Suffering and Death Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is one of the biggest questions all human societies ask?
Why is there suffering?
How did the ancient Mesopotamians view their gods?
Unpredictable, mean, fickle, and not caring for humans.
What was the Mesopotamian answer to the question of human suffering?
The gods did not like them or care how humans treated each other.
How did the ancient Egyptians perceive their gods compared to the Mesopotamians?
They assumed their gods generally liked humans.
What was the Egyptian belief regarding the cause of bad things happening?
It was due to humans behaving badly.
What was the Egyptian view of the afterlife?
It mirrored this world and was available to those who treated the gods and others ethically.
Who weighed the hearts of the newly dead in ancient Egyptian belief?
Osiris.
What determined if a soul could enter the Egyptian afterlife?
Hearts that were pure and lighter than a feather.
What happened to those who failed Osiris’ test in the afterlife?
Their souls were devoured and ceased to exist.
What was the belief system of the ancient Israelites regarding God?
Monotheism with a clear set of rules to follow.
What is the idea of the covenant in Israelite belief?
A contract between God and the Israelites.
What would happen if the Israelites disobeyed God’s rules?
They would be punished.
What rewards did the Israelites believe they would receive for following God’s rules?
Long life, health, children, wealth, defeat of enemies, control of the Promised Land.
What did the Buddha teach about life?
All life is suffering.
According to Buddhism, where does suffering come from?
Unfulfilled desires.
What did the Buddha realize about desires?
They multiply and new desires emerge once one is fulfilled.
What is the only way to satisfy all desire according to Buddhism?
To eliminate desire.
What is the final goal of following the eightfold path in Buddhism?
Reaching nirvana.
What does achieving nirvana entail?
Ceasing to exist as an individual, ending the cycle of birth/death and rebirth.
Fill in the blank: The ancient Egyptians believed that only those who treated the gods and their fellow humans _______ were granted admission to the afterlife.
well and ethically
