1 ORIGINS AND SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Siddhartha Gautama ( B.C.) – founder searching for understanding of suffering Emperor Asoka (3rd Century B.C.) Spread Buddhism in India

2 BUDDHIS M Objected to harsher features of Hinduism such as the caste system Focuses on knowledge, especially self-knowledge Enlightenment ends the cycle of reincarnation Elimination of worldly desires Ahimsa - determination not to hurt or kill people or animals

3 FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS Sorrow and suffering are part of all life. People suffer because they desire things they cannot have. The way to escape suffering is to end desire, to stop wanting, and to reach a stage of not wanting (NIRVANA). To end desire, follow the “middle path,” i.e., the path that avoids the extremes of too much pleasure and desire.

4 EIGHTFOLD PATH TO THE MIDDLE WAY Right understanding Right purpose Right speech Right conduct Right means of earning a living Right effort Right awareness Right meditation

Practices of Buddhism Meditation – derived from Buddha’s experience and teachings Mantras – Sacred sounds believed to possess superpowers Prayer Wheel – Spinning the wheel is effective as reciting sacred texts (saw them in Mt. Everest video) 5

Sects of Buddhism Theravada – stressed monastic life as the way to reach nirvana. – Respected the Buddha, but did not see him as a god. Mahayana – Offers a more mainstream way of practicing Buddhism (allows work, marriage, possessions). Some in this sect worshipped the Buddha and other enlightened ones as gods… Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis, Price, Wyckoff 6

How and where did Buddhism spread? Buddha set up monasteries and covenants Followers spread Buddha’s teaching through word of mouth Three Baskets of Wisdom – book of Buddha’s teachings Spread throughout parts of Asia (China, Tibet, Japan, Burma, Thailand, etc.)

8 FALL OF BUDDHISM ON THE SUBCONTINENT Hinduism - broad and tolerant, accepting many of the teachings of Buddha Buddhists in India - willing to compromise with the beliefs and customs of Hinduism Final blow - 8th century - arrival of Islam -- Destroyed the great Buddhist monasteries -- Burned libraries -- Killed monks -- Mughal Empire conquered the lower Indus valley Today - only 1 million Buddhists in India

9 Religious Rivalries in South Asia –Hinduism Major faith of India and Nepal Forms of worship differ by region – roots lie within the Aryan culture –Islam 400 million Muslims in the region, among the largest Muslim communities in the world –Pakistan, Bangladesh, Maldives are mostly Muslim –In India, Muslims concentrated in the cities, in the north, the upper and central Ganges plain, and in Kerala –Sikhism Sikhism: faith incorporating elements of Hinduism and Islam Originated in Punjab in 1400s, still concentrated in Punjab Sikh men noted for work as soldiers and bodyguards

10 Religious Rivalries (cont.) –Buddhism and Jainism Buddhism virtually disappeared in India but persisted in Sri Lanka, mainland Southeast Asia, and the high valleys of the Himalayas Jainism – religion that emerged around 500 B.C. as protest to Hinduism ties to the caste system –Stressed extreme non-violence –Other Religious Groups Parsis (Zoroastrians): an ancient religion focusing on the cosmic struggle between good and evil –Concentrated in the Mumbai area More Indian Christians than either Parsis or Jains British missionaries converted animists to Protestantism

11 Hindu/Muslim-practices/perceptions Hindus tend to be vegetarians (ahimsa and reincarnation beliefs foster this) Cows are sacred animals Believe in reincarnation Brahman, if it is God, is an impersonal one Acknowledges multiple gods Follow caste system – no social or religious mobility within one lifetime Muslims see Hindus as polytheistic infidels not to be tolerated Muslims eat meat (cows) – not pork Eternal life in heaven or hell Muslims are strict monotheists Muslims reject the concept of castes – equality of believers Reject reincarnation