GLOSSARY

avatar

In Hinduism, the human or animal form a deity takes to fight an evil on earth.

Brahma

In Hinduism, the creator god.

Buddhism

The religion based on the teachings of the Buddha, who advocated pursuing a middle path in life, avoiding the extremes of indulgence and self-denial.

dharma

In Hinduism, religious or moral law that varies with caste; in Buddhism, the truth of the universe that exists for all people always, particularly, the ideas of karma and rebirth; in Jainism, moral virtue.

dynasty

A family that controls a country for a long period of time through successive rulers.

edict

A declaration or order by someone in power.

ghee

Butter prepared using a process of heating and cooling that results in it being semifluid.

Hinduism

The main religion in India; it involves worshiping numerous gods and stresses karma and reincarnation.

Jainism

A disciplined religion that stresses nonviolence; depending on the worshiper, this could be animals or all living things.

karma

The force that results from a person’s thoughts or actions and determines what a person’s current or next life will be like.

patriarchal

Passed down through the male line.

soapstone '

A kind of stone that is soft and feels like soap.

stupa

A moundlike structure that is a Buddhist shrine, often containing a relic of the Buddha or identifying a sacred location.

Vedas

The earliest sacred writings of Hinduism.