2. Hinduism and Buddhism

3. Hinduism: Foundations
Earliest form took hold in India during the Vedic Age ( BC)
Derived from beliefs of Aryans
A social structure will also appear

4. The Great Epics Age was named after the Vedas
Collections of religious rituals and hymns to the gods
Brahman priests interpreted the rituals and hymns of the Vedas
Will compose the Upanishads
Philosophical interpretations of Vedic religion

5. Mahabharata Told stories of heroes and events
Longest poem in the world
Tells the story of a great civil war near Dehli
Last 18 chapters are known as the Bhagavad-Gita or “Lord’s Song”
Stresses doing one’s moral duty
Krishna, the human incarnation of the god Vishnu explains that love and devotion to Vishnu can lead to salvation in the afterlife

6. Ramayana
Tells the story of 2 royal figures – Rama (human incarnation of Vishnu) and his wife Sita
Because of their faithfulness to duty and devotion to each other and the people they symbolize the ideals of Indian men and women

7. The Caste System
From these 3 poems the most important influences on Indian history are created – the caste system and Hinduism
Form of social organization developed in India
Began when Aryans invaded
Laid down laws prohibiting marriage between themselves and conquered peoples

8. The Caste System
Laid down laws prohibiting marriage between themselves and conquered peoples
During the Vedic Age, 4 distinct classes emerged
Kshatriyas – rulers and warriors
Brahmans – priests and scholars
Vaisyas – merchants and traders, farmers
Sudras – peasants bound to the land
A fifth class will later develop – Pariahs (Untouchables) – people at the bottom who were considered unpure

9. The Caste System Later about 3000 hereditary sub-castes will develop
Will have rules concerning marriage, eating, labor, worship
Could not marry outside your caste
Could only follow occupations considered fitting for your caste

10. Hinduism
Will develop through Brahman’s interpretation of the Upanishads
A divine essence known as Brahman fills everything in the world
Atman (self) refers to the essence of an individual
View Brahma and Atman as one- called Monism

11. Hinduism
The world is merely an illusion called Maya – will betray people bringing the suffering and pain
People can be delivered from pain if they can identify Maya – this requires lifetimes of experience
Believe in reincarnation of the soul, will provide the experience
Soul will not die with the body but enters the body of another living thing and lives again

12. Hinduism Two major elements are dharma and karma
Dharma – fulfillment of one’s moral duty in life so that the soul can make progress towards deliverance from punishment in the next life
Karma – belief the present condition in life is a result of what you have done or not done in the previous life

13. Hinduism
Each person hopes to end the process and enable the soul to reunite with Brahma
Good and evil people are punished
Reward for good is that the soul will enter the body of a person in a higher caste
Evil people are reborn into a lower caste or as insects

14. Religious Practices
Yoga – a physical and mental discipline harmonizing body and soul
Hindu practitioners might sit for hours in the same position to free the mind from bodily concerns
Priests teach that people can attain salvation by fulfilling dharma and uniting with Brahman

15. Hindu Trinity Brahman’s characteristics include a trinity:
Brahma the creator
Vishnu the Preserver
Siva the Destroyer
Includes 1000s of other gods and goddesses
Cows are considered sacred (provide power for the plow and produce food and fuel)
Hindu believe that they are monotheistic – all gods and goddesses are different representations of the oneness of the universe

16. Buddhism
Based on life and teachings of Siddartha Gautama (563 BC-483 BC)
Born a prince
Lived a life of luxury
Married and had a kid
At age of 29 he ventured into the streets of his city –was shocked by what he saw

17. The Great Renunciation
Thought about the great problems of life and asked “Why does suffering exist?” “What is the value of life and death?”
Spent the rest of his life seeking the answers to these questions
Great Renunciation: Put aside his possessions, left his wife and son, set out to search for the “truth”

18. Enlightenment Lived as a hermit Practiced yoga
Tried fasting and self torture
After 6 years he was meditating under a fig tree
Felt he understood the truth that formed the basis of life
Became the “Enlightened One” or Buddha

19. Teachings Accepted some Hindu beliefs
Good is rewarded and evil is punished – life your lead will determine the condition of your soul
Said that salvation can only come from knowing the Four Noble Truths and following the Eightfold Path

20. Four Noble Truths All human life contains suffering and sorrow
Greedy desire for only pleasure and material things causes suffering and sorrow
Renouncing desire frees people from suffering and helps people to achieve nirvana (perfect peace which frees the soul from the endless process of reincarnation)
Following the eightfold path leads to renunciation or denial of desire and the attainment of nirvana

21. Eightfold Path Right views or seeing life as it really is
Right intentions
Right speech (avoiding lying, gossiping)
Right action (avoiding crime and be honest)
Right living (working at a job that did not harm others)

22. Eightfold Path Right effort (working to prevent evil)
Right mindfulness (constant awareness of one’s self)
Right concentration (direct the mind in meditation)
Did not accept the Hindu gods
Did not need the help of priest, temples or idols
Did not accept the caste system

23. Spread of Buddhism
Teaching gained acceptance over the next several centuries
By 100 BC there were 2 main branches
Theraveda
Followed traditional beliefs of Buddhism
Regarded Buddha as a teacher
Spread to countries outside India: Burma, Thailand, Cambodia

24. Spread of Buddhism Mahayana Regard Buddha as a god and savior
Develops priests, temples, creeds, and rituals
Spread to Afghanistan, central Asia, Korea, China, Japan

25. The Spread of Buddhism