Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Confucianism, Daosim And Sikhism

Front 1

Atman

Back 1

The individual self, held by Upanishadic and Vedantic thinkers to be identical with Brahman,the world-soul

Front 2

Avatara

Back 2

A ‘descent’ or incarnation of a deity in earthly form

Front 3

Ayurveda

Back 3

A system of tradtional medicine, understood as teaching transmitted from the sages

Front 4

Bhagavad Gita

Back 4

Hindu scripture, Lord Krishna explaining to Arjuna hinduism and his duties

Front 5

Bhakti

Back 5

Loving devotion to a deity seen as gracious being who enters the world for the benefit of humans

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Brahma

Back 6

A creator god, not to be confused with Brahman

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Brahman

Back 7

The world-soul, sometimes understood in impersonal terms

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Brahmin

Back 8

A member of the priestly class

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Devanagari

Back 9

Hindu script (writing of the gods)

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Dharma

Back 10

Religious and social duty, including both righteousness and faith

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Guru

Back 11

A spiritual teacher

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Holi

Back 12

Spring festival celebrated by throwing brightly coulored wáter or poder

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Karma

Back 13

Action, good and bad, as it is believed to determine the quality of rebirth in future lives

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Kshatriya

Back 14

A member of the warrior class in ancient hindu society

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Mahabharata

Back 15

A very long epic poem, one section of which is the Bhagavad Gita

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Mantra

Back 16

An expression of one or more syllables, chanted repeatedly as a focus of concentration in devotion

Front 17

Moksha

Back 17

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death; one of three classical aims in life

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Om

Back 18

A syllable chanted in meditation, interpreted as representing ultimate reality, or the universe, or the relationship of the devotee to the deity

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Prasada

Back 19

A gift from the deity, expecially food that has been presented to the god’s temple image for blessing and is then returned to the devotee

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Puja

Back 20

Ritual household worship of the deity, commonly involving oil lamps, incense, prayers, and food offerings

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Ramayana

Back 21

An epic recounting the life of Lord Rama, an incarnation of the god Vishnu.

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Rishi

Back 22

A seer; the composers of the ancient Vedic hymns are viewed as rishis.

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Sadhu

Back 23

A holy man

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Samsara

Back 24

The continuing cycle of re-births

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Sati

Back 25

The self-sacrifice of a widow who throws herself onto her deceased husband’s funeral pyre.

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Shudra

Back 26

A memeber of the lowest of the four major clases, usually tanslated as ‘servant’, though some groups within the sudra class could be quite prosperous

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Tantra

Back 27

An esoteric school outside the Vedic and brahminical tradition, which emerged around the fifth century and centred on a number of controversial ritual practices, some of them sexual

Front 28

Tilaka

Back 28

The dot or mark made on the forehead in color.

Front 29

Upanishads

Back 29

Philosophical texts in the form of reported conversations on the theory of the Vedic ritual and the nature of knowledge, composed around the sixth century BCE

Front 30

Vaisya

Back 30

A memeber of the third or merchant caste in the ancient fourfold class structure

Front 31

Vedas

Back 31

The four collections of hymns and ritual texts that constitute the oldest and most highly respected Hindu sacred literatura

Front 32

Yoga

Back 32

A practice and discipline that may involve a philosophical system and mental concentration as well as physical postures and excercises

Front 33

Adi Granth

Back 33

first edition of the Guru Granth Sahib as was compiled by Guru Arjun in 1604.

Front 34

Amrit-dhari

Back 34

a Khalsa who has obtained immortal life or immortal nectar (amrit)

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Dastar

Back 35

Headgear for men (Like turban)

Front 36

Gurdwara

Back 36

Name given to a Sikh temple. It means 'Gateway to the Guru

Front 37

Gurmukhi

Back 37

The written form of Punjabi used in the Sikh scriptures, propogated by Guru Nanak and Guru Angad.

Front 38

Guru

Back 38

Teacher Leader of Sikhism

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Guru Nanak

Back 39

Founder and first Guru of Sikhism his teaching contain:
Vaṇḍ Chakkō: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need
Kirat Karō: Earning or making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud
Naam Japna: Meditating on God's name to control your 5 evils to eliminate suffering and live a happy life.

Front 40

Guru Granth Sahib

Back 40

affirmed the sacred text and successor of the ten gurus.The text remains the holy scripture of the Sikhs, regarded as the teachings of the Ten Gurus.[6] The role of Guru Granth Sahib, as a source or guide of prayer,[7] is pivotal in Sikh worship.

Front 41

Harimandar Sahib

Back 41

The Harmandir Sahib, also Darbar Sahib and informally referred to as the "Golden Temple", is a prominent Sikh Gurdwara located in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. It was built by the fifth Sikh guru, Guru Arjun, in the 16th Century.

Front 42

Kes

Back 42

Uncut hair, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must have. It is a symbol of spirituality.

Front 43

Kara

Back 43

Steel bracelet, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of restraint and rememberance of God.

Front 44

Kangha

Back 44

Comb, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of hygiene and discipline.

Front 45

Kachh

Back 45

Drawers or briefs. One of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of self control and chastity

Front 46

Kirpan

Back 46

Sword or dagger, one of the five physical symbols that a Khalsa Sikh must wear. It is a symbol of the Sikh fight against injustice and religious oppression.

Front 47

Karah prasad

Back 47

standard dish served at religious ceremonies in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib and sanctified by prayers. It is a symbol of equality of all members of the congregation.

Front 48

Khalsa

Back 48

the collective body of all initiated Sikhs represented by the five beloved-ones and can be called the Guru Panth, the embodiment of the Guru

Front 49

Kirtan

Back 49

Musical rendering of Sikh gurbani.

Front 50

Langar

Back 50

Free community kitchen found in all Sikh Gurdwaras. A cornersone of the Sikh religion and a symbol of equality, it was instituted by Guru Nanak.

Front 51

Onkar

Back 51

God as the Primal Being. Also refers to a compositon of Guru Nanak which appears of page 929 of the Guru Granth Sahib.

Front 52

Sahaj-dharis

Back 52

The Sahaj-Dharis are one of two groups of Sikhs that do not wear uncut hair. They also reject other injunctions of the Rahit,

Front 53

Turban

Back 53

an article of faith that represents honour, self-respect, courage, spirituality, and piety

Front 54

Vahiguru

Back 54

Name for God

Front 55

Agama

Back 55

Canonical texts within Svetambara Jainism

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Ahimsa

Back 56

Literally, non-harm or non-violence, a philosophy that all living beings should be respected to the greatest degree

Front 57

Angas

Back 57

Bhagwan Mahavira's teachings, 12 scriptures in the agama

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Digambara

Back 58

one of the two principal sects of the Indian religion Jainism, whose male ascetics shun all property and wear no clothes.

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Gunas

Back 59

Attributes that define an entity and are essential of an entity

Front 60

Jina

Back 60

Literally. ‘conquerer’; name given to the 24 ascetic-prophets who conquered the world of desire and suffering, and taught the path to eternal happiness; alternatively called Tirthankara.

Front 61

Kalpa Sutra

Back 61

text containing the biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, notably Parshvanath and Mahavira, including the latter's Nirvana

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Mahavira

Back 62

Literally, ‘great hero’; epithet of the 24th and final jina of our time cycle, born Vardhamana Jnatrpura in the sixth century bce.

Front 63

Nigoda

Back 63

a realm existing in which the lowest forms of life reside in endless numbers, and without any hope of release by self-effort. Jain scriptures describe nigodas which are sub-microscopic creatures living in large clusters and having a very short life and are said to pervade each and every part of universe, even in tissues of plants and flesh of animals.

Front 64

Svetambaras

Back 64

One of the tow early sectarian nodes within Jainism; mendicants wear simple White robes

Front 65

Swastika

Back 65

Good luck, symbols of fortune

Front 66

Tirthankara

Back 66

Literally, ‘ford-maker’; epithet for the 24 Jinas who, through their teachings, creted a Ford across the ocean of samsara

Front 67

Yaksha, yakshi

Back 67

Guardian deities of jina

Front 68

Anatman or anatta

Back 68

‘No-soul’, the doctrine that the human person is impermanent, a changing combination of components

Front 69

Arhat

Back 69

A worthy one or saint, someone who has realized the ideal of spiritual perfection

Front 70

Bhikshu, bhikshuni

Back 70

An ordained Buddhist monk and nun, respectively

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Bodhisattva

Back 71

In Theravada, a being who i son the way to enlightenment or buddahood but has not yet achieved it; in Mahayana, a celestial being who forgoes nirvana in order to save others

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Chan or Zen

Back 72

A tradition centre don the practice of meditation and the teaching that ultimate reality is not expressible in words or logic, but must be grasped through direct intuition

Front 73

Dharma

Back 73

Teaching or truth concerning the ultimate nature of things

Front 74

Duhkha

Back 74

THe suffering, psychological as well as physical, that characterizes human life.

Front 75

Hinayana or Theravada

Back 75

The name given by the Mahayana school to earlier buddhist sects most important of which is Theravada

Front 76

Karma

Back 76

The energy of the individual’s past thoughts and actions, good or bad; it determines rebirth within the Wheel of samsara or cycle of rebirth that ends only when nirvana is achieved.

Front 77

Koan

Back 77

A paradoxicalthought exercise used in the Chan-Zen tradition to provoke a breakthrough in understanding by forcing students past the limitations of verbal formulations and logic

Front 78

Lama

Back 78

‘Wise teacher’; a title given to advanced teachers as well as the heads of various Tibetan ordination lineages

Front 79

Mahayana

Back 79

‘Greater Vehicle’ the form of Buddhism that emerged in India around the first century and spread first to China and then to Korea and Japan

Front 80

Mandala

Back 80

A chat-like representation of cosmic Buddha figures that often serves as a focus of meditation and devotion in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.

Front 81

Mudra

Back 81

A pose or gesture in artistic representations of Buddha figures; by convention, each mudra has a specific symbolic meaning

Front 82

Nirvana

Back 82

The state of bliss associated with final enlightenment; nirvana ‘with remainder’ is the highest level posible in this life, and nirvana ‘ without reminder’ is the ultimate state’

Front 83

Pagoda

Back 83

A multi-storey tower, characteristic of Southeast and East Asian Buddhism, that developed out of the South Asian mound or stupa

Front 84

Parinirvana

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The ultimate perfection of bliss, achievable only on departing this life, as distinct from the nirvana with ‘remainder’ achievable in the present existence.

Front 85

Prajna

Back 85

The spiritual wisdom or insight necessary for enlightenment

Front 86

Pure Land

Back 86

The comfortable realm in the western heavens that is reserved for those who put their trust in its lord, the celestial buddha Amitbha (Amida)

Front 87

Rinpoche

Back 87

A title of respect for Tibetan teachers or leading monks

Front 88

Samadhi

Back 88

A higher state of consiousness, achieved through meditation

Front 89

Sangha

Back 89

The ‘congregation’ or community of Buddhist monks and nuns; in some contexts the congregation of lay persons may also be referred to as a sangha.

Front 90

Shakyamuni

Back 90

‘Sage of the Shakya clan’, a title used to refer to the historical Siddhartha Guatama, the Buddha.

Front 91

Shunyata

Back 91

The emptiness that is held to be ultimately characteristic of all things, stressed especially by the Madhyamika school

Front 92

Stupa

Back 92

Originally a hemispherical mound built to contain cremations ashes or a sacred relic; in East Asia the stupa devloped into the tower-like pagoda

Front 93

Sutra

Back 93

A discourse or sermón attributedeither to SHakyamuni himself or to an important disciple

Front 94

Tripitaka

Back 94

‘Three Baskets’ The collection of early sacred writing whose three sections consist of discourses attributed to the Buddha, rules of monastic discipline, and treatises on doctrine.

Front 95

Vajrayana

Back 95

The tantric branch of Buddhism, which became established in Tibet and the Himalayan región and later spread to Mongolia and, eventually, India.

Front 96

Vipassana

Back 96

‘Insight’ or ‘mindfulness’ meditation practised by Theravada Buddhists

Front 97

Zazen

Back 97

Sitting meditation in the Chan-Zen tradition

Front 98

Analects

Back 98

the collection of sayings and ideas attributed to the Chinese philosopher Confucius and his contemporaries

Front 99

Confucius or Kongfuzi

Back 99

(551-479 BC) The first teacher of Confucianism, known in Chinese as Kongzi

Front 100

Dao or Tao

Back 100

Either the ‘Way’ in the sense of the Ultimate or the ‘way’ in the sense of the path taken by followers of a particular tradition

Front 101

Daodejing or Tao te Ching

Back 101

Classic of Chinese philosophical literature.

Front 102

Eight Immortals

Back 102

a group of legendary saints in Chinese mythology. Each Immortal's power can be transferred to a power tool that can bestow life or destroy evil. They are revered by the Taoists and are also a popular element in the secular Chinese culture.

Front 103

Filial piety

Back 103

is a virtue of respect for one's parents and ancestors

Front 104

Five Classics

Back 104

five pre-Qin Chinese books that form part of the traditional Confucian canon.

Front 105

Five Relationship

Back 105

(1) ruler and subject; (2) father and son; (3) elder brother and younger brother; (4) husband and wife; and (5) friend and friend

Front 106

Four Books

Back 106

Chinese classic texts illustrating the core value and belief systems in Confucianism. They were selected by Zhu Xi in the Song dynasty to serve as general introduction to Confucian thought

Front 107

I Ching

Back 107

also known as the Classic of Changes, Book of Changes, Zhouyi and Yijing, is one of the oldest of the Chinese classic texts

Front 108

Laozi or Lao Tzu

Back 108

The ‘Old Master’; the putative patriarch of Daoism and author of the Daodejin whomay or may not have been a real historical figure

Front 109

Mencius

Back 109

(c. 343-284.999 BCE) The second most prominent Confucian thinker, known in Chinese as Meng Ke, Master Meng, and Mengzi; he believed that human nature is inherently good.

Front 110

Qi or chi

Back 110

Material force or vital energy

Front 111

Qigong or Chigong

Back 111

A ‘breath’ discipline or set of exercises used to enhance health and spiritual well-being; also the vital or material energy or force that animates everything in the universe.

Front 112

Ren

Back 112

The central Confucian virtue, usually translated as ‘humaneness’, ‘benevolence’, ‘goodness’, or ‘compassion’

Front 113

Taiji or T’ai-chi

Back 113

The ‘Great Ultimate’, understood to coexist with the Ultimate of Non-being; also the term for the slow-motion exercise widely known in English as Tai Chi.

Front 114

Tian

Back 114

one of the oldest Chinese terms for the cosmos and its source

Front 115

Wuwei

Back 115

‘not-doing’ as a way of being in the world: a state not of ‘doing nothing’ but of acting without intention or self-interest; an ideal for both Daoists and Confucians, though most prominently associated with the former

Front 116

Yin and Yang

Back 116

Yin is the black side with the white dot in it, and yang is the white side with the black dot in it. The relationship between yin and yang is often described in terms of sunlight playing over a mountain and a valley. Yin (literally the 'shady place' or 'north slope') is the dark area occluded by the mountain's bulk, while yang (literally the 'sunny place' or 'south slope') is the brightly lit portion. As the sun moves across the sky, yin and yang gradually trade places with each other, revealing what was obscured and obscuring what was revealed.

Front 117

Amaterasu

Back 117

Female deity of the sun, born from the eye of the primordial deity Izanagi following his purification, enshrined at Ise as the patron deity of the imperial family

Front 118

Bushido

Back 118

Literally, the ‘way of the warrior’; anethical code that combined a Confucian-style emphasis on loyalty with the discipline of Zen

Front 119

Choendogyo

Back 119

indigenous Korean religion that combines elements of Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, shamanism, and Roman Catholicism. There is no concept of eternal reward in Ch’ŏndogyo, because its vision is limited to bringing righteousness and peace to the world.

Front 120

Kami

Back 120

The spirits that animate all living things, natural phenomena, and natural forces. Shinto shrines were built to accommodate their presence during rituals

Front 121

Miko

Back 121

the shrine maidens of Japan beginning in the Sengoku jidai of Japan. In ancient times, women who went into trances and conveyed the words of a god were called miko, not unlike the Oracle at Delphi of ancient Greece

Front 122

Mudang

Back 122

in Korean religion, priestess who employs magic to effect cures, to tell fortunes, to soothe spirits of the dead, and to repulse evil. Her male counterpart is called a paksu; both, however, are also known by numerous other names in various parts of Korea

Front 123

Nihongi

Back 123

The Nihon Shoki, sometimes translated as The Chronicles of Japan, is the second oldest book of classical Japanese history.

Front 124

Ryobu Shinto

Back 124

also called Shingon Shintō, in Japanese religion, the syncretic school that combined Shintō with the teachings of the Shingon sect of Buddhism. The school developed during the late Heian (794–1185) and Kamakura (1192–1333) periods. The basis of the school’s beliefs was the Japanese concept that Shintō deities (kami) were manifestations of Buddhist divinities

Front 125

Sakaki

Back 125

Green trees leaves special sacred to Shinto Japanese

Front 126

Samurai

Back 126

A popular term for the bushi (‘warrior’), who served regional warlords in various capacities; samurai made up the top 5 per cent of society during the Edo period (1603-1867)

Front 127

Sect Shinto

Back 127

is the indigenous religion of Japan and the people of Japan.[2] It is defined as an action-centered religion,[3] focused on ritual practices to be carried out diligently, to establish a connection between present-day Japan and its ancient past.[4] Founded in 660 BC according to Japanese mythology,[5] Shinto practices were first recorded and codified in the written historical records of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki in the 8th century. Still, these earliest Japanese writings do not refer to a unified "Shinto religion", but rather to a collection of native beliefs and mythology.[6] Shinto today is a term that applies to the religion of public shrines devoted to the worship of a multitude of gods

Front 128

Shoguns

Back 128

military commander or general

Front 129

Shrine Shinto

Back 129

a structure whose main purpose is to house ("enshrine") one or more Shinto

Front 130

Shugendo

Back 130

a highly syncretic Buddhist religion or sect and mystical-spiritual tradition that originated in pre-Feudal Japan, in which enlightenment is equated with attaining oneness with the kami

Front 131

Tenrikyo

Back 131

a monotheistic religion originating from the teachings of a 19th-century Japanese woman named Nakayama Miki, known as Oyasama by followers.[2] Followers of Tenrikyo believe that God, known by several names including Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, expressed divine will through Nakayama's role as the Shrine of God, and to a lesser extent the roles of the Honseki Izo Iburi and other leaders

Front 132

Unification Church

Back 132

a new religious movement founded in South Korea in 1954 by Sun Myung Moon. Since its founding, the church has expanded throughout the world with most members living in East Asia