SSP MIDTERMS WEEK 1

TAOISM
CONFUCIANISM
HINDUISM
BUDDHISM
SHINTOISM

The Eastern Religions

TAOISM

-        Founded more than 2,000 years ago in China by Lao-Tzu, the author of the Tao Te Ching (the book of Taoist philosophy).

-        It advocates simplicity and selflessness in conformity with the Tao, the central or organizing principle of the universe.

-        According to the law of Tao, everything reverts to its starting point, and the whole is contained in its parts.

-        Through the Tao, everything moves from a state of nonbeing to being to nonbeing.

-        By allowing the Tao to flow unchallenged, the world becomes a tranquil place.

2000 YEARS AGO IN CHINA

-        Taoism was founded more than _____ in _____by Lao-Tzu, the author of the Tao Te Ching (the book of Taoist philosophy).

LAO TZU

Founder of Taoism, and the author of the Tao Te Ching (the book of Taoist philosophy).

TAO TE CHING

the book of Taoist philosophy

CONFUCIANISM

-        Confucius - a renowned teacher with thousands of students & 72 close disciples, believed in the perfectibility of humanity through the cultivation of the mind.

-        Confucius is known as the first teacher in China who wanted to make education broadly available.

-        His teachings emphasized devotion to parents and rituals, learning, self-control, and just social activity.

-        Confucius’ ideas became the standard in Chinese politics and scholarship and were eventually recognized as the Imperial ideology. It has had a huge impact on other Eastern religions, such as Taoism and Buddhism.

CONFUCIUS

-        a renowned teacher with thousands of students & 72 close disciples, believed in the perfectibility of humanity through the cultivation of the mind.

-        is known as the first teacher in China who wanted to make education broadly available.

CHINESE POLITICS AND SCHOLARSHIP

Confucius’ ideas became the standard in ___________ and were eventually recognized as the Imperial ideology.

HINDUISM

-        The main religious tradition of India.

-        Hindus believe in the Brahman, an eternal, infinite principle that had no beginning and has no end and is the source and substance of all existence.

-        Hindus believe in transmigration (the soul passing into another body at death) and reincarnation (a cycle of death and rebirth).

-        Hindus also believe in karma, the idea that your actions in one life have a direct effect on the events in your next life.

-        To Hindus, Moksha (salvation) comes when they are finally released from the cycle of death and rebirth.

-        To achieve Moksha:

1.     Living a life of righteousness and virtue (good karma).

2.     Practicing devotion to God (bhakti).

3.     Meditation and self-knowledge (understanding the true nature of the soul).

INDIA

Hinduism is the main religious tradition of _____.

BRAHMAN

-        Hindus believe in the ______, an eternal, infinite principle that had no beginning and has no end and is the source and substance of all existence.

TRANSMIGRATION

Hindus believe in ________ (the soul passing into another body at death)

REINCARNATION

Hindus believe in ________ (a cycle of death and rebirth).

KARMA

-        Hindus also believe in ______, the idea that your actions in one life have a direct effect on the events in your next life.

MOKSHA (SALVATION)

-        To Hindus, _________ comes when they are finally released from the cycle of death and rebirth.

GOOD KARMA
BHAKTI
MEDITATION & SELF KNOWLEDGE

-        To achieve Moksha:

1.     Living a life of righteousness and virtue (_____).

2.     Practicing devotion to God (______).

3.     _______ (understanding the true nature of the soul).

KRISHNA

-        He is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and as the supreme God in his own right. He is the god of compassion, tenderness, love and is one of the most popular and widely revered among Indian divinities.

-        The Hindus worship so many gods and goddesses; there are 33 million Gods of Hinduism, but they recognize three principal gods:

o   Brahma - who creates the universe.

o   Vishnu - who preserves the universe.

o   Shiva - who destroys the universe.

33 MILLION GODS

The Hindus worship so many gods and goddesses; there are ______ of Hinduism.

BRAHMA
VISHNU
SHIVA

Hinduism three principal Gods.

BRAHMA

o   who creates the universe.

VISHNU

o   who preserves the universe.

SHIVA

o   who destroys the universe.

BUDDHISM

-        It is an offshoot of Hinduism, is the primary religion of central and eastern Asia.

-        The founder of Buddhism was Siddhartha Gautama, who later became known as the Buddha (meaning "The Enlightened One"). He was born as a prince in India over 2,500 years ago.

-        For Buddhists, the world is a prison of suffering and illusion that keeps people from reaching freedom and enlightenment.

-        They believe that the purpose of life is to learn that nothing lasts and that suffering comes from being attached to the things of ordinary existence.

-        Until people learn this, they are destined to repeat the cycle of death and rebirth. Only by freeing themselves from desire and giving up their sense of self can people be free of this cycle.

-        Karma is the moral and spiritual result of our actions.

-        Our karma is the sum of our deeds, and if it is good, we advance toward happiness, perfection, and enlightenment; if our karma is bad, we return to a former state of existence, a former life.

-        Certain special people make it to the stage of perfect knowledge, which is called moksha in Hinduism and nirvana in Buddhism.

-        Some of these enlightened souls return to teach humanity about the path to freedom; they are called bodhisattvas (in Hinduism) or lamas (in Buddhism).

 

SIDDHARTA GAUTAMA OR BUDDHA

The founder of Buddhism, He was born as a prince in India over 2,500 years ago.

THE ENLIGHTENED ONE

What does the word “Buddha” mean?

NIRVANA

-        Certain special people make it to the stage of perfect knowledge, which is called moksha in Hinduism and _______in Buddhism.

BODHISATTVAS

-        Some of these enlightened souls return to teach humanity about the path to freedom; they are called _______ (in Hinduism) or lamas (in Buddhism).

LAMAS

-        Some of these enlightened souls return to teach humanity about the path to freedom; they are called bodhisattvas (in Hinduism) or ______(in Buddhism).

SHINTOISM

-        The indigenous religion of Japan that emphasizes the worship of nature, ancestors, & ancient heroes.

-        The religion stresses the virtue of living with a “true heart” (with sincerity and uprightness—a state that is possible only by being aware of the divine)

-        It is notable for its polytheistic worship of “kami,” meaning “gods or spirits that exist in all things.” (belief that kami reside in all things across nature—such as mountains, trees, waterfalls, etc.)

It is also classified as an animistic religion, one that worships nature or nature spirits. Another term to describe Shinto is “kami-no-michi,” or “the way of the gods.”

KAMI

“gods or spirits that exist in all things.”

ANIMISTIC RELIGION

one that worships nature or nature spirits.

KAMI NO MICHI

“the way of the gods.”

TAOISM

1.      The Tao Te Ching is the book of Taoist philosophy. Traditionally considered to have been written by Lao-Tzu, the founder of Taoism, it was intended to be a handbook for the ruler.

2.      The Chuang Tzu, written by Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu, an important early interpreter of Taoism, serves as a handbook for the individual.

-         These books both propose that acting in accordance with the Tao (the universal oneness of existence) brings peace and harmony to the individual and to society.

TAO TE CHING

is the book of Taoist philosophy. Traditionally considered to have been written by Lao-Tzu, the founder of Taoism, it was intended to be a handbook for the ruler.

THE CHUANG TZU

written by Taoist philosopher Chuang Tzu, an important early interpreter of Taoism, serves as a handbook for the individual.

CONFUCIANISM

-         Not strictly holy texts, The Five Classics are 2,000-year-old books that detail Confucian ideas on Chinese law, society, government, education, literature, and religion.

-         These works became the core curriculum in Chinese universities in the second century and are still studied today.

THE FIVE CLASSICS

are 2,000-year-old books that detail Confucian ideas on Chinese law, society, government, education, literature, and religion.

HINDUISM

-         According to Hindus, neither man nor God wrote the Vedas (Books of Knowledge). Instead, seers heard them and then transcribed them into Sanskrit.

HINDU TEXT	MEANING / SIGNIFICANCE
Rig-Veda	Wisdom of the Verses; earliest Veda, contains hymns to the gods.
Yajur Veda	Wisdom of the Sacrificial Formulas; guides performance of rituals and sacrifices.
Sama Veda	Wisdom of the Chants; musical chants for rituals.
Atharva Veda	Wisdom of the Atharvan Priests; contains spells, prayers, and healing knowledge.
Bhagavad-Gita	Song of God; explains the paths to salvation.
Sutras, Shastras, Smritis	Written by humans; outline rules of conduct, behavior, and social law.

VEDAS

-         According to Hindus, neither man nor God wrote the _______(Books of Knowledge). Instead, seers heard them and then transcribed them into Sanskrit.

RIG VEDA

Wisdom of the Verses; earliest Veda, contains hymns to the gods.

YAJUR VEDA

Wisdom of the Sacrificial Formulas; guides performance of rituals and sacrifices.

SAMA VEDA

Wisdom of the Chants; musical chants for rituals.

ATHARVA VEDA

Wisdom of the Atharvan Priests; contains spells, prayers, and healing knowledge.

BHAGAVAD-GITA

Song of God; explains the paths to salvation.

SUTRAS, SHASTRAS, SMRITIS

Written by humans; outline rules of conduct, behavior, and social law.

BUDDHISM

-         Although not used in the same form by all Buddhist sects, the Tripitaka (Sanskrit for “Triple Basket”) is the canon of southern schools of Buddhism.

-         The Tripitaka comprises three sections:

SECTIONS	MEANING / SIGNIFICANCE
Vinaya Pitaka	Basket of Discipline; regulates monastic life for monks.
Sutta Pitaka	Basket of Discourse; contains sermons and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.
Abhidhamma Pitaka	Basket of Special Doctrine; supplemental texts explaining Buddhist philosophy in detail.

TRIPITAKA

(Sanskrit for “Triple Basket”) is the canon of southern schools of Buddhism.

VINAYA PITAKA

Basket of Discipline; regulates monastic life for monks.

SUTTA PITAKA

Basket of Discourse; contains sermons and teachings of Siddhartha Gautama.

ABHIDHAMMA PITAKA

Basket of Special Doctrine; supplemental texts explaining Buddhist philosophy in detail.

SHINTOISM

-         The Shinto religion doesn’t have a sacred text.

-         The works that come closest to being Shinto scripture are the Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and the Nihon shoki (Chronicles of Japan).

-        These books record the oral traditions of ancient Shinto and detail the history of Japan.

KOJIKI AND NIHON SHOKI

_______ (Records of Ancient Matters) and the ______ (Chronicles of Japan).

-        These books record the oral traditions of ancient Shinto and detail the history of Japan.