Transcript Religions of East Asia

Religions of East Asia
Buddhism
• Originated in
South Asia 6th
Century BCE
Buddhism
Prince Siddhartha Gautama
Prince Siddhartha Gautama
Born about 560 BC in what is
now Nepal, he grew up in a
protected environment
Saw suffering for the first time
at the age of 29.
He was determined to discover
the cause of human
suffering.
Buddhism
Basic Beliefs--Four Noble Truths
1. Life is suffering
Buddhism
Basic Beliefs--Four Noble Truths
1. Life is suffering
2. We suffer because we crave things.
Buddhism
Basic Beliefs--Four Noble Truths
1. Life is suffering
2. We suffer because we crave things.
3. It is possible to cease our suffering
Buddhism
Basic Beliefs--Four Noble Truths
1.
2.
3.
4.
Life is suffering.
We suffer because we crave things.
It is possible for suffering to cease.
The way to end suffering is by
following the Eightfold Path.
Buddhism’s
Eightfold
Path
(The Middle Path)
Buddhism:
Reincarnation and Nirvana
Buddhism sects:
Mahayana and Theravada
Theravada Buddhism
Myanmar
Laotian Monks
• Asceticism
• Reflection
• Study
(only the monk can
gain salvation)
Mahayana Buddhism
--Believe that some enlightened
ones (bhodisatvas) forego
salvation in order to help others
--Salvation is available to all.
--Strongest in Tibet,China,Taiwan,
Japan, Korea, and Mongolia.
Kunming, China
Tibetan Buddhism
(Mahayana)
Images of the Buddha
Teaching Buddha
Calling the Earth
to Witness
Dispelling Fear
Meditating Buddha
Images of the Buddha
The reclining posture represents
complete peace and
detachment from the world-the passage to Nirvana.
The Laughing (Happy) Buddha
According to some, he
is the incarnation of a
Buddha who will
appear in the future,
more properly called
a bhodisatva.
Confucianism
Confucius (Kongfuzi) 551-479 BCE
Although not organized as a religion, Confucianism
has had much influence on social philosophy and
politics in East Asia. (There are some groups that
practice Confucianism as a religion.)
Confucianism calls for a hierarchical
ordering of society with an emphasis
on daily conduct.
Maintaining harmonious relationships is most important.
--ruler-subject
--father-son
--friend-friend
--husband-wife
--brother-sister
The Chinese symbol for water is often
associated with Confucianism.
Concept of Li
• The inherent pattern of human behavior.
• Especially important in the social context-propriety or etiquette.
• The goal is to create a just and ethical
society.
Filial Piety
• The respect and obedience that a child
should show his father.
• For Confucianists, this extends to all of
the five relationships.
Taoism
“The Way” or “The Path”
--The individual should try
to behave in harmony
with the Tao--the sum
total of all things.
--”wu-wei”--passive nonresistence to the natural
forces of life. Go with the
flow.
Lao-tsu (604-517 BC)
(Some sects have diefied Lao-tsu.)
Harmony comes from balancing yin and yang.
Yin (feminine)
--cool, dark forces
--rain, clouds,
--winter, snow
--north
Yang (masculine)
--hot, bright forces
--thunder, earth,
summer, the sun
--south
Feng Shui
• The Chinese art or practice of positioning objects,
especially graves, buildings, and furniture.
• Seeks to maintain a constant and balanced flow of
positive and negative energies (chi)
The Vinegar Tasters
Shintoism-- “the way of the Kami”
(that which inspires awe)
-A combination of nature worship
and Ancestor worship.
-Japanese emperor had semi-divine
status.
Torii Gate
Zen Buddhism
--The key to Nirvana is self-knowledge.
--The way to gain self-knowledge is through
meditation--a more individual and intuitive
approach to enlightenment.
--Zen was a favorite of the Samurai class.
Islam in East Asia
Christianity in East Asia
• In South Korea
--35% Protestant
--13% Roman Catholic