Hinduism Vocab Flashcards
Yoga
Discipline
Rita
Right (A right makes a rite)
Karma Yoga
Discipline of action (originally fire sacrifices)
Vedas
Knowledge, seeing
-technical manuals instructing priests in proper performance of rituals.
-maintain rite
Om
The most powerful mantra
-beginning and end of many prayers and rituals
-creates union with divine
Upanishads
Writings on wisdom of wondering sages; teachings of masters to disciples
“sitting down near” between master and disciple
Samsara
“wondering”; cycle of death, rebirth, redeath
Moksha
Release; spiritual liberation from Samsara
Jhana Yoga
Discipline of wisdom; liberation through insight
Atman
Self or soul
Brahman
Essence of divinity
Bhakti Yoga
Discipline of devotion
Puja
Ritual worship of a God or Goddess
Trimurti
Three forms (trinity)
-Vishnu
-Shiva
-Brahma (Creator)
Mahadevi
“The Great Goddess” more important than Brahma to many Hindus
Feminine energy animating all divinities
-all-encompassing female deity that compliments and all-encompassing male deity
Vishnu
Sustainer/Preserver
10 Avatars
-Rama: hero of the epic Ramayana
-Krishna: hero of the epic Mahabharata
Krishna
Avatar of Vishnu; famous for his adventures with the gopis (cowherd girls)
Shiva
The Destroyer
contradictory; wrathful and loving
inside cycle of Samsara
Ganesha
Elephant-headed son of Shiva and Parvati
-God of good luck
Bhagavad Gita
Sacred song; serves as Hindu New Testament
-Krishna lays the path to Moksha (Karma yoga, Jhana yoga, Bhakti yoga)
Hindutva
“Hindu-ness” rise of Hindu consciousness
Laws of Manu
Written by Brahma and son Manu; Treatise on dharma
Dharma
Duty, righteousness, right conduct, morality
Manu
First man, progenitor of humankind
Varna
Idealized fourfold hierarchy of castes based on ancient legal texts
Caste
Pattern of social stratification based on endogamy (marrying within group)
Jhati
Describes people in the caste system
Ranking and regulations of entire family (endogamous) groups in the caste
Dalits
“Broken” outside of the caste system
slavery and bonded labor
spacial segregation
Anatman
In Buddhism; thought but no thinker, feeling but no feeler
Avatara
To descend; 10 avatars of Vishnu
