Hinduism
Traditionally translated as "knowledge." These are the oldest and most sacred Sanskrit scriptures, and generally attend to issues of sacrifice and ritual. They are considered unauthored revelations that offer one common source of a shared Hindu identity.
What are the Vedas?
This prince, a member of the Kshatriya varna abandoned his royal life and family at the age of twenty-nine to become a renunciate. He eventually founded Buddhism.
Who was Siddartha Gautama?
This founder of Sikhi was born in 1469 in the Lahore region of what is now Pakistan. At the age of thirty, he disappeared for three days, during which he had a religious experience which inspired him to embark on two decades of travel across Southern Asia to spread the knowledge and practice he received from God.
Who was Guru Nanak?
This is the philosophical view, dating back to ancient times, that the things we see in the world express unchanging forms. In reference to religions, it is the assumption that religions are static and can be boiled down to one particular characteristic.
What is essentialism?
On The Simpsons, this devout next-door neighbor to Homer is a devoted Christian and father to Rod and Todd.
Who is Ned Flanders?
Understood to be one's duty, this is one of the four aims of life in Hinduism.
What is dharma?
Not just the name of a genre defining grunge rock band, this concept is literally translated as "blowing out" and is often described as "awakening" or "enlightenment." This Buddhist goal has variously been understood as liberation from samsara, awakening from ignorance to insight, the attainment of Buddhahood, and the elimination of suffering.
What is nirvana?
This event, a significant part of Sikh worship gatherings, is an open-to-all meal prepared by community members.
What is the langar meal?
This is the belief that there is one religion underlying what appears to be many religions--that all religions are, in essence, one.
What is perennialism?
This character in a 90s sitcom got divorced three times in the show: his wives' names were Carol, Emily, and Rachel.
Who is Ross Geller?
This is the term for Hindu worship, which can be conducted in a temple or at home.
What is puja?
This early mainstream branch of Buddhism, now popular in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia, stresses monastic practice. Its practitioners hope to become arhats, or "worthy ones," who are enlightened exemplars who will reach nirvana at death.
What is Theravada Buddhism?
This is the central affirmation and doctrine of Sikhi and constitutes the key Sikh symbol. It literally means "One Being Is."
What is Ik Oankar?
This concept, articulated by the Palestinian-American scholar Edward Said, refers to Western stereotyping of Eastern cultures and religions. Said himself described it this way, “The [East] was almost a European invention, and had been since antiquity a place of romance, exotic beings, haunting memories and landscapes, remarkable experiences.”
What is Orientalism?
In her 2020 musical film, "Black Is King," this artist drew on both Christian and traditional African religious themes.
Who is Beyoncé?
This concept refers to one's "true self" or the individual "self-soul" which is said to migrate from life to death to rebirth to redeath.
What is atman?
Called the "Great Vehicle" by its adherents, this largest branch of Buddhism, holds the doctrine that all sentient beings will eventually become buddhas.
What is Mahayana Buddhism?
Inaugurated by the tenth guru, Guru Gobindh Singh in 1699, this literally means the "Order of the Pure." Once initiated through the Amrit baptismal ceremony, Sikhs are expected to observe the "Five Ks" and abstain from tobacco, alcohol, and halal meat.
What is the Khalsa?
Popularized by some scholars in the 1950s and 1960s, this theory claims that with the rise of modernization, rationalization, and the ascent of science and technology, religious authority and practice will diminish in modern societies.
What is Secularization Theory?
This musician and reality TV star's children's names are North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm.
Who are Kim Kardashian and Kanye West?
These three yogas (or forms of practice) comprise the primary techniques through which Hindus practice their religion. They are known as "the way of wisdom," "the way of devotion," and "the way of action."
What are Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga?
This Mahayana doctrine, summed up in the "Burning House Parable," explains why the Buddha taught different things to different people, depending on the circumstances.
What is upaya ("skillful means)?
Revered as the final and everlasting guru, this text is the primary Sikh scripture. Also known as the Adi Granth (First Book), it is treated as a living being and ritually awakened in the morning and laid to rest in evening.
What is the Sri Guru Granth Sahib?
Described as a second-order category and often difficult to define, this term has its roots in the latin term for "scrupulousness." Based in European Christianity, it came to refer to the practice of Christian monks and nuns, but gradually expanded into a worldwide descriptive concept with European conquest and colonial expansion.
This Grammy winning artist's ninth album, in accord with "cottage core" aesthetics, has been described as "witchy," which has fueled unfounded conspiracy theories on Twitter that she has, indeed, converted and embraced witchcraft.
Who is Taylor Swift?