Religious Studies key terms

The sacred building in Makkah associated with Ibrahim and dedicated to the worship of Allah; pilgrims circle it during Hajj.

Lust or uncontrolled sexual desire, one of the five vices that distract a person from God.

The cube-shaped building within the Great Mosque in Makkah, which Muslims believe Ibrahim and Isma’il built for the worship of Allah.

Cotton undershorts representing modesty and self-control.

A Jewish prayer praising God’s greatness, recited by mourners.

A day of Brahmā, lasting one thousand complete cycles of the four yugas.

Lust: uncontrolled sexual desire that can lead to selfishness and wrongdoing.

Love, desire and the enjoyment of legitimate pleasures.

Intentional action, understood in Buddhism as having consequences for the person acting; also called karma.

Intentional action, whose motives and consequences influence happiness and suffering in this life and future lives. Kamma is the Pali spelling; karma is Sanskrit.

A wooden comb kept in the hair, representing cleanliness and order; also spelt kanga.

A steel or iron bracelet whose circular shape represents God's eternity and which reminds the wearer to act morally.

A sweet food prepared and shared with the congregation during Sikh worship and ceremonies.

A sweet food offered and distributed at Sikh worship, including at the completion of an akhand path.

The fourth stage of Sikh spiritual development: grace, in which God's blessing brings spiritual strength and steadfast devotion.

A Buddhist discourse teaching boundless loving-kindness towards all living beings and rejection of hatred and ill-will.

The moral law of cause and effect, through which actions have consequences affecting a person’s future, including rebirth.

A spiritual path of selfless action, carried out without attachment to personal rewards.

Compassion in Buddhism: concern for suffering and a desire to relieve it.

The Jewish dietary laws governing which foods may be eaten and how food is prepared and consumed.

A Theravada festival following Vassa, when lay Buddhists offer robes or robe cloth and other support to the monastic community.

The name commonly translated as ‘princess’, added to a Sikh girl’s name to express Sikh identity and equality.

The tearing of clothing to express grief following the death of a close relative.

Uncut hair, expressing respect for God's creation and commitment to Sikh discipline.

A Jewish marriage contract recording marital obligations; contemporary Reform versions often express the spouses’ mutual responsibilities and commitments.

The Writings: the section of the Tenakh containing varied sacred writings, including Psalms, Proverbs and Job.

A trustee or representative; in Islam, humans have a responsibility entrusted by Allah to care for the world.