2.  Origin/dates—Aryan invaders/1700-1500 BCE (with later additions)  Spread—primarily India and modern Pakistan

3.  Major Beliefs  One ultimate reality—Brahma  Reincarnation based on karma  Dharma, duties, rules of conduct  Vedas

4.  Other important information:  No “founder” or “date” of founding  Tolerant of other religions  Little in the way of formal beliefs  Adaptable to meditation and ritual

5.  Origin/dates—India (Siddhartha Gautama)/~500 BCE  Spread—Northern India, East Asia, SE Asia, Japan

6.  Major Beliefs  Four Noble Truths ▪ Universality of suffering ▪ Desire is the cause of suffering ▪ Nirvana as the cessation of desire ▪ Eightfold Path as the guide

7.  Other important information:  Strong monastic tradition  Spread via travelling monks  Mahayana and Theraveda sects  Zen Buddhism….enlightenment through meditation

8.  Origin/dates—China (Kong Fu Zi)/~500 BCE  Spread—China (partly due to work of Mencius)

9.  Major Beliefs  Li, Ren, Xiao  Junzi  Five relationships ▪ Ruler/subject ▪ Father/son ▪ Elder/younger brother ▪ Husband/wife ▪ Friend/friend

10.  Other important information  Ethical system (human conduct) rather than a religion  Humans/human behavior can be improved  Dominant influence on Chinese government  Placed high value on education  Analects

11.  Origin/date—Hebrews/first writings 1000-800 BCE  Spread—Israel, later diaspora…North Africa, Middle East, Europe

12.  Major beliefs  Monotheism  Chosen people  Coming messiah  Torah, Tanakh, and Talmud

13.  Other important information  First monotheistic religion  Influenced Christianity and Islam  No overarching hierarchy  Four major levels of observance ▪ Orthodox ▪ Conservative ▪ Reform ▪ Reconstruction

14.  Origin/date—Israel (Jesus of Nazareth)/30s CE  Spread—Israel, through Roman world, Byzantium, Europe

15.  Major beliefs  Monotheistic w/ Jesus as Messiah  Salvation through grace  Gospels w/ large body of interpretative writings (Pauline letters, etc.)

16.  Other important information  Legalized by Constantine 300s CE  Strong ascetic/monastic tradition  Missionary outreach  Split between Catholicism and Protestantism in 1500s  No overarching hierarchy; denominations typically do have hierarchies

17.  Origins/date—Arabia (Muhammad)/early 600s CE  Spread—Arabian Peninsula, Middle East, Africa, India, SW Europe

18.  Major beliefs  Monotheistic (Allah) w/ Muhammad as the primary prophet  Five Pillars of Islam ▪ We All Feel Prayer Pays ▪ Witness (“There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is His prophet.”) ▪ Alms (to assist poor) ▪ Fasting (during Ramadan) ▪ Prayer (5 times daily) ▪ Pilgrimage (to Mecca)  Qu’ran

19.  Other important information  Hijra—migration from Mecca to Medina  Division between Sunni (majority) and Shi’a sects  No overarching hierarchy  Sharia—legal code