2. 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
3.
4. 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
5.
6.
7.
8. Sacred Hindu texts---the Vedas and
Upanishads
Bhagavad-Gita---sacred poem that spells out
many ethical ideas central to Hinduism
9.
10.
11. 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
12. 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
13. 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
14. 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
19. 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
20. 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
21.
22.
23. 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
24. 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”
25. 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.