World Religions Flashcards

Which sacred text is divided into 114 chapters called 'suras' and is regarded as the direct word of God in Islam?

Answer: Quran

The Quran is the holy scripture of Islam, believed by Muslims to be the literal word of God (Allah) as revealed to the Prophet Muhammad through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).

The concept of 'dharma' in Hinduism and Buddhism primarily means:

Answer: Cosmic order, duty, and right living

Dharma refers to cosmic order, moral law, and one's duty or right conduct in accordance with that order. In Buddhism it also refers to the Buddha's teachings.

In Judaism, what is the Torah in its most specific sense?

Answer: The Five Books of Moses

In its narrowest sense, Torah refers specifically to the Five Books of Moses (Pentateuch): Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The Jain principle of 'ahimsa' requires:

Answer: Non-violence and non-injury to all living beings

Ahimsa (non-violence) is the supreme ethical principle of Jainism, requiring extreme care to avoid harming any living being, from humans to microorganisms.

The Baha'i Faith teaches that all major world religions are:

Answer: Progressive revelations of one God

The Baha'i Faith teaches progressive revelation: that Moses, Buddha, Jesus, Muhammad, and other founders were all divine messengers bringing successive revelations of God's will appropriate to their time.

In Confucian ethics, the central virtue of 'ren' is best translated as:

Answer: Benevolence or humaneness

Ren (仁) is the supreme virtue in Confucian ethics, variously translated as benevolence, humaneness, goodness, or love — the quality of being fully human in moral relationships.