Theology 1

Question 1

What is religion?

Answer 1

Every culture has some aspect we can call religion. Thousands of religions with variants: single, many but can be considered a human universal. Deeply connected to culture.

Question 2

Aniconism

Answer 2

Aniconism is the absence of material representations of the natural and supernatural world in various cultures, particularly in the monotheistic Abrahamic religions. This ban may extend from only God and deities to saint characters, all living beings, and everything that exists. The phenomenon is generally codified by the religious traditions and as such becomes a taboo. When enforced by the physical destruction of images, aniconism becomes iconoclasm. The word itself derives from Greek εικων ‘image’ with the negative prefix an- (Greek privative alpha) and the suffix -ism (Greek -ισμος).

Question 3

Therevada Buddhism

Answer 3

Theravada Buddhism is one of the oldest forms of Buddhism that traces its roots to the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, known as the Buddha. It emphasizes the original teachings found in the Pali Canon, considering them the most authentic. Theravada is often referred to as the “Teaching of the Elders” and is prevalent in countries such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Cambodia, and Myanmar. The focus is on individual enlightenment through meditation and the observance of ethical guidelines.

Question 4

Kirtimuhka

Answer 4

This monstrous face with bulging eyes sits also as an embellishment over the lintel of the gate to the inner sanctum in many Hindu temples signifying the reabsorption that marks the entry into the temple.[8] In Dravidian architecture and

Question 5

What is Darsham?

Answer 5

The ritual Hindu act of looking at God. Darsham draws the transformative power of God into ones life.

Question 6

Svayambhu

Answer 6

Naturally potent deities that don’t need any aura replenishing rituals

Question 7

The 5 Skhandas

Answer 7

Form (rupa): This includes the physical body and all sensory experiences.
Sensation (vedana): This includes all pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral sensations.
Perception (samjna): This includes the ability to recognize and label objects and experiences.
Mental formations (samskara): This includes all thoughts, emotions, and volitions.
Consciousness (vijnana): This includes the awareness of all of the above.
The skandhas are not fixed or permanent, but rather are constantly changing and evolving. They are also not separate from each other, but rather are interdependent and interconnected.

Question 8

What does the sanskrit “Samadhi” translate to?

Answer 8

“One pointedness”