What is the difference between ‘Advaita Vedanta’ and ‘Bhakti Devotion’? Advaita Vedanta is a term that refers to the liberation of oneself from limitation. Mankind is ignorant of his limitless nature and he needs to seek knowledge to liberate himself. Conversely, the Bhakti devotion is love for God through knowledge. What is the difference between the ‘Upanishads’ and the ‘Bhagavad Gita’? The Upanishads refer to knowledge (Brahma) that gives its followers philosophical and spiritual vision. The Bhagavad Gita is a Hindu scripture that contains various philosophical guides. Its use of theism and dualism differentiates it from the monism of the Upanishads. How would you interpret the ‘Dhammapada’? The Dhammapada is the most widely-read Buddhist scripture. To interpret a portion of scripture, one needs to focus on the history behind the saying. It is also necessary to know the occasion that prompted the saying. What is a ‘koan’ and how would you go about interpreting it A Koan may be a question, narrative, or statement that teachers in Zen use to provoke thought. It can be interpreted by first avoiding the literal translation of the saying. One must find the context from where the Koan emerges. It must also involve a holistic and nondual nature. What are the three main branches of Buddhism? The three branches of Buddhism are Vajrayana (a collection of spiritual techniques used to enhance Buddhism), Mahayana (dwells on selflessness and universal compassion), and Nikaya (the oldest school of Buddhism and bases its practices on the Pali Canon). What are ‘wu-forms’? And how would you interpret the Tao Te Ching? The wu-forms include the wu-shi which is a meditative path, wu you, which is freedom from the ego, and wu-Wei which is the state of leaving things undone. One can interpret the Tao Te Ching by reconciling contradictions in the writings. What are the three theological strands in the Old Testament? The 3 strands include the Pentateuch (Torah), the Prophets, and the Hagiographa or Ketuvim. This last division consists of miscellaneous scriptures that may be historical or poetic like Psalms and Ezra. The Prophets refers to books written by prophets like Joshua and Isaiah. The first five books containing Jewish Instruction are the Torah. What is ‘Form Criticism’ and its use in interpreting the Old Testament? Form criticism refers to the analysis of the Bible using the history of the literary form that led to that portion of scripture. For instance, the book of Genesis may be analyzed based on the saga, which was an oral tradition that focused on the incredible. The act of breathing into man’s nostrils was thus a legend. Discuss the ‘Talmud’and the three major divisions of modem Judaism The Talmud is a collection of the practices and laws of the Jews. It talks about the Sabbath, festivals, ethics, and jurisprudence. Modern Judaism consists of Orthodox, Reform, and Conservative Jews. Orthodox followers are the most traditional and practice of all aspects of the Torah. Reform Jews are liberal and observe a few traditions. Conservative Jews have merged traditional and contemporary practices. Discuss Jewish mysticism, the ‘Zohar’, and the Tree of Life Jewish