Ponkawonka - glossary

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	Abdu'l-Baha	The son of Baha'u'llah,
	Abhaya	The Buddha depiction in which he is raising his hand to offer protection.
	Abhidhamma-pitka	The section of the Tipitaka that deals with Buddhist mental states and meditation.
	Abraham	The father of all Judaism, the first Hebrew. Patriach in Judaism and Islam
		According to Christianity, Judaism and Islam they were the first people on earth. They lived in the Garden of Eden, were tempted and sinned.
	Adam and Eve
	Advent	The four weeks before Christmas, during this time a candle is lit in church each Sunday.
		Different dynasties of caliphs took over spreading Islam through Africa and Spain. The dynasties were the Caliphate, Abbasids, Umayyads, Mongols, Safavids, Mughals, and Ottomans.
	After Muhammad
		According to Islam those who have a good judgment go to al-jannah (paradise) close to Allah but those with a bad judgment go to hell.
	Afterlife
	Ahimsa	Hindu & Jain belief of respect for all living things.
		Said to be the cause of all good. Zoroastrian priests preached to be good to help him win the war against evil in the universe.
	Ahura Mazda
	Akhand Path	The entire Guru Granth Sahib is read at once during Sikh festivals and weddings.
		The Hebrew word for going up. Used to describe a honor given to those who go up to make a blessing on the Torah or those that "go up" by emigrating to Israel.
	Aliyah
	All Souls' Day	A day is for Christians to remember the dead and falls out on November 2.
		Allah means "the God"
	Allah's Names	Allah means "the God"
		Christians use this as a place for the bread and wine for Eucharist. In Judaism, it was the place of sacrifice in the temple.
	Altar
		The Shinto goddess of the sun and heaven worshipped at her Shrine, Ise, which is taken apart and rebuilt once every 21 years.
	Amaterasu
		A ceremony which joins 14 year old boys and girls into the Sikh community. The ceremony involves drinking a water sugar mix called Amrit.
	Amrit Ceremony
	Anatman	Buddhist concepts that people are not permanent.
		An important Chinese value, honoring an ancestor even after their death could result in receiving heavenly mandate. Confucius told people to sacrifice and pray to your ancestors at shrines.
	Ancestor Worship
	Anekantavada	The Jain philosophy that there is no single truth to life but many perspective on things.
	Angra Mainyu	The cause of all bad at war with Ahura Mazda he helps Zoroastrians see good by showing bad.
		A religion or idea used in primal religions that every single thing has a spirit. As a religion bases itself on pleasing spirits since spirits are everywhere and control everything.
	Animism
	Annica	The Buddhist concept that nothing is permanent.
	Anuvratas	The basic morals expected of a normal Jain.
	Apocrypha	Books in the New Testament not fully accepted by the Church and are usually printed separately.
		The area that Muhammad lived in. The people were polytheistic until Muhammad spread Islam throughout the area.
	Arabian Peninsula
	Arahat	What a nearly perfect disciple is called in Thervada Buddhism.
	Archangels	According to Islam, the four important angels. They are Jibril, Mika'il, Israfil and Israil.
	Ardas	A Sikh ceremony in which worshipers asks for things from God.
		The cupboard in which Jews keeps the Torah scrolls. The ark usually has a curtain covering the door (Parochet), is decorated with Jewish themes and is against the wall facing towards Jerusalem.
	Ark
	Asana	Buddha's poses each which have meaning in Buddhism.
	Asanga	The Buddhist philosopher who founded the Yogacara school.
		A Christian holiday commemorating Jesus' ascension to heaven. It takes place on the 40th day after Easter.
	Ascension Day
	Ascension	40 days after the resurrection, Jesus ascended into heaven.
	Asceticism	The ideal Jain life, which involves disconnection from worldly pleasures.
		The first day of lent. On this day Christian priests mark a cross on congregant's foreheads with ash taken from burned Palm fronds.
	Ash Wednesday
	Ashkenazim	Jews with ancestors from northern and eastern Europe.
		The four stages in a Hindu life that include: education and learning Vedas, marriage, retirement and giving up social life for religion.
	Ashramas
	Atman	The Hindu version of a soul.
	Avalokiteshvara	The most compassionate bodhisattva according to Mahayana Buddhism tradition.
		Are the forms that the Hindu God Vishnu takes to save the world when it's in trouble. The ten most important are: Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Narashima, Vamana, Parashurama, Rama, Buddha, Krishna and Kalki who has not yet appeared.
	Avatars Of Vishnu
	Avesta	TheZoroastrians sacred book.
	Babis	The followers of Bab who after his death joined Baha'u'llah.
		Feasts are spread around the calendar other festivals include; Baha'i fast, New-Ruz, Ridvan, Martyrdom of Bab and Birth of Baha'u'llah.
	Baha'i Holidays
Baha'i Scripture	Scriptures written by Baha'u'llah considered God's word by the Baha'i.
Baha'i	A relatively new religion based on the teaching of Baha'u'llah.
	A self proclaimed messenger of God he wrote many Baha'i texts when he was in exile. Eventually Baha'i broke away from Islam and became it's own religion.
Baha'u'llah
	This Christian ceremony admitting people into the church involves pouring water on them or immersing in water.
Baptism
	The Jewish coming of age when a boy turns 13 and is considered responsible for his actions and must keep all of the laws (Mitzvot).
Bar Mitzvah
	The Jewish coming of age when a girl turns 12 and is considered responsible for her actions and must keep all of the laws (Mitzvot).
Bat Mitzvah
Bethlehem	Place of Jesus' birth
Bhairva	The white skinned destructor depiction of the Hindu God Shiva.
Bhumisparsa	This is a depiction of Buddha touching the floor with his hand, a reminder of his enlightenment.
Bible	The Christian Bible is made from the Jewish Old Testament and the Christian New Testament.
	Are high-ranking ministers who supervise clergy, can ordain priests and confirm members of the church.
Bishops
	The state between enlightenment and nirvana that some Buddhists choose to stay in so they could help others.
Bodhisattva
	The first book of the Torah, deals with most of the stories from creation to the Jews enslavement in Egypt.
Book of Genesis
	The book of Psalms, written by King David is read in synagogues to request God's help in times of trouble.
Book of Psalms
Brahman	Hindu force known as the origin of all creation.
Buddhaghosa	A famous Buddhist philosopher who wrote the Visuddhimagga and widespread the language of Pali.
Buddhism	A religion founded by Siddhartha Gautma that believes in liberation from the life cycle.
Buddhist Councils	Are counsels to help decide critical issues in Buddhism, like the contents of the Tipitaka.
	Buddhists celebrate different types of holidays. Some festivals celebrate Buddha's life, Uposatha days are related to the moon and days directly related to things Buddha has done like Asalha and Wesak Day.
Buddhist Holidays
Buddhist Monks And Nuns
Buddhist Monks And Nuns	Buddhists must undergo an initiation to be accepted into the Monastic Order.
Buddhist Pilgrimages	Are trips to places associated with Buddha's life.
	Buddhists use rituals to help reach enlightenment they may pray to improve themselves or give alms to monks and nuns. They may also give symbolic offerings, circumambulation and may honor Buddha by prostration to his statue.
Buddhist Rituals
Cantor	The man who leads the service when Jews are praying in a minyan. Also called a Chazan
Catacombs	Christians underground network of burial places used for worship during their persecutions.
Chauri	A Sikh wisk held and waved over the Guru Granth Sahib as it is read.
	Chen Yen Ws Tantric but didn't take of when Kukia visited China Shingon, a school that believes that Vairocana Buddha is the source of all, was founded.
Chen Yen And Shingon
	The energy that Taoists believe travels through meridiansin the human body. Keeping harmony and exercise allow ch'i to flow, but the blockage of ch'i in the body can lead to pain.
Ch'i
Choir	Trained singers that sing hymns for and with the congregation in a Christian church.
Christian Vocation	Christians who dedicate their lives to serve God, and become priests or missionaries.
	There are many forms of Christians today they are; Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Ecumenism, Methodist, Anglican, Baptist, Pentecostalism, Protestant, Lutheran,
Christianity
Christmas	The Christian holy day that commemorates the birth of Jesus.
Churches and Cathedrals	A place for Christian prayer, sermons and ceremonies. Churches and Cathedrals often contain altars, pulpits, choirs and bishops thrones.
	The ceremony that all Jewish boys in good health undergo at eight days where their foreskin is removed by a mohel, a trained circumciser. This is done as part of a ceremony that involves naming the baby.
Circumcision
Confession And Penance
Confession And Penance	Roman Catholics confess their sins to a priest.
Confucianism	A religion based on the teachings of Confucius.
Cosmology	The Buddhist system of explaining the world.
Crucifix	As a remembrance to Jesus crucifixion crosses are used as the symbol for Christianity.
	The death sentence of Jesus ordered by Pontius Pilate. The crucifixion took place on hill called Golgotha on the day that became Good Friday.
Crucifixion
Crusades	The military campaigns meant to gain control over Jerusalem for the safety of Christian pilgrims.
Dalai Lama	The leader of the Gelugpa order of Lamas.
Darshan	The simplest form of Jain worship.
	A Hindu worship ceremony in which a Hindu walks clockwise around a statue making eye contact with it.
Darshana
	A collection of Sikh hymns written by Guru Gobin Singh that he would not allow to be added to the Guru Granth Shaib.
Dasam Granth
	This Hindu celebration is held the day after Navaratri. During this holiday people worship shami trees.
Dassera
	According to Christianity Jesus will return to Earth and judge humans. Sinners will go to hell and the good will be sent to heaven.
Day Of Judgment
Dhammapada	This is the most important part of Sutta-pitkait teaches Buddhists how to achieve enlightenment.
Dharma	A Hindu's moral responsibility based on each individuals spiritual journey.
Dharma	Buddhists accept this as acknowledgement of the four noble truths and the eightfold path.
	A depiction of Buddha in standard meditating position used as an example for those trying to achieve enlightenment.
Dhyana
Diaspora	The second destruction of the temple and exile of the Jews caused them spread around the world.
	Also known as skyclad, they are Jains that give up cloths because they believe it leads connection with the world.
Digambara
Disciples	The 12 men that Jesus chose to help him and spread teachings.
Diwali	The Hindu autumn festival which is celebrated by lighting lanterns.
Doctrines And Teachings	Baha'i are monotheist and believe in gender and race equality. They believe the prophets are Abraham, Buddha, Muhammad, the Bab and Baha'u'llah.
Dukkha	The Buddhist concept that everything causes pain because Annica exists.
	A Christian celebration for Jesus' resurrection. Candles are passed around in church and an empty coffin is laid down so people can look for Jesus' body.
Easter Sunday
Easter	The Christian holiday representing Jesus' arrest, trial, crucifixion and resurrection.
	A state, for Christians, of union with God and leaving the body. During this saints and prophets receive divine messages from above.
Ecstasy
	Right; understanding, thought, speech, behavior, occupation, effort, contemplation and concentration are the eight things Buddhist believe are needed to overcome suffering.
Eightfold Path
Ema And Fuda	Shinto picture offerings.
	After Siddhartha meditated under the bodhi tree he reached a state of enlightenment. Fearing neither suffering nor death he became the Buddha.
Enlightenment
Epiphany	Signifies the day the wise men visited Jesus with presents.
Epistles	Paul's letters to the churches he founded.
	The Jewish light in the synagogue kept up on a chain from the ceiling in front of the ark. This light is always kept on to show Gods eternal glow, and his presence near the Torah Scrolls.
Eternal Light
Eucharist	Also known as Holy Communion, a Christian ritual that was formulated from the last supper.
	As a remembrance to Jesus' Last Supper, the Christian priests make a consecration of bread and wine for the congregation to eat.
Eucharist
Evil	Christians believe caused by Satan, sinners and ignorant people.
	Jews where exiled from Israel & Judah in various times. After the exile of 721 BCE the ten tribes were exiled and eventually "lost".
Exile
	The time that includes the Jews exit from Egypt, the splitting of the Red Sea and the period of wandering for 40 years.
Exodus
Extreme Unction	The Christian practice of anointing the sick.
Ezra	The Jewish prophet who brought the Jews from exile back to Israel.
Falashas	The Jewish people of Ethiopia, believed to be descended from the tribe of Dan.
	Confucius believed that parents should teach their children virtue and children should respect their parents. This would lead to a well-governed society.
Family
Farwell Pilgrimage	Muhammad made a final ten-day pilgrimage for Muslims to Ka'ba in which he lectured and died.
	The Ancient Chinese art that believed that how you set up a building is how you receive health and luck.
Feng Shui
	Jain festivals are usually fasts. They include: Karttika-Purnima, Vira-Nirvana, Mahavira-Jayanti and the eight-day festival Paryusana.
Festivals
First Sermon	The original sermon of Buddha where he preached his ideas of ridding the world of suffering.
	Five books where edited by Confucius and used all over China especially by his followers. They where; History, Poetry, Rites, Changes and Annals of spring and autumn.
Five Classics
Five Great Vows	Jain nuns and monks must take five vows; ahimsa, satya,
	Muslims believe they have five supporting obligations to God and consider them the foundation of the religion. The pillars are: Shahada, Salat, Zakat, Sawm and Hajj.
Five Pillars Of Islam
	Also known as Panca Sila these are the five rules pertaining to treatment of others that Buddhists live by.
Five Precepts
	Confucius taught five relationships where necessary for a functioning society were; father and son, husband and wife, older and younger brother, emperor and minister, and finally friends the only equal one.
Five Relationships
	The positions of religious leaders in the Jain class system. These include: Arthats, Siddhas, Acharyas, Upadhyayas and Monks.
Five Supreme Beings
Four Aims Of Life	Hinduisms four aims of life, which include: karma, artha, dharma and moksha.
	The four book in Confucianism are vital to the religion and must be learned. They are Analects, Mencius, The Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean.
Four Books
Four Noble Truths	The truths Buddhists must learn to understand.
	When Siddhartha traveled he saw death, sickness and old age. He traveled once more to discover an ascetic person whose examples gave him a new look at life.
Four Sights
	Angel sent to tell Mary that she had found favor in God's eyes and would give birth to a son. This visit was known as the Annunciation
Gabriel
Gagnes/Ganges	A river place held to be a dwelling place of Gods and a site for many Hindu pilgrimages.
Galilee	Area in which Jesus was raised, educated and first started preaching.
Garuda	The eagle that the Hindu God Vishnu rides.
Gion Festival	A Shinto festival to convince the kami to keep away disease.
	A forbidden idol that the Jews made while Moses was up on the mountain. Moses broke the tablets in anger and had to ask forgiveness for the people from God before receiving them again.
Golden Calf
Good Friday	The day of Jesus' crucifixion.
	To commemorate Jesus' crucifixion Christians bow to crosses, perform processions and go on pilgrimages. Lent's fast is broken now.
Good Friday
	The writings in the New Testament that describe Jesus' life divided into Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
Gospels
Gurdwara	A room for Sikh prayer and worship which included a copy of Guru Granth Sahib.
Guru Arjan	The Guru who wrote down the Guru Granth Sahib and founded the Sikh temple Harimandir Amristar.
	the final Guru and creator of Khalsa (Sikhs who defended the community) was almost important as Guru Nnak.
Guru Gobind Singh
Guru Granth Shaib	a composure of Sikh hymns made by different Gurus. This book is actually considered a Guru.
Guru Nanak	The founder of Sikhism, before his death he passed over his position as Guru to a follower.
Guru Ram Das	the guru who created the Sikh wedding ceremony and founded the holiest Sikh city Amritsar.
	The Shinto god of farmers, fishermen and war that is dedicated in the shrines of Usa, Kyota and Kamakura
Hachman
Hadith	Sayings of the Muslim prophet Muhammad. They are second to the Qur'an's command.
Haggadah	The book used on Passover as a guide to the Seder.
Hail Mary	This Christian prayer to Virgin Mary is based on what the Bible says Gabriel spoke to Mary.
	The fifth pillar of Islam calls on all able Muslims to make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once during their lifetime.
Hajj
Halachah	The laws that Jews must follow based on teachings from the Torah and Oral Law.
	A Jewish holiday celebrated during December as a remembrance to rededication of the Temple after Judas Maccabeus led the Jews to defeat the Syrians. To remember the oil jug that lasted eight days in the Temple's holy lamp or menorah Chanukkah is eight days and a light is lighten each day in a small menorah. Also spelled Hanukah
Chanukkah
Harae	Shinto purification ritual.
	Some Christians celebrate a good harvest by farmers bringing some of their produce to church to be blessed and its then given to the poor.
Harvest Festivals
Hashem	A Jewish name for God that means "the name."
	A sect of Jews that is based on the word "Hasid" which refers to someone who goes beyond the letter of the law. Hasidim have a particular style of dress, some groups wear fur Shtreimel's on Shabbat and special occassions. Also spelled Chassidim.
Hasidism
Haumai	The bad quality of selfishness and influence of possessions, which Sikhs must avoid.
	The ritual performed at the end of Shabbat by Jews. This ritual involves a torch like candle, smelling spices and drinking wine or grape juice.
Havdala
Heaven	According to Christianity the place those who reached salvation during life go to bond with God.
	According to Christians state of absence of God. It may also be punishment for sinners and for those who have not reached salvation.
Hell
Herod	The dynasty that ruled Palestine during Jesus' life and were brought to question him during his trial.
Hijra	The name of the move Muhammad made from Mecca to Medina after fighting with the locals.
	At the birth ceremony of a Hindu, the symbol 'om' is written using honey on the baby's tongue after he/she has been washed ceremonially.
Hindu Birth
	Hinduism has many Gods and Goddesses. However, only some of these deities are widespread to temples all around India. A few of these are: Devi, Kali, Shakti, Parvati, Lakshmi, Durga, Sarasavti, Ganesh, Yama, Hanuman, Kartikeyya, Krishna and Ramma.
Hindu Gods
Hindu Marriage	A Hindu Marriage can take up to two weeks with all of the rituals.
Hindu Priests	The Hindus that lead services in temples and watch over the murtis.
Hindu Teachers	Shankara, Ramakrishna and Gandhi were all famous Hindu teachers.
	The most important part of a Hindu temple is the Shrine. These are dedicated to the god of the temple and usual include a spire roof, to connect it to heaven.
Hindu Temples
	A religion based in India that has vast amount of beliefs and gods. All gods and everything else are part of one ultimate being Brahman.
Hinduism
Holi	The Hindu New Year holiday, celebrated in March.
Holocaust	Refers of the mass slaughter of the European Jews by the Nazis.
	Are Hindu men and women who give up their passions and homes to devote their lives to religion. A few Hindu groups like this are: Sadhu, Sannyasin, Shiva Devotees and Guru.
Holy Hindus
Holy Trinity	Christians believe God exists as three beings; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
	The last week of the Christian holiday Lent Jesus story from his time of riding to Jerusalem to his burial is read out in church.
Holy Week
Hsi Wang Mu	The Toa goddess of immortality, who is worshiped by a cult.
Hukam	Gods will, in which Sikhs must follow to achieve redemption from life cycle.
Hymns	Sacred songs song by a congregation.
I Ching	Also known as Book of Changes it has a diagram in it that is used for predictions.
Iblis	The only angel to refuse to obey Allah's command.
	Can be found in every Buddhist temple or holy site. The statues are intended for symbolism, not realism.
Images of the Buddha
Immortality	The stage achieved by a Taoist after death if during life they where in harmony with nature.
Inari	The Shinto god of agricultural produce.
Incarnation	Also know as the Doctrine this was how Christians believe God came to Earth in the form of Jesus.
	Abraham's son which god told him to sacrifice. Abraham complied but God saved Isaac and blessed Abraham.
Isaac
Isaiah	The Jewish prophet who predicted the Jews Exile from Israel.
	Are festivals the Qur'an commands on Muslims and include: Day of Hijra, Dhu al-Hijja, Muharram, Layat al-Qadr, Layat al-Bar'h, 'Id al-Adha, 'Id-Mawlid and 'Id al-Fitr.
Islam Festivals
Islamic Architecture	Muslim mosques are made with plenty of pillars, arches and domes.
	Are taught to dress modestly; some choose to cover their heads with a scarf while some wear a Hijab or veil.
Islamic Women
	The son of Isaac, his name was later was changed to Israel. Jacob had 12 sons each a tribe of the Jews.
Jacob
Jain Homes	Many Jain homes have simple wooden shrines in them.
	Are small temples dedicated to a Tirthankara. An image of the Tirthankara is placed in the shrine of temple. Jains say Panca-namaskara mantra when approaching the image.
Jain Temples
Jainism	A religion that believes in a permanent life cycle that one must achieve freedom from.
Janamashtami	This is a Hindu holiday held in August and involves fasting during the day and end with doing a puja.
Japanese Buddhist Schools
Japanese Buddhist Schools	Include Nichiren and Tendia and Pure Land School brought over from China.
Jataka Tales	Are stories of Buddha's former 550 lives told for moral value by Buddhist.
Jati	The name for the thousands of Hindu social classes.
	The most important city to the Jews and in Israel the Jews first and second temples, where the Jews used to bring sacrifice and pilgrimage to, stood here. Jerusalem is also holy for Muslims and Christians
Jerusalem
Jesus	Was from a town in Galilee called Nazareth.
Jewish Holiday	Are based on a solar corrected lunar calendar and start the day before at sunset.
	Jewish life is lead by the laws in every area. Jews must pray three times a day preferably with a minyan or ten people at a synagogue.
Jewish Life and Worship
	A Jewish wedding has two parts: betrothal and chuppah (canopy), which are sealed by a Ketuba, a Jewish marriage contract sometimes by a scribe.
Jewish Marriage
Jihad	Defensive fighting by the Muslim community and avoiding evil temptations.
Jinns	According to Islam, fire demons that live in the desert and can take different forms.
	A religion that is based on the Torah, which the Jews received when they became the Chosen People by God. Judaism is now divided into: Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist.
Judaism
Judas Iscariot	The disciple of Jesus that betrayed him to the Romans.
Ka'ba	A sanctuary in Mecca filled with statues, that Muhammad took over when he captured the city.
	The name for Jewish mysticism based mainly on the writings of the Zohar and is sometimes described with the ten sefirot.
Kabbalah
Kaccha	Knee shorts worn by Sikhs.
Kalpa Sutra	also known as the Book of Ritual, a sacred Jain text about Mahavira's life.
Kami Offerings	Are Shinto offerings of money and objects, to worship a kami.
Kami	A sacred Shinto spirit or god which can be part of nature or a living thing.
Kangha	The combs that Sikh men use on their uncut hair.
Kara	The steel bangle that Sikhs wear on their arms as symbol of the community's unity.
Karah Prashda	A Sikh food shared by everyone while worshipping.
Karma	The belief that the results of your actions affects your fate in this life and the next.
Kaun Yin	The name Avalokiteshvara is know as by Chinese Buddhists, he is considered female by them.
	An important place for Shi'a Muslim veneration which is the tomb of many of their most important leaders.
Kerbela
Kesh	A Sikh mans uncut hair.
	The part of the Jewish Bible that includes psalms, poems and five parts that are put on scrolls and each read once a year on a festival.
Ketuvim
Khanda	The Sikhs' symbol.
Kibbutz	A collective farm in the state of Israel where everyone shares and works equally.
	A king of the Jews. Famous for his military leader skills and killing of the Philistine giant with a sling and rock and slingshot.
King David
King Saul	First King of the Jews.
	the tenth son of King David was the Jewish king famous for his wisdom. He also built the first Temple in Jerusalem.
King Solomon
Kirpan	The short swords that Sikhs keep on them to defend others.
Kirt Karni	the idea of a Sikh earning money honestly.
	The food Jews must eat be kosher and cannot mix milk or meat or eat them together. Jews can only eat animals with split hooves that chew their cud, fish with fins and scales and birds and insects from tradition.
Kosher Food
	The Taoists demons that wreak havoc if not removed because of their gruesome deaths or unburied bodies.
Kuei
Kumbha Mela	A five day long Hindu festival that, once every 12 years, is held in Allahabad.
Lamas	A teacher of Tibetan Buddhism that teaches to provoke enlightenment.
Langar	The vegetarian meal eaten by Sikhs on the floor as a type of worship.
Lao-tzu	The founder of Taoism and author of Tao Te Ching. The religious Taoists consider him a god.
Last Supper	Jesus' final Pesach\Passover meal, spent together with his disciples.
	40 days before Easter luxuries are given up and some Christians fast to commemorate Jesus' temptations.
Lent
Li	According to Confucius it is a representation of proper behavior.
	The Shinto rituals of; Hatsumiyamairi for a baby's first time at a shrine and Shichi-go-san for boys of five and girls of seven and three.
Life Cycle Rites
	The Jain belief that things live, die and are reborn to a new life in a cycle forever. The only freedom from this is the achievement of Mokasha.
Life Cycle
Lingam And Yoni	The male and female sexual organs that are depicted on the Hindu God Shiva.
Liturgy	Formal prayers.
Lohan	Someone who has been enlightened in Chinese Buddhism.
Loka	The Jain system of all things relying on each other.
Longevity	The Taoist belief that following the Toa leads to long life.
Lord Bahubali	A Jains who wouldn't kill his half-brother after a fight and gave up his possessions to meditate.
Lord's Prayer	The Christian prayer composed by Jesus; also know as Pater Noster or Our Father.
	A Buddhist school that taught that all things had an equal in a separate reality, a place where everything is equal.
Madhyamaka
Mahavira	A Jain prince who gave up comfort and preached peace to free himself from life's cycle.
	A type of Buddhism that believes in scriptures not included in the Tipitaka. They also believe that another Buddha will come in the future to help revive Buddhism.
Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana Sutras	The sutras that the Mahayana Buddhists added to the Tipitaka.
	Also know as the Rambam, he was a physician to an Egyptian Sultan and wrote the famous Guide to the Perplexed.
Maimonides
Mala'ika	The winged servants of Allah.
Mandapa	An outer hallway for shrines to other gods then the temple was dedicated to in a Hindu Shrine.
Manjusri	The wisest bodhisattva especially revered by Chinese Buddhists.
Mantras	Are sacred Hindu chants from the Vedas.
Mantras	Sacred phrases used by Buddhist when they meditate.
Marriage	A Christian couple exchanges vows in front of a priest to get married.
Martin Luther	Was one of the main reformers and protested actively against the
Martyrs	People who die on the behalf of their religion.
Mary	Married to Joseph the carpenter and mother of Jesus.
	Are Shinto festivals held in honour of the kami. Festivals usually include processions of floats and the kami of a shrine paraded through the streets.
Matsuri
Maundy Thursday	To commemorate Jesus' Last Supper Christian perform Eucharist.
Mauryan Empire	Asoka, emperor of India, converted to Buddhism. He influenced most of the country to join.
Maya	The creative aspect of Hindu Gods.
Mecca	The city where Muhammad was born.
	In the primal religions disease as seen as a bad influence by spirits and religious people are needed to ward them off.
Medicine Man
Medina	The city Muhammad moved to from Mecca and converted to Islam.
Meditation	The relaxation of the mind held to be by Buddhist as the main way to achieve enlightenment.
Messiah	A Hebrew word for the person who would free Israel from its enemies.
	The Messiah or the anointed one, who will come and make the Jews live in peace in Israel with their temple rebuilt.
Messiah
	Every house or building owned by a Jew must have a mezuzah, a scroll with some paragraphs of the Torah and Shema written on it by a Jewish scribe, hung on the doorposst. Mezuzahs are in kept in cases when hung and customarily kissed upon entry to a room.
Mezuzah
Midrash	The Jewish commentary on the Hebrew Bible that uses many parables to explain it.
	Jesus performed miracles healing the sick and raising the dead fulfilling the Bible's prophecies that he was god.
Miracles
	Muhammad's ascension to heaven from the rock on a temple where God taught him prayers and daily practices.
Mi'raj
	The Jewish book simply explaining of the meaning of the Torah and the unwritten laws divided into six sections.
Mishna
Missionaries	Christian preachers who follow the path of Paul by traveling and turning people into believers
	There are some new movements in Islam such as Wahhabis, fundamentalism, Jama 'at-i-Islami and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Modern Islam
Moksha	The Hindu belief of release from Samsara, loosing physicality and becoming one with Brahman.
	The place where Christian monks and nuns live. There is a communal dorm, dining room and discussion room connected to a church.
Monasteries
Monastic Order	Groups of nuns and monks.
Monasticism	Christians who have sacrificed their everyday lives to serve God by joining the monastic order.
	Live in monasteries of one gender and obey their order's rules covering every single detail of their life.
Monks And Nuns
	The great Jewish leader who took the Jews out from being slaves in Egypt and took them to Israel. Moses also received the Ten Commandments and the Torah for the Jews as they all waited at the mountain and saw God.
Moses
	The prayer building for Islam often including prayer halls, minarets for the muezzin, ablution areas, minbars and prayer mats.
Mosque
Mothering Sunday	The fourth Sunday of lent is used by Christians as a holiday to honor women in the UK.
	Is a mountain in Greece with more than 20 monasteries making it the most important Eastern Christian community.
Mount Athos
Mudra	Are the Buddha's hand position which each represent something Buddha does to help the people.
Muhammad	The prophet who received the Qur'an and spreading Islam to the world.
Mukti	The liberation for Sikhs from life's cycle of rebirth.
	The statue of the Hindu god that a temple is dedicated to. These statues are kept in the temples shrine.
Murtis
	Name for the Christian sacraments in the Orthodox Church, and also includes blessings, funeral, memorial ceremonies and monastic orders.
Mysteries
Nagarjuna	The Mahayana Buddhist who founded Madhyamaka of Buddhist philosophy.
Nandin Bull	the pure white bull that the Hindu God Shiva rides on.
Navaratri	A Hindu festival of nine nights, held some time during September or October.
Nevi'im	The Jewish stories of the time of the prophets meant to show moral lessons.
New Testament	A gathering of early Christian writings that include the books of
Night Journey	The trip Muhammad took to Jerusalem after being instructed by Jibril that he was a prophet.
Nirvana	A purity achieved by liberation from Samsara.
Nit-nem	The daily Sikh services done three times a day.
	The prophet mentioned in the Torah who was saved from the great flood that wiped out Earth. Since he was the only good man him, his family and every animal was saved.
Noah
Offices	Services Monks and Nuns are assigned to at different parts of the day.
Old Testament	The Jewish writings that tell of the Jews history from the time of creation until the prophets.
O-mikuji	Slips of paper with requests that Shintos leave in shrines for their gods.
Ordination	Bishops will ordinate a new Christian priest by handing him a symbol of his new office.
	Another name commonly used for this church is the Eastern Church. Orthodox churches use Greek instead of Latin and sees all bishops equally as apposed to the power of one pope.
Orthodox Church
	A screen divides the Christian congregation and alters. These screens have pictures of saints made out of icons.
Orthodox Iconography
Pa Hsien	The eight Taoists that became immortal and are used as role models.
Padmasambhava	The sage that spread Buddhism to Tibet. Tibetan Buddhist consider him the second Buddha.
Pali	The language most Theravada Buddhist texts are written in.
	Also known as Passion Sunday this is the first day of the Christian holiday Holy Week and commemorates Jesus riding into Jerusalem.
Palm Sunday
Parinirvana	The last nirvana that Buddha reached before he died escaping the life cycle.
	Comes from the word suffering describing the events of Jesus' last days including his last meal, his betrayal by Judas and his trial ending with his crucifixion.
Passion
Patriarch	They are the senior leaders of the Orthodox Church but have equal rites.
Patriarchs	The Jewish forefathers which include Abraham, his son Isaac and grandson
	A persecutor of Christians until he had a vision of Jesus on the road to Damascus. After this he founded churches in Greece, Syria, Cyprus, Asia and Minor and wrote part of the New Testament.
Paul
Pentateuch	The first five books of the Old Testament.
	A Christian holiday that came to be known as White Sunday is held on the 7th Sunday after Easter. It celebrates the disciplines receiving the Holy Spirit. Also another name for the Jewish hiliday of Shavuot.
Pentecost
	Since Persia didn't except Baha'i as a new religion they were persecuted and forced to move around the world.
Persecution Of Baha'i
Personal Gods	The people worshipped by Taoists because they have reached the immortal status of god.
	Also known as Passover, it is the Jewish holiday during spring celebrating the freedom from Egypt. During the first night of Pesach, a Seder is performed.
Pesach
Peter	The disciple of Jesus that founded the Christian church in Rome.
	A sect of Jews known for their strictness in obeying Judaism. Two Pharisee Scholars who where well known for their great knowledge of Judaism were Hillel and Shammai.
Pharisees
Pilgrimage To Mecca	Are pilgrimage Muslims take to Mecca and during them visit Ka'ba, Mecca, Afrat and Mina.
	Trips held by Christians to holy places like the birthplace and shrines of saints and places of miraculous healing.
Pilgrimages
Pope	Leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Prajna	An understanding of the truth Buddhists need to understand the Three Marks of Existence.
Prasada	The arrangement of rice, butter, sugar and fruit made to look beautiful and left for the murti.
Prayer Books	Books written in Hebrew by the great Jewish sages who decided the Jewish prayers long ago.
	Are worn by Jewish married men during prayer. The shawl is white with stripes and has intertwined strings (tzitzit) at each corner.
Prayer Shawl
	Officials of the church that lead the ceremonies in Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican Churches. In Judaism priests are descended from Aaron, brother of Moses and worked in the temple.
Priest
	Muslims accept two types of prophets. Nabis are prophets and Rasuls bring new religious messages. Ibrahim or Abraham, Musa or Moses and 'Isa or Jesus were misinterpreted, but Muhammad was the final true rasul.
Prophets
Puja	A Jain worship method that involves dressing a statue.
	The Hindu service of worshiping the murtis, which involves dressing it, singing to it and burning incense for it.
Puja
Pulpit	The platforms on which sermons are given.
	A festive Jewish holiday occuring in Spring, celebrating the story from the Book of Esther in which the Jews of Persia where saved from death. To celebrate Jews read the Book of Esther in synagogue, give money to the poor and give presents to one another.
Purim
	According to Islam the word of God given to Muhammad by Jibril written in Arab. The Qur'an is made up of 114 suras and they are divided into Ayas.
Qur'an
Rabbi	A Jewish religious leader.
Rahit-Nama	The Sikh book of laws and morals.
	A lengthy Hindu poem talks about Rama his brother Lakshman's fight against Ravana with the help of the monkey god and his monkey army to rescue Sita.
Ramayana
	The Jewish Rabbi who wrote the main explanation on the Talmud and Torah that is still studies today.
Rashi
	Protesters against Roman Catholic Church claimed that it was corrupted and tried convincing people to go back the Bibles teachings.
Reformation
Reincarnation	According to Buddhism if your karma is good you will receive a favorable rebirth.
	The ashes of the dead bodhisattvas and lamas, mixed with clay and made into tablets by Buddhists.
Relics
	The new method of meditational enlightenment that Siddhartha Gautama discovered a when he realised self-torture didn't work.
Renunciation
Resurrection	The resurrection of Jesus that took place 3 days after his Crucifixion.
	The time at which Muslims say 'Isa will kill al-Dajjal, the antichrist, and at which all humans and jinns will be judged. This day will be called the Day of Judgment.
Resurrection
Revelation	The series of revelations Muhammad received when he was 40 through Jibril on Mount Hira.
Roman Catholicism	St Peter was made the Roman Catholic Church's first bishop and pope.
	In 313 the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and stopped the persecution of them and by 324 it had became Rome's official religion.
Roman Empire
	The Jewish New Year celebrated at fall time. Also the beginning of the Judgment for the previous year. The shofar or ram horn is blown.
Rosh Hashanah
	The wife of a Jewish man who returned to Israel with Naomi, her mother in law, to convert to Judaism King David is her descendant The story is read on Shavuot.
Ruth
Sacraments	The most solemn Christian Ceremonies believed to channel the grace of God towards a person.
Sacred Cow	Hindus honour cows and become vegetarians as worship to Krishna, the cow god.
	Mathura, Krishna's birthplace, Rama's capital, Aydohya, Vishnu's Badrinath shrine and Mother Goddess' shrine in Minakshi temple are sacred sites to Hindus and the hosts of many pilgrimages.
Sacred Sites
Saint's Days	Christians use these days to commemorate the death of a saint.
Saints	People who lived very religious live or died or suffered on the behalf of
Salat	The second pillar of Islam is to pray five times a day, facing Mecca, the qibla.
Sallekhana	The suicide method of starving oneself to death. The most honourable death for a Jain.
Salvation	Believing in Jesus according to Christianity repents the sin of your moving from Gods ways.
	The things that deal with meditation and other things needed to achieve enlightenment in a Buddhists life.
Samadhi
	According to Jainism this is what the method Tirthankaras uses to teach humanity during its decline is called. It involves sitting around him in a circle and listening.
Samavasarana
Samayika	The meditation Jains must spend one thirtieth of their day performing.
Samsara	The cycle of life that according to Buddhism that everyone goes through forever.
Samsara	The cycle of life, death and rebirth that Hindus believe we are all part of.
Samskaras	The ceremonies at a Hindu's birth, death and marriage, which are the key points of a Hindu's life.
Sangha	The first followers of Buddha and what Buddhist monks are called now.
Sants	A group of religious teachers that influenced early Sikhism.
Sat Guru	Name of Sikh God that means "true guru" which they use because they only believe in one god.
	The fourth pillar of Islam is fasting from dawn to dusk during Ramadan, the ninth month of the lunar calendar.
Sawm
Schism	The separation between the Western and Eastern Church.
	The procession preformed by Jews on Pesach which involves reading the Haggadah, recounting the freedom from Egypt, a seder plate and eating unleavened bread.
Seder
	The Jews with ancestors that lived near the Mediterranean and developed their own customs and language called Ladino.
Sephardim
Sermon	An address by a religious leader on topics of religion given to a congregation.
Sermon On The Mount	The sermon that Jesus gave on a mountain, in which he explained most of his teachings.
Seva	A way of serving God for Sikhs which involves honouring one's fellow man.
Shabad	The word of God and the books Guru, Granth and Sahib that Sikhs must honour.
	Over Shabbat, Jews must have three special meals prepared before Shabbat. Meals include a loaf of bread called challah and before and after meal grace.
Shabbat Meal
	The seventh day of the week in Judaism, the day of rest is to honour God resting after creating the world for six days resting on the seventh. Shabbat starts the night before and has many laws mostly based on no working.
Shabbat
Shahada	The first and most important pillar of Islam is belief in Allah and his messenger Muhammad.
	The practice in which a man will take the dangerous journey to the spiritual world by drumming and dancing. By contacting the spirits Shamans learn to help people and see the future.
Shamanism
	The Islam laws of life, based on the Qur'an and Hadith, which must be followed by Muslims. This includes rules on what kind of foods can be eaten and how to make meat halal.
Shari'a
	The Jewish holiday 50 days after Pesach that honours the giving of the Torah and the Ten Commandment. In honour of Shavuot some Jewish men stay up all night and learn Talmud and Tanakh.
Shavuot
	One of the most important Jewish prayers it is recited during two prayers a day and when going to bed. The first line of the prayer is said covering the eyes.
Shema
Shepherds	First group to come see the newborn Jesus.
	Are Shinto gods. Also known as The Seven Gods of Good Fortune. These include: Benten, Bishamonten, Hotei-Oshu, Jurojin, Fukurokuju, Daikoku and Ebisu.
Shichi Fukujin
Shi'i	A large branch of Islam that focuses on the life of Ali, it has several small branches of its own.
	Rituals performed by Shinto to praise and ask help from the kami. Some of these rituals are: Harae, Ema and Fuda, and O-mikuji.
Shinto Rituals
Shinto	A religion that centers on worship of the kami.
Shivaratri	A Hindu holiday that is held in March and is honored with fasting.
	The grandson of Baha'u'llah chosen to lead after him organized Baha'i, built shrines for it and translated it work into English.
Shoghi Effendi
	Also know as Mardi Gras, this is the day that Christians traditionally go to church and confess their sins and are forgiven.
Shrove Tuesday
	Holy Hindu texts said to be divinely written. Some important ones are: Purnas, Vedas, Rig Veda, Upanishads, Laws of Manu, Mahabharata and Bhagavad-Gita.
Shruti and Smriti
Shvetambara	A type of Jain Monk that wears white clothes and begs for food.
	A prince that gave up his wealth to live a life of enlightenment, becoming the Buddha founder of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama
	Sikhs use several names for their God the most common one Nam means name. Some other names include: Vahiguru, Akal Purakh and Parmeshur.
Sikh God names
	Sikhs adapt Hindu festivals and change them a bit this results in Gurpurbs, Melas and once a year Baisakhi.
Sikh Holy Days
Sikh Teachings	Sikhism believes that a spiritually fulfilling life will lead to redemption from the cycle of life.
Sikhism	A religion based on the teachings of Guru Nanak and the Gurus that followed him.
Sila	The things that deal with the moral conduct of a Buddhists life.
	The Jewish holiday that takes place the day after Sukkot. Celebrating the finish of the Torah reading cycle finished once a year. Simchat Torah is celebrated by reading the end and beginning of the Torah and seven rounds with Torah are made with singing around the synagogue.
Simchat Torah
	According to Christianity Adam and Eve sinned and because of this humans are flawed. The only thing that makes praying for forgiveness possible is the death of Jesus.
Sin
Six Realms of Existence	According to Buddhism there is the realm of hell then animals and ghosts then humans and Asuras then gods.
Skandhas	The five basic elements humans are made from.
	Also known a yarmulke and kippah these small hats are worn at all times by Jews to remind them that God is watching them.
Skull Cap
	In China people where expected to work hard to make society function and resulting in a good harvest.
Social Prosperity
	Marks on the body like on Jesus at his crucifixion, that appears after ecstasy and shows a Christians relationship with God.
Stigmata
Stupas and Pagodas	Stupas are monuments dedicated to Buddha which eventually evolved into Pagodas.
	A branch of Islam whose focus is on a personal relationship with God. They are divided into different Sufi orders each under a shaykh or spiritual leader.
Sufism
	The Jewish holiday during the fall that honours Gods taking care of the Jews during their 40 years of wandering in the desert. To honour Sukkot Jews live in a Sukka, a temporary structure with a leaf roof, and wave a palm, myrtle and willow strung called a lulav together with an Etrog.
Sukkot
Sunday	The traditional day that Christians hold as Sabbath, go to church and refrain from work.
	Schools that Muslims have founded to teach how to apply shari'a. These include: Shafti, Hanafi, Hanbali and Malki.
Sunni School Of Law
	A major branch of Islam that accounts for more then 90 percent of the umma. They believe that the caliphs are true heirs to Muhammad. A few groups broke off from Sunnis Tradition with their own similar beliefs.
Sunnis
Sutta-pitka	The section of the Tipitaka that deals with Buddha's teachings.
Synagogue	A Jewish house of worship. The seats usually face the ark and the direction of Jerusalem.
	The Jewish book explaining the Mishna. Since it was written during the exile there is a version from those exiled to Babylonia and those still in Israel.
Talmud
Tanakh	The Jewish Bible comprised of the Torah, Nevi'im and Ketuvim. Also written as Tanach.
Tantric Buddhism	A type of Buddhism based on the tantras which is meant to bring enlightenment to this world.
	A type of Hinduism based on written Tantras. They believe in Shakti, female energy and Chakras wheels that power the body. To focus they use Yantras, which are patterns written on stone and cloth.
Tantric Hinduism
Tao Texts	The Taoist have two texts Tao Te Ching and the Chuang Tzu.
Tao	The path that one should follow to live in harmony with everyone in Taoism.
Taoism	A religion that tries to follow the path of the Toa or worships Taoist Gods.
	Often Taoist rituals are just simple sacrifices by a family but they also can be elaborate and involve natural sites.
Taoist Rituals
Taoists Holidays	Are festivals that represent renewal and the birth of Gods spread through the year.
Tara	The bodhisattva of compassion and long life popular by Buddhists in Nepal and Tibet.
Tasfir and Tawil	Are Islamic commentaries that explain the background and analyze the text of the Qur'an.
Tattvarth Sutra	A text that summarizes the laws of the Jain religion.
Teachings Of Confucius	Are to have good values like respecting others, family and religious ceremonies.
	The two leather boxes attached to leather straps wrapped around Jewish men on the forehead and arm. The boxes contain parts of the Torah and Shema written on parchment by a scribe in them. Also known as phylacteries.
Tefillin
	40 days that Jesus spent fasting. During this time Jesus was tempted by the devil but did not give in.
Temptations
Ten Commandments	The ten most important rules of Judaism given on Mount Sinai by God and put into two tablets.
Ten Gurus	The unbroken line of ten leaders in the Sikh community that founded most of the laws in Sikhism.
Tenjin	The Shinto god of learning.
The Bab	A self proclaimed prophet leader who claimed he was a link to God.
The Five K's	the way in which adults Sikhs dress. This includes a Kesh, Kaccha, Kipan, Kangha and a Kara.
Theravada Buddhism	Are Buddhists that follow only the word of Buddha and believe you must join a monastic order.
	The Jains believe that learning these can lead to salvation they include: learning Jain creed, believing Jain creed and proper conduct.
Three Jewels
Three Jewels	Three prayers recited at beginning of most Buddhist ceremonies.
Three Marks Of Existence
Three Marks Of Existence	Buddhists see Annica, Dukkha and Anatman as part of existence.
Three Pilgrimage Holidays	Three Jewish holidays involved the Jews traveling to Jerusalem when the Temple was still standing these include; Pesach, Sukot and Shavuot.
Three Poisons	According to Buddhism there are three flaws of humans desire, hatred and ignorance.
	The three main gods of the Taoists. These are; Shou Hisng god of money, Lu Hisng god of happiness and Fu Hisng god of raising boys.
Three Star Gods
Three Treasures	The Taoist qualities of vitality, spirit and energy, which must, at all times, be kept in balance.
Tibetan Book Of The Dead
Tibetan Book Of The Dead	Instructions for lamas who need to perform a Buddhist funeral.
Tibetan Buddhism	A type of Mahayana Buddhism in Tibet that emphasizes on ritualistic meditating and the Tantras.
Tipitaka	The Buddhist text that is dived into the three sections: Vinaya, Sutta and Abhidhamma.
	According to Jainism the great teachers that shows humanity how to behave and achieve liberation from life's cycle. These appear when the human cycle reaches a low point.
Tirthankaras
	The text that includes Jewish law and there story from creation until their entry into Israel. The Torah is divided into five books Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.
Torah
	The gateway(s) on Shinto shrines. People bow when passing through a Torii to respect the holy area they're entering.
Torii
	Triad of most powerful Hindu Gods; Brahma the creator, Vishnu the protector and Shiva the destroyer.
Trumutri
Twelve Stages Of Life	Buddhism's 12 conditions of existence that are shown on the outer layer of the wheel.
Umma	The name of the Islam community.
Universal House Of Justice	A place where all the Baha'i decisions are made by nine council members chosen once every five years at the Baha'i World Center in Israel.
Untouchables	also known as Dalits, these are the people too low for the Hindu cast system.
	The coming of age ceremony for a high caste boy. There he is given a sacred thread worn by him for the rest of his life.
Upanayana
Vand Chakna	the idea of Sikhs sharing with each other and the poor.
	Also called Benares, this is a city on the Ganges River believed to be the home of Shiva. The city is an important centre of Hindu learning and the focus of most Hindu pilgrimages.
Varanasi
	The four Hindu social groups which are made of Brahmins, the priests, Kshatriyas, the fighters and rulers, Vaishyas, the merchants and farmers, and Shudras, the laborers.
Varnas
	Hindu Gods that the Aryan people brought into Hinduism which include: Surya, Agni, Vayu, Indra and Varuna.
Vedic Gods
Vihara	Buddhist version of a monastery, an important place for Buddhist worship, study and ceremonies.
Village Goddesses	Each Hindu village usually has its own Goddesses, which they call Matta and Amma.
Vinaya-pitka	The section of the Tipitaka that deals with Buddhist lifestyle values.
Vitarka	This is a depiction of Buddha making a circle with his fingers, representing the wheel of law.
	The last remaining wall from the second Temple. This is the most sacred standing structure to the Jews. Jews come from around the world to pray here .
Western Wall
	An illustrated representation of Buddhist cosmology in a giant wheel showing the six realms, heaven, the three poisons and the twelve stages of life.
Wheel Of Life
	Also known as Magi, followed star to Bethlehem and brought gifts to the newborn child Jesus.
Wise Men
	Although there are a few houses of worship most praying is done in peoples houses three time a day facing Baha'u'llah's tomb. Some pilgrimages are made to the founders tombs.
Worship
	The Taoist process of letting go of one's everyday life to achieve harmony with nature and understanding its beauty. This may be achieved through meditation.
Wu-wei
	A Shinto shrine for people who died in Shinto wars.
Yasukuni Shrine	A Shinto shrine for people who died in Shinto wars.
	The language composed of Hebrew and Yiddish used by Ashkenazim.
Yiddish
	According to Chinese philosophy everything is made up of opposite forces and a balance must be retained. Yin is female opposite of Yang, which is male.
Yin and Yang
	A Hindu system of disciplining the mind and body to achieve moksha.
Yoga
	Also known as Citta-mantra, a Buddhist school that emphasizes on yoga and meditation.
Yogacara
	A modern Jewish celebration of founding of the Jewish state Israel.
Yom ha-Atzma'ut
	a modern Jewish remembrance day for the tragedy of the Holocaust.
Yom ha-Sho'ah
	The Day of Atonement for Jews. The ten days of repentance which started at Rosh Hashanah end after this day. The high priest used to sacrifice for the people and enter the holiest section of the Temple to pray for the people when it was standing. Now Jews spend all day (and the night before) fasting and praying in synagogue for forgiveness until the end of the day when the shofar is blown.
Yom Kippur
	The third pillar of Islam is to help the poor.
Zakat	The third pillar of Islam is to help the poor.
	A group of Japanese Buddhist monks who believe in meditating and simple lifestyles.
Zen
	The philosopher that wrote a commentary on the Four Books and encouraged neo-Confucianism.
Zhu Xi
	Founded by Theodor Herzl, Zionism is a Jewish movement that supports the modern state of Israel.
Zionism
	Founder of Zoroastrianism and its practices.
Zoroaster	Founder of Zoroastrianism and its practices.
	An ancient religion founded by Zoroaster.
Zoroastrianism	An ancient religion founded by Zoroaster.
	Prepared by David Rosen