Subject specific vocabulary – Section A: study of religions

The following subject specific vocabulary provides definitions of key terms used in our GCSE Religious Studies Short Course specification (8061), Section A: study of religions – beliefs and teachings. Terms are grouped by religion.

Students should be familiar with and gain understanding of these terms.

Buddhism

Anatta

Belief that there is no fixed self/no soul; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

Anicca

Impermanence. Belief that nothing is permanent; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

Arhat

A perfected person. In Theravada Buddhism this is a term for a person who has become enlightened.

Ascetic

A life free from worldly pleasures, and involves giving up of material possessions. An ascetic life often has the aim of pursuing religious and spiritual goals.

Bodhisattva

In Mahayana Buddhism this is a being destined for enlightenment, who postpones their final escape from samsara in order to help living beings.

Buddha

• Historically the Buddha (Siddhartha Gautama)
• An awakened or enlightened person.

Buddhahood

Reaching enlightenment.

Buddha-nature

In Mahayana Buddhism this refers to the fundamental nature of all beings, which means that all beings can become enlightened/reach Buddhahood.

Compassion (Karuna)

Sympathy and concern for the suffering of others; a key part of Buddhist ethics.

Consciousness

The fifth of the Five Aggregates; the state of being aware of something/your surroundings before or without perception.

Craving (tahna)

The ongoing state of desire which causes suffering; grasping at things we enjoy/want.

Dependent arising (Paticcasamupada)

The belief that everything exists because other things do; everything is interconnected and everyone affects everyone else.

Dhamma (Dharma)

The teachings of the Buddha; these are the ultimate truth. Can also refer to following the Buddhist path (following the dharma).

Dhammapada

A source of wisdom and authority; part of the Pali Canon that includes some of the most famous teachings of the Buddha, including the Eightfold Path.

Dukkha

Suffering. Belief that all life includes suffering and unsatisfactoriness; one of the Three Marks of Existence.

The Eightfold Path (magga)

The fourth Noble Truth. Known as ‘The Middle Way,’ it includes the way to wisdom; mental training and the way of morality. Eight stages to be practised simultaneously.

Energy

One of the Mahayanan six perfections; making a courageous effort to attain enlightenment.

Enlightenment

A state of wisdom that enables total clarity and understanding of the truths of existence; achieving Enlightenment (Buddhahood) allows a being to be freed from the cycle of rebirth.

Ethics (Sila)

Moral principles that inform behaviour and attitudes; part of the Eightfold Path.

The Five Aggregates (skandhas)

The belief that human beings are composed of five factors - form, sensation, perception, mental formation, consciousness.

The five moral precepts

An important part of Buddhist ethics; part of the Eightfold Path (right action). These include: not taking life, not taking things which aren’t freely given, not misusing the sense, not speaking falsehoods, not clouding the mind with intoxicants.

Form

The first of the Five Aggregates; matter, physical experiences through the sense organs.

The Four Noble Truths

An important part of the Buddha’s teachings found in the Pali Canon, explaining the truth about existence. These include: suffering, the cause of suffering, the end of suffering, the path to the end of suffering.

The Four Sights

Teaching from the Jataka Tales about Siddhartha Gautama’s experience of illness, old age, death and a holy man. These sights led him to give up his life of luxury, to follow an ascetic lifestyle, in search of the truth about suffering.

Generosity

One of the Mahayanan six perfections; the sincere and selfless desire to benefit others with no expectation of reward.

Greed

One of the Three Poisons; the attachment to material things, and the ongoing selfish desire for more.

Hate

One of the Three Poisons; a feeling of intense dislike, anger, wishing others harm.

Ignorance

One of the Three Poisons; the inability to see things as they really are. It is like a veil that prevents us seeing/understanding the truth of dukkha, anicca and anatta.

Intoxicants

Substances that cloud the mind, eg alcohol, drugs. The five moral precepts teach against using these.

Kamma (Karma)

Literally 'action.’ The belief in cause and effect, intentions and actions will affect the future.

Loving kindness (metta)

A pure love which is selfless and not possessive; a key part of Buddhist ethics

Mahayana

Literally “Greater Vehicle”; this school of Buddhism focuses on achieving enlightenment for the sake of all beings (Bodhisattva). It is the main school of Buddhism in China, Tibet and Japan.

Mental formations

The fourth of the Five Aggregates; mental activities which lead a person to actions and produce kamma (karma).

Meditation

A spiritual experience that opens a person up to the highest state of consciousness; one of the Mahayanan six perfections, and part of the Eightfold Path (Samadhi).

Morality

Principles or beliefs about what is right and wrong. One of the Mahayanan six perfections; includes following the Five Moral Precepts

Nibbana/Nirvana

Literally ‘blowing’ out. The belief that individuals can achieve a state of perfect peace where they experience liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Patience

Being able to tolerate delay or problems without becoming agitated or anxious. One of the Mahayanan six perfections.

Perception

The third of the Five Aggregates. The ability to distinguish between different objects that we experience through our senses; it also enables memory.

Pure Land

This is the dominant form of Buddhism in Japan and focuses on chanting the name of Amitabha Buddha.

Rebirth

This refers to the belief that when a being dies they are reborn. This process depends on kamma, and will continue until nibbana is attained.

Sensation

The second of the Five Aggregates; the feelings that arise from our sense organs making contact with objects.

The six perfections

Ethical principles in Mahayana Buddhism to lead a being to enlightenment.

Sunyata

Literally ‘emptiness’. Mahayana belief about the absence of an intrinsic nature or self-identity.

Theravada

The school of Buddhism mainly found in Sri Lanka and Thailand; it is an older tradition than Mahayana.

The Threefold Way

The three divisions of the Eightfold Path: ethics, meditation and wisdom.

The Three Marks of Existence

The belief that all life involves/is marked by these three features; sometimes known as the Three Universal Truths. The three are: dukkha, anicca, anatta.

The Three Poisons

Causes of dukkha that affect all beings: ignorance, greed and hate.

Wisdom (panna)

Insight into the true nature of reality. One of the Mahayanan six perfections, which includes the realisation of sunyata.

Zen

A Japanese school of Mahayana Buddhism. It focuses on the value of meditation and intuition rather than ritual worship and study of the scriptures.

Christianity

Ascension

Going or being taken up; the event forty days after the resurrection when Jesus returned to glory in heaven.

Atonement

Making amends or payment for a wrong. The belief that reconciliation between God and humanity that was brought about by the death of Jesus as a sacrifice.

Bible

Source of wisdom and authority; a holy book containing both the Old and New Testaments.

Catholic

The tradition within the Christian Church which is led by the Pope; also called the Roman Catholic Church.  (Note: The term ‘catholic’ refers to the communion of all Christians, the universal Church, although it is not a term included on this specification).

Christ

Literally means 'Anointed One' in Greek; the Hebrew equivalent is Messiah. The leader promised by God to the Jews; Christians believe Jesus to be the Christ.

Creation

Bringing the world into existence; the belief that the world is God’s loving creation.

Crucifixion

The death of Jesus; a form of the death penalty used by the Romans.

Evil

The opposite of good; a cause of suffering and against the will of God.

The Father

The first Person of the Trinity, the belief in God as creator and sustainer of the universe.

Grace

The unconditional and generous love that God shows to people who do not deserve it.

Heaven

Belief that after death Christians can enter a state of being with God for eternity.

Hell

Belief in a place of eternal suffering, or a state after death of being in separation from God.

Holy Spirit

The third Person of the Trinity; believed to be present with believers since Pentecost and active on earth.

Incarnation

Literally 'in flesh', or 'enfleshed;' belief that God took on human form in the person of Jesus.

Jesus

Believed by Christians to be the Son of God, he was a first century Jewish teacher living and travelling in Palestine/Israel.

Judgement

The belief that God will decides whether each person should receive eternal life or eternal punishment based on their earthly life.

Just

Fair or equal treatment, a state of justice. Belief about the nature of God as treating all people justly.

Law

Rules or commands which must be followed; the law of God is revealed in the Bible.

Omnipotent

The belief that God is ‘all powerful’.

The Oneness of God

The belief that God is one singular divine being (who can be manifest in the Three Persons of the Trinity).

Original sin

Belief human nature is flawed, and that we all have the tendency to sin; traditional belief held by some Christians that this came from Adam & Eve’s eating of the forbidden fruit as recorded in Genesis 3.

Orthodox

A denomination/tradition of the Church popular in some parts of Eastern Europe. There are two main Orthodox Churches – Greek and Russian.

Protestant

Christian denominations in which authority is generally based on the Bible, rather than Church tradition/teaching. (eg Anglican, Methodist, Baptist).

Resurrection

• Being raised from the dead; the event three days after the crucifixion when it is believed that God raised Jesus from the dead.
• The form that many Christians believe the afterlife will take, referring to either physical or spiritual bodies.

Salvation

Being saved; belief that through God’s grace, Jesus’ death and resurrection brought about salvation for humanity. Saving of the soul and being able to enter eternal life in heaven.

Sin

Behaviour which is against God's laws and wishes/against Christian principles of morality.

The Son

The second Person of the Trinity; Jesus believed to be God incarnate.

Son of God

A title used for Jesus; the second Person of the Trinity. Shows the special relationship between Jesus and God.

Suffering

An effect of evil; undergoing pain and hardship.

Trinity

The belief that God as One includes God also being manifest in three Persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Word

In the Bible, John 1 describes God creating the world through his eternal Word. This links the eternal Word to Jesus in the statement: ‘”The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14).

Islam

Adalat/justice

Part of the nature of God in Shi’a Islam; the belief that God is fair.

Adam

One of the prophets of Allah. The father of humankind; built the Ka’aba.

Akhirah (life after death)

Belief in a new stage of life after death.

Angels

They are spiritual beings created from elements of light. They gave God’s messages to the prophets and watch over humans.

Authority

Having power and status. The Qur’an has supreme authority as the word of Allah, this means it must be believed and obeyed.

Beneficence

Literally ‘doing good’. One of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah and belief about his nature, the generosity that Allah shows to humans.

Day of Judgement

The day when Allah will decide about individual deeds and on reward or punishment.

Fairness

Belief about the nature of God; refers to Allah’s justice. He treats all humans equally and as they deserve.

The five roots of Usul ad-Din

The foundations of the faith in Shi’a Islam; five key beliefs: Tawhid (the Oneness of God), Adalat (justice), prophethood, imamate, resurrection.

The Gospel

Holy book/source of authority; literally ‘good news’ and it is the good news about Isa (Jesus), who was a  prophet of Islam.

Heaven

Referred to as Paradise; Allah’s reward after death to those who have been faithful to him and who have repented of their sins.

Hell

It is a place of great suffering after death for those who have rejected the Qur’an’s teachings and have led a wicked life. For some it will last forever.

Human accountability

The belief that everyone must take responsibility for their actions and will be questioned about them on the Day of Judgement.

Human freedom

Humans have control over their thoughts, feelings and actions.

Human responsibility

Humans are responsible for most of what they do because they have free will and so will be accountable on the Day of Judgement.

Ibrahim

One of the prophets of Allah. He rebuilt the Ka’aba.

Immanence

The belief that God is close to humanity ad involved in the world.

Jibril

Angel who dictated the Qur’an to Muhammad; on Judgement Day he will assist with the weighing of a person’s deeds.

Mercy

Belief about the nature of God and one of Allah’s 99 Beautiful Names; God’s willingness to forgive the sins of those who repent.

Mika’il

Angel who gives spiritual and material help to humans; on Judgement Day he will assist with the weighing of a person’s deeds.

Muhammad

The last and greatest of the prophets. He received the Qur’an and his Sunnah and Hadiths are also important sources of authority.

Omnipotence

All-powerful; belief about the nature of God and one of the 99 Beautiful Names of Allah.

Predestination

One of the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam; the belief that everything that happens has been decided already by Allah.

The Psalms

Holy book/source of authority; sacred prayers  and poems written by King Dawud (David), a prophet of Allah.

The Qur’an

Holy Book and most important source of authority in Islam. It was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad and is the final revelation of God to humankind.

Resurrection

One of the Six Articles of Faith and Five Roots of Usul ad-Din; belief that after death, all people will be raised from the dead to face judgement.

Revelation

When God is revealed to humans; belief that Allah shows his nature and will through the words of the Qur’an.

Risalah (Prophethood)

One of the Six Articles of Faith and Five Roots of Usul ad-Din; belief in the prophets as messengers sent by God to communicate to people.

The Scrolls of Abraham

Holy book/source of authority; individual revelations to Ibrahim that were written on parchment but have perished.

Shi’a Islam

Muslims who believe in the Imamate, successorship of Ali.

Six articles of faith

The foundations of the faith in Sunni Islam; six key beliefs: Tawhid (the Oneness of God), Angels, Holy Books, Prophethood, Akhirah, Predestination.

Sunni Islam

Muslims who believe in the successorship of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.

Tawhid (the Oneness of God)

One of the Six Articles of Faith and Five Roots of Usul ad-Din; the oneness and unity of Allah.

The Torah

Holy book/source of authority; given by God to the prophet Musa (Moses) on Mount Sinai.

Judaism

Abraham

Known as the father of the Jewish people. God made a covenant with him, promising him land and descendants.

Charity

Key moral principle; giving to those in need. Hebrew term ‘tzedakah’ literally means ‘justice’ but used to refer to charity (because giving to those in need is part of promoting justice).

The Covenant

A binding promise/agreement; God's agreement to look after his chosen people.

Creator

Part of the understanding of the nature of God; the belief that God created the world from nothing.

Divine presence (Shekhinah)

Belief that God is beyond human understanding but his presence may be experienced/known.

Free will

Humans are free to choose to do right or to do wrong, this freedom is a gift from God but comes with responsibility.

God as one

Part of the understanding of the nature of God; belief that there is only one God, monotheism. Reflected in the 1st Commandment “You shall have no other Gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3)

Healing the world

Key moral principle related to making the world a better place (Hebrew ‘tikkun olam’).

Judge

Part of the understanding of the nature of God; the belief that God is fair. God’s justice incorporates both forgiveness and mercy.

Judgement

Part of beliefs about life after death; a Day of Judgement when God will judge the living and the dead.

Justice

Key moral principle; fairness in the way people are treated.

Law-Giver

Part of the understanding of the nature of God; refers to God’s giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai.

Liberal Judaism

This is a form of progressive Judaism which seems to combine traditional beliefs and practices with modern interpretations.

Merciful

Part of the understanding of the nature of God; God as compassionate.

The Messiah

Literally ‘the anointed one’. Orthodox Jews believe that the Messiah will be a human person sent by God to establish justice and peace on the earth. For Reform Jews, the Messiah is a symbolic figure.

Mitzvot

Mitzvot (singular is ‘mitzvah’) are the 613 Jewish commandments/rules found in the Tenakh.

Moses

The person through whom God set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt, gave the Ten Commandments and made a covenant with Israel.

Orthodox Judaism

Jews who believe God gave the complete Torah to Moses and therefore live according to Jewish laws and traditions.

Reform Judaism

Jews who believe the Torah was inspired by God and was developed through their history – therefore laws may be changed or adapted as modern life changes.

Resurrection

Being raised from the dead; part of beliefs about life after death that in a future age the dead will rise and live again.

Sanctity of human life

Belief that human life is a sacred/special because it is a precious gift from God.

‘Saving a life’ (Pikuach Nefesh)

This principle overrides all other religious laws because saving a human life should be of upmost importance in any situation.

Sinai

The mountain where Moses received the Law and where the covenant between God and Israel was made.

The Ten Commandments

Source of authority; religious and moral rules that were given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.