Belief Systems Vocabulary Practice

Part 1: Organization—Place the terms below in the appropriate belief systems box
Abraham Analects Apostles Bible Brahman

Caste System Confucius 10 Commandments The Dao Dharma

Diaspora Eightfold Path Filial Piety Five Relationships Four Noble Truths

Jesus Karma Lao-tzu Mahayana Messiah

Moksha Monotheism Moses Nirvana Paul

Reincarnation Rig Veda Samsara Siddhartha Gautama Tao Te Ching

Theravada Torah Untouchables

Judaism Christianity

Confucianism Daoism

Hinduism Buddhism

Part 2: Definitions—Using the bank of terms on the front page, match the key term to the definitions below
____________________ 1. Belief in ONE all powerful God

____________________ 2. One of the earliest Hindu texts, poems and hymns describing the gods and religious practices

____________________ 4. Indian prince who would become the Buddha

____________________ 5. Hindu concept of the World Soul, the center of time and space

____________________ 6. According to the Buddha, this is when you are liberated from the cycle of samsara and attain

a state of super consciousness and tranquility

____________________ 8. The writings of Confucius

____________________ 9. He led the Jews out of Egypt and led them to the Promised Land
____________________ 10. Primary founder of Christianity. He claimed to be the Messiah and the Son of God

____________________ 12. Buddhism actions to eliminate desire from your life

____________________ 14. In Daoism, this is the mysterious and undefinable force that governs the universe

____________________ 15. The Hebrew Bible/Christian Old Testament

____________________ 18. Scholar that created a belief system that would be called Confucianism

____________________ 19. The primary text of Daoism

____________________ 20. Key relationship dynamic in Confucianism between father and son.

____________________ 21. Rigid social hierarchy system found in India.

____________________ 23. Early friends and followers of Jesus

____________________ 24. The scattering of the Jews by the Assyrian empire

____________________ 25. Major rules/laws given to the Jews by Yahweh…thou shalt not kill etc.

____________________ 27. Cycle of life, death, and rebirth

____________________ 28. Prophesized savior of the Jews

____________________ 30. Basic teachings of Buddhism; life is suffering, suffering is caused by desire, to eliminate
suffering you must eliminate desire, to eliminate desire you must follow the eightfold path

____________________ 31. Individuals outside of the caste system, they perform degrading tasks for society (handle
human waste, dead bodies, etc)

____________________ 32. Religious form of Buddhism. Buddha is elevated to a god, Buddhist temples called stupas
are built, elaborate religious rituals and practices are developed

____________________ 34. Persons actions/deeds in life that impact their status in the next life

____________________ 35. The person most responsible for the spreading of Christianity

____________________ 36. He made a contract with Yahweh making the Jews his Chosen People

____________________ 37. An individual’s moral duty as defined by their birth and caste

____________________ 39. Founder of Daoism

____________________ 41. In Hinduism, the release of one’s soul from reincarnation. Soul rejoins with Brahman

____________________ 42. Christian Holy Scripture. Combined Hebrew scriptures (Old testament) and teachings of
Jesus (New testament)

____________________ 44. Traditional form of Buddhism that focuses on Buddha’s original teachings. Not a religion but
a belief system.

____________________ 45. Hindu concept of the wheel of life through which we go through the cycle of reincarnation

____________________ 46. In Confucianism, the key to society is understanding one’s role in each of these key
relationships.