Transcript Hinduism Origins and Beliefs • Cannot be traced to a single founder or set of ideas • A way of liberating the soul.

Hinduism
Origins and Beliefs
• Cannot be traced to a single founder
or set of ideas
• A way of liberating the soul from
disappointments and mistakes in life
• Moksha: a state of perfect
understanding
Beliefs
• Reincarnation: (rebirth) an individual
is born again and again until Moksha
is achieved
• Karma: good or bad deeds- influence
life circumstances
Changes over time…
• Brahman: the world soul
• Atman: individual soul
• Brahman’s personalities:
1. Brahma: creator
2. Vishnu: protector
3. Shiva: destroyer
Hindus are free to choose which deity to
worship
Society
• Caste system: where you were born
showed the karma you achieved in a
former life.
• Ex. If you were born a laborer- you must
have performed bad deeds in another life
• The caste system dominated a person’s
life- food, dress
Buddhism
Beginnings
• Founder: Siddharta Guatama, born
into a noble family
• Prophesy said he would be a spiritual
leader
• He sought religious truths and ways
to end suffering
• Enlightenment: wisdom
Enlightenment
• He sought many ways to achieve
enlightenment- fasting, debate, meditation
• After 49 days of meditation he achieved
the understanding of suffering
• Now called Buddha or “enlightened one”
The Four Noble Truths
First Noble Truth
Life is filled with
suffering and sorrow
Second
Cause of suffering is
from selfishness for
worldly pleasures
Third
The way to end suffering
Is to end all desires
The way to end all
suffering is to follow the
Eightfold Path
Fourth
Eightfold Path
• A staircase to Nirvana: release from
selfishness or pain
• Reincarnation
• No caste system
• Not polytheistic
Spread of Buddhism
• Attracted people from different
regions
• Monks/Traders spread beliefs to India
and into Asia