religion exam

Ahimsa

the doctrine of non violence toward all living creatures

brahma

a deity who is considered the creator of the universe; part of the hindu trinity

brahman

the universal soul and supreme being; the eternal spirit fro, which all things originate and to which they return

brahmin

a member of the highest hindu caste

dharma

religious or moral duty

karma

the totality of ones actions; the accumulation of good or bad karma determines ones birth in his or her next life

mantra

a sacred word or phrase that is chanted during worship or meditation

samsara

the endless cycle of rebirths

vedas

hinduisms earliest sacred writings, composed around 1500 BCE

buddha

the enlightened or awakened one; the founder of buddhism, formerly siddhartha gautama

nirvana

an everlasting state of great day and peace resulting from the end of desire and suffering

anti-semitism

hostility and prejudice towards jews.

Messiah

means “anoited one” the jews hope that a great king will come to lead them

mitzvah

commandment from god; the act of preforming a good deed. the most well known mitzoth are the ten commandments

rabbi

a jewish scholar or teacher, especially of the law, a person appointed as a jewish religious leader.

yom kippur

the most solemn religious day of the jewish year, marked by fasting and prayers of repentence

yoga

a practice or discipline combining philosophy with physical exercises and meditation; union with god

apostle

one of the twelve disciples chosen by christ to go out to teach the gospel to the world

disciple

follower of jesus christ during his public ministry; includes, but is not liminted to, the twelve apostles

trinity

christians belief that there are three persons in one god; the father, the son, the holy spirit.

reincarnation

the transference of consciousness into new bodies; being born again

mandala

maps or geometrical diagrams, of the spiritual journey. looking at them helps awaken spiritual potential

atman

the human soul; part of our innermost self that is identical to brahman, the universal soul

maya

a word used to refer to the temporary and imperfect nature of the physical world

indulgences

prayers or actions in the roman catholic church that are believed to free the individual from spending a specified period if time in purgatory

sacrament

ritual or ceremony that is an outward sign of spiritual benefits that are given to the recipient

ka bah

a cube shaped building that abraham built under divine inspiration and dedicated to the one god

hajj

pilgrimage to mecca; the fifth pillar of the islamic faith

hadith

traditions based on the teachings and sayings of the prophet. they are the second source of law for muslims; the qur an in the first source

hijrah

the migration of muhhamad from mecca to madinah. the islamic lunar calendar begins from the lunar year of the hijrah

idolatry

the worshipping of objects, usually sculptures or paintings, as gods

jihad

literally means striving; striving to obey the commands of god; often translated by non muslims as holy war

polygamy

the practice of having more than one wife at a time; under certain conditions islam allows for men to marry up to four wives

polytheism

the belief in numerous gods

shahadah

the islamic creed or declaration of faith; there is no god but god and muhhamad is the messangers of god; it is the first pillar of the islamic faith

shari’ah

the islamic law; based on the qur’an, the sunnah

sudra

a member of the lowest hindu caste

monotheism

believing in only one god

shavout

a major jewish holiday that commemorates the giving of the torah to the jewish people at mount sinai

myth

symbolic story that typically explains the origins of the world, natural phenomenona, or cultures core belief

shabbat

the weekly jewish day of rest and spiritual renewal

infallibility

the belief that specific teaching, doctrines of sacred texts are divinely guided and therefore completely free from error