Definitions Flashcards
YhWh
LORD (Hebrew)
Tanakh
Scriptures
Torah
Five books of Moses
Nevi’im
Prophets
Kethuvim
Writings
Talmud
Like a commentary on the Scriptures
- -Mishnah: interpretation
- -Gemara: narratives, illustration
Mecca
City central to the Islamic religion
Hijra
(“Flight” to Medina)
622 CE
Marks the beginning of the Muslim calendar
Qur’an
Literal, eternal, uncreated Word of God
Doctrine of abrogation (anything that is farther into the Qur’an overrides whatever was previously said)
Shirk
Greatest sin (assigning partners to God) Absolute monotheism
Hajj
Pilgrimage to Mecca
Required at least once in lifetime
Shahada
Confession
Public statement meaning, “There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet.”
First step in becoming a Muslim (like a Muslim baptism)
Must be recited in Arabic
Repeated multiple times every day, from birth through deat
Salat
Prayer
Five times per day in direction of Mecca (supposedly through arguing with Moses)
Preceded by ritual washings
Recitations of Qur’an in Arabic
Must follow prescribed movements and postures
Most difficult overall concept is that we are derivative and mere creature
Sawm
Fasting
Month of Ramadan
-Recalls first revelation of Qur’an
-Therefore, focus on reading on reading Qur’an
Abstinence from all food, water, sensual pleasure during daylight
Children, pregnant women, travelers exempted
Three-day feast, “Eid Al Fitr” (Breaking of the Fast) follows
Zakat
Giving Alms
Purification; giving cleanses a Muslim of greed and selfishness
Annual giving to benefit the poor
Based on determining 2.5% of a Muslim’s wealth
Varying rules for calculating and submitting zaka
Vedas
Sacred Writings (knowledge, wisdom)
- Oldest and most sacred scriptures
- Four collections including Rig Veda (over 1000 hymns to various gods)
Upanishads
Philosophical extension of Vedas
Bhagavad-Gita
- Epic poetry
- Most popular Hindu writing
Brahman
- Ultimate reality
- Without qualities
Can not be visualized as He/She/It has no qualities
C.S. Lewis saw Brahman as “Grey Tapioca”
People worship 3 primary manifestations of Brahman (Brama, Vishnu, Shiva)
330,000,000 gods in total
Atman
True self, soul, essence of human life
When the body dies, the jiva (individual soul) transmigrates (is reincarnated)
The form of the new body depends on karma (the consequences of actions taken in previous life)
Caste system
Moksha
NOT the same as Christian salvation
The Hindu’s ultimate goal is freedom from samsara (cycle of transmigration)
Final step: When one renounces all human trappings and discovers the truth within the deepest self, he finds that Atman is Brahman
Four traditional paths
Yoga
Union
Transmigrates
Reincarnation
Buddha
the Awakened One
Tripitaka
Three baskets
Nirvana
Salvation
“Blowing out” of desire, attachment
Escape from samsara
Samsara
Reincarnation
Mahayana
Great raft (ferry) Stresses grace Most popular form of Buddhism Made space for lay people (Buddhism for the people) Because of the number of people their theology could get to nirvana, they were the Big Raft. Very popular. Broke into many schools
Hinayana
Little Raft (ferry)
Hate the name Hinayana and call themselves Theravada Buddhists
Closer to Buddha’s original message
In it alone. You build your own ferry and cross the river of life by yourself.
Stayed one school.
Zen
Ch’an – seems charmingly but totally mad at first.
