nirvana/moksha
the highest peace attainable; achieved by stopping the cycle of reincarnation
karma
the sum of a person's actions in current and previous states of existence, the deciding factor concerning their fate in future existences
samsara
the cycle of death and rebirth (reincarnation)
ushnisha
the bump on the top of the Buddha's head
urna
a circle of hair, usually symbolized as a dot, between the eyebrows of a Hindu or a Buddhist figure
mudras
symbolic hand gestures
bodhisattva
one who is able to reach nirvana/moksha but delays doing so to teach others
mandala
a circular, geometric figure representing the universe and the cosmic cycle
avatar
a representation of a Hindu god or goddess in an alternate form (human or animal)
trimurti
the three major gods of Hinduism: Brahma (the creator), Shiva (the preserver), and Vishnu (the destroyer)
4 Noble Truths
1. Life is suffering
2. the cause of suffering is desire
3. the cause of desire must be overcome
4. when desire is overcome, suffering is eliminated