| A | B |
|---|
| Aryans | invaders whose beliefs form the foundation of Hinduism |
| Ganges River | river in northern plains of India that is sacred to Hindus |
| dharma | duties and obligations of one's caste |
| karma | the belief that one's actions in this life affect a future life |
| reincarnation | rebirth of the soul in various forms |
| moksha | the release of the soul to unite with brahman |
| brahman | the single spiritual power in Hinduism |
| caste | the rigid social class system in India |
| Brahma | the creator god |
| Vishnu | the preserver god |
| Shiva | the destroyer god |
| The Vedas | Hindu holy text based on the beliefs of the Aryans |
| The Upanishads | Hindu holy book written in question and answer form |
| Sanskrit | language that Hindu texts are written in |
| Siddartha Gautama | the great teacher who became known as the Buddha |
| Eightfold Path | Buddhist guide to a balanced life |
| nirvana | lasting peace that ends cycle of reincarnation |
| sects | religious groups |
| avatar | representation of a Hindu god or goddess in human or animal form |
| ahimsa | nonviolence |
| Rudra | storm god of the Aryans |
| 850 million | amount of Hindus in India today |
| Shakti | a goddess that is the wife of Shiva |
| yoga | exercises that free the soul from the cares of the world |
| devotion | practices that bring people closer to brahman |
| 900s B.C. | Hindusim develops |
| 500s B.C. | Buddhism develops |
| meditate | to focus the mind inward to find spiritual awareness |
| Right Action | not taking life, stealing or hurting others |
| Right Effort | avoiding bad attitudes and developing good ones |
| Right Mindfulness | being aware of one's own body, feelings, and thoughts |
| missionaries | people who spread religious beliefs to others |
| monks | followers of the Buddha who were encouraged to become missionaries |
| nonviolence | important concept in both Hinduism and Buddhism |
| India | place where both Hinduism and Buddhism began |
| China, Korea, Japan | places where Buddhism spread |
