Sikhism & Buddhism

Sikhism

5th largest religion, ~30 million. Majority live in India. began in the Punjab region. one god. condemns idols and empty worship

Sikh

disciple or student; follower of Sikhism

Gyani

Granthi; Sikh leader

Adi Granth

sacred text of SIkhism. The eternal 11th Guru. respected as voice of god

Punjabi

Sacred language of Sikhism

Khanda

symbol of Sikhism; double edged sword

Guru Nanak

first of ten gurus, founder of Sikhism, monotheistic, genderless divine being. ~1500s CE..

Guru Arjan

compiled the Adi Granth. 5th of 10 gurus, burned alive for his efforts. the first Sikh martyr

Five K’s

to be worn on person at all times. Kesh, Kangha, Katchera, Kara, Kirpan

Kesh

turban/uncut hair and beard

Kangha

wooden comb, hold hair in place

Katchera

specially stitched cotton underwear (purity)

Kara

steel circle on writs. their bondage to truth

Kirpan

sword/knife to defend Truth. commitment to social justice

Chabeel

make Kachi Lassi, hand out to strangers. acts of service

Commemorates martyrdom or Guru Arjan

Guru Nanak’s Birthday

most important holiday in Sikhism.

Vegetarian

don’t eat meat out of compassion for all beings and belief that god is everywhere in Sikhism

Dasvandh

10% of earnings to charity in Sikhism

Panth

path, early name for Sikhism

Gurumat

gurus way, Sikhs formal name for their faith

Guru Granth

guru book, main scripture of Sikhism

Sant

devotional movement of Hindus and Muslims in northern India

Darbar Sahib

harmandir sahib; house of god; temple in amristar, known popularly as the golden temple

Khalsa

the pure ones, Sikh society dedicated to strict observance

Dasam Granth

book of the tenth guru

Waheguru

name for a god used especially in worship

Ek Onkar

one god; written form is a prominent symbol of sikhism

Nam

name of God

Langar

communal meal after every main Sikh service

Gurdwara

gurus door; Sikh house of worship

Chaur

fan used to venerate the Guru Granth in the gurdwara

Kirtan

singing hymns from the guru granth

vak lao

taking (gods) word; opening and reading the Guru Granth at random

Parshad

simple food served at the end of a Sikh service

Buddhism

religion of enlightenment; ~350 million worldwide. started in India around the border of Nepal 

Buddha

enlightened one. Siddartha Guatama. the term also applies to all who achieve enlightenment

Dharmachakra

wheel of the teaching; symbol of Buddhism. the Dharma Wheel

Middle Path

style of life between extreme self denial and ordinary life that can lead to enlightenment

Shakyamuni

sage of the shakyas clan; annother name for the Buddha

Four Passing Sights

Siddhartha Guatama’s encounters with age, sickness, death, and an ascetic

Bodhi tree

tree in Bodh Gaya, India under which the Guatama Buddha gained enlightenment

Tathagata

one who has gone to enlightenment; honorific term for the Buddha

Sangha

community of Buddhist monastics

Three Refuges

basic Buddhist statement; I take refuge in the Buddha, I take refuge in the Dharma, I take refuge in the Sangha

Parinirvana

Buddhas entry into full nirvana at his death

Hinayana

small vehicle of Southern Buddhism; theravada

Theravada

original/abiding teaching; main name of the southern branch of Buddhism; the way of the elders. Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar

Sutra

canonical scripture text

Tripitaka

three baskets. main internal divisions of the canon

Mahayana

large vehicle, branch of Buddhism in northern and eastern Asia.
China, Korea, Japan. Zen is a subset 

Trikaya

three bodies of the Buddha. Historical Guatama Buddha, many heavanly Buddhas, and the Buddhist teaching

Bodhisattva

Buddha to be; one who comes very close to achieving full Buddha nature but postpones it to help others

Zen

Buddhist group that aims for the immediate acquiring of a Buddha mind

Koan

zen riddle meant to induce nonrational enlightenment. question that cant be answered logically

Zazen

seated meditation in Zen Buddhism

Dalai Lama

ocean of wisdom; head of the Gelug school of Tibetan Buddhism

Vajrayana

diamond vehichle; formal name for Tibetan Buddhism. Blend of Tibetan culture and Buddhist teachings

Lama

guru teacher, a leader in Tibetan Buddhism

Dharma

law, teaching of Buddhism. Duty

Karma

law of the cause and effect of actions done by sentient beings

Samsara

wandering through reincarnations, a main cause of human suffering

Nirvana

blowing out, extinction of desire, attachment, and suffering. inner peace, state of perfect enlightenment

Four noble truths

all life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, to end desire is to end suffering, to end desire one must follow the noble eightfold path

Noble eightfold path

right understanding, intention, speech, conduct, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, contemplation

Mindfulness

practice of meditative awareness especially of ones own state

Three characteristics of existence

impermanence, suffering, no soul

Anicca

impermanence, first characteristic of existence which leads to suffering; Anichcha

Mandala

symbolic Buddhist picture

Dukkha

suffering, second characteristic of existence, caused by desire

Anatta

no soul, the third characteristic of existence

Precept

Buddhist moral command

Mudra

position in which the hands and arms are held during meditation

Trance Meditation

comprehensive form of meditation that goes all the way to nirvana

Insight meditation

meditation leading to awareness or mindfulness, from which nirvana can be achieved

Paritta

protective ritual for an individual or community

Mantra

short formula or single word that focuses the mind and expresses great religious menaing

Stupa

Burian monument often with relics of the Buddha or Buddhists

Sensei

Zen Buddhist teacher

Bhante

Theravada Buddhist monk

Dhammapada

one of the sacred texts of Buddhism.