Download Teacher guidance Explanation of terms: Unit 13 - Hinduism

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Explanation of terms
GCSE Religious Studies SpeciÞcation A Unit 13 Hinduism
These terms appear in the SpeciÞcation and so knowledge and understanding of their
meaning may be required in an examination.
Term
DeÞnition
abortion
The deliberate termination (ending) of a pregnancy, usually before the foetus is
twenty-four weeks old.
ahimsa
Not killing. Respect for life, not being violent.
artha
Economic development – the second aim of life.
arti
A welcoming ceremony in which items such as lamps and incense are offered to the
deity or to saintly people.
atman
Self. Can refer to the body, mind or soul depending on context. Usually the inner, or
real, self.
Bhagavad Gita
The Song of the Lord, sung by Krishna and part of the Mahabharata. Considered an
Upanishad. Most famous and popular Hindu scripture.
bhajan
A Hindu hymn or song.
bhakti-yoga
The path of devotion to God.
Brahman
The ultimate reality from which everything comes and into which everything will return.
caste
The Hindu hereditary classes.
dharma
Religion. The right conduct and laws which uphold order and harmony in society.
discrimination
To act against someone on the basis of sex, race, religion, etc. Discrimination is usually
seen as wrong.
Divali
Festival of Lights around the period of the Hindu New Year.
divorce
Legal ending of a marriage.
equality
That people should be given the same rights and opportunities regardless of sex,
religion, race, etc.
euthanasia
Inducing a painless death, by agreement and with compassion, to ease suffering. From
the Greek meaning ‘Good Death’.
Ganesha
Hindu deity with the head of an elephant – a sign of strength, the deity removes
obstacles.
Ganges River
Considered to be a holy river by Hindus and worshipped as the goddess Ganga in
Hinduism.
Hanuman
Also known as Pavansuta, he was the monkey warrior who faithfully served Rama and
Sita.
havan
Ceremony in which offerings of rice and ghee are made into Þre.
Holi
Festival of colours, celebrated in Spring.
jnana-yoga
The way of knowledge and understanding, requiring a learned teacher.
kama
The third of the four Hindu aims of life. To have a healthy and fulÞlled life, each person
needs to have a regulated sense of enjoyment and pleasure, including of erotic love.
karma
Action. The law of cause and effect.
karma-yoga
The path of unselÞsh action.
Krishna
An important Hindu deity, an incarnation of Vishnu.
Kumbh Mela
Place of pilgrimage.
Lakshmi
Hindu goddess of fortune, beauty and wealth.
Laws of Manu
An example of Smriti texts, this is the authoritative and informative text dealing with the
issues that humans face.
Copyright © 2008 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
46924/SpecA/13
Teacher Resource Bank
Explanation of terms
GCSE Religious Studies SpeciÞcation A Unit 13 Hinduism
These terms appear in the SpeciÞcation and so knowledge and understanding of their
meaning may be required in an examination.
Term
DeÞnition
mandir
A Hindu temple.
marriage
A legal union between a man and a woman.
moksha
Final freedom from the cycle of birth and death.
murti
Image or deity used as a focus of worship and offerings.
Om
Sacred syllable, representing the life-giving power of Brahman.
prejudice
Unfairly judging someone before the facts are known. Holding biased opinions about an
individual or group.
Puja
1. Paying respect to a deity as an honoured guest.
2. Ways to worship in the home or temple.
Radha
Female favoured by Krishna.
Rama
A personiÞcation of righteousness and an avatar of Vishnu.
Ramayana
Hindu epic telling the story of Sita and Rama.
Rig Veda
First and most sacred scripture of Hinduism. A collection of 1028 hymns, containing
spiritual and scientiÞc knowledge.
samsara
The world, where the cycle of birth, death and rebirth takes place.
Sanatana Dharma
Eternal and absolute laws.
Sarasvati
Goddess of learning and the Þne arts. Consort of Brahma. Goddess of speech, mantric
sounds, music, poetry and education. Holds the lute, the Vedas, mala beads and water
pot.
Shakti
An energy or power, particularly those coming from a female deity.
Shiva
Hindu deity responsible for destroying and re creating the universe.
shraddha rites
A ceremony which pays respect to departed relatives.
Shruti
The oldest scriptures, the Vedas, which were heard or revealed to the wise.
Sita
Rama’s divine companion.
Smriti
Hindu scriptures which were remembered through human tradition and so, in theory,
rank below shruti.
triad of Gods
Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva – also known as the Trimurti. They represent and control the
three functions of creation, preservation and destruction.
Trimurti
The major Hindu deities of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
Upanishads
Sacred text explaining the teaching of the Hindu scriptures. The Þnal book of the Vedas.
Varanasi
City on the River Ganges sacred to Shiva.
Varna
Refers to the castes, the divisions of Hindu society.
Varnasramadharma
The belief that society is divided into four divisions (Varnas) and life is divided into four
stages (ashramas).
Vedas
Literally “knowledge”, this word refers to the sacred books of the Hindus. The earliest
Hindu scriptures.
Vishnu
A Hindu deity preserving order and harmony in the universe.
yoga
1. A union of the soul with the deity and the process taken to reach this.
2. A form of self-discipline and meditation.
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Teacher Resource Bank
Explanation of terms
GCSE Religious Studies SpeciÞcation A Unit 13 Hinduism
Useful terms (teachers might wish to include these in the delivery of the unit)
Term
DeÞnition
active euthanasia
The ending of a life by a deliberate action, such as by giving a patient a fatal injection.
ashrama
A stage of life (there are four) adopted as a means to complete spiritual development.
avatar
1. When a deity descends to Earth in incarnate form.
2. Usually refers to the nine avatars of Vishnu.
biodegradable
Able to be broken down by bacteria in the environment.
Brahma
Hindu deity responsible for creative power.
brahmacharya
The ashrama or stage of life when a young person studies the Vedas and remains
celibate.
Brahmin
The Þrst of the four social groups or varnas: the priestly caste.
climate change
Changes to the climate, believed by some scientists to be irreparably damaging, that
have been caused by human lifestyles.
conservation
Looking after the environment and protecting animals.
emergency aid
Also known as short term aid. Help given to communities in a time of disaster or crisis,
eg food during a famine, shelter after an earthquake.
extinction
When all members of a species have died out and that species will never exist on Earth
again.
foetus
Fertilised ovum from eight weeks.
Kshatriya
The ruling or warrior class (second of the four varnas).
long term aid
Helping needy people to help themselves by providing the tools, education and funding
for projects.
Mahabharata
Hindu epic of the Þve Pandava princes. It includes the Bhagavad Gita.
passive euthanasia
Allowing a terminally or incurably ill person to die by withdrawing or withholding medical
treatment that would only prolong the suffering and have no real beneÞt.
prashad
Sacred food; offered and then distributed to devotees after Puja.
samskar
Special rituals which bring into being or mark a new stage in life.
sannyasin
The fourth stage in life, in which a person renounces all worldly concerns and
concentrates on the spiritual life.
Vaishya
The third caste, consisting of merchants and farmers.
yajna
Ritual sacriÞce, offering to the gods expressed as an offering to the sacriÞcial Þre.
Copyright © 2008 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved.
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Teacher Resource Bank
Explanation of terms
GCSE Religious Studies SpeciÞcation A Unit 13 Hinduism
Notes:
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