-
Aryans
Nomadic people who conqured the Dravidians
-
Atman
The eternal self or soul which is part of Brahman
-
Avatars
- The incarnation of a Hindu
- deity, especially Vishnu, in human or animal form. There have been nine (an unfixed number
- depending on the source) avatars of Vishnu with one yet to come
-
Bhagavad Gita
–Part of Smriti scripture
–epic poem about Krishna appearing to the warrior Arjuna.
–Part of the Mahabharata
-
Brahman
- –The Universe, of which everything is an
- indistinct part. Our goal is to dissolve into Brahman (nirvana).
-
Brahmanas
- –Part
- of Vedic/Shruti
- scripture
- –Several
- ancient Hindu religious prose texts that express the philosophy of sacrifice
- and comment on the Yajur Veda.
-
Brahmins
–Priests
- One can only be released from the wheel by
- becoming a successful Brahmin
-
Darshan:
Experienced while worshiping images or idols
-
Dharma
–“the way”
- individual obligation with respect to caste, social custom, civil law,
- and sacred law. Determined by your karma
-
Dravidians
- –prehistoric
- inhabitants of India who initially lived in Indus Valley and were later
- conquered by Indo-Aryans. We don’t have their writings.
- –Worshipped
- gods of fertility
-
Harijan
- –A
- term that Gandhi used with reference to the untouchables. He was establishing a more charitable
- attitude.
-
•Jats:
- Vocational sub-castes to
- the major castes. Part of modern day culture
-
Kalki:
- –the
- tenth and last avatar of Vishnu, messianic.
-
•Kshatriyas:
- –The
- second highest of the four castes.
-
•Law of
Karma:
- –law
- of harvest, one will reap precisely as one sows, like a cosmic computer
-
•Manusmriti:
- –“laws
- of Manu” (Manu being the first man) including caste laws, roles of men vs.
- women, rights of passage
-
•Mahabharata:
- –a
- sacred epic Sanskrit poem of India dealing in many episodes with the struggle
- between the Pandava and the Kaurava families. Includes the Bhagavad-Gita.
-
•Maya:
- –Illusion
- of reality apart from Brahman.
-
•Moksha:
- –Release. (the event itself, at death, which leads
- to nirvana)
-
•Nirvana:
- –the oneness with Brahman-Atman which extinguishes
- any sense of individuality and is attained after one is released from the cycle
- of reincarnation.
-
•Puranas:
- –Legends. (i.e. stories of early avatars of
- Vishnu) divided into 18 books
-
•Ramayana:
- –story
- of Rama, an avatar of the God Vishnu. He saves his wife from the demon Ravana
-
•Reincarnation:
- –Rebirth,
- species and circumstance determined by Karma from previous lives.
-
•Sadhu:
- –an
- ascetic holy man (monk).
-
•Samadhi:
–enlightenment
- –the
- experience of oneness with Brahman-Atman attainable in this life, which leads
- to moksha
-
•Samsara:
- – the endless series of
- births, deaths, and rebirths to which all beings are subject. AKA Reincarnation
- or Wheel
-
•Shruti:
- –“what
- is heard” Scripture containing primary revelation, or vedic
- scripture, basically fixed for 2000 yrs.
- –Vedas,
- Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads
-
Smriti
–Post-vedic scripture
- –Puranas,
- Mahabharata, Ramayana, Manusmriti, Vishnusmriti, Tantras
-
•Sudras:
- –Servant caste: member of the lowest of the four
- major castes of traditional Indian society.
-
•Upanishads:
–Sittings near a teacher” or “to sit down near”
–Shruti
- –Ideas of reincarnation, identity between the soul
- and Brahman, etc.
-
•Vaisyas:
- –Working
- class. Third caste
-
•Vedas:
- –The
- foundation of the Shruti. Derived
- from Aryan scripture.
-
•Wheel:
- –Rounds
- of rebirth. AKA reincarnation or samsara
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