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30 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Dao/dao |
Either the "way" in the sense of the ultimate or the "way" in the sense of the path taken by followers of a particular religion. (Confucian, Daoism, Buddhism) Ex: |
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Ren |
The central Confucian virtue, usually translated as "humaneness", "benevolence", "goodness", or "compassion." (Buddhism, Confucian) |
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Li |
The single English transliteration used for two different Chinese words. Li in the first sense refers to ritual practice and decorum and is usually translated as "rites". Li in the second sense refers to the pattern in a natural material such as stone or wood; it was used by the Neo-Confucians to designate the force that pervades the cosmos and is translated as "principle". (Confucian, and Daoism) Ex: Wang bi was a Confucian literati who was also Neo-Daoist who emphasized the concept of li above all his other teachings. |
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Wu-wei |
"Not doing" as a way of being in the world: a state not of "along nothing" but of acting without intention or self-interest; an ideal for both Daoists and Confucians, though most prominently associated with the former. Ex: "doing nothing refers to a state of mind or being which one acts in concert with it, free self, intention, or ulterior motives. |
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Sutra |
A discourse attributed either to Shakyamuni himself or to an important disciple. (Buddhism) Ex: The Lotus Sutra (Parabola of the Burning House) explains that there is only one vehicle to liberation, not three. |
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Puja |
Ritual household worship of the deity, commonly involving oil lamps, incense, prayers, and food offerings. Ex: Women gather on certain days of the year and celebrate a goddess by fasting and feasting. |
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Sangha |
The"congregation" or community of Buddhist monks and nuns, some forms of Buddhism also refers to the congregation of lay persons a sangha. (Buddhism, Jainism) Ex: The female sangha began to die because it was relatively small and less politically involved than their male counterpart. So when sickness and disease spread they were almost wiped out completely. |
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Ziran |
Spontaneity or "self-so-ness" Confucian/Daoism Ex: Cook Ding; when the prince asks the cook advice on governing his empire, Ding counsels him to take the same approach to governance that he would take to carving an ox |
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Amaterasu |
Female deity of the sun born from the eye of the primordial deity Izanagi following his purification; enshrined at the Ise as the patron deity of the Imperial family. Shintoism Ex: The Ise Grand Shrines lost their main source of financial support and began to decay. It was later opened to samurai and lower-ranking officials. |
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Kami |
The spirits that animate all living things, natural phenomena, and natural forces. Shrines were built to accommodate their presence during rituals. Shinto/ Buddha Ex: Ise reversed the honji suijaka principle that the kami were indigenous to the land of Japan, and that although they could have been Buddhist counterparts, they were not subordinate to Buddhist deities. |
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Mappo |
The period of "decline of the Buddhist drama," thought to have begun in 1052; a time of social disorder, during which individuals could not achieve liberation without the aid of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas. Buddhism Ex: Mappo was followed by social chaos and bloody political disorder and natural disasters. People sincerely believed they were trapped in a hell on Earth. |
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Nembutsu |
The key prayer of the Pure Land traditions. Namu Amida Butsu. Ex: Honen wanted to provide a simpler way for people to achieve liberation. It relies entirely on faith in Amida's salvation. |
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Tariki |
The "outside power," offered by Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, without which individuals living in the age of the Buddhist dharma's decline (mappo) would be unable to achieve liberation. Ex: Shinran believed that human beings could not achieve salvation but that we must rely on "other-power" for deliverance from suffering. |
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Honji Suijaku |
Literally, "manifestation from the original state"; the concept that kami are manifestations of Buddhas or Bodhisattvas. (Buddhism, Shintoism) Ex: A kami of a particular mountain or powerful clan can be seen as the "provisional" manifestation. |
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Nigimitama |
The benevolent side of the kami associated with peace, prosperity, good health, and ample harvests.(Shinto, Buddha) Ex: The positive and peaceful side of the primordial Kami couple, Izanagi and Izanami, can be seen in their creation of Japan. |
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Tantra |
An esoteric school outside of the Vedic and brahminical tradition, which emerged around the fifth century and centered on a number of controversial ritual practices, some of them sexual. Ex: Tantric Buddhism envisions cosmic reality as the interplay of female and male forces. The image of a male figure in sexual embrace with a female consort is common in Vajrayana art. |
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Dana |
A "giving" ritual, in which Theravada families present gifts of food, at their homes or a temple, to bhikshus who conduct rituals including chanting and merit transfer. Ex: Buddhist merit transfer is intended to help one's ancestors, and others, in the afterlife. |
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Nirvana |
The state of bliss associated with final enlightenment; nirvana"with remainder" is the highest level possible in this life, and nirvana "without remainder" is the ultimate state. Ex: According to Nagarjuna's paradoxical logic, nirvana is dialectically identical to samsara, or phenomenal world. |
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Mudra |
A pose or gesture in artistic representations of Buddha figures; by convention, each mudra has a specific symbolic meaning. Ex: "Paying Respect." Disciples of the Buddha are typically shown performing the Namaskara mudra: the traditional Indian greeting of respect to human and deities alike. |
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Analects |
A record of instructions left by Confucius to his students. The title literally means "conversations" between Confucius and his students. Ex: The Master said, "I set my heart on the Way, base myself on virtue...." |
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Zazen |
Sitting meditation in the Chan Zen tradtion. (Buddhism) Ex: The major Zen school promotes gradual enlightenment through the practice of zazen. |
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Tripitaka |
"Three Baskets"; the collection of early sacred writings whose three sections consist of discourses attributed to the Buddha, rules of monastic discipline, and treatises on doctrine. (Buddhism) Ex: The Lotus Sutra (Parabola of the burning house) |
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Dukkha |
The suffering, psychological as well as physical, that characterizes human life. (Buddha) Ex: The pain of losing a loved one is also known as Dukkha. |
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Patanjali |
Panatajali is an unkonw figure who created the Yoga sutras. (Hind/Buddha) Ex: One of its values is to make God the focus of one's activities. |
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Zhuangzi |
The second most important Daoist thinker, after Laozi; also title of the book attributed to him. Ex: The owl with a dead rat |
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Arhat/Lohan |
A perfected, omniscient being who teaches Jaina dharma while embodied in the world and who upon death will attain moksha. all the Jinas were called Arhats during their final incarnation on Earth. Arhat; an enlightened disciple of the Buddha. Ex: For most Theravada Buddhists, the highest goal was to reach the status of an Arhat. |
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Bodhisattva |
In Theravada, a being who is on the way to enlightenment or Buddha but has not yet achieved it; in Mahayana, a celestial being who forgoes nirvana in order to save others. Ex: The Bodhisattva meditates to become more conscious, aware, and mindful. |
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Koan/Gogan |
A paradoxical thought exercise used in the Chan Zen tradition to provoke a break through in understanding by forcing students past the limitations of verbal formulations and logic. Ex: Linji humbly asked master Huangbo to instruct him in enlightenment, when Huangbo hit him with a stick, Linji kept trying and kept getting hit with a stick. |
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Samadhi |
A higher state of consciousness, achieved through meditation. (Buddhism, Hinduism) Ex:A young Buddhist monk is tested by an abbot to comment on a verse, he describes samadhi as a mental state that is focused, tranquil, but alert. |
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Xiao |
Filial piety which is evidenced by respect for elders, parents, and ancestors. Ex: If a person carries out their parents wishes after their death, instead of ignoring their wishes, that is considered filial piety. |
