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| A religion of India that emphasizes freedom from the material world through purification of desires and elimination of personal identity. Traditionally linked to the Caste system. Beliefs include reincarnation. Sacred writings include the Vedas and the Bhagavad Gita. |
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| The highest of the four major castes of Hinduism. Followers of Brahma and were originally all priests. |
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| Being reborn in another body. Several religions, including Hinduism, believe that the human spirit returns to earth in different forms againa and again as it strives for perfection. |
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| A ceremony in Judaism marking the beginning of religious responsibility for Jewish boys of thirteen. Hebrew for "son of the commandment". An important social event in Jewish families. |
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| The descriptive term in Judaism for food and other objects that are clean according to its laws. These laws are contained in the Torah and forbid, for example, the eating of pork and of shellfish, the mixing of dairy products and meat and certian methods of slaughtering animals. |
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| A holy month in the calendar of Islam. Moslems fast between sunrise and sunset during each day of this month. |
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| In Islam, a holy war; a war ordained by God. The Koran teaches that soldiers who die in jihad go to Heaven immediately. |
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| The sacred book of Islam. Moslems believe that the teachings of this book were revealed by God to the prophet Mohammed. |
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| Widely known in the Middle Ages as sins that lead to damnation. They are: pride, greed, lust, anger, gluttony, envy, and sloth. |
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Someone who is not a Jew.
Figuratively, any non-believer. |
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| A religion, founded by the Buddha, that emphasizes physical and spiritual discipline as a means of liberation from the physical world. The goal is to attain Nirvana, a state of complete peace. Found in the greatest numbers in eastern Asia. |
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An approach to religion, arising from Buddhism, that seeks religious enlightenment by meditation in which there is no consciousness of self.
Deliberately irrational statements are sometimes used to jar persons into realizing the limits of the common uses of the intellect. "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" |
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| In Buddhism, the highest state of consciousness in which the soul is freed from all desires and attachments. Nirvana is sometimes inaccurately used as a synonym for Heaven or Paradise. |
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| The name for God, the Supreme Being, in the Arabic language; the common name for God in Islam. |
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| A teaching or set of teachings laid down by a religious group, usually as part of the essential beliefs of the group. |
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| A religion, founded by Mohammed, whose members worship the one God and follow the teachings of the Koran. Means "submission to the will of God". The fundamental beliefs of the religion is "there is only one God and Mohammed is his prophet." The dominant religion in the Arab nations and in a number of countries in central Asia |
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The birthplace of Mohammed, and thus the holiest city for Moslems. Moslems face the direction of this city when they pray, and they are expected to go on a pilgrimage there at least once in their lives. Located in present-day Saudi Arabia.
Figuratively, any place that attracts a great many people. |
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| A large collection of written scorlls, containing nearly all of the Old Testament, found in a cave near the Dead Sea in the late 1940's. The scrolls are highly valued for the information they give about the Bible and about Judaism in the period. |
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| In Hinduism, a god made visibly present, especially in human form. |
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| A religion that originated in the United States in the 19th century, with teachings based on the Bible and the Book of _____________. Followers believe an angel revealed the book to the founder of the church, Joseph Smith. Many followers move to the western territories under the leardership of Brigham Young. |
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| Two forces in the universe according to a Chinese theory: one is the passive, negative force, and the other is the active positive force. According to this theory, wise people will detect these forces in the seasons, in their food, and so on, and will regulate thier lives accordingly. |
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| A Chinese philosopher of the 6th century before the birth of Jesus. His teachings, which place a high value on learning and stress following traditional ways, have come down to us as a collection of short sayings. |
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| A religious denomination that expects the millennium to begin within a very few years. Insist on the use of Jehovah as a name for God. They deny the doctrine of the Trinity, and consider Jesus to be the greatest of the witnesses of Jehovah. Expected to carry on vigorous missionary work, often door to door. |
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| The law on which Judaism is founded. This law is contained in the first five books of the Bible. Can also refer to the entire body of Jewish law and wisdom, including what is contained in oral tradition. |
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| Collections of commentaries on biblical texts that form, with the Torah, the foundation for the religious laws of Judaism. |
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| A portion of the sacred books of Hinduism; the name means "the song of God". It contains a discussion between the deity Krishna and the Indian hero Arjuna on human nature and human purpose. |
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| A break within a church, such as the division between the Eastern Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church. |
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| One who challenges the doctrines of an established church. One who holds to a belief or teaching considered unacceptable by a religious group. |
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Religious writings that have been accepted as books of the Bible by some groups but not by others. Roman Catholics, for example, include seven books in the Old Testament that Jews and Protestants do not consider part of the Bible.
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| In Judaism, the Day of Atonement, the most important religious holiday; a day of fasting to atone for sins. It comes in autumn. |
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| The festival of the New Year in Judaism, falling in September or October. With Yom Kippur and the eight days in between it makes up a series of special days of penitence. |
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| A religion native to China. Its adherents attempt to live according to the Tao- "The Way"- which they believe governs the universe. |
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