Transcript Ancient Civilizations: India and China

Ancient Civilizations:
India- Buddhism and Hinduism
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism
• Considered the world’s oldest religion – over
3,000 years old.
• The world’s third largest religion after
Christianity and Islam.
- over 900 million followers
• The dominant religion in India and Nepal (80%)
of the pop. In both.
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism
• Hinduism claims to have many founders,
teachers and prophets who claim first hand
experience of God.
• Hindus recognize one God, Brahman, who is
the cause and foundation of all existence.
• The gods of the Hindu faith represent different
expressions of Brahman.
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism
• Hindus recognize three principal gods:
- Brahma, who creates the universe
- Vishnu, who preserves the universe
- Shiva, who destroys the universe.
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism
• Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of
birth, death, and rebirth, (Samsara =
reincarnation) governed by Karma.
• Hindus believe that the soul passes through a
cycle of successive lives and its next
incarnation is always dependent on how the
previous life was lived (karma).
• Moksha is the end of the death and rebirth
cycle.
“The Wheel of Life”
(Samsara = Reincarnation)
Belief Systems - India
Hinduism: The Ganges River and
Varanasi/Benares
• After a Hindu is cremated, the ashes are
usually scattered in water.
• The Ganges River is considered the most
sacred place to scatter ashes.
• Varanasi (Benares), one of the oldest cities in
the world, is seen as a desired place to die.
- Anyone who dies here breaks the cycle of
Varanasi / Benares - Cremation
Hindu Men Bathing in the Holy
Ganges River
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism – Religious Texts
• The Vedas are the most ancient religious Hindu
text and define the truth.
• Hindus believe that the texts were received by
scholars directly from God and passed onto
generations by word of mouth.
Belief Systems: India
Hinduism – Religious Texts – The Vedas
• The Vedas are the most ancient religious
texts which define truth for Hindus.
• They got their present form between 1200200 BCE and were introduced to India by
the Aryans.
Belief Systems: India
The Caste System
• The Aryans introduced the varna system (varna =
estates or classes) to India.
• Varnas are the historical division of society into 4
broad classes:
Belief Systems: India
The Caste System

The Brahmins – priests and teachers – the highest
caste
•
“Peacefulness, self-control, austerity, purity, tolerance,
honesty, wisdom, knowledge, and religiousness--these are
the qualities by which the brahmanas work.”
- Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 42
Belief Systems: India
The Caste System
2. The Kshatriyas – warriors, soldiers
• “Heroism, power, determination, resourcefulness, courage in
battle, generosity, and leadership are the qualities of work for the
ksatriyas.”
- Bhagavat Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 43.
Belief Systems: India
The Caste System
3. The Vaishyas – merchants and artisans
4. The Sudras – unskilled laborers and servants
• “Farming, cow protection and business are the qualities of work
for the vaisyas, and for the sudras there is labor and service to
others.”
- Bhagavad Gita, Ch. 18, Verse 44
Belief Systems: India
Outcastes – Untouchables – “Dalits”
• Too low to be in the caste system
• Considered “impure” from birth
• Perform jobs that are traditionally considered
“unclean”
- scavengers
- clean toilets and sewers
- handle dead bodies
- many Dalit girls forced into prostitution
Belief Systems: India
Buddhism
• Is 2,500 years old.
• Originated in Nepal when it was part of India.
• Currently 376 million followers worldwide.
• There is no belief in a personal God. It is not centered on the
relationship between humanity and God
• Buddhists believe that nothing is fixed or permanent - change is
always possible
Belief Systems: India
Buddhism
• Founder: Siddharta Gautama (580 - ) born in Nepal.
• He was born into a royal family, and his privileged life
insulated him from the sufferings of life; sufferings
such as sickness, age and death.
• Once he left his royal surroundings he saw an old man,
a sick man, and a corpse. He learned that sickness,
age, and death are inevitable. He decided to give up
his royal lifestyle and become an ascetic.
Belief Systems: India
Buddhism
• Buddha became a wandering monk, devoting himself to
meditation and denying himself of material pleasure.
• After six years of asceticism, he concluded that suffering was not
the answer.
• He devoted his life to the “Middle Way” a life without luxury or
poverty.
• Most important Buddhist doctrines:
- Four Truths for the Spiritually Noble
- The Eightfold Path
Belief Systems: India
Buddhism - Four Truths for the Spiritually Noble
1.
Suffering is a fact of life.
- Birth, aging, sickness, death, encountering the
unpleasant, separation from the pleasant, and not
gaining what
one desires
2. Origin / Cause of suffering:
- Unsatisfied cravings, desires
- Negative deeds and actions
Belief Systems: India
Buddhism - Four Truths for the Spiritually Noble
3. Cessation of suffering = nirvana.
4. The path to the cessation of suffering.
- that path is known as the Eightfold Path.
• Like in Hinduism, Buddhism recognizes reincarnation
and karma. Your karma determines what form your
reincarnation will take.