CHAPTER 4Section 1 Notes

THE BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Upanishads---collection of sacred texts Hinduism and Buddhism---both major

world religions emerged in ancient India Unlike most major religions, Hinduism

has no single founder and no single sacred text

Grew out of overlapping beliefs of the diverse groups who settled India

Hinduism has countless gods and goddesses and many forms of worship existing side by side

All Hindus share basic beliefs

UPANISHADS

BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Brahman---all-powerful spiritual force of

the universe Important Hindu gods--- Brama---the creator Vishnu---the preserver Shiva---the destroyer Each of these gods represent different

aspects of brahman

BRAHMA---THE CREATOR

VISHNU---THE PRESERVER

SHIVA---THE DESTROYER

BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Sacred Hindu texts---the Vedas and

Upanishads Bhagavad-Gita---sacred poem that

spells out many ethical ideas central to Hinduism

VEDAS

BHAGAVAD-GITA

BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Atman---the essential self in every person Moksha---the ultimate goal of Hindu existence;

union with brahman Reincarnation---rebirth of the soul in another

bodily form Reincarnation allows people to continue working

toward moksha through several lifetimes Karma---all the actions of a person’s life that

affect his or her fate in the next life People who live virtuously earn good karma and

are reborn at a higher level of existence; those who do evil acquire bad karma and are reborn into suffering

BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Dharma---the religious and moral duties

of an individual These duties vary according to class,

occupation, gender, or age By obeying one’s dharma, a person

acquires merit for the next life The concepts of karma and dharma

helped ensure social order by supporting the caste system

BELIEFS OF HINDUISM Ahimsa---belief in nonviolence To Hindus, all people and things are

aspects of brahman and should therefore be respected

Many holy people have tried to follow the path of nonviolence

JAINISM Founded by Mahavira around 500 BC Jain teachings emphasized meditation,

self-denial, and an extreme form of ahimsa

To avoid accidentally killing a living thing, even an insect, Jains carried brooms to sweep the ground in front of their feet

MAHAVIRA

JAINS

GUATAMA BUDDHA: THE ENLIGHTENED ONE Siddhartha Guatama (Buddha)---founder

of Buddhism Buddha---means “enlightened one”

BUDDHA

GUATAMA BUDDHA: THE ENLIGHTENED ONE Four Noble Truths of Buddhism--- All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow The cause of suffering is the desire for things

that are really illusions, such as riches, power, and long life

The only cure for suffering is to overcome desire

The way to overcome desire is to follow the Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path---right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right contemplation

GUATAMA BUDDHA: THE ENLIGHTENED ONE The first two steps of Buddhism involved

understanding the Four Noble Truths and committing oneself to the Eightfold Path

Next, a person had to live a moral life, avoiding evil words and actions

Through meditation, a person might at last achieve enlightenment

The final goal of Buddhism is NIRVANA---union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth

NIRVANA

NIRVANA

BUDDHISM AND HINDUISM COMPARED Buddhism grew from the same traditions

as Hinduism Both Hindus and Buddhists stressed

nonviolence and believed in karma, dharma, moksha, and a cycle of rebirth

The Buddha rejected the priests, formal rituals, and many gods of Hinduism

He instead urged each person to seek enlightenment through meditation

Buddhists also rejected the caste system, offering the hope of nirvana to all regardless of birth

THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Many men and women who accepted

the Buddha’s teachings set up monasteries and convents for meditation and study

After the Buddha’s death, some of his followers collected his teachings into a sacred text called the “Tripitaka” or “Three Baskets of Wisdom”

THE SPREAD OF BUDDHISM Gradually, Buddhism spread into two sects: Theravada Buddhism---closely followed the

Buddha’s original teachings. It required a life devoted to hard spiritual work. Only the most dedicated seekers, such as monks and nuns, could hope to reach nirvana. The Theravada sect spread to Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia

Mahayana Buddhism---followed by ordinary people who worshiped Buddha as a god, and believed in an afterlife with heaven and hell. Mahayana Buddhism spread to China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan.