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Week 2
World Religion
132
Religious Studies
Undergraduate 1
09/30/2015

Additional Religious Studies Flashcards

 


 

Cards

Term

 

 

 

 

Monotheism

Definition

 

 

 

Beliefe in only one God

Term

 

 

 

 

Polytheism

Definition

 

 

 

Beliefe in more than 1 God

Term

 

 

 

 

Pantheism

Definition

 

 

 

Beliefe that the devine is manifested in nature itself

Term

 

 

 

Sects

Definition

 

 

 

 

Subdivisions of a larger religious group

Term

 

 

 

 

Henotheism

Definition

 

 

 

 

Belief in 1 God w/o disbelieving in other Gods

Term

 

 

 

 

Monotheistic Relgions Include

Definition

 

 

 

 

Christianity, Judaism, Islam, & Sikhism

Term

 

 

 

 

Shiva

Definition

 

 

 

 

Supreme God of Hindu Henotheism

Term

 

 

 

 

Pantheist

Definition

 

 

 

 

Favor spiral shapes as a representation of nature

Term

 

 

 

Gods or God

(hinduism)

Definition
  • General practice of a nuanced form of henotheism
  • Brahman is considered the one supreme reality
  • exist an infinite # of lesser deities
  • Some hindu sects maintain pantheism beliefs
Term

 

 

 

 

Brahman

Definition
  • In Hinduism the ultimate reality underlying all phenomena
  • primary goal is to reunite w/ the truth
  • truth is a singularity, very essence of the universe
  • brahman is indistinguishable from the truth
  • beyond description
  • w/o form, attributes, limits, all-pervasive, all-inclusive, w/o a beginning or an end
  • inherent in every single aspect of universe
  • unites all things
Term

 

 

 

God or Gods

(Jainism)

Definition
  • Polytheistic religion
  • believe in no one creator
  • believe the universe has exisited for all eternity and w/o a beginning
  • worship heavenly deities and souls
  • deities thought to be guardians
  • deities participate in the cycle of life and death
Term

 

 

 

God or Gods

(Buddhism)

Definition
  • Polytheism
  • Worship various devas
  • god like beings that accumate a certain amount of karma
  • devas have not yet achieved enlightenment of buddha
  • combined w/ various folk religions and traditions
  • create a hybird religion
Term

 

 

 

 

Karma

Definition
  • Belief that the good and evil in a person does will return either in this life or in a later one
  • individuals every action has a consequence that affects subsequent lives
  • travels w/ atman thur its incarnations
  • fator that determines quality of susequent life
  • proper actions = rebirth into higher position
  • improper actions = lower status
Term

 

 

 

God or Gods

(Judaism)

Definition
  • Monotheism religion
  • God is the one in only creator
  • God is the only proper subject of worship
  • worship of any other spiritual or physical idol is an offense to God
Term

 

 

 

 

Yahweh

Definition

 

 

 

 

A form of the Hewbrew name of God used in the Torah

Term

 

 

 

 

Christianity 

Definition
  • Monotheism
  • God is the one and only creator
  • worship of other idols is forbidden
Term

 

 

 

 

Islam

Definition
  • Monotheistic
  • Believes in a singular God
  • God is omnipotent, all powerful, and indivisible
  • islam rejects the claim that Jesus wat the physical incarnation or son of God
Term

 

 

 

 

Allah

Definition

 

 

 

 

Islamic name for God in the Arabic language

Term

 

 

 

God or Gods

(Confucianism)

Definition
  • Non-theistic
  • questioned as a religion
  • practice of ancestor worship
  • argued to be primarialy an expression of cultural practice and tradition
  • no explicit beliefs about supernatural relam or God
Term

 

 

 

God or Gods

(Daoism)

Definition
  • Presents a patheistic system of beliefs
  • no explicit mention of any particular God or gods
  • emphasizes divine nature of all things
  • Dao or tao stresses unity and encourages followers to live in harmony w/ natural order
Term

 

 

 

 

Dao or Tao

Definition

 

 

 

Path of the morally enlightened individual to inner harmony, peace, and longevity, sometimes called the way

Term

 

 

 

 

Hinduism

Definition
  • Considered the oldest living religion
  • also known as the eternal way (sanatana dharma)
  • emerged in the Indus River Valley (now Pakistan)
  • Vedas-collection of sacred texts are believed to have been composed during 1500BCE
  • No single dogma, no signle sacred scripture, no single founder
  • believe soul is born and reborn into bodies until liberated
  • quality of a soul's new life largely determined by karma
  • dharma: duty, virtue, or morality
  • dharma is the binding force that uphold universe and society
  • importance of right and virtuous action
  • importance or Vedas and observation of holy days
  • third largest religion
Term

 

 

 

Diwali

Definition

 

 

 

Hinduism holy day called the festival of lights

Term

 

 

 

4 main denominations of Hinduism

Definition
  1. Shaivism
  2. Shaktism
  3. Vaishnavism
  4. Smartism
Term

 

 

 

Aryan Legacy

(1500-600 BCE)

Definition
  • aryan means noble
  • sanskirt written language
  • resettled valley of indusrelgion they practed called vedism
  • priest called brahmins provided knowledge and oversight
  • vedas remain fundamental scriptural tests of modern hinduism
  • vedism immediate precursor of hinduism
Term

 

 

 

 

Sanskirt word Shindu

Definition

 

 

 

 

Means River

Term

 

 

 

 

Vedas

Definition
  • Sacred scriptures of the hindus, believed to contain divine wisdom revealed to ancient Vedic Sages
  • Eternal, sense of always exisiting w/o being
  • most defining charateristic of hinduism
Term

 

 

 

 

Indra

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

The God of war:thunderstorms

Term

 

 

 

 

Agni

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

God of fire; messenger of the gods

Term

 

 

 

 

Soma

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of a certain intoxicating, plant based beverage that caused heightened spiritual awearness

Term

 

 

 

 

Varuna

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Sky god; expansive water

Term

 

 

 

 

Mitra

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

God of oaths, promises, trust, honesty

Term

 

 

 

 

Usas

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of the dawn; renewal

Term

 

 

 

 

Vayu

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

 

The breather of life; god of air, wind

Term

 

 

 

 

Savitr

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

personification or the animating power of the sun

Term

 

 

 

 

Pusan

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Bringer of prosperity; gaurdian of roads, journeys, marriages, livestock; mover of the sun

Term

 

 

 

Brhaspati

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

Lord of prayer; personification of devotion and piety; intercessor to the gods

Term

 

 

 

 

Surya

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Sun god (ultimate light)

Term

 

 

 

 

Dyaiis Pitr

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of the heavens; sky father (shining father)

Term

 

 

 

 

Prithvi

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of the earth; later called prithvi mata (earth mother)

Term

 

 

 

 

Apas

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

God of water

Term

 

 

 

 

Vishnu

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of universal order

Term

 

 

 

 

Rudra

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Personification of the roaring wind; god of the hunt

Term

 

 

 

 

Yama

(aryan pantheon)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Lord of the dead

Term

 

 

 

 

Axis Age

(600-300 BCE)

Definition
  • beginning period of extrodinary spiritual activity in India
  • spiritual teachers began questioning relevancy of vedas and the authority of the Brahmins
  • encouraged the adoption of practicing austerity, abstinence, and discipline
  • hinduism inherited beliefs of the aryan caste system
  • 3 upper classes twice born
  • peasant class considered once born
  • asceticism became widespread
Term

 

 

 

 

Asceticism

Definition

 

 

 

 

Abstinence from worldly pleasures w/ aim of pursing religious and spiritual goals

Term

 

 

 

 

Siddhartha Gautama

Definition

 

 

 

 

Central figure of buddhism, called buddha (awakened one)

Term

 

 

 

 

Vardhamana

Definition

 

 

 

 

Mahavira (great hero) and central figure of Jainism

Term

 

 

 

 

Caste System

Definition

 

 

 

Hereditary and hierarchical structuring of social classess w/i traditional hinduism

Term

 

 

 

Brahmin

(varna or society)

Definition
  • Religious leaders; priests, or other teachers of spiritual orthdoxy; intellectual class
  • purpose is to learn, share, and preserve vedas and all relevan spiritual knowledge
  • acted as court councilors
Term

 

 

 

Kshatriya

(varna of society)

Definition
  • Warriors and rulers; governing class; noble or aristocratic class
  • purpose is to provide military defense of realm and administration of government
  • protect and rule society
Term

 

 

 

Vaishya

(varna of society)

Definition
  • farmers and merchants, traders, bankers, landloards, and businessmen; entrepreneurial class
  • purpose is to produce goods and services
  • creat wealth and prosperity
  • share it
Term

 

 

 

Shudra

(varna of society)

Definition
  • pessants, servants, tradesmen, and artisans; laboring class
  • purpose is to produce goods, provide services, and to preform manual labor
Term

 

 

 

Dalit

(varna of society)

Definition
  • pariahs (untouchables)
  • purpose is to preform the most menial labor
  • usually the filthiest and most unhygienic tasks
  • not sanctioned byVedic orthodoxy
  • exist in social practice
Term

 

 

 

Brahmacharin

(1st stage of life)

 

Definition
  • student (god follower)
  • time in the life from academic study and religious training
  • celibacy required
Term

 

 

 

Grihastha

(2nd stage of life)

Definition
  • head of household
  • time in life for marriage, kids, providing for ones fmaily
  • pursuing and achieving goals of ones occupation
  • furfilling ones purpose
  • completion of this stage required
Term

 

 

 

Vanaprastha

(3rd stage of life)

Definition
  • hermit (forest dweller)
  • time for retiring from ordinary social affairs
  • reliquishing property to heirs and charities
  • eschewing personal notority and gross pleasures
  • time for seculsion, meditation, introspection, and penance
Term

 

 

 

Sannyasin

(4th and final stage)

Definition
  • renunciate (thrown down)
  • time in life for giving up entirely all wordly attachments
  • leaving ones family and home
  • embracing the ascetic life of wandering pilgrim or menedicant
  • seeking only spiritual wisdom and improvment
Term

 

 

 

Classical era

(300 BCE-500 CE)

Definition
  • 3rd century
  • Mauryan Empire Buddhist
  • Vedic trditions never discouraged
  • Practice of vedism started to move towards worship of a single deity from amoung a pantheon of gods
  • cults primarily formed around vishnu, Shive (or Rudra), Shakti (personification of female power)
  • This is when the religion got it's name of hinduism
Term

 

 

 

 

Mahabharata

Definition

 

 

 

 

Major religious epic of acient India and a major text of Hinduism

Term

 

 

 

Bhakti movement

(500-1200)

Definition
  • bhakti means devotion
  • appears in study of hinduism in several contexts
  • refered to here as a movement that produced a body of original, devotional hyms written not in sanskrit, but in common language of the time
  • 1st in Tamil, then later in hindi, bengali, gujarati, punjabi, marathi, ect.
  • intensely personal poems where worshiped deity is addressed as master, parent, or lover
Term

 

 

 

Muslim Era

(1200-1750)

Definition
  • beginning of 13th century
  • muslim rulers not tolerant of either hinduism or buddhism
  • islam was mainly accepted by those who follwed buddhism; embraced strongest in kashmir, bangkadesh, and pakistan
  • other buddhist fled to tibet or nepel
  • islam more influenced by hinduism than the other way around
  • greater tolerence toward hinduism happened during the 16th and 17th century
Term

 

 

 

 

Syncretism

Definition

 

 

 

 

A blending of religions or philosophical beliefs and practices

Term

 

 

 

British Era

(1750-1950)

Definition

 

 

 

 

Tried to convert those that follwed hinduism to christianity which caused a crisis or faith amoung devot hindus

Term

 

 

 

Rammohan Roy

(1772-1833)

Definition
  • Rationalistic apologist or hinduism as a relevant and essentially monotheistic religion
  • fouth to eliminate supersition, caste discrimination, & agregious practices
  • called for universal education
  • formed brahmo samaj
  • inspried tattvabodhini sabha
Term

 

 

 

Dayananda

(1824-1883)

Definition
  • hindu fundamentalist
  • proclamied infallibility & autonomy of orginal Vedas
  • post vedic scripture rejected as well as polytheism
  • fought to eliinate untouchable dalit caste, child marriage, & subjugation of women
  • founded arya samaj
Term

 

 

 

Vivekananda

(1863-1902)

Definition
  • Deciple of ramakrishna
  • argued the importance of mystical experiences 
  • emphasized ecumenical, monistic tendicies w/i hinduism
  • founded ramakrishna mission
Term

 

 

 

 

Guru

Definition

 

 

 

 

A holy teacher; term used by Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism

Term

 

 

 

 

Mohandas Gandhi

(1869-1948)

Definition
  • Political organizer at the heart of India's successful independence movement
  • Championed concept of civil resistance
  • Argued for the merging or secularist european ideas w/ hinduism
  • held the title of mahatma (sainted)
  • fougth to emilinate the untouchable class
Term

 

 

 

Sanatana Dharma

Definition

 

 

 

 

Eternal Way

Term

 

 

 

 

Swaminarayan Akshardham

Definition
  • in New Delhi
  • world's largets hindu temple
Term

 

 

 

 

Key Beliefs of Hinduism

Definition
  • Never instatutionalized
  • no one founder or mythology
  • no single comprehensive doctrine
  • common beliefs include Vedas, Brahman, atman, moksha, karma, dharma
Term

 

 

 

 

Reincarnation 

 

 

 

 

Definition

 

 

 

Belief that a soul can be reborn into a new body after death

Term

 

 

 

 

Atman

Definition
  • an individuals souls, its animating spirt in hindu belief
  • aspect of brahman, derived from it
  • eternal
  • continues to exist even when host body has perished
  • seeks reunion w/ brahman
  • achieving such reunion requires atman to live many lives
  • continuosly reborn in consecutive hosts( reincarnation
  • transmigration of the soul
Term

 

 

 

 

Samsara

Definition

 

 

 

In Buddhism and Hinduism, the endless cycle of birth, suffering, death and re birth

Term

 

 

 

 

Maya

Definition
  • Everyday world
  • Maya means illusion
  • all phemomena of world are merely apperences, momentary manisfestations of human ego
  • believe humans become ignorant of devine nature
Term

 

 

 

 

Yoga

Definition

 

 

 

Hindu spiritual discipline which includes breath control, simple meditation, and adoption of specific bodily postures

Term

 

 

 

Moksha

Definition
  • means emancipation
  • in indian religions, liberation from cycle of death and rebirth
  • ultimate goal of human existance
  • three trditional paths (marga)
  • Karma-marga; path of duty
  • jnana-marga; path of knownledge
  • bhakti-marga; path of devotion
Term

 

 

 

Karma-Marga

Definition
  • path of duty
  • performance of good works, and the faithful observence of proper religious practice
Term

 

 

 

Jnana-marga

Definition
  • path of knownledge
  • sustained, systematic study of ethical works, training in contemplative arts, and the practice of meditation
Term

 

 

 

 

Bhakti-marga

Definition
  • path of devotion
  • all consuming expression of love for a personal deity
Term

 

 

 

Dharma

Definition
  • understood to mean duty
  • maintenance of the order of things
  • essential to the eventual attainment of moksha
  • governs the moral conduct and daily religious practice of individual followers
  • improves ones karma
  • principle of cosmic order and the religious and moral duty in accord w/ that order
  • important tent of Hinduism, jainism, and buddhism
Term

 

 

 

Sanatana Dharma

Definition

 

 

 

Prepetual maintenance of the order of things

Term

 

 

 

4 Pursuits of Life according to the science of Dharma

Definition
  1. moksha; release from the reincarnation and reunion w/ god
  2. dharma; fulfillment of prescribed religious duties and social obligations, virtuous behavior, right action
  3. artha; attainment of financial security and material gain, worldly success and power
  4. kama; pursuit of sensory and bodily pleasure
Term

 

 

 

 

4 most popular sects in india today

Definition
  1. vaishnavism; believers in vishnu as supreme being
  2. shaivism; believers in shiva as supreme being
  3. shaktism; believers in shakti as supreme being
  4. smartism; emphazing reliance on scriptures, especially the smriti
Term

 

 

 

 

Shakti

Definition

 

 

 

In hinduism, a deity that is the personification of feminine energy

Term

 

 

 

 

4 veda types

Definition
  1. rig-veda; most acient veda, contains 1028 hyms and several myths
  2. yajur-veda; collection of verses to be sung at sacrifical ceremonies
  3. sama-veda; contains berses to be used during arcane portions of rituals
  4. atharva-veda; contains hymns and information for practical religious purpose
Term

 

 

 

 

all 4 vedas contain

Definition
  • samhitas; verses of hymns
  • brahmanas; explnations of the verses
  • aran-yakas; reflections on the verses
  • upanishads; speculation inspired by the verses
Term

 

 

 

Shruti

(word for vedas)

Definition

 

 

 

Heard wisdom received by divine revelation

Term

 

 

 

Smriti

(secondary to vedas)

Definition

 

 

 

 

remembered wisdom recieved by tradition

Term

 

 

 Ramayana

Definition
  • epic of rama
  • story of the abdution of sita, and her rescue by her husband rama, a paragon of virtue
Term

 

 

Mahabharata

Definition
  • great epic of the bharata dynasty
  • indias immense national epic, the adventures of krishna, and a compendium of dharma
Term

 

 

Bhagavad-gita

Definition
  • song of the lord
  • ethical arguement between krishna and arjuna from the mahabharata, offers a moral code and a path to moksha
Term

 

 

Puranas

Definition
  • antiquities
  • a collection of myths, ledgens, and genealogies of gods, heros, and saints
Term

 

 

vedangas

Definition
  • appendices to the veda
  • technical texts relating to the preformance practice of sacrifical ceremonies
Term

 

 

Darshanas

Definition
  • visions
  • philosophical and metaphysical texts
Term

 

 

Sutras

Definition
  • threads
  • collections of aphorisms that comprise the contents of religious manuals
Term

 

 

Tsntras

Definition
  • looms
  • esoteric writings concerned w/ mystical practices
Term

 

 

 

puja

Definition

 

 

 

In indian religions, acts of worship, reverence

Term

 

 

 

Jainism

Definition
  • ancient indian religion
  • Ganges river basin eatern india
  • 6th century BCE
  • independent religion
  • believers should vanquish earthly passions & attain enlightenment
  • universe is eternal,uncreated, has always existed
  • 4 million followers
Term

 

 

 

Karma

(jainism)

Definition
  • physical subtance
  • attaches self to a persons souls, weighing it down and preventing it transcending death and rebirth
  • riding self of karma allows soul to escape reincarnation
Term

 

 

 

Nirjara

Definition
  • passionless exsistance
  • monks live in seclusion, meditate constantly, reliquish wordly possessions, fast, and practice absolute nonviolence (ahimsa)
Term

 

 

 

Tirthankaras

Definition
  • equivalent of prophets
  • guide jainism in adhering to their faith
  • 24 of them
Term

 

 

History of Jainism

Definition
  • founded 2600 years ago
  • one of indias oldest religions
  • central historical figure vardhamana (mahavira
Term

 

 

Vardhamana

Definition
  • also known as Mahavira (the great hero)
  • son of a powerful chieftain of the kshatriya class
  • age 30 he renounced his possessions and lived and solitde for a decade
  • took on 11 deciples that were from rich powerful brahmin families
  • by time of death he had attracted 50000+ followers
Term

 

 

 

Digambara

Definition
  • sky-clad sect found primarily in southern india
  • follows model of mahavria in advocating virtue of nudity of monks (wear robes in public
  • wielded tremenndous political authority between 6th and 12th century CE (marked height of influence)
  • theological texts written in sanskrit, prakrit, and kannada
  • replaced by lingayat hindus 
Term

 

 

Shvetambara

Definition
  • white-clad sect found primarily in northen india that rejects virtue of nudity of monks
  • underminded by muslims who persecuted and marginalized them
Term

 

 

Basic doctrine

Definition
  • jain is derivied from snaskirt verb ji meaning to conquer
  • there exist an on going stuggle between forces of enlightenment and those of bodily passions
  • those who vanquish passions and attain enlightenment refered to as jain
  • follwers of jina are known as jaina (followers of conqueror)
  • jainism is a weapon one wields to achieve a spiritual conquest
Term

 

 

anekantevada

Definition
  • means multiple viewpoints
  • essential to the souls emancipation
Term

 

 

The five Great Vows

Definition
  • pledges that Jain monks must make in order to become initiated
  1. Ahimsa-vow of nonviolence and peace
  2. satya-vow of truthfulness
  3. asteya-vow of nontheft
  4. brahmacharya-vow of celibacy and sexual abstinence
  5. aparigraha-vow of poverty and nonmaterialism
Term

 

The three jewels of jainism

Definition
  • 3 qualities that a soul must possess in order to become emancipated
  1. right view
  2. right knowledge
  3. right conduct
Term

 

 

Gods and creation

Definition
  • polytheistic religion no god of creation
  • when a person destorys all karmas he becomes liberated soul
  • liberated soul become god of jain religion
Term

 

 

 

Schism

Definition
  • white clad believe monks should wear white robes and women and men are on the same level and equally capable forms to achieve moksha
  • sky-clads believe monks should be naked and that women are not on the same level as men and can not be reincarnated as a women
Term

 

 

Agamas

Definition
  • trditions
  • sacred scriptures of the jains
  • 45 liturgical texts
  • white-clads accept all texts
  • sky-clads accept only two karmaprabhrita (karma chapters) and kashayaprabhrita (kashaya chapters)
Term

 

 

 

Sikhism

Definition
  • one of the youngest religions
  • one of the most culturally influential faiths in southeat asia
  • founded by guru nanak (born into a hindu family)
  • pulled from both hinduism and islam
  • Monotheistic20 million followers
Term

 

 

Nanak

Definition
  • founder of sikhism
  • born in punjab
  • felt pressence of god at age 29
  • satnaam (true god)
  • waheguru (wondrful teacher) today
  • minimized rituals
Term

 

 

Adi Granth

Definition

 

 

 

sacred scripture of sikhism

Term

 

 

Nanak
(1469-1539)

Definition

 

 

Founder of Sikhism

Term

 

Angad
(1504-1552)

Definition



Created gurmiki, the alphabet used in Sikh religious literature.

Term

 

 

Amar Das
(1479-1574)

Definition

 

 

Wise and effective administrator. Eliminated many Hindu practices.

Term

 

 

Ram Das
(1534-1581)

Definition

 

 

Founded the holy city of Amritsar.

Term

 

 

Arjan
(1536-1606)

Definition

 

 

Son of Ram Das. Built the Golden Temple. Codified the Adi Granth. Martyred. Tortured to death by Mughal Emperor Jahangir.

Term

 

 

Hargobind
(1595-1644)

Definition

 

 

Son of Arjan. Militarized Sikhism. Raised an army, fortified the cities, successfully repelled several Mughal invasions.

Term

 

 

Har Rai
(1630-1661)

Definition

 

 

Grandson of Hargobind. Pacifist. Ineffective administrator.

Term

 

 

Har Krishan
(1556-1664)

Definition

 

 

'The child guru.' second son of Har Rai. Died of smallpox at age eight.

Term

 

 

Tegh Bahadur
(1621-1675)

Definition

 

 

Martyred. Imprisoned and decapitated by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb.

Term

 

 

Gobind Rai
(1666-1708)

Definition

 

 

Son of Tegh Bahadur. Militant. Created the Khalsa. Earned the surname, Singh ('lion'). Ended the caste system among Sikhs. Proclaimed the Adi Granth the next and final guru.

Term

 

 

Sikhs must Not

Definition
  • be unfaitful to spouse
  • believe in superstitions or the occult
  • brag, lie, slander, or betray
  • cut their hair or their childrens hair
  • have premarital or extramarital sexual relations
  • live as an ascetic, recluse, begger, monk, or celibate
  • participate in ritual animal sacrifice
  • pierce their nose or ears to wear ornaments
  • steal, gamble, or form dubious associations
  • take hemp, opium, liquior, or tobacco
  • wear a veil or keep face hidden by a veil
Term

 

 

 

gurdwara

Definition

 

 

 

a temple and place of worship for sikhism

Term

 

 

The khalsa

Definition
  • membership in the elite order requires
  1. kesh-uncut hair, worn in a topknot, covered by a turban
  2. kirpan-a ceremonial sword
  3. kara-a steel wrist bracelet
  4. khanga-wooden comb, also used as a hair clip
  5. kachhera-cotton boxer shorts
Term

 

 

3 Principle deities

Definition
  • Brahma-creator
  • Vishnu-perserver
  • Shiva-destroyer
Term

 

 

Sikh

Definition

 

 

 

Disciple

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