1. Hinduism and Buddhism Hindu Temple in Riverdale, Georgia

2. Largest Hindu Temple in the U.S. Lilburn, GA.

3. Vocabulary
Sect- a smaller group of people that have differing beliefs from the larger group.
Brahman- the collective soul.
Swami- Hindu religious teacher.
Sutra- Buddhist text.
Caste System – belief system whereby social class is hereditary and do not change.
Vedas/The Books of Knowledge – a book containing prayers, hymns and rituals of the Hindu religion

4. Hinduism Developed in India 1500 BCE Aryans moved to the Indus Valley
Vedas and other Aryan beliefs led to the development of Hinduism
Polytheistic
The religion spread throughout India

5. Hindu Beliefs All gods are part of a supreme spirit (Brahman)
All living thing have souls (animals and people)
Cow is sacred
Many are vegetarians (no meat)
Reincarnation
Karma
Caste System

6. Caste System Priest 2. Warriors and rulers
3. Merchants. Traders and farmers
4. Peasants, field workers
___________________
5. Untouchables
NOT allowed to marry outside of their caste, many jobs determined according to caste, and the government is trying to abolish this system.

7. Hinduism vs. other religions
During King Asoka’s (crowned 273 B.C.E) rule, Buddhism increased in India and Hinduism following decreased.
Hinduism became popular again.
Buddhism and Jainism practices mixed with Hinduism.
7th Century CE Islam becomes established.
Islam 2nd most practiced religion today.
80% of Indians are Hindu.

8. Vocabulary
Buddhism – a belief that people could find peace if they could reject
Buddha – the name given to priest of the Buddhist religion; also known as “The Enlightened One”
Four Nobel Truths – four phases of the Buddhist religion
Nirvana – name given to reaching a state of perfect peace in the religion of Buddhism
The Middle Way – the goals that were to be accomplished by following what Buddha called the Eightfold Path (eight rules for conduct) in the religion of Buddhism

9. Siddhartha Gautama Rich Founded Buddhism around 500 B.C.
Troubled by poverty and suffering
Left home and became a monk
Wanted to know why people had to suffer
Meditated and thought
Concluded that to find peace one had to reject greed and desire

10. Gautama Cont…
Gautama accepted reincarnation and karma but did not agree with the caste system.
His followers called him Buddha or Enlightened One.
He taught the Four Noble Truths:
Life brings pain
Suffering and sorrow caused by greed for material things
End suffering by giving up desires (Nirvana)
The Middle Way

11. The Middle Way (The Eight Fold Path)

12. Buddhist Beliefs The key to Buddhism is unselfishness
No need for gods or priests
Man can change evil into good
The Middle Way equals perfect peace
6% of world population is Buddhist
4th largest in the world