Asian Rel Flashcards
(49 cards)
Advaita
Shnkara’s school of philosophy which holds that there is only one ultimate reality, the indescribable Brahman with which the atman is identical
Ramanuja’s philosophy within Vedanta
Emphasizes that devotion to Vishnu leads to ultimate liberation
Liberation is the joyful realization of the souls relationship with the lord
Madhva’s philosophy within Vedanta
Unique in classifying some souls as eternally bound, there are didderent grades of enjoyment and bliss. Dualistic: the human souls and Brahman are separate not identical liberation achieved through this realization
Six schools of Hindu philosophy
Samkhya, nyaya, vaisheshika, mimamsa, yoga, vedanta
Yoga
Hindu school of thought that involves the mental and physical discipline through which practitioners yoke their sprints to the divine
Vedas
The fours vedas thought to be shruti (that which is heard):
Rig, sama, yajur, atharva
Each contains four sections: hymns or samhitas, directions for rituals (brahmanas), compositions for the forest (aranyakas), and philosophical works called the Upanishads
Varnas
The four classes
Priests (Brahmins)
Rulers (Kshatriyas)
Merchants (vaishyas)
Servants (shudras)
Samsara
Continual cycle of death and reincarnation
Moksha
Liberation from samsara
Karma
Action, used to be ritualistic action but then meant actions that require reward or punishment requiring lifetimes to sort out. (Karma can help your position in the varnas but not give you liberation)
Atman
The human soul
Rama
Prince thought to be incarnation of Vishnu — gets exiled by his father and completes his wish even though he is later asked to return by brother, his wife Sita is captured and he saves her
Krishna
Another incarnation of Vishnu, tells a warrior that he must fight for dharma
Dharma
Religious and social duty, including both righteousness and faith
Three ways to liberation described by Krishna
The way of action, the way of knowledge, the way of devotion
(Action: unselfish duty, actions done neither in fear of punishments nor in hope of reward. Karma is bad bc we must be reborn to enjoy it
Knowledge: wisdom destroys past karma, knowledge is insight into the real nature of the universe
Devotion: Krishna promises that he will forgive our sins if we surrender and devote ourselves to him
Three prominent deities
Vishnu, Shiva, Shiva’s consort aka the goddess
Vishnu: all pervasive and appears in various forms to establish dharma
Shiva: does not reveal himself sequentially, expresses the manifold aspects of his power by appearing in paradoxical roles; created and destroyer
Goddess: appears in multiple forms but mostly known as Parvati wife of shiva
Other gods
Sarasvati: goddess consort of Brahma
Ganesha: son of shiva and Parvati
Brahma creator god
Ashramas
4 stages of life for boys :
Studenthood,
Marriage and earning a living to pay back to society
Man and wife retire to forest and live a simple life
Man takes up ascetic life of the samnyasin
Three gems of Buddhism
The dharma (teachings) The Buddha The sangha (congregation)
Nirvana
Liberation from the cycle
Three vehicles of Buddhism
Theravada, Mahayana, Vajrayana
How to buddhism and Hinduism both understand the cosmos
Understand the cosmos in terms of an endless succession of universes arising and passing away
Buddha vs vishna avatar
In every era, when dharma (morality) is low, a highly developed being is born and becomes the Buddha of that era
Hindu tradition also states that Krishna or Vishnu come to save the world when farms has declined
Difference: no almighty god is needed to send a Buddha, the Buddha just knows when to come
Arhats and bodhisvattas
Arhats: saints someone who has realized the ideal of spiritual perfection
Bodhisvatta: in Theravada, a being on the way to enlightenment but not there yet
In Mahayana, a celestial being who forgoes nirvana in order to save others (esp in pure land sect)
