07/14 Religions of South Asia Free Online FlashCards

What is distinctive about Hinduism’s historical formation?

Hindu traditions are a broad family of religious traditions rather than a single system founded by one historical individual.

What does mokṣa mean in Hindu traditions?

Mokṣa is liberation, often understood as freedom from ignorance and rebirth, realization of the self’s relation to ultimate reality, or loving union with a chosen deity.

What do the Four Noble Truths teach?

The Four Noble Truths identify dukkha, its conditions in craving and ignorance, its cessation in nirvāṇa, and the Noble Eightfold Path leading to that cessation.

What does Buddhist non-self mean?

Buddhist non-self teaching rejects a permanent, independent essence underlying the changing psychophysical process; it does not deny that people exist conventionally.

How do the three major Buddhist formations differ?

Theravāda emphasizes the Pāli canon, monastic discipline, and the arhat ideal; Mahāyāna emphasizes the bodhisattva ideal; Vajrayāna adds mantras, mandalas, initiation, and tantric practices.

What is Jainism’s basic account of reality?

Jainism teaches that reality includes living beings, or jīvas, and nonliving substances, or ajīvas, within a beginningless universe that does not depend on a creator God.

How does Jainism understand karma?

In Jainism, karma is a subtle material substance that adheres to the soul because of passions and actions.

Why is ahiṃsā especially demanding in Jainism?

Ahiṃsā means nonviolence. Jain ethics applies it exceptionally comprehensively because life is understood to exist in many forms.

What do anekāntavāda and syādvāda encourage?

Anekāntavāda teaches that reality is many-sided, while syādvāda expresses claims conditionally or from particular standpoints.

What central way of life does Sikhism teach?

Sikhism emphasizes devotion to the One, remembrance of the divine Name, honest work, sharing with others, and service.

What is the authority of the Guru Granth Sahib?

The Guru Granth Sahib is the central Sikh scripture and is treated as the living Guru of the Sikh community.

How does langar express Sikh equality?

Langar is a communal meal at a gurdwārā that expresses equality by welcoming people to eat together regardless of caste, gender, wealth, or background.