Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
118 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
What does sui generis mean? |
Unique/of it's own type |
|
What is mysterium? |
Experience of sacredness/with the divine |
|
What is Axis Mundi? |
Center of the world |
|
What is Asceticism? |
Refers to denying physical pleasure for spiritual gains |
|
What is a ritual? |
Action that links the individual and community to each other through sacred rites of passage. |
|
What is Orthodoxy? |
Sacred/right beliefs |
|
What is Orthopraxy? |
Right actions/practice (to do it the right way) |
|
What is a myth? |
A symbolic story about the origins and destinies of humans/people (not always based on literal truth) |
|
What is a symbol? |
Image that represents something other than itself |
|
What is via analogia? |
By analogy, saying what it is like using metaphorical language. |
|
What is via negativa? |
Saying what it is not like. Through negation. |
|
What is animism? Who coined the term? |
Belief in souls/spirits that give life and identity to all beings. -E.B. Taylor |
|
What is a totem? |
Natural object that symbolizes the common origin of the people/group. |
|
What is Dreamtime? |
The creation story of Australian Aborigines |
|
These are often clan based and tied to a spiritual totem? |
Indigenous Communities |
|
What is a Shaman? |
Person who communicates with spirits through trance with a goal to repaid the world. |
|
What is Sorcerer? |
Communicates with spirits for person gain/wrong-doing. |
|
What is the Caste System? |
A divinely ordained class system dominant in Hinduism |
|
What is Dharma? |
Duty-determined by caste and gender. |
|
What is the #3 religion in the world? |
Hindiusm |
|
What was on the first civilizations in human history? |
Indus Valley |
|
What is the Mohenjo Daro? |
Mound of the Dead-City that existed for death rituals |
|
What are Aryans? |
Indo Europeans |
|
What are the sacred texts of Hinduism? What language are they written in? |
1. Vedas 2. Sanskrit |
|
What is the highest caste in Hinduism and their role? |
1. Brahmins 2. Priests |
|
What are the Upanishads? |
Mystical additions to the Vedas? |
|
What is Ontology? |
Theory of existence |
|
What is Samsara? |
The physical world defined by cyclical season of life? |
|
What is Brahman? |
Ultimate truth, spiritual ground of all being (The Spirit World) |
|
What is Atman? |
The soul/self |
|
What is Karma? |
Moral law of cause/effect, says that the universe inevitably wants to balance itself out. |
|
What is Moksha? |
Liberation. The atman becomes free of karma and returns to reunification with the divine. |
|
What is Yoga? |
Disciplined acts for gaining moksha. Means union |
|
What is the Yoga Sutra? |
Guide for practicing yoga. |
|
What is the ultimate end of yoga? |
Meditation |
|
This time saw the arrival of Buddhism and Jainism that challenged the Vedas? |
The Axial Age |
|
What is Purusha? |
Considered the first man and his parts became the universe. |
|
What are the 4 roles in the caste system? |
1. Brahmins (priests) 2. Kshatriyas (warriors/ruling class) 3. Vaishyas (merchants/farmers) 4. Shudra (servants)` |
|
What are Epics? |
Divine history of heroic accounts of early battles fought by warriors in the Aryan class. |
|
What is the Ramayana? |
Story of Lord Rama and his wife Sita. He is the authentic heir to the kingdom(semi-divine) and must save Sita from the underworld and defeat the demons there with the help of the monkey king. |
|
What is the Mahabharata? What famous book does it contain? |
1. Longest poem every written and tells of existential dilemmas of Hindu life. 2. Bhagavad Gita |
|
What is the Bhagavad Gita? |
Focuses on Arjuna and his call to fight and the ensuing struggle b/c it doesn't align with his duty to act non-violently. |
|
What is Karma Yoga?
|
Unattached action/selfless service |
|
What is Bhakti? |
Devotion to God and the result is divine deliverance |
|
What are the Puranas? |
Popular stories about gods. |
|
What is the Kali Yuga? |
Dark age, period of human decline and is said to be occurring now. |
|
Who are the three major gods of the puranas? |
1. Vishnu? 2. Shiva 3. Devi |
|
What is the role of Vishnu? |
To preserve universe and moral order. |
|
What are avataras? |
incarnations of Vishnu on earth |
|
What is the role of Shiva? |
The destroyer-father of Ganesh and Kumar. Wife is Parvati. |
|
Who is Devi? |
Female goddess |
|
What is Shakti? |
Feminine creative energy. |
|
Who are Shaktas? |
devotees of Devi |
|
What is Bhakti? |
Devotional traditions |
|
What is Puja? |
Prayer/Ritual Offering |
|
What is Diwali? |
Harvest type festival around Autumnal Equinox focuses on Lakshmi the goddess of wealth and is also known as the "festival of light" |
|
What is Holi? |
The festival of love, typically associated with Krishna. See the overturning of the caste system and gender roles. Playful games and trick are done in honor of the trickster god Krishna. Comparable to Mardi Gras. |
|
What is Kumbha Mala? |
Pilgrimages to scared rivers. |
|
What is Ahmisa? |
Non-violence |
|
When did India obtain independence from British rule? |
1947 |
|
What is the world's first great missionary religion? |
Buddhism |
|
What is the world's 4th largest religion? |
Buddhism |
|
What are the 3 refuges of Buddhism? |
1. Buddha (Siddhartha) 2. Dharma (teachings) 3. Sangha (community of believers) |
|
What are the 4 passing sites that Buddha (Siddhartha) encounters? |
1. Sick Man 2. Old Man 3. Dead Man 4. Shramana (wandering, ascetic monk) |
|
What is Shramana seeking that Buddha desires as well? |
The path to the end of all suffering |
|
What is Nirvana? |
Reaching the end of all suffering (translated to blowing out a candle) |
|
What are Stupas? |
Houses of relics which act as places to offer meditation and perform devotional practice |
|
What are the 4 Noble Truths at the core of Buddhism? |
1. All life entails suffering 2. The cause of suffering is desire 3. Removing desire removes suffering 4. The path for removing desire is to follow the 8 fold path (which is the actions to overcome/breakdown desires) |
|
What is dependent origination? |
That every moment is conditioned by what has come before. |
|
Buddhism says that there is no this? |
No Self (no independent existence) |
|
What is Sangha? |
Community of worshipers in Buddhism |
|
What are 2 major branches of Buddhism? |
1. Theravada 2. Mahayana |
|
What is Theravada Buddhism? |
Way of the elders, follow traditional Buddhist teachings |
|
What is an arhat? |
An enlightened disciple of Theravada |
|
What is Mahayana Buddhism? |
The greater way. Says no-self, believes we are all profoundly connected. |
|
What are Bodhisattavas? |
Future Buddhas-those who have reached the point of enlightenment but hold off in order to help others. |
|
What are two subsets of Mahayana Buddhism? |
1. Pure Land Buddhism 2. Zen Buddhism |
|
What is Pure Land Buddhism? |
Focuses on Amitabha/Amida and says that devotion to him will ensure rebirth in the next life in a heaven like place. |
|
What is Zen Buddhism? |
Focuses on meditation |
|
What is Koan? |
Spiritual riddle used by Zen teachers meant to foster spiritual growth-doesn't matter what you say but how you say it. |
|
What has introduced challenges and new practices in Buddhism? |
1. Technology 2. Migration |
|
What is Vajrayana? |
Subset of Mahayana Buddhism focused in South Asia-specifically Tibet. |
|
The Dalai Lama is considered this? |
A Bodisattva |
|
What is the teaching of the Tantra? |
Says that anything done with mindfulness can be a form of meditation. |
|
How did Buddhist acclimate to the surrounding indigenous people? |
Took on their gods as Bodhisattvas |
|
What is Import Buddhism? |
Those specifically seeking out Buddhism-also known as Elite Buddhism |
|
What is Export Buddhism? |
Also know as evangelical buddhism, it is a missionary type. |
|
What is Baggage Buddhism? |
Those who are born into the faith and take it with them when they immigrate elsewhere. |
|
What is Animism? |
Belief that all things (not just humans) are imbued with an internal spirit that gives life and identity. |
|
What is a Totem? |
Natural object that represents a common spiritual ancestor. |
|
What is Diffuse Religion? |
Centered on family and locality/community gods prominent |
|
What are three aspirations under Chinese diffuse religions? |
1. Live a long life 2. Have money 3. have children |
|
Diffuse religion says that a relationship b/w gods and people should be this? |
Reciprocal |
|
What are some common traits in Diffuse religion? |
1. Local gods 2. Ancestor veneration 3. Harmony and balance (yin-yang) 4. Organicism (everything is interconnected) 5. 3 Faiths |
|
What are the 3 faiths in Diffuse Religion? |
1. Confucianism 2. Daoism 3. Buddhism |
|
What is yin-yang? |
The dualistic principle of balance |
|
Who was the founder of Confucianism? |
Master Kung |
|
What are the annalects? |
The core texts of Confucianism based on a system of etiquette |
|
What is Ren? |
Humanness |
|
What is Li? |
Ethical conduct |
|
What is xiao? |
Filial piety (respect for family) |
|
Confucianism believes this? |
That we are all interconnected |
|
What is the mandate of heaven? |
Ultimate goal is the receipt of the gods approval when this occurs all suffering has been overcome |
|
Who is Lao Zi? |
Founder Daoism |
|
What is the problem according to Daoism? |
Society itself Must get away from it to maintain balance. |
|
This acts as a counterbalance to Confucianism and represents a different viewpoint? |
Daoisim |
|
This is the core text of Daoism? |
Daodejing |
|
The opening line of the Daodejing says that the the truth that can be put into words is? |
Not the truth |
|
What is Qi? |
Flowing energy/life force |
|
What is Wu-Wei? |
Actionless-Actions (going with the flow) |
|
What are some examples of actionless action in Daoism? |
1. Alchemy 2. Martial Arts 3. Acupuncture |
|
What constitutes Religious Daoism? |
Practices followed to become immortal |
|
What constitutes Philosophical Daoism? |
The ideas that make it up |
|
What was the role of Mao Zedong? |
Established People's Republic of China in 1949 |
|
This was a period in Chinese history where bans on religion were extremely policed? |
The Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) |
|
Because people could not worship in Communist China what did they do? |
Either did so in secret or gave veneration to images of Mao Zedong |
|
This religion has a long history in China? |
Islam |
|
This is the largest growing religion in modern China? |
Christianity |