for men. The wedding is sanctified by a fire sacrifice. Offerings are poured into the fire to offer to gods to ask for blessings.

Death

purify the body, cremation. It is considered to be the last sacrifice.

Jina

conquer, those who conquer one’s desire to achieve final liberation

Mahavira

the 24th fordmakers historically existed. The life story of Mahavira reflect the Jain value of non-harm (ahimsa) and promote ascetic life.

Digambara

(sky-clad)

Shvetambara

(white clad)

Three jewels of Jainism

right faith, right knowledge and right behavior

Ahimsa

the central concept of Jainism, means non-violence

Jiva/ajiva

life/no-life

Loka

place of rebith

Karma (Jainism)

in Jainism, it means “action” as well. All actions involve various forms of matter that weigh down the jiva and thus hinder one’s liberation. Immoral actions that violates the principle of non-violence or other Jain ethical teachings dirty the jiva with heavier impurities. Highly virtuous actions, on the hand bring about only small quantities of light matter that is easy to be removed from one’s jiva.

Sallekhana

ritual fast to death by gradually reducing intake of food or liquid. This is a common practice within Jain community. Jains do not think this is committing suicide. Not only monastics, but also laity practice Sallekhana. This practice is believed to be auspicious, and can help one to remove one’s karma.

Sikh

learner/ disciple

Guru Nanak

Founder

Granth Sahib (Adi Granth)

the scripture

Akal Purakh

Timeless one, Formless One, Vahiguru (the Supreme guru)

Haumai

“I”ness, self-centered pride, self-reliance and ignorance of one’s reliance on God

Manmukh

bound to ego

Hukam

divine order, all-embracing principle, to submit oneself to hukam, the divine order means to remove one’s egotism

Five “k” markers

kes: uncut hair; kangha: comb; kach: short breeches; kara: bracelet; kirpan: sword

Practices

congregational and individual worship, singing hymn plays an important role in worship

Congregational meals

renouncing caste system

Ziran

means self so, nature

Cosmos law

In Chinese cosmology, the cosmos operates according to its own law. The law is not given by an outside law giver.

Cyclical process

eg. rotation of day and night, rotation of the four seasons

Progress of growth and decline

eg. the rising and fall of the tide, the waxing and waning of the moon

Yin/ Yang

two opposite principles or forces that make up of all the things in the world. The two interact with each other, complement each other and depend on each other. They can transform into the opposite of its original self.

Wu xing

water, wood, fire, earth and metal

Yi jing/I-ching

a divination manual

Fengshui

the layout and location of one’s residence or the tombs of one’s ancestor can impact one’s fortune

Confucius

a teacher, transmitter and preserver of the teachings of sages in antiquity

Li

rites, norms of behavior, propriety, decorum, li can morally transform people, or instill moral qualities in a person, to enable one aware of his/her social position, to discipline oneself. Confucius believed that li could bring order to the society by morally transforming people.

Five Cardinal relationships

ruler-subject, husband-wife, father-son, older brother-younger brother, friend-friend

Zhengming

rectification of name. Everyone knows his/her position in the society and acts according to his/her position entitles him/her to do and fulfill what they are supposed to do.

Filial piety

devotion to one’s parents or ancestors. Filial piety not only means one should take care of the material needs of one’s parents, but also should have right attitude when one serve one’s parents or ancestors.

Junzi

morally perfect person. Idealized person.

Ren

humane, benevolent. A humane person overcome his/her selfish interest to put other people’s benefit before him/her.

Ideal ruler/government

rule with li, rule by virtue, rulers should be moral examples for the subjects to follow.

Dao

the Way, cannot be described by language. Dao is the source of everything, and makes things as they are. Dao is associated with simplicity, naturalness, spontaneity and full of potential.

Laozi

Old Master

Wu wei

literally means non-action, in Daoism it means doing nothing against the Dao (Way), let things follow its own natural course.

Zhuangzi

Freedom: free oneself from the formula of behavior, free from artificial constrains and open up one’s mind and make room for spontaneous and natural response to occur. Relativism: nothing is absolutely good or bad, desirable or undeniable. It depends on perspectives and contexts.

Buddha

means the enlightened/awakened one

Siddhartha Gautama

realized the inevitability of suffering after he encountered old age, death, sickness and a renunciate. He left his family to begin his spiritual career to find out the way to end suffering. He achieved enlightenment through practice meditation and adopting the Middle Path.

Four Noble Truths

suffering (birth, old age, sickness, death etc, and suffering of grasping five skhanda), cause of suffering (caused by craving), end of suffering, the way to end suffering (eightfold path).

Eightfold path

right view, right resolve, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration

Anatman

no permanent self

Sunyata

emptiness, means empty of a permanent self

Six realms

residents of hells, hungry ghost, animal, human being, demi-god, god

Nirvana

blow out/transcend the cycle of birth and death (samsara), liberation from suffering

What are the similarities and differences between Hindu concepts of dharma and

Confucian Zhengming (rectification of name)?

The Hindu concept of dharma and the Confucian idea of Zhengming (rectification of names) both focus on maintaining social order through proper roles and behavior. Dharma refers to a cosmic and moral duty tied to one’s caste, stage of life, and universal law, emphasizing harmony with the universe. Zhengming, discussed by Analects and associated with Confucius, stresses that people must act according to the true meaning of their roles (e.g., a ruler should act as a ruler). The key difference is that dharma is spiritually and cosmically grounded, while Zhengming is socially and politically focused on correct behavior and language.

Please give two examples of the similarities between Buddhism and Hinduism,

and two examples of the differences between Buddhism and Hinduism in their

doctrines or practices

Buddhism and Hinduism share several similarities, including belief in karma and rebirth, and the goal of liberation from the cycle of samsara. Both traditions also emphasize meditation and ethical living. However, they differ in key ways. Buddhism, founded by Siddhartha Gautama, rejects the authority of the Vedas and the caste system, while Hinduism upholds them. Additionally, Buddhism teaches anatta (no permanent self), whereas Hinduism teaches atman (an eternal soul). These differences shape their practices and philosophies, even though they developed in the same cultural context.

Based on your reading of the Analects and the Dao de jing, please analyze the

differences between the two religions on ideal government and ideal ruler.

The Analects and the Dao de jing present contrasting views on government and leadership. In the Analects, Confucius advocates for an active, moral ruler who leads by virtue, education, and proper rituals, setting an example for society. In contrast, the Dao de jing, attributed to Laozi, promotes wu wei (non-action), suggesting that the best rulers govern minimally and allow natural order to flourish. While Confucianism values structured hierarchy and moral cultivation, Daoism emphasizes simplicity, spontaneity, and harmony with the Dao, often warning against excessive control or intervention by rulers.