Christian Ethics-Hinduism Flashcards
life that continues after death through rebirth into a new form of existence (slug?)
reincarnation
it is the eternal self or “soul” that is reborn again and again
atman
this is one’s duty in life and it is the power that upholds the universe and society
dharma
the principle of cause and effect where one’s actions and intentions contribute to one’s future happiness and/or suffering in a future life
karma
the process of reincarnation which involves an endless cycle of birth, death, rebirth
samsara
becoming free from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth; eternal bliss
moksha
it’s part of the cosmic illusion
There IS no number 7
a spiritual teacher and master who provides guidance and knowledge in a certain area
guru
the practice of non-violence towards all living things
ahimsa
a person who lives a life of rigid spiritual discipline and abstinence
ascetic
the supernatural power of gods to create illusions and trickery which keep people blind from attaining spiritual enlightenment and truth
maya
the metaphysical power that binds all things in the universe together in perfect unity; all is one
Brahman
the class of priests in Hindu society
brahmin
a way of life that involves having no comforts of luxuries
austerity
a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation
mantra
a worldview that denies the existence of distinction or duality, such as that between matter and mind, or God and the world. Thus, there is no difference between mind and matter, or between God and the world.
monism
a private household ceremony that replaced animal sacrifice
puja
sometimes used as a word to describe the soul moving from one body to another after death
transmigration
a mostly obsolete funeral custom where the widow burns herself alive after her husband’s death as the honorable thing to do. Widows who perform sati might even go so far as to cook themselves alive in ghee (a purified Indian butter).
sati
a large body of writing that contains the oldest Scriptures in Hinduism
Vedas
a volume in the Vedas that contains hymns of their mythology, wisdom literature, and songs of praise to Krishna, Vishnu, and Shiva, the holy trinity of Hinduism’s 330 million gods.
Rig Veda
the sacred text that involves a long conversation between Krishna and Arjuna; it is Hinduism’s most popular and well known sacred text
Bhagavad Gita
is worshipped as the eighth avatar/incarnation of Vishnu; Krishna is the god of compassion, tenderness, and love.
Krishna
is revered as both the creator and destroyer of the world
Shiva
the system of hereditary classes of Hindu society
caste
one way to achieve moksha, it is the path of devotion (involves prayer and worship)
bhakti yoga/marga
one way to achieve moksha, it is the path of knowledge (involves scholarly pursuits)
jnana yoga/marga
one way to achieve moksha, it is the path of works (involves social service to others)
karma yoga/marga
one of the 4 aims of life in Hinduism, it is the pursuit of wealth and acquisition of property. Desire for wealth is not seen as greed, but rather a fulfillment of one’s dharma.
artha
this branch of Hindu philosophy asserts that reality is composed of 2 distinct categories: matter and mind
Sankhya
