Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies key terms

A Sikh who has undergone Amrit Sanskar and belongs to the Khalsa.

A Sikh who has undergone Amrit Sanskar and joined the Khalsa, accepting its discipline, including wearing all Five Ks.

The Sikh initiation ceremony through which a person joins the Khalsa by taking amrit and accepting its discipline.

The Sikh initiation ceremony through which a person joins the Khalsa, the community of initiated Sikhs.

The sacred pool surrounding the Golden Temple in Amritsar, where pilgrims may bathe while seeking spiritual cleansing.

The Sikh religious marriage ceremony, meaning ‘blissful union’.

The teaching that there is no permanent, independent self or soul.

An unseen being created by Allah to serve him and carry out his commands; the Arabic plural is malaikah.

The murderer in a Buddhist story who abandoned violence after meeting the Buddha, became a monk and eventually attained Enlightenment.

Impermanence: the changing nature of things, including bodies, thoughts and feelings.

A ceremonial offering of a ‘mountain of food’ to deities, expressing thanksgiving to God and seeking blessings.

A declaration that a marriage was not valid from the beginning, rather than the ending of a valid marriage.

Prejudice, hostility or discrimination directed against Jews because they are Jewish.

South Africa’s former system of legally enforced racial separation and white privilege, which ended in 1994.

A person who has attained full awakening, overcoming ignorance and craving and becoming free from future rebirth; an important ideal in Theravada Buddhism. Also called an arhat.

A worship ritual in which a lighted lamp is moved before a deity; also spelt aarti.

The Sikh congregational prayer, used to express thanksgiving and seek God’s help and blessings.

An enlightened person who has overcome the Three Poisons and attained nirvana; the central ideal in Theravada Buddhism.

The Holy Ark: the cupboard in a synagogue that houses the Torah scrolls.

A marriage in which families help to find a partner, but both people must freely agree to marry.

Material prosperity and security, one of the four Hindu aims of human life.

One of the six fundamental beliefs of Sunni Islam.

Jesus being taken into heaven after his resurrection.

The practice of strict self-denial, such as severe fasting, in pursuit of a spiritual goal.

A stage of life in traditional Hindu teaching, associated with particular responsibilities.

The tenth day of Muharram, observed by Shi’a Muslims as a day of mourning for Husayn’s martyrdom.

Help given to a person to end their own life. In the Dignity in Dying campaign, this concerns medically assisted dying for terminally ill adults with mental capacity and legal safeguards.