[
 {
  "term": "Agape",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "ah-GAH-pay",
  "script": "ἀγάπη",
  "definition": "The Greek word for a self-giving, unconditional love — the love God has for humanity, and the command Christ gives his disciples. Distinguished in classical Greek from eros (desire), philia (friendship), and storge (family affection).",
  "etymology": "From Greek agape, 'charity, love'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Akedah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "ah-kay-DAH",
  "script": "עֲקֵידָה",
  "definition": "Hebrew for 'the Binding' — the narrative of Genesis 22 in which Abraham prepares to sacrifice Isaac. Read annually at Rosh Hashanah and foundational to Jewish theological reflection on obedience and divine mercy."
 },
 {
  "term": "Allah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ah-LAH",
  "script": "ٱللَّٰه",
  "definition": "The Arabic word for God. Cognate with Hebrew Elohim; used by Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews before and after Islam. The Qur'an emphasises His oneness (tawhid) and ninety-nine 'most beautiful names'.",
  "etymology": "From al-ilāh, 'the god'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Arhat",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "AR-hat",
  "script": "अर्हत्",
  "definition": "In early Buddhism, one who has reached nirvana and will not be reborn. In the Mahayana tradition, the arhat is a lesser goal than the bodhisattva, who postpones nirvana to help others."
 },
 {
  "term": "Avatar",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "AH-vuh-tar",
  "script": "अवतार",
  "definition": "A 'descent' of a deity into earthly form. In Vaishnavism, Vishnu has ten major avatars including Krishna, Rama, and (often) the Buddha. Not identical to Christian incarnation: avatars are many and episodic.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit ava-tr, 'to cross down'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Bhakti",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "BUK-tee",
  "script": "भक्ति",
  "definition": "Devotional love directed to a personal god — one of the three classical paths the Gita names alongside karma and jnana yoga. Especially prominent in Vaishnavism and central to the later devotional literature of medieval India."
 },
 {
  "term": "Bodhisattva",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "boh-dih-SAT-vuh",
  "script": "बोधिसत्त्व",
  "definition": "A being on the path to full Buddhahood who, in Mahayana teaching, vows to postpone final entry into nirvana until all sentient beings can be liberated. Central in Mahayana Buddhism; Theravada gives more weight to the arhat ideal.",
  "etymology": "Sanskrit: 'awakening-being'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Brahman",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "BRA-mun",
  "script": "ब्रह्मन्",
  "definition": "The ultimate, unchanging reality that underlies all existence — the ground of being in Upanishadic thought. Not to be confused with Brahma (the creator god) or Brahmin (the priestly caste). In Advaita Vedanta, identical with the individual Atman (self)."
 },
 {
  "term": "Covenant",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "definition": "A binding agreement between God and a people. The Noahic covenant with humanity (rainbow), the Abrahamic (circumcision, land), the Mosaic (Sinai, the Law), the Davidic (dynasty), and the New Covenant (the blood of Christ in Christian theology; the Qur'anic mithaq in Islam) are the great covenantal moments of Abrahamic tradition.",
  "script": "בְּרִית / διαθήκη / ميثاق"
 },
 {
  "term": "Dharma",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "DHAR-muh",
  "script": "धर्म / धम्म",
  "definition": "A Sanskrit term spanning 'cosmic law,' 'duty,' 'the teachings of the Buddha,' and 'religion' itself. In Hinduism, the moral order to which a given caste or life-stage must conform. In Buddhism, the truth revealed by the Buddha — the middle term of the Three Jewels (Buddha, Dharma, Sangha)."
 },
 {
  "term": "Elohim",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "el-oh-HEEM",
  "script": "אֱלֹהִים",
  "definition": "One of the names of God in the Hebrew Bible, grammatically plural but used with singular verbs when referring to the God of Israel. Genesis 1 uses Elohim throughout; the personal name YHWH first appears in Genesis 2:4 as part of the composite YHWH-Elohim."
 },
 {
  "term": "Enlightenment",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "definition": "The awakening (bodhi) that ends the cycle of rebirth and suffering — the Buddha's experience under the Bodhi tree. Approached variously through the Eightfold Path (Theravada), the bodhisattva-bhumi (Mahayana), or sudden recognition (Chan/Zen and tantric streams)."
 },
 {
  "term": "Eucharist",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "YOO-kuh-rist",
  "script": "Εὐχαριστία",
  "definition": "The central sacrament of Christian worship: the ritual of bread and wine instituted by Christ at the Last Supper. The name is Greek for 'thanksgiving'. Catholic and Orthodox traditions hold that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ; most Protestant traditions differ."
 },
 {
  "term": "Gospel",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "definition": "The 'good news' of Jesus Christ — both the oral proclamation and the four canonical narratives of his life (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John). From Old English godspel, a translation of Greek euangelion.",
  "script": "εὐαγγέλιον"
 },
 {
  "term": "Hadith",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "huh-DEETH",
  "script": "حديث",
  "definition": "A report of something the Prophet Muhammad said, did, or approved of. Hadith are second only to the Qur'an as a source for Islamic law and practice; the two most authoritative Sunni collections are those of Bukhari and Muslim."
 },
 {
  "term": "Hajj",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "HAJ",
  "script": "حج",
  "definition": "The pilgrimage to Mecca, required once in the life of every Muslim who is physically and financially able. The fifth of the Five Pillars. Performed in the last month of the Islamic calendar; Umrah is the non-prescribed 'lesser pilgrimage' made at any time."
 },
 {
  "term": "Hesed",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "KHE-sed",
  "script": "חֶסֶד",
  "definition": "The Hebrew word often translated 'lovingkindness' or 'steadfast love'. Stronger than benevolence: the loyal, covenantal love that acts beyond obligation. A defining attribute of God throughout the Psalms."
 },
 {
  "term": "Hijra",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "HIJ-rah",
  "script": "هجرة",
  "definition": "The 622 CE migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Medina, marking year one of the Islamic calendar. Not the 'flight' — the Prophet departed only after Meccan persecution reached a critical point."
 },
 {
  "term": "Incarnation",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "definition": "The Christian doctrine that the eternal Son of God took on human nature in the person of Jesus Christ — fully God and fully human. Defined at the Council of Chalcedon (451 CE). Rejected by Islamic theology."
 },
 {
  "term": "Jihad",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ji-HAD",
  "script": "جهاد",
  "definition": "Literally 'striving'. Classical Islamic jurisprudence distinguishes the 'greater jihad' — the internal striving against one's lower self — from the 'lesser jihad,' armed struggle, which is itself tightly circumscribed by rules of proportionality and non-combatant immunity.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic jahada, 'to strive, exert oneself'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Karma",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "script": "कर्म",
  "definition": "Action and its moral fruit. In Hindu and Buddhist thought, the law by which intentional acts shape one's future — in this life or across rebirths. Not fate: karma accrues from chosen action and can be worked out in practice."
 },
 {
  "term": "Kaaba",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "KAH-bah",
  "script": "كعبة",
  "definition": "The cube-shaped structure at the heart of the Great Mosque in Mecca, toward which all Muslims pray. Islamic tradition attributes its original construction to Abraham and Ishmael. Circumambulation (tawaf) is a central rite of the Hajj."
 },
 {
  "term": "Koan",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "KOH-an",
  "script": "公案",
  "definition": "A paradoxical question or story used in Zen Buddhism to provoke insight beyond rational analysis. Example: 'What is the sound of one hand clapping?' The tradition arose in Chinese Chan Buddhism and is central to the Japanese Rinzai school."
 },
 {
  "term": "Logos",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "LOH-gos",
  "script": "λόγος",
  "definition": "Greek: 'word, reason, principle'. In the prologue of John's Gospel, applied to the pre-existent Christ: 'In the beginning was the Word'. Already a technical term in Stoic and Jewish-Hellenistic (Philo) thought before the Gospel used it."
 },
 {
  "term": "Messiah",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "script": "מָשִׁיחַ / مسيح",
  "definition": "'Anointed one' — the expected deliverer of Israel in Jewish tradition. The Greek equivalent is Christos; hence 'Jesus Christ' = 'Jesus the Anointed'. In the Qur'an, al-Masih is a title of Jesus (Isa), but without the divine-messianic theology of Christianity."
 },
 {
  "term": "Mitzvah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "MITS-vah",
  "script": "מִצְוָה",
  "definition": "A commandment. Rabbinic tradition enumerates 613 mitzvot (plural) in the Torah: 248 positive commands and 365 prohibitions. Colloquially, any good deed."
 },
 {
  "term": "Nirvana",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "nir-VAH-nah",
  "script": "निर्वाण",
  "definition": "The 'blowing out' of the fires of craving, aversion, and delusion — the end of suffering and the cycle of rebirth. Not annihilation but the unconditioned; the Buddha refused to characterise it in positive terms."
 },
 {
  "term": "Om",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "OHM",
  "script": "ॐ",
  "definition": "The sacred syllable of Hinduism (and Buddhism and Jainism), held to be the vibrational ground of the universe. Recited at the opening and close of prayers and meditations. The Mandukya Upanishad is a single-verse meditation on Om."
 },
 {
  "term": "Paraclete",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "PAR-uh-kleet",
  "script": "παράκλητος",
  "definition": "An advocate, comforter, helper. Christ's title for the Holy Spirit in John's farewell discourse. Some Islamic scholars identify the Paraclete of John 14 with the prophet Muhammad (via the Syriac Menahem)."
 },
 {
  "term": "Prophet",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "definition": "One who speaks for God. Jewish tradition distinguishes the 'former prophets' (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings) from the 'latter' (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, the Twelve). Christianity includes John the Baptist as the last and Jesus as greater than any. Islam recognises 124,000 prophets beginning with Adam and ending with Muhammad, the 'seal of the prophets'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Qibla",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "KIB-lah",
  "script": "قبلة",
  "definition": "The direction of prayer. For Muslims worldwide it is the Kaaba in Mecca — a direction fixed by Muhammad in Medina after an initial period of praying toward Jerusalem (Qur'an 2:144)."
 },
 {
  "term": "Qur'an",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "koor-AHN",
  "script": "قرآن",
  "definition": "Literally 'the Recitation'. The final, complete, untranslatable scripture of Islam, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibril over 23 years. 114 surahs, arranged roughly from longest to shortest (not chronologically).",
  "etymology": "From Arabic qara'a, 'to read, recite'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Rabbi",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "RAB-eye",
  "script": "רַבִּי",
  "definition": "Hebrew for 'my master'; a teacher authorised to interpret Jewish law. The title emerges in the late Second Temple period; Jesus is addressed as 'Rabbi' in the Gospels."
 },
 {
  "term": "Ramadan",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "RAM-uh-dahn",
  "script": "رمضان",
  "definition": "The ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar, during which healthy adult Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. The month in which the Qur'an began to be revealed (Qur'an 2:185). Celebrated at its end with Eid al-Fitr."
 },
 {
  "term": "Samsara",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "script": "संसार",
  "pronunciation": "sam-SAH-ruh",
  "definition": "The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth in Hindu, Buddhist, Jain, and Sikh thought. Not a reward or punishment but a condition to be moved beyond — through liberation (moksha / nirvana) in the Indic schools, or through union with the divine in Sikh thought."
 },
 {
  "term": "Shahada",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "sha-HAH-dah",
  "script": "شهادة",
  "definition": "The Islamic profession of faith: 'There is no god but God, and Muhammad is the messenger of God.' Recitation before two witnesses constitutes conversion to Islam."
 },
 {
  "term": "Shalom",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "shah-LOHM",
  "script": "שָׁלוֹם",
  "definition": "Hebrew for 'peace' — but more richly, wholeness, completeness, flourishing. Used as both greeting and farewell. Cognate with Arabic salaam."
 },
 {
  "term": "Shema",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "shuh-MAH",
  "script": "שְׁמַע",
  "definition": "The central declaration of Jewish faith: 'Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one' (Deuteronomy 6:4). Recited twice daily."
 },
 {
  "term": "Sufism",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "SOO-fizm",
  "script": "تصوف",
  "definition": "The mystical dimension of Islam, emphasising inward purification (tazkiyah) and the direct experience of God. Rumi, Ibn Arabi, and Al-Ghazali are among its canonical figures."
 },
 {
  "term": "Sunnah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "SOON-ah",
  "script": "سنة",
  "definition": "The 'path' or 'example' of the Prophet — his sayings, actions, and tacit approvals — preserved in the hadith and used alongside the Qur'an as a source of Islamic law. The Sunni branch takes its name from adherence to the Sunnah."
 },
 {
  "term": "Tanakh",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "tah-NAKH",
  "script": "תַּנַ\"ךְ",
  "definition": "The Hebrew Bible. An acronym for Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), and Ketuvim (Writings) — the three-fold division of the 24-book canon. Largely overlaps in content with the Christian Old Testament but orders the books differently."
 },
 {
  "term": "Tao",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "DOW",
  "script": "道",
  "definition": "The Way. The underlying principle of the universe in Chinese philosophy — central to Taoism, where it is both the source and the pattern of all things; Confucian usage of dao names a more practical 'right way of conduct' than the unnameable cosmological Tao. Famously: 'the Tao that can be named is not the eternal Tao.'"
 },
 {
  "term": "Torah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "TOR-ah",
  "script": "תּוֹרָה",
  "definition": "In the narrow sense, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible (Genesis through Deuteronomy), attributed to Moses. In a broader sense, all divine instruction — the written Torah plus the oral Torah preserved in the Mishnah and Talmud.",
  "etymology": "Hebrew: 'instruction, teaching'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Yoga",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "YOH-guh",
  "script": "योग",
  "definition": "A 'yoking' or discipline directed at union with the divine. The Bhagavad Gita teaches three yogas — of knowledge (jnana), action (karma), and devotion (bhakti). Patañjali's eight-limbed yoga (raja) is sometimes counted as a fourth. Modern postural yoga (hatha) is a narrow and historically late branch."
 },
 {
  "term": "Zazen",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "ZAH-zen",
  "script": "坐禅",
  "definition": "Seated meditation in the Zen tradition — the central practice through which awakening is sought. The Soto school emphasises 'just sitting' (shikantaza); the Rinzai school uses koans."
 },
 {
  "term": "Trinity",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "TRIN-i-tee",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The Christian doctrine that God exists as three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, yet is one being.",
  "etymology": "From Latin trinitas, meaning 'threefold'."
 },
 {
  "term": "salvation",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "sal-VAY-shun",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "Deliverance from sin and its consequences — variously articulated in Christian traditions through faith, sacramental life, sanctification, and union with Christ.",
  "etymology": "From Latin salvatio, meaning 'saving'."
 },
 {
  "term": "grace",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "GRAYS",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The free and unmerited favor of God, manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowal of blessings.",
  "etymology": "From Latin gratia, meaning 'favor' or 'thanks'."
 },
 {
  "term": "atonement",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "uh-TONE-ment",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The reconciliation of God and humans through the sacrificial death of Jesus Christ.",
  "etymology": "From Middle English atonement, meaning 'in agreement'."
 },
 {
  "term": "justification",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "jus-ti-fi-KAY-shun",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The act of God declaring a sinner righteous through faith in Jesus Christ.",
  "etymology": "From Latin justificatio, meaning 'making just'."
 },
 {
  "term": "sanctification",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "sank-ti-fi-KAY-shun",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The process of being made holy, set apart for God's purposes, throughout a believer's life.",
  "etymology": "From Latin sanctificatio, meaning 'making holy'."
 },
 {
  "term": "baptism",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "BAP-tizm",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "A Christian rite of admission and adoption, almost invariably with the use of water, into Christianity.",
  "etymology": "From Greek baptisma, meaning 'immersion'."
 },
 {
  "term": "apostle",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "uh-POS-tl",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "One of the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to preach the gospel and establish the church.",
  "etymology": "From Greek apostolos, meaning 'messenger' or 'one sent forth'."
 },
 {
  "term": "epistle",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "i-PIS-tl",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "A letter, especially a formal letter, often referring to the New Testament letters written by apostles.",
  "etymology": "From Greek epistole, meaning 'letter'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Pentecost",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "PEN-ti-kost",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "A Christian festival celebrating the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.",
  "etymology": "From Greek pentekoste, meaning 'fiftieth'."
 },
 {
  "term": "advent",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "AD-vent",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The period of four weeks before Christmas, observed as a time of waiting and preparation.",
  "etymology": "From Latin adventus, meaning 'arrival'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Lent",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "LENT",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The solemn Christian season of preparation before Easter — traditionally 40 days of fasting, observed within a 46-day liturgical period (Sundays are excluded as fasting days).",
  "etymology": "From Old English lencten, meaning 'spring'."
 },
 {
  "term": "theosis",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "thee-OH-sis",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The Eastern Orthodox concept of deification — humans becoming partakers of the divine nature by participation in God's energies, while retaining creaturely distinction (i.e. union, not absorption).",
  "etymology": "From Greek theosis, meaning 'making god'."
 },
 {
  "term": "kenosis",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "ki-NOH-sis",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The self-emptying of Jesus' own will to become entirely receptive to God's will.",
  "etymology": "From Greek kenosis, meaning 'emptying'."
 },
 {
  "term": "parousia",
  "tradition": "christianity",
  "pronunciation": "puh-ROO-zee-uh",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The second coming of Christ, often associated with the end of the world and final judgment.",
  "etymology": "From Greek parousia, meaning 'presence' or 'arrival'."
 },
 {
  "term": "halakha",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "hah-LAH-khah",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The collective body of Jewish religious laws derived from the Written and Oral Torah.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew halakhah, meaning 'the way to go'."
 },
 {
  "term": "aggadah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "ah-GAH-dah",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "Non-legalistic rabbinical texts dealing with biblical history, legends, and moral exhortations.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew aggadah, meaning 'narrative'."
 },
 {
  "term": "midrash",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "mid-RAHSH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "A method of biblical interpretation and the literature produced by that method.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew midrash, meaning 'interpretation' or 'inquiry'."
 },
 {
  "term": "yeshiva",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "yeh-SHEE-vah",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "A Jewish educational institution that focuses on the study of traditional religious texts.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew yeshivah, meaning 'sitting'."
 },
 {
  "term": "bar-mitzvah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "bar-mitz-VAH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "A Jewish coming-of-age ritual for boys at age thirteen, marking religious responsibility.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew bar mitzvah, meaning 'son of the commandment'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Kabbalah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "kah-BAH-lah",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "A school of thought in Judaism that seeks to explain the relationship between the eternal God and the mortal universe.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew qabbalah, meaning 'receiving' or 'tradition'."
 },
 {
  "term": "sefirot",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "seh-FEE-roht",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The ten attributes or emanations through which God interacts with the world in Kabbalah.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew sefirah, meaning 'counting' or 'sphere'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Shekhinah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "sheh-kee-NAH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The dwelling or settling presence of God, especially in the Tabernacle or Temple.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew shekhinah, meaning 'dwelling'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Moshiach",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "moh-shee-ACH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The anointed king or savior who will redeem the Jewish people and bring world peace.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew mashiah, meaning 'anointed one'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Shabbat",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "SHAH-bat",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The Jewish day of rest and spiritual enrichment, observed from Friday evening to Saturday night.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew shabbat, meaning 'cessation' or 'rest'."
 },
 {
  "term": "matzah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "muh-TSAH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "Unleavened bread eaten during Passover to commemorate the haste of the Exodus from Egypt.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew matzah, meaning 'bread of affliction'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Seder",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "SEH-der",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "A ritual feast that marks the beginning of Passover, involving the retelling of the Exodus story.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew seder, meaning 'order'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Yom-Kippur",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "yom kip-POOR",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The Day of Atonement, the holiest day of the Jewish year, focusing on repentance and fasting.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew yom kippur, meaning 'day of covering'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Rosh-Hashanah",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "rosh hah-shah-NAH",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The Jewish New Year, a time for introspection and prayer for the coming year.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew rosh hashanah, meaning 'head of the year'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Pesach",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "PEH-sakh",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The Jewish festival of Passover, commemorating the liberation of the Israelites from slavery.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew pesach, meaning 'to pass over'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Sukkot",
  "tradition": "judaism",
  "pronunciation": "soo-KOTE",
  "script": "Hebrew",
  "definition": "The Feast of Tabernacles, celebrating the harvest and the Israelites' wandering in the desert.",
  "etymology": "From Hebrew sukkah, meaning 'hut' or 'booth'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Tawhid",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "taw-HEED",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The concept of the oneness of God, the fundamental principle of Islamic monotheism.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic tawhid, meaning 'making one'."
 },
 {
  "term": "risala",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ree-SAHL-ah",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The concept of prophethood and the message delivered by prophets to humanity.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic risalah, meaning 'message' or 'epistle'."
 },
 {
  "term": "akhira",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ah-KEE-rah",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The belief in the afterlife, including resurrection, judgment, heaven, and hell.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic akhirah, meaning 'the hereafter'."
 },
 {
  "term": "qadr",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "kah-DR",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Divine destiny or predestination, the belief that God has decreed all things.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic qadar, meaning 'measure' or 'power'."
 },
 {
  "term": "iman",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ee-MAHN",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Faith or belief in God, His angels, His books, His messengers, and the Last Day.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic iman, meaning 'faith'."
 },
 {
  "term": "ihsan",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ih-SHAHN",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Spiritual excellence, worshiping God as if you see Him, for if you do not see Him, He sees you.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic ihsan, meaning 'doing good'."
 },
 {
  "term": "zakat",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "zuh-KAHT",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Almsgiving, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, requiring a fixed portion of wealth to be given to the poor.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic zakat, meaning 'purification'."
 },
 {
  "term": "sawm",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "SAWM",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Fasting during the month of Ramadan, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic sawm, meaning 'fasting'."
 },
 {
  "term": "salah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "sah-LAH",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The ritual prayer performed five times a day, one of the Five Pillars of Islam.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic salah, meaning 'prayer'."
 },
 {
  "term": "fatwa",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "fat-WAH",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "A legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar on a specific issue.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic fatwa, meaning 'legal opinion'."
 },
 {
  "term": "ijtihad",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "ij-ti-HAAD",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Independent reasoning or effort by a qualified scholar to derive legal rulings from Islamic sources.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic ijtihad, meaning 'striving'."
 },
 {
  "term": "ummah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "oo-MAH",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The worldwide community of Muslim believers, united by faith rather than nationality.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic ummah, meaning 'community'."
 },
 {
  "term": "caliph",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "KAY-lif",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "The chief Muslim civil and religious ruler, regarded as the successor of Muhammad.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic khalifah, meaning 'successor'."
 },
 {
  "term": "jinn",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "JIN",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "Supernatural creatures in Islamic theology made of smokeless fire, possessing free will.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic jinn, meaning 'hidden' or 'concealed'."
 },
 {
  "term": "surah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "soo-RAH",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "A chapter of the Quran, the holy book of Islam.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic surah, meaning 'row' or 'section'."
 },
 {
  "term": "ayah",
  "tradition": "islam",
  "pronunciation": "AH-yah",
  "script": "Arabic",
  "definition": "A verse of the Quran, often considered a sign or miracle of God.",
  "etymology": "From Arabic ayah, meaning 'sign'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Moksha",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "MOHK-shuh",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "Liberation from the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth (samsara).",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit moksha, meaning 'release'."
 },
 {
  "term": "atman",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "AHT-mahn",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The true self or soul, distinct from the ego and the physical body.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit atman, meaning 'self' or 'breath'."
 },
 {
  "term": "maya",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "MAH-yah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The illusory power of the universe that veils the true nature of reality.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit maya, meaning 'illusion'."
 },
 {
  "term": "darshan",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "DAR-shun",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The act of seeing and being seen by a deity or holy person, considered spiritually auspicious.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit darshana, meaning 'sight'."
 },
 {
  "term": "puja",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "POO-jah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A religious ritual of worship offered to a deity, often involving offerings and prayers.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit pujana, meaning 'worship'."
 },
 {
  "term": "mantra",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "MAN-trah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A sacred utterance, sound, or phrase used in meditation and prayer to aid concentration.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit mantra, meaning 'instrument of thought'."
 },
 {
  "term": "yantra",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "YAN-trah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A mystical diagram used for meditation and worship, representing the deity's energy.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit yantra, meaning 'machine' or 'instrument'."
 },
 {
  "term": "mandala",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "mun-DAH-lah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A geometric configuration of symbols used as a spiritual guide or representation of the cosmos.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit mandala, meaning 'circle'."
 },
 {
  "term": "gunas",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "GOO-nahs",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The three fundamental qualities of nature: sattva (purity), rajas (passion), and tamas (inertia).",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit guna, meaning 'strand' or 'quality'."
 },
 {
  "term": "trimurti",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "tri-MOOR-tee",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The triple deity of supreme divinity in Hinduism, comprising Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit trimurti, meaning 'three forms'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Ishvara",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "ish-VAH-rah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The Supreme Lord or personal God, often identified with Vishnu or Shiva in various traditions.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit ishvara, meaning 'lord' or 'ruler'."
 },
 {
  "term": "prana",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "PRAH-nah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The vital life force or energy that flows through all living beings.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit prana, meaning 'breath' or 'life'."
 },
 {
  "term": "chakra",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "CHAK-rah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "Energy centers within the subtle body, often visualized as spinning wheels of light.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit chakra, meaning 'wheel'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Upanishad",
  "tradition": "hinduism",
  "pronunciation": "oo-PAH-nish-ad",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "Ancient Sanskrit texts that contain philosophical concepts and form the basis of Vedanta.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit upanishad, meaning 'sitting down near'."
 },
 {
  "term": "Dukkha",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "DOOK-khuh",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "Suffering, unsatisfactoriness, or stress, identified as the first Noble Truth.",
  "etymology": "From Pali dukkha, meaning 'hard to bear'."
 },
 {
  "term": "anatta",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "uh-NAT-tah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "The doctrine of non-self, stating that there is no permanent, unchanging soul.",
  "etymology": "From Pali anatta, meaning 'no-self'."
 },
 {
  "term": "anicca",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "uh-NIK-kah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "Impermanence, the understanding that all conditioned things are transient.",
  "etymology": "From Pali anicca, meaning 'impermanent'."
 },
 {
  "term": "sangha",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "SAHN-gah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "The community of Buddhist monks and nuns, one of the Three Jewels.",
  "etymology": "From Pali sangha, meaning 'community'."
 },
 {
  "term": "sutra",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "SOO-trah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A pan-Indian text-genre — a 'thread' of aphoristic teaching. In Buddhism, sutras (Pali: sutta) are the discourses attributed to the Buddha; in Hinduism, the genre includes the Yoga Sutras, Brahma Sutras, and Vedic ritual sutras; Jain sutras likewise.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit sutra, meaning 'thread'."
 },
 {
  "term": "tripitaka",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "tri-PIH-tah-kah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "The traditional threefold division of the Buddhist canon: Vinaya, Sutta, and Abhidhamma.",
  "etymology": "From Pali tipitaka, meaning 'three baskets'."
 },
 {
  "term": "stupa",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "STOO-pah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A mound-like structure containing relics, used as a place of meditation and worship.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit stupa, meaning 'heap'."
 },
 {
  "term": "prajna",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "PRIG-nyah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "Wisdom or insight into the true nature of reality, essential for enlightenment.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit prajna, meaning 'wisdom'."
 },
 {
  "term": "shunyata",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "shoon-YAH-tah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "Emptiness, the concept that phenomena lack inherent existence.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit shunyata, meaning 'emptiness'."
 },
 {
  "term": "mahayana",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "mah-hah-YAH-nah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The Great Vehicle, a major branch of Buddhism emphasizing the bodhisattva path.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit mahayana, meaning 'great vehicle'."
 },
 {
  "term": "theravada",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "teh-rah-VAH-dah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "The School of the Elders, the oldest surviving Buddhist school, prevalent in Southeast Asia.",
  "etymology": "From Pali theravada, meaning 'way of the elders'."
 },
 {
  "term": "vajrayana",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "vaj-rah-YAH-nah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "The Diamond Vehicle, a form of Buddhism involving esoteric practices and tantric rituals.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit vajrayana, meaning 'diamond vehicle'."
 },
 {
  "term": "mudra",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "MOO-drah",
  "script": "Sanskrit",
  "definition": "A symbolic hand gesture used in meditation and ritual to convey specific meanings.",
  "etymology": "From Sanskrit mudra, meaning 'seal'."
 },
 {
  "term": "jataka",
  "tradition": "buddhism",
  "pronunciation": "jah-TAH-kah",
  "script": "Pali",
  "definition": "Stories recounting the previous births of the Buddha.",
  "etymology": "From Pali jataka, meaning 'birth'."
 },
 {
  "term": "wu-wei",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "woo-WAY",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "Inexertion or effortless action, aligning one's will with the natural flow of the universe.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese wu wei, meaning 'no action'."
 },
 {
  "term": "ziran",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "dz-RAWN",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "Naturalness or spontaneity, the state of being self-so or as it is.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese ziran, meaning 'self-so'."
 },
 {
  "term": "de",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "DUH",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "Virtue or power, the inherent integrity of a thing when aligned with the Tao.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese de, meaning 'virtue'."
 },
 {
  "term": "qi",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "CHEE",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The vital energy or life force that flows through all things in the universe.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese qi, meaning 'breath'."
 },
 {
  "term": "yin",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "YIN",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The feminine, passive, dark, and receptive principle in nature.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese yin, meaning 'shady side'."
 },
 {
  "term": "yang",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "YANG",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The masculine, active, light, and creative principle in nature.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese yang, meaning 'sunny side'."
 },
 {
  "term": "bagua",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "bah-GWAH",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The eight trigrams used in Taoist cosmology to represent fundamental principles of reality.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese bagua, meaning 'eight trigrams'."
 },
 {
  "term": "taiji",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "ty-JEE",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The supreme ultimate, representing the unity of yin and yang.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese taiji, meaning 'supreme ultimate'."
 },
 {
  "term": "I-Ching",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "ee-CHING",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "The Book of Changes, an ancient Chinese divination text and classic of Taoist philosophy.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese yijing, meaning 'classic of changes'."
 },
 {
  "term": "feng-shui",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "fung-SHWAY",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "A system of laws considered to govern spatial arrangement and harmony with the environment.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese feng shui, meaning 'wind and water'."
 },
 {
  "term": "immortals",
  "tradition": "taoism",
  "pronunciation": "ih-MOR-tuls",
  "script": "Chinese",
  "definition": "Beings who have achieved longevity and spiritual transcendence through Taoist practices.",
  "etymology": "From Chinese xian, meaning 'immortal'."
 },
 {
  "term": "monotheism",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "mon-oh-THEE-izm",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The belief in the existence of only one god, central to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.",
  "etymology": "From Greek monos and theos, meaning 'single god'."
 },
 {
  "term": "mysticism",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "MIS-ti-sizm",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The pursuit of achieving communion with the divine through contemplation and spiritual experience.",
  "etymology": "From Greek mystikos, meaning 'mysterious'."
 },
 {
  "term": "asceticism",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "uh-SET-i-sizm",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "A lifestyle characterized by abstinence from worldly pleasures for spiritual goals.",
  "etymology": "From Greek askesis, meaning 'exercise'."
 },
 {
  "term": "orthodoxy",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "or-THOD-ok-see",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "Authorized or generally accepted theory, doctrine, or practice within a religious tradition.",
  "etymology": "From Greek orthodoxia, meaning 'right opinion'."
 },
 {
  "term": "canon",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "KAN-on",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The authoritative collection of sacred texts recognized by a religious community.",
  "etymology": "From Greek kanon, meaning 'rule'."
 },
 {
  "term": "apocrypha",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "uh-POK-ri-fuh",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "Writings of uncertain authorship or authenticity, often excluded from the canonical scriptures.",
  "etymology": "From Greek apokryphos, meaning 'hidden'."
 },
 {
  "term": "eschatology",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "es-kuh-TOL-uh-jee",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul.",
  "etymology": "From Greek eschatos, meaning 'last'."
 },
 {
  "term": "soteriology",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "soh-tee-ree-OL-uh-jee",
  "script": "Greek",
  "definition": "The study of religious doctrines of salvation and deliverance from sin.",
  "etymology": "From Greek soteria, meaning 'salvation'."
 },
 {
  "term": "revelation",
  "tradition": "shared",
  "pronunciation": "rev-uh-LAY-shun",
  "script": "Latin",
  "definition": "The disclosure of divine truth or knowledge to humanity by a deity.",
  "etymology": "From Latin revelatio, meaning 'unveiling'."
 }
]