Religion

• Cosmocentric: The view that thinks the natural world is the life force, the source of all things, etc.
• Theocentric: Our god is the source of all things, and everything is evidence of our god’s existence
• Anthropocentric: Humans are at the center of creation; we have been created to be stewards of God's creation
• Humanisms:

  1. Christian Humanism
  2. Scientific Humanism
  3. Secular Humanism
• Theism: Belief that god or gods exist
• Deism: Belief of a god or gods that exists, but does not intervene
• Atheism: Belief that god or gods do not exist
• Polytheism: The belief of multiple gods
• Monotheism: The belief of only one god
• Karma: The better the karma, the better reincarnation you receive
• Dharma: Doing your duty to gain good Karma 
• "Make me one with everything"

  1. Brahman: Oneness
  2. Atman: Separate from God
  3. Maya: Illusion
• Christian Humanism: Humans are the ultimate expression of God
• Scientific Humanism: No mysteries, Humans will solve every mystery and find all answers
• Secular Humanism: No mysteries, just answered questions, Religion is a destructive force to humanity
• Brahman: the underlying unity of all things. It is consciousness; we are all conscious.
• Atman: your true self, is a divine essence within, uniting all; recognize it, overcoming illusion.
• Ahimsa: Non-violence and peace for all living beings
• Caste system:

  1. Brahmans: priests, religious teachers
  2. Kshatriyas: warriors, rulers
  3. Vaishyas: merchant, farmers
  4. Sudras: servants, labourers
  5. Untouchables: "unclean" occupations
• Moksha: liberation from samsara (cycle of birth/death)
• Samsara: The cycle of birth and rebirth in Hinduism.
• Mandir: A Hindu temple
• Puja: The most common for of Hindu worship, in which a person or group of people gather to worship a deity or deities.
• Vedas/Upanishads: Scriptures that are used to guide Hindus.
• Sanskrit: The language the Vedas and Upanishads are written in.
• Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha who learned about suffering, and found the middle path to enlightenment
• Bodhisattva: A person who makes a resolution to become a Buddha
• Four Noble Truths:

  1. Dukkha (All life is suffering; Diagnosis)
  2. Arising of Dukkha (The cause of suffering; The causes of it)
  3. Stopping of the Dukkha (The end of suffering; prognosis/outcome) 
  4. Path leading to the stopping of Dukkha (The path to freedom from suffering; Treatment)
• Noble eightfold path:

  1. Right View
  2. Right Intention
  3. Right Speech
  4. Right Action
  5. Right Livelihood
  6. Right Effort
  7. Right Mindfulness
  8. Right Concentration
• Five precepts:

  1. Do not kill
  2. Do not steal
  3. Avoid unhealthy relationships
  4. Do not use your words wrong
  5. Do not take intoxicants
• Three jewels: Buddha, Dharma, Sangha
• Anatta: The human is not permanent, not even the soul 
• Anicca: The impermanence of all things, including the self.
• Theravada/Mahayana: The two schools of Buddhism
• Vajrayana: A form of Buddhism within Mahayana Buddhism that emphasizes the use of ritual and meditation to achieve enlightenment
• Wheel of life: Represents the Samsara, and was thought to be made by the Buddha
• Tripitaka: The sacred Buddhist scriptures (Three baskets), including the sutras pitaka, the vinaya pitaka, and the abhidharma pitaka
• dukkha: suffering, dissatisfaction, and the desire to end suffering
• The Patriarchs: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob
• The covenant: The "legal' agreement between Jewish and Christian communities and God