1. The Religions of South Asia
BELIEFS, TRADITIONS, AND TEACHINGS OF THE WORLD’S OLDEST PRACTICING RELIGIONS

2. Members were expected to fulfill their dharma (duty)
Caste System
Introduced into India with the Aryans, who came to India from south Europe
Social classes also called varnas which are divided into sub groups: jati
You could not change your caste during your life-you were born, married and died within your social class!
Members were expected to fulfill their dharma (duty)

3. Untouchables or Outcasts
Caste System
Brahmans
Priests, teachers, and judges
Kshatriyas
Warriors
Vaisyas
Farmers, Traders and Merchants
Sudras
Craftworkers and Laborers, Peasants
Untouchables or Outcasts
Street sweepers, garbage collectors, and hide tanners
and landowners
Aka-Dalits

4. Using Popular Culture to Understand
Judge Judy
Brahman

5. Kshatriya: Merchant
Johnny Depp owns an island in the Bahamas

6. Vaisyas: Merchants
Billy Mays used to sell Oxy-Clean (RIP)

7. Sudra
Will Ferrell as Ricky Bobby in “Talladega Nights”

8. Untouchables
Mike Rowe, “Dirty Jobs”

9. Hinduism in India
80% of Indians are Hindus

10. Hinduism came from the practices of the Aryans
Where did it come from?
Hinduism came from the practices of the Aryans
traveled to the Indus River valley over 4000 years ago.
Aryans were semi- nomadic herders who came from central Europe/Russia
** Oldest World Religion Practiced Today, around 900 million followers**

11. Basic Hindu Practices One is born a Hindu-you cannot convert Ahimsa
Belief in nonviolence
Forbids killing, even for food
Religious Tolerance
- Extremely tolerant of other religions.
Death
Cremation occurs followed by 12 days of prayer
The deceased’s ashes are put into the Ganges River
Sacred Sound “Om”

12. Hindu Practices Cows are sacred NOT worshipped! Hands
Fingers of the right hand are used to eat
Left hand is considered unclean
Many Hindus are Vegetarians

13. Hindu Beliefs Samsara or Reincarnation Ultimate Goal: Moksha
                           
Karma Good and bad deeds
Samsara or Reincarnation
My Name is Earl-NBC
Ultimate Goal: Moksha
Gain salvation when your soul merges with god

14. Holy Books ** written in Sanskrit ** The Vedas
Collection of hymns, prayers and rules for rituals and sacrifices
Many believe they came with the Aryans
The Rig Veda is the oldest dating back to 1500 BCE
Epic Poems
Mahabharata-longest literary epic poem in the world
Struggle between 2 ruling families for the throne of Hastinapura
Ramayana-the story of Rama and the struggle between good and evil
The Upanishads
Stories about the relationship between Brahman and the individual soul
Brahman is the Supreme Cosmic Spirit

15. Monotheism vs. Polytheism
Hindus believe that one God, Braman, takes many forms—it is monotheistic AND polytheistic in nature.

16. The Hindu Trinity: 3 Main ‘Gods’
Brahma
The Creator
Has 4 heads
Rides a swan or lotus blossom
Has 4 hands-1 is always raised in a blessing

17. The Hindu Trinity: 3 Main ‘Gods’
Vishnu
The Preserver
Rides an eagle or sleeps on a snake

18. The Hindu Trinity: 3 Main ‘Gods’
Shiva
The Destroyer
Carries a trident
Has a 3rd eye of knowledge
Rides a bull
Also laid the Ganges River!

19. Sadhus/Holy Men
Each temple has a priest who recites sacred texts and prepares horoscopes
Marks on their foreheads tell which god they follow
They wear yellow or orange robes
They can be seen often begging for money

20. Buddhism
A way of life

21. Buddhism: The “middle way of wisdom & compassion”
A 2500 year old tradition that began in India and spread and diversified throughout the Far East
A philosophy, religion, and spiritual practice followed by more than 360 million people
Based on the teachings of the Buddha

22. “The Jewels of Buddhism”
The Teacher
Buddha
The Teachings
Dharma (natural law)

23. Who is the Buddha? (A Brief Background—do not write all of this down!)
Born Siddhartha Gautama – of noble caste in India, 563 B.C.E.
Raised in great luxury to be a king
Empathy for the suffering of others; at age 29 rejected the life of luxury to seek enlightenment and the solution to suffering
Followed a strict ascetic lifestyle for six years
Rejected this extreme, sat in meditation, achieved Nirvana – an awakening to the truth about life, becoming a Buddha, the “Awakened One”at the age of 35
Spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching others how to achieve the peace of mind he had achieved

24. What did the Buddha teach?
The Four Noble Truths:
To live is to suffer (suffering = inevitable)
The cause of suffering is self-centered desire & attachments
The solution is to eliminate desire and attachment, thus achieving Nirvana (“extinction”)
The way to Nirvana is through the “Eight-Fold Path”

26. How does Buddhism differ from Hinduism?
Buddhism rejects…
Authority of the ancient Vedic texts
The Vedic caste system
The Vedic and Hindu deities
The efficacy of Vedic worship and ritual
The concept of Brahman

27. What do Buddhists believe?
Rebirth (reincarnation) results from attachments (karma)
Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state of mind (THE MAIN GOAL OF BUDDHISM)
Achieving Nirvana means escape from the cycle of rebirth
Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in this world, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes his way of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being
Buddhism is non-theistic: Buddha is not the Buddhist God – he is just a revered teacher

28. Jainism

29. The Basics At least 2500+ years old, began in India
million followers
Seeks to release the soul from the round of rebirth, to liberate spirit from matter
Ahimsa – non-violence – is the hallmark of this spiritual discipline
No creator god

30. The History Began in India with 24 teachers, called “Tirthankaras”
One of the world’s oldest religions—2,500 years??
Last teacher: Mahavira
Reformed ancient Jainism in his lifetime ( BCE)
The goal of Jainism is to become a conqueror (Jina), or an enlightened being who has conquered material existence & released the soul from reincarnation/rebirth

31. Beliefs
ALL living things contain soul & are considered JIVA (soul trapped in matter)
humans, plants, animals, water, fire, air beings
Belief in KARMA  Moksha (no rebirth!)
How to achieve moksha
Non-violence (ahimsa) to any & all life forms
Non-attachment
Non-hatred
Asceticism
Many gods & humans (gods as self-realized humans??)

32. They also take Five Vows!
Strict non-violence (ahimsa!)
Truthfulness
No stealing
Chastity & Celibacy
Ascetic Lifestyle (living in poverty—no worldly goods!)

33. “Ek Onkar” : “There is only one God”
Sikhism
“Ek Onkar” : “There is only one God”
The Ten Gurus/teachers of Sikhism

34. What is it? 500-year-old, monotheistic religion found in NW India
**One of the world’s YOUNGEST religions!**
~25 million followers
Founded by Guru Nanak Dev around 1500AD
Nanak: unifying message  uniting Hindu & Muslim in common devotion to same God
Spirit of the Guru (Nanak) lived on for 200 years through a succession of human gurus (teachers), who wrote Book of God
Last HUMAN guru established the text, known as “Guru Granth Sahib” as the final and “forever” Guru

35. Beliefs Belief in ONE God, shared by all religions
Name is “Truth!”
Equality in all human beings; rejects caste system
Karma & reincarnation
Rejects asceticism
No rituals, idols, or icons—simple, heartfelt devotion to God

36. Practices: The Five “K’s”
Do not cut hair (men & women) [Kesh]
Men wear turbans to cover hair (Keshki)
Men have beard & mustache that are only trimmed
Keep a comb to keep the hair clean & presentable (Kanga)
Steel bracelet worn on right wrist (Kara)
Wear white: Chastity until marriage, purity (Kachh/Kachera)
Carry dagger as symbol to protect weak (Kirpan)

38. Way of Life Meditation & personal prayer morning and evening
Honest & hard work
Charity
Service to humanity, God & guru
Strong family values
Strong identity with Sikh community
Some abstain from smoking, drinking & illegal drugs

39. Prohibited Behavior Cannot drink, smoke
No superstitions & rituals (fasting, pilgrimage, etc.)
Do NOT get attached to worldly items
No sacrifice of animals or people
Cannot live as a reculse, beggar, be a nun (“non-family oriented living” is prohibited)
Cannot brag, lie, gossip
No hierarchy of people—EVERYONE IS EQUAL!!