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RELS 105
I Hate this class- flash cards on vocab for the final
46
Religious Studies
Undergraduate 3
04/27/2011

Additional Religious Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

 

 

 

Santana Dharma

Definition

 

 

 

Eternal law

Term
Vedas
Definition
Shared Scripture:
sruti: heard
smrti: written
Term

 

 

 

Samsara

Definition

 

 

 

the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth

reincarnation=punishment

Term

 

 

 

Moksha/mukti

 

 

 

Definition

 

the ultimate spiritual goal:freedom from samsara/ the suffering involved in being subject to the cycle of repeated death and rebirth

Term

 

 

 

Marga

Definition

 

 

 

any of the three paths to salvation/moksha

Term

The 3 paths:

1) karma:

 

2) jnana:

 

3) bhakti:

are those of ...

Definition

 

karma: path (marga) of actions

 

jnana: path of wisdom/study

 

bhakti: path of  devotion to certain gods

Term

 

 

 

Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa

Definition

 

 

2 major civilizations of Indus River Valley

Along banks of Indus River

Well organized, urban planning

Term

 

 

 

Aryans

Definition

 

 

"Nobel one"
founding group of Hinduism
wrote the Vedas

Invaders in Indus River Valley

Term

 

 

 

4 stages of Hinduism

Definition

 

1) Indus Valley Civilizations

2)Vedic Religion

3)Philosophical Hinduism

4)Devotional Hinduism

Term
quick facts of VEDIC HINDUISM:
Definition
Began Caste system and developed karma marga.
Problems: chaos and disorder
Term
VEDIC HINDUISM:

Devas:
Definition
dieties
Term
VEDIC HINDUISM:

Brahmins:
Definition
priests responsible for undertaking and conducting rituals
Term
VEDIC HINDUISM:

AGNI:
Definition
god of fire
( fire sacrifices are major rituals which are thought to be transactions between humans and gods)
Term
Quick facts of Philosophical Hinduism:
Definition
- no ritual texts, now based on philosophical treaties
- world we live in is not permenent
- new understanding =KARMA
-vedic & Philosophical- neither rely on divine intervention- they believe in "self help"
Term
Philosophical Hinduism:
upanishad:
Definition
student sitting next to guru
Term
Philosophical Hinduism:

brahman:
Definition
power of the ritual
essense of the universe
essence of the self/Atman
Term
Philosophical Hinduism:

atman:
Definition
the self/soul (permanent)
Term
(4)Stages to moksha ( for elite males):
-many dont make it past 2nd stage, takes many lifetimes-
Definition
1) student stage (12-20)
2)Householder stage
3)forest-dweller stage: when a man has seen the son of his sons
4)sannyasin:divorce ones self from society, family ties broken, declare self dead, make achieving moksha a fulltime job.
Term
Karma:
Definition
Maya: illusion
It is maya to think that karma does not affect people. It does. Because they believe "we are all one, we are all connected."
Term
quick facts of Devotional Hinduism (bhakti/devotion):
Definition
- everyone can achieve moksha( but not all about moksha about this world too)
- most popular form of hinduism
- donthave to abandon family
-wisdom< love
- outpaced philosophical hinduism
Term
Devotional Hinduism:

Nirguna vs Saguna Brahman
Definition
Saguna Brahman: is God with personal characteristics or attributes. Forms include Vishnu,Shiva, etc.

Nirguna Brahman: No form -impersonal
Term
Sanskrit
Definition
The ancient language which the Vedas were written in.
Term
Veda (ancient sacred hymns broken into 4 parts):
1) Samhitas
2) Brahmanas
3) Aranyaka
4) Upanishads
Definition
1) Samhitas: Earliest hymns of worship of dieties
2) Brahmanas: (next) Explains correspondences between rituals and real life.
3) Aranyaka: "forest treaties" - writtings of people who were recluses in forrests
4) Upanishads: teachings from highly realized spiritual masters
Term
Rishis:
Definition
(Ancient)A divinely inspired poet or sage in India, sometimes regarded as a saint.
Term
Gayatrimantra
Definition
most sacred of prayers, chanted daily by the devout
Term
Rig Veda:
Definition
oldest known vedic scripture, praises and acknowledges blessings of devas
Term
Devas:
Definition
devas (divine): In the Vedic religion , one of many divine powers, roughly divided into sky, air, and earth divinities.
Indra: god of thunder and welcomed rains
Agini: god of fire
Soma:sacred drink
Ushas: Goddess of dawn
Term
quick facts of Philosophical Systems:
Definition
-all have deep roots in Vedas(scripture)
-Ethics central to orderly life
-ultimate cause of suffering= people's ignorance to self
Term
Philosophical Systems:

Samkhya:
Definition
-oldest
-founder=Kapila
-2 states of reality (dualism)-These states are:
Purusha: The self- eternally wise, pure, free- beyond change.
Prakriti: The cause of the meaterial universe(matter, creative agency or energy)
Term
Philosophical Systems:

Advita Vedanta:
Definition
- Monistic (non dualistic)
founder=Shankara
Atman/Brahman: Brahman is the only reality, and nothing exists which is not Brahman. The appearance of dualities and differences in the world is Maya. Maya is the illusion and creative vision of Brahman.
Term
Philosophical Systems:
quick definition of Yoga:
Definition
4 types of yoga gone over in class ( see following cards)
practices for increasing a desired state of - Balance, purity, wisdom, peacefullness of mind
yoga=union with the true self
Term
Raja Yoga:
Definition
is concerned with the mind using meditation (dhyana) to further one's acquaintance with reality and finally achieve liberation (The path of mental concentration)

Sadhanas: practices of Raja yoga

sutras: collection of writings by Patanjali defining yoga's eight steps.
1)morality: yamaniyama
2)personal observances:Niyama
3)physical condintioning: asana
4)Breathing control:pranayama
5)control of senses:pratyahara
6)Concentration: daharana
7) meditation: dhyana
8)spiritual absorption w/ the Divine: samadhi
Term
Jnana yoga:
Definition
uses the rational mind rather then concentration,Jnana (wisdom or knowledge) requires great strength of will and intellect.
Ignorance considered root of all problems
Term
Karma Yoga:
Definition
leads to liberation from self
-absolute performs all actions, all actions are gifts to absolute-
Term
Bhakti yoga:
Definition
Most common- path of devotion to a personal diety
Term
3 major groups of deities:
1)Saktas
Definition
Saktas: worship a mother goddess
Mahadevi (great Goddess)
Shakti(divine Feminine)
-her power is called sakti
- associated w/ ganges and other forms of water
Tantras: sacred texts that tell worshipers how to honor the feminie divine.
-no sacrifice complete unless wife participates too
-marriage, people compliment eachother, no woman is to seek her own spiritual liberation she is liked to her husbands
2 avatars:
Durga: beautiful woman, 10 arms holding weapons, rides a lion, kills demons
Kali: divine in fierce form, dripping with blood, carrying sword and severed head, wearing necklace of skulls, destroyer of evil.
Term
3 major groups of deities:
2)Saivites:
Definition
-worship the god shiva="friendly".
-Seen as manifestations of the Supreme Being.
-special relationship w/ Kashi
-Contridictory ( masc. vs. fem.)Parvati: his devoted spouse
Term
3 major groups of deities:
3)Vaishnavites:
Definition
-worship the god vishnu( a beloved and merciful diety)
-best known for different avatars- can be 1/2 lion, 1/2 man, turtle fish or human
Krishna = the holy human embodiment( portrayed as child w love interests.
Lakshmi: vishnus companion, a goddess worshipped in her own right.
yoga= achieving moksha
Term
The Epics and Puramas(3 epics 18 puramas):
Definition
-scripture that arose after the vedas
1)Ramayana- story of Rama and his wife Sita
2)Mahbharata:tells of civil war between the Pandavas and the Kauravas -containing the text of the Bhagavad-Gita
Kali Yuga: the fourth and present age of the world, full of conflict and sin
The Puranas: narrate the myths of ancient times ( 6 about Vishnu. 6 about Brahma, 6 about Shiva)
Term
Puja:
Definition
typically done by Corey Dorne and other women, use of fire/ oil lamp in front of icons, bells ringing, holy water
Term
Prasada:
Definition
offering to the Gods,-blessed- offered back to people ( all vegetarian)
Term
Darshan:
Definition
beholding of a deity or sacred object
Term
Kshatriyas:
Definition
the caste of the nobility of feudal india, (kings, warriors)- below Brahmins( priests)
Term
Vaishyas:
Definition
the caste of Economic specialists (Farmers and merchants)
Term
Shundra:
Definition
the caste of Manual labor and artisans ( above the "outcastes"/ untouchables)
Term
Kashi:
Definition
holy place by river where people go to achieve moksha
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