1. Buddhism

2. Siddhartha Gautama Founder Born into noble family in Nepal
Isolated as a boy
Stay at home – World Ruler
Leave home – Universal spiritual leader

3. Quest Age 29 – ventures outside four times
Old man, Sick man, Corpse, Holy man at peace
Only religious life offers refuge from suffering
Search for religious truth and end life’s suffering
Seeks enlightenment (wisdom) for 6 years
49 days of Meditation
Understands cause of suffering
4 Noble Truths
Becomes Buddha – The Enlightened One

4. Origins and Beliefs First sermon to five friends
Lays out four main ideas during his enlightenment
Four Noble Truths
Truths
Descriptions
First Noble Truth
Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
Second Noble Truth
Cause of suffering is people’s selfish desire for temporary pleasures in this world
Third Noble Truth
The way to end suffering is end all desires
Fourth Noble Truth
The way to overcome desires and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path

5. Eightfold Path Guide to behavior
Master one step at a time over many lifetimes
Reincarnation
Nirvana – Release from selfishness and pain
Ultimate Goal
No more reincarnation

6. Eightfold Path (cont.) Right Views Right Resolve Right Speech
Right Conduct
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration
See world through FNT
Want to behave justly
Tell the truth, speak kind
Be good
Work and be moral
Work to keep focused
Pay attention to your mind
Meditate as Buddha did

7. Spread of Buddhism Spreads to Asia Trade Fades in India Hinduism
Buddha incarnated God of Vishnu

8. Current 350 Million followers 4th largest China has largest population
Thailand has highest %

9. Hinduism

10. Getting Started Aryans in Indus River Valley
Vedas – Sacred literate of four collections
Prayers
Magical Spells
Instructions on how to perform rituals
Big Veda – 1,028 hymns to Aryan Gods
Upanishads – written ideas about translation of Vedic Hymns
Teacher/Student dialogues
How to achieve liberation from desires and suffering
Getting Started

11. Moksha – State of understanding of all things; a release from life in this world
Reincarnated until you achieve this
Karma – good or bad deeds
Follows you through reincarnation
Determines caste you are born in to, health, etc.
Ahimsa – Nonviolence
All people and things are aspects of Brahman and need to be respected
End Goal

12. God’s Living soul (Brahman) may have 3 personalities
Brahma – Creator
Vishnu – Protector (took on many forms)
Shiva – The Destroyer
Free to choose which to worship
Family tradition
Free to chose path for Moksha
Right Thinking, Action, or Devotion
God’s

13. Untouchables Based on occupation Role in Society
Brahmins: Priests
Warriors
Traders and Landowners
Peasants or Traders
Role in Society
Who you could marry
Who you could eat with
Untouchables
Outside the caste system
‘Impure people’

14. Judaism

15. Abraham – Father of the Hebrews
Lived in Mesopotamia
Ordered by God to take his people to Canaan
Covenant

16. Torah First 5 books of the Hebrew Bible Most sacred writings
Old Testament to Christians

17. Moses Hebrews slaves in Egypt Drought/Famine Moses lead them out
Male babies killed
The Exodus
Ten Commandments
Mount Sinai
Wandered for 40 years

18. Ten Commandments Basis for civil and religious laws of Judaism
New covenant

19. Confucianism

20. Basics Order and Harmony Five key relationships Ruler to Subject
Father and Son
Filial Piety
Husband and Wife
Brother to Brother
Friend and Friend