Note
Studied by 1149 people
World Religions
Introduction
Why study religion?
“The word “god” is the expression and product of human weakness, the bible is a collection of honorable but primitive legends which are pretty childish” Einstien
“If god did not exist it would be necessary to invent him” Voltaire
Defining Religion
“A culturally entrenched pattern of behavior made up of sacred beliefs, emotional feelings accompanying the beliefs and overt conduct presumably implementing the beliefs”
“Belief in superhuman controlling power especially in personal gods entitled to obedience and worship”
…But why do we believe in god?
Approach to the Course
Pluralism is a philosophy that recognizes more than one ultimate principle, our study consists of an array of independent religious suppliers
Major Five - Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam
Ways to Alienate a Person of an Unfamiliar Faith
Fixate too much on the whys or what is considered “Normal”
Following the unflattering lead of the media
Stare
Use attacking language to describe the faith
Stomp on toes that are already bruised
Four Major Views in Religion
Monism - All is one
Polytheism - Multiple Gods
Monotheism - One God
Dualistic Monotheism - In addition to a supreme divine being, there also exists at least one additional supernatural being who is the source of evil
Atheism - Dissaffims God
vs Theism - believe in god or gods
Another View to Consider
Agnosticism is the philosophical view that the truth value of religious claims is unknown or, depending on the form of agnosticism, inherently unknowable
Many types of agnosticism
Other “Isms”
Deism - Belief that god or a supreme being created the physical universe but does not interfere with it
Fideism - Belief that relies primarily on faith or special revelation, rather than rational interference or observation
Pantheism - View that everything is of an all-encompassing immanent abstract god; the universe, nature, and god are equivalent
Other Important Terms and Symbols
Theology
Formal study of God, emphasizing God’s nature, intentions, and demands
Supernatural
Mysterious forces or entities that are beyond nature and control
God(s)
Defined as supernatural being(s) having consciousness and intentions
Hinduism
The “AUM” symbol (or OM – the symbol in the center) symbolizes the Universe and the ultimate reality
At the dawn of creation, from emptiness first emerged a syllable consisting of three letters – A-U-M (often written as OM)
Judaism
The Star of David can symbolize the connection between God, Israel, and the Torah
It can also symbolize the relationship between God and people or the seven virtues (kindness, severity, harmony, perseverance, splendor, foundation, and royalty)
Buddhism
The Dharmachakra, or Wheel of the Law represents the Buddha's first sermon in the forest at Sarnath, where he established Buddhist law
A symbol of the Dharma, or the teachings of The Buddha
Christianity
Representing the crucifixion of Jesus Christ and the benefits of his death
The cross is also a sign of Christ and the faith of Christians
Islam
The crescent represents progress, and the star signifies illumination with the light of knowledge
The crescent moon at the beginning of the month signifies the beginning and end of fasting during Ramadan
The moon also represents the guidance of God on the path through life
Took symbol from the Ottoman Empire
Golden Rule
“Do unto others as you would have them do unto you”
Universally accepted, contained in every one of the world’s major religions
“Consistency Principle”
Seek first to understand then to be understood
In Ancient Egypt, Greece, Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Baha’i, Taoism, Native American spirituality, Sikhism, Shinto, Hinduism, Christianity, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.
Perspectives on God
Biological perspective
Charles Darwin
Equated human devoted to God with a dog’s devotion to his master postulating neurological instincts
Pascal Boyer
Humans are “hardwired” to mistakenly believe in God
Richard Dawkins
Humans have been implanted with the “God meme” gene which allows us to reduce religion to a highly infectious mind parasite
Cultural perspective
Herbert Spencer
“Culture and cultural elements better suited to human needs will survive & those less suited will tend to die out”
Culture spreads through the process of diffusion
The process by which cultural innovations spread from one society to another
Introduction of new ideas or “new faiths” come from religious
innovators
Mathematical perspective
Blaise Pascal
Pascal’s Gambit/Wager-->
Found in the Pensées
Ascetic
Applies Decision Theory to the belief in God
Argued why to believe in God in a mathematical sense
Metaphysical perspective
Religion attempts to answer those great existential questions
Why are we here? What can we hope for? Is death the end? Where do we go when we die?
Concept of free will
God asks for human consent and will not force conformity
Does God Communicate with you?
Divine accommodation
God’s revelations are always limited to the current capacity of humans to comprehend
God has to speak in “baby talk”
Revelations
Communication believed to come from a supernatural source, usually God, or to have divinely inspired knowledge
Timeline of Religion
In the beginning…
The universe is about 14 billion years old, theorized to have been brought about by the Big Bang from one primeval atom
Earth is around 4.5 Billion years old
The Prehistoric Man
Homo - Genus that includes modern humans and their close relatives estimated to be about 2.5 million years
200,000 BCE to 100,000 BCE: Discovered burial sites which some included grave goods/other artifacts
10,000 BCE - Jericho - The oldest continually inhabited city in the world
Pre History
Indigenous (Primitive) Religions History
Best known example is the Australian Aborigines dating back to 10,000 BCE believed in “The Dreaming”
The story indicates that there were not “two worlds” with a sharp division; Experience this world and the next as "One” while connected to every other being
Four Characteristics of Indigenous Faith
Naturism - Personification of natural forces/objects and the “myths” that arise from these personifications
Animism - Consists of the beliefs that everything is inhabited by a spirit (animated), not only living things but inanimate objects as well
Ghost Theory - Addresses the question of where to people get the idea that spirits or souls exist
Totemism - Identifying with a particular animal species (a totem) that is held to be sacred and not to be harmed
Recorded History Begins
Circa 5000 BCE - Beginning of civilization in Sumer (cunieform)
Began a line of Temple religions similar to other ancient civilizations
Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Mayans, and Druids all followed in this tradition
General Characteristics of Ancient Civilizations
Polytheistic belief structures and idols were thought to be alive
Gods were conceived as ordinary human beings having some supernatural powers and typically Immortal
No ancient civilizations possessed a truly coherent theology like that found in the Torah, Bible, and Qur’an
Heavily Myth Oriented
Morality was collective
Various afterlife beliefs
Ancient Egypt
A unifying theme of the Egyptian empire was the nature of the pharaoh
Dynasty spans three millennia consisting of three kingdoms
Old Kingdom - Great Pyramids Built
Major Deities: Ra, Osiris, Horus, Anubis
No single specific set of religious beliefs but rather a broad collection of practices and worship systems
The expansion of the empire brought rituals to national prominence
In 1400BCE, Pharaoh Akhenaton launched an effort to Acknowledge Aton as the official national god
Attempted to make polytheistic Egypt monotheistic
Afterlife Beliefs in Ancient Civilization
Sumerians - descent into dismal underworld to pursue an unattractive existence
Accepted that the afterlife could be improved by proper preparations and burial practices
Greeks - Believed the dead endured a drab existence in the dank halls of Hades
Aztecs and Mayans - believed that after death the energy of the human body, especially the heart became “deified or grafted on the celestial substance of divinity”
Egyptians - envisioned a far more pleasant afterlife, especially with sufficient ‘means’
Hinduism
Regarded as the Oldest organized and still practiced religion
Circa 3000 BCE - Krishna is born
Seen as a God, however, Krishna is simply an ‘avatar’ of the god Vishnu and one of the most powerful incarnations
1500-1401BCE - Rise of Vedic Hinduism for the masses
VEDAS - Scriptures of early Hinduism, a collection of 4 books
Rig Veda first sacred text
The caste system is instituted
During this period, Hindus worship at least 33 gods
Judaism
Circa 1850 BCE - Abraham establishes a “Covenant” with Yahweh
Circa 1285 BCE - Moses leads the Exodus from Egypt into the desert of Canaan: receives the Ten Commandments
Circa 1000 BCE - Isreal reaches a high point under King David
Beginning in 721 BCE - Isreal divides into 2 Kingdoms
Diaspora follows; first by the Babylonians and then by the Romans
Axial Age
8th Century - 2nd Century BCE
Appearance of the major leaders along the axis from southern Italy to Northern China
Zoroaster begins a dualistic monotheism in Persia
Siddhartha (Buddha) founds a new faith in India
Mahavia perfected Jainism in India
Lao-Tzu wrote the Tao-Te Ching which soon resulted in Taoism
Wu-Wei
Confucius begins a movement of philosophy that quickly becomes a religion
Also during this time, Upanishads are written in India, further enriching Hinduism
Focused on the concept of Samsara (reincarnation/continuous flow)
Introduced this “new idea” called the Atman (the soul or self)
End of the Axial Age
4th Century BCE - the new Hinduism still needed a “God” — Brahma written about in Bhagavad-Gita
300 BCE - 201 BCE - Popular Taoism arises in China; here yin and yang equate to the light and the dark
200 BCE - 101 BCE - Confucianism dominates the Chinese government
Ancient Rome
Roman Empire runs from 756 BCE - 476 CE
Religious Rituals were utilized but the meaning is still unknown
Gods assumed attributes and mythologies similar to the Greek Gods
In Rome, is where we first started seeing congregations
Crucifixion of Jesus in Nazareth
Christianity
The birth of Jesus Christ marks the beginning of the Common Era
30-34 CE - Jesus’ ministry occurs and then Jesus is Crucified
35-99 CE Christianity is beginning to Proselytize (missionaries)
64 CE Christians passed in Nero’s Garden, Peter was Crucified Upside Down as he was not in the same vain, and Jesus
249 CE - Persecution from the Roman Empire reaches it peak
In the third Century CE, Emperor Constantine ends the Roman prosecution of Christianity
SEPTEMBER 4TH, 476 CE - ROME FALLS
Islam
570 CE - Birth of Muhammad
central human figure of Islam and is regarded by Muslims as the messenger and prophet of god
610 CE - At age 40, He receives his first Qu’ranic revelation from god and becomes a prophet of Islam
613 CE - Begins spreading the message of Islam and gathering followers
622 CE - Hijra - when Muhammad migrated to Medina to escape persecution
632 CE - Following his farewell pilgrimage he died in Medina; most of the Arabian peninsula converted to Islam
Hinduism - In Depth
Basics of Hinduism
Hindu - means “Indian”; the oldest of all living religious traditions still practiced today
Not created by one specific individual; rather it is a collection of variations
Emphasis on attaining freedom from the perceived world, eliminating ties to the material plane (including personal identity), and encouraging to seek truth wherever it may be found
Truth comes through direct consciousness w/ the Ultimate Reality-BRAHMAN
Embrace the concept of Reincarnation - Samsara
Puja - Worship
Prasad - the consumption of sacramental food
Sacredness of Animals - Worship of Cows, Peacocks, Elephants, etc.
Worship and observances may take place in either a temple dedicated to a particular deity or an individual’s home
Prayers are directed towards the Deva/Devi and regarded as an honored guest
Chanting before an image or statue may be practiced; the sacred syllable is OM
Spiritual authority flows from enlightened sages called Gurus
The Hindu Triad
Brahma - the creator of the world; corresponds to the creative spirit from which the universe arises
Vishnu - the Preserver; corresponds to the force of order that sustains the universe
Shiva - the Destroyer; corresponds to the force that brings the cycle to an end
Trimurti is the name for the sacred triad
Some other faces of god;
Krishna - the incarnation of Vishnu; he is the object and source of extraordinarily devoted and unfailing love
Rama - another incarceration of Vishnu; celebrates the commitments of family life and the supreme value of right living and virtue
Shakti - the Consort to Shiva; she represents a creative force but may take the terrifying form of destroyer-goddess
Finding Your Innermost Self
Atman - our true self; our innermost, transcendental self as opposed to the material self
We attain true happiness only through an awareness of our Atman and the discovery of its true relationship with Brahman
Hindus seek MOKSHA or liberation from the long cycle of reincarnation or chain of births and deaths known as SAMSARA
Samsara is caused by a lack of knowledge of ATMAN
The Law of Karma
Karma - the sum of a person’s actions; factoring in the past-present-future deeds
Understanding this interconnection helps a Hindu toward right choices, deeds, thoughts, and desires without external commandments
When we cause harm, we add karmic debt. When we do good, we lighten our karmic debt
Achieving Union with Brahman
Yoga - Disciplines to help achieve oneness with Brahman
Jnana Yoga - Summons the power of the mind and emphasizes meditation. Jnana means intellectual
Bhakti Yoga - encourages the direction of one’s love to god
Karma Yoga - involves services to others; “acts as though the each thing he does is the last thing he will ever do”
Raja Yoga - Combines elements of all three with physical exercise of the body
Hatha Yoga - most common in the US, meditative movements with bodily posture
The Caste System (in order from highest to lowest)
Caste system is a social hierarchy ordering (especially for marriage and social roles)
Brahmins - a scholarly elite associated w/ priesthood
Kshatriyas - the ruling and military class
Vaisyas - Merchants and Farmers
Shudras - the peasantry
Dalits - the untouchables; assigned the most menial jobs
Hindu Scriptures
Hindu scriptures can be classified in two ways
Shruti - means “Heard” and may be thought of eternal truth
Vedas - constitute the most important body of a sacred Hindu literature; the oldest and most respected scriptures
Rig Veda - Oldest document of living religions; collection of 1028 hymns capturing the spirit of the period
Brahmanas - the ritual books; made the priestly caste indispensable for salvation insisting on exact fidelity to the written law
Upanishads - the commentaries; stresses the importance of each individual’s personal effort in attaining salvation
Smriti - means “remembered” and is comparable to tradition
Ramayana - Consists of about 24,000 verses and describes the life and times of Prince Rama, an incarnation of Vishnu; authored by Valmiki
Mahabharata - An epic story of 100,00 verses attributed to the sage Vyasa and considered the longest poem in the world
Bhagavad Gita - functions as a text on it’s own in Hinduism; a dramatic poem that raises the question of the acceptableness of killing people in war
By categorizing scriptures in this way, it allows the reform of outdated practices while remaining faithful to Hinduism’s essence
Where there is conflict, Shruti takes precedence
The Vedas constitute Shruti
Hindu Celebration and Rituals
There is no formal sabbath, seeing every day as a sabbath
Ahishma - Hindu principle of reverence for life
Durga Puja - observed in early autumn, is an observance of good triumphing over evil, worships the Divine Mother
Rama Navami - Observed in springtime; centered on the god Rama
Krishna Janmashtami - marks the birthday of Krishna; celebrated in late summer
Shiva Ratri - is an all-night celebration of the divine as manifested in the god Shiva; occurs in the later part of winter
Infant Welcoming Ritual - The Point at which a child first consumes solid food; a formal “rice eating ceremony” taking place around 6-8 after birth accompanied by religious ritual
Hair cutting ceremony
Marriage - usually arranged according to tradition, a contract between two families; incorporates thirteen ceremonies and is usually held after sunset
Funeral - centers on the cremation ritual. After a predetermined number of days, depending on the caste of the decedent, a ceremony known as Shraddha takes place and marks the end of the family’s mourning period and the journey of the departed soul
Hindu Funeral Ritual and Afterlife Beliefs
Antyesti - Hindu Funeral Rites
The soul of the believer departs the body through a Chakra
After death, the body must point towards the South - the direction of the dead
Oil Lamp is lit and placed at the head of the deceased; the body is bathed, dressed in new clothing, and sacred ash is applied to the head
Preta-Karma - a ritual that facilitates the migration of the soul
Cremation is the fastest way to dispose of the body
The cremation ground is called SHMASHANA, is typically near a river
Diversity in the actual rituals practiced/performed
Series of mourning observances: 31 days after death and one year after death
Afterlife
No doctrine of Heaven or Hell, only the divine
Ideally aim is to avoid rebirth and attain union with the Infinite
Judaism - In Depth
Abrahamic Religion
Defined as a monotheistic faith point where god is to be a transcendent Creator-figure and the source of moral law, with a shared narrative
The word “Abrahamic” refers to the ancient prophet Abraham, who is respected as the first prophet of God
Fundamental Perspectives of the Faith
There is only one G-d, Yahweh
God is written this way, as it is such a sacred word
Sh’ma Yisrael - “Hear, O Israel, the Lord is God, the Lord is One”
God is the ultimate authority and possesses final dominion over the universe
“Covenant” Faith
Covenant w/ Abraham-God would establish a “great nation” from Abraham’s descendants for complete obedience
The Law - as Constituted by the Torah (or the Pentateuch)
Written account of God’s Revelation
The Torah is the First Five Books or the Bible constitute a “way of life” for Jews
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy
General Electric Lights never did
The Ten Commandments (Decalogue)
Written by god and given to moses on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 19:23)
Talmud - The second most important Jewish Text
Contain the 613 Mizvots
248 Positive (what you should be doing
365 Negative (Dont do these
Community Based Tradition
Rabbi - Respected teacher and leader of worship usually connected to a particular Synagogue (House of Learning and Prayer)
Differences is Judaism
Orthodox Tradition
Must preserve ritual, exactly as revealed by God
Unswerving faith to the written word of God, with no Altercations
No interest in conforming to new social conventions
Distinctive clothing and firmly established social and family structures are expressions of this reverence for custom
Conservative Tradition
Emphasis on preserving and honoring appropriate traditions from the past but not all “old ways”
Reject the principle that there can be no contact with new societies and cultural systems encountered in daily lives but try to stay consistent with traditions
Try to make accommodations with social realities that appear to have nothing contrary to Judaism
Remain true to the “spirit of the Law” but make exceptions when sufficient reason presents itself
Reform Tradition
Most pragmatic of the three and most open to dialogue and interaction with contemporary society
Try to retain elements of Judaism that make the most sense in a contemporary setting
The torah is inspired by God but open to study and interpretation of the individual
See god’s relationship as an ongoing process and emphasize the broad moral messages of the Jewish tradition
Makes the fewest social demands on practitioner
Dietary Laws
Kashrut/Kosher - Jewish law dealing with what foods we can and cannot eat and how those foods must be prepared to be eaten
Certain Animals may not be eaten at all. This restriction includes the flesh, organs, eggs, and milk of the forbidden animals
Animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves. Fiah must have fins and scales
Of the animals that may be eaten, the birds and mammals must be killed in accordance with jewish law. Ritual Slaughter is known as Shechitah
All blood must be drained from meat and poultry or broiled out of it before it’s eaten
Certain parts of permitted animals may not be eaten
Fruits and vegetables are permitted, but must be inspected for bugs, fruit cannot be consumed from a tree less than three years old
Meats cannot be eaten with dairy. Fish, eggs, fruits, vegetables, and grains can be eaten with either meat or dairy
Utensils (including pots and pans and other cooking surfaces) that have come in contact with meat may not be used with dairy and vice versa
Grape and Dairy products made by non-jews may not be consumed
Jewish Rite
Basicaim of Jewish worship is to see all of life as liturgy or ritual in honor of the Creator
Orthodox- word for word recitation of specific prayers
Conservative - Less formalized but keyed to traditions
Reform - sees multiplicity of instruction and repitition as an obsticalse to spiritual growth rather than aid
Jewish Sabbath
Shabbat
“Repose” that follows the six days of workweek activity
Begins on Friday at sundown and continues until nightfall on Saturday
Depending on branch of Judaism dictates how much one attends service; Orthodox attends friday night and saturday morning
Jewish Liturgy
What happens during service?
Barchu - Blessing with a group prayer
Requires a Minyan - Quorum of 10 adults, (over age 13)
Amidah - said standing, a group of greatful salutations and prayers of praise to God
Sh’ma - a pledge of faith, a centerpiece of which is the all-important delcaration from Dueteronomy: “Hear O Israel, the lord is our God, the lord is One”
Aliyah - Public rreading from Torah - the “Five books of moses”
Jewish Rituals and Celebration
General Practices
All Jewish Holy Days (Holidays) begin at sunset the evening before
Found in Genesis Chapter 1
Work is Prohibited
Major Observances
Rosh Hashanah - One of two highest Holy Days in the Faith
Jewish New Year
Day of Judgment
Day of Remembrance
Day of Shofar Blowing
Usual eat a piece of an apple dipped in honey to bring a sweet and abundant year
Yom Kippur
The holiest and most solemn day on the Jewish calendar
one to two weeks after Rosh Hashanah
25 hour fast
Day of Atonement
Five prayers are said throughout the day
Sabbath of Sabbaths
Five Prohibitions
No eating or drinking
No wearing leather
No bathing
No perfumes, lotions, or oils
No marital relations
Vidui - public confession
Post Biblical
Chanukah - Festival of Lights; celebrates the victory of the Maccabees over the Syrians in the second century BCE and the subsequent rededication of the Temple in 164 BCE
Purim - commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people of the ancient Persian empire from destruction as recounted in the Book of Esther
Pilgrimage Festival
Sukkot - Feast of Booths or Tabernacles; 8-day holiday; had to leave Egypt quickly. It’s quite a drastic transition from one of the most solemn holidays in our year to one of the most joyous
Pesach (Passover) - Honors Exodus; delivery of Jewish people from slavery in Egypt, do not eat risen bread out of memory to the Israelites fleeing Egypt for 8 days of the holiday
Shavuot - Festival of weeks, celebrates when Moses was given the ten commandments on Mt. Sinai; also celebrates the spring harvest and god’s gift of the Torah
Life Rituals
Brit Milah - Covenant of Circumcision for baby boy in accordance with Genesis 17:10
Bar/Bat Mitzvah (Son/Daughter of the commandment) - marks entry for the Jewish 13 year old child into community as adult
Bashert - (soulmate) first marriage that is considered finding your fate or destiny; the ceremony takes place under wedding canopy known as Huppah
Jewish Calendar
Know the Gregorian Months that coincide
Funeral Customs and the Afterlife
Funeral Rites vary by denomination
Taharah - The washing of the body
Chevra Kadisha - The person who does the washing
Shmirah - The attending and watching over the deceased
Shomer - The watcher, prays over the body
Tachrichim - Burial Shroud
Aron - The plain wooden casket
K’riah - the tearing of ones garments in grief
K’vurah - the grave and the eburial of the deceased
Hesped - the eulogy
Shiva - 7 Days of mourning
Shloshim - the 30 days of mourning following the death
Yahrzeit - one year following the death in memory of the loved one
Afterlife
The human soul is immortal
the nature of that immortality is beyond conception of mankind
drawing conclusions about the specific nature of our relationship with God after death is not useful or helpful
Buddhism - In Depth
Core Beliefs
The four noble truths
Life is suffering
Suffering has cause (craving and attachment)
Craving and attachment can be overcome
The way toward the cessation of craving and attachment is an Eightfold Path
Views, Intent, Speech, Conduct, Livelihood, Effort, Alertness, Concentration
The three pure precepts
To do no evil
To do good
To save all beings
The Three Jewels
We take refuge in Buddha
We take refuge in Dharma
We take refuge in Sangha
Karma
“the law of moral causation; a chain of cause and effect
Any kind of intentional action whether mental verbal or physical; every thought word and deed
Relates to motives behind an action
Vipaka: fruit or the result of action
Rebirth
Buddhists understand life as samsara - the process whereby beings go through a succession of lifetimes as one of many possible forms of sentient life and reject the concept of the unchanging, eternal soul; implies the soul is made flesh again
Takes place in one of the realms of existence
Nirvana
This is the goal of life; the highest destiny of the spirit; no more attachment to external things. Not God or Heaven, beyond our words or understanding of boundaries
Meditation
The practice of attaining enlightenment/nirvana while focusing on serenity and insight. Many different forms of practice
Anapanasati - meaning mindfulness of breathing, emphasis on inhalation and exhalation, referred to as breath meditation. common to many schools of thought
Sensitive to: the entire body, the mind, or the thought process
Focus on: Inconsistency, dispassion, cessation, or relinquishment
Produce: steadiness, satisfaction, or release
Ten Characteristics of a Buddha
Tathagata - the one who has thus come and gone
Arhat - the worthy one
Perfectly Self Enlightened
Perfected in Knowledge and Conduct
Well gone
Unsurpassed
Knower of the World
Leader of persons to be tamed
Teacher of the gods and humans
the blessed one
Major Buddhist Schools of Thought
Theravada - Doctrine of the Elders
Views its most sacred teachings as those from the Buddha himself, emphasizes a solitary life with detachment and seclusion
Focuses on the Arhat (perfect sage or worthy one) remains in nirvana after death
Humans are emancipated by self-effort without supernatural aid; Attainment requires constant commitment
The key virtue is wisdom
Buddha is seen as a saint, a supreme teacher, and inspire
Minimizes metaphysics and ritual; practice centers on meditation and prayer
Theravada scriptures = Tipitaka - known as the PALI CANON
Mahayana - The Great Vehicle
Focuses more on benevolence and service to others
The ideal: Boddhisattva - One who deserves Nirvana but postpones entry to it until all sentient beings are rescued from rebirth and suffering
Key Virtue is Compassion
Buddha is seen as a savior
Elaborates on metaphysical and rituals
Most widely studied Mahayana scriptures. Lotus, Diamond, and Heart Sutra
Tibetan Buddhism - The Swift Practice
Incorporates parts of Mahayana and Theravada tradition; as an esoteric strand of Buddhism associated with Hindu practice
Dalai Lama - Spiritual leader of the Tibetan people; 14th recognized since 13th century CE
Zen Buddhism
Stems out of the Mahayana
Derived from Dhyana meaning meditation; traces its roots back to legendary figure Bodhidharma
Zen is Japanese, Chan is Chinese
Zen - Rinzai and Soto
Central tenet of Zen is not a particular rule, idea or stated philosophy, but rather the personal practice of various forms of meditation; Zazen - sitting meditation
Discovering one’s own “original minds” or authentic self
Buddhist Celebrations
Everyday is a celebration
Buddhist New Year - Depends on country of origin
Nirvana Day - February 15
Vesak (Buddha Day) - May 1-4 (Typically the 2nd in US)
Bodhi Day - December 8th
Buddhist Funeral Practices
Buddhist funeral is simple, solemn, and dignified
For the deceased, a moment of transition
For the living, powerful reminder or impermanence
For some, the washing and dressing of the body is a ceremony
The body is put on display during a wake, preserved by dry ice or embalming
The Bhante will direct the ceremony. Three components of the ceremony: sharing, the practice of good conduct, and meditation
Cremation is preferred but not always practiced
At the service, it is typical to provide a pamphlet or service bulletin with Buddhist teachings as a tribute and way to generate good energy toward the deceased’s new incarnation
Islam
Ka’aba - the Cube
Cleaned only by the Saudi Arabian King
Prayers are directed here
At the core of Islam…
Islam - “Submission” / submission to the will of god / surrender to god
Muslim - Practitioner of Islam
La ilaha illa ‘lla - Beginning of the Shahada
There is only one god
The Qur’an
The word of god with 114 Chapters
Dictated to Muhammed by the Angel Gabriel over 22 years
A surah is a chapter in the qur’an
The first one begins with “Praise be to Allah”
Refered to as the “Seven oft repeated verses”
Four fundamental beliefs expressed in the qur’an
The Story of Muhammad
A decendent of the line of Ishmael - Son of Abraham
The name Muhamad means “Praiseworthy”
The Last in a long line of 124000 great prophets that included: Adam, Abraham, noah, Moses and Jesus
AT 40, he began to have a series of mystical experiences that lead him to conclude that he was being summoned to “Proclaim the word of Allah”
Spent 12 years practicing Dawah — He led the Hegira
He is NOT the founder of Islam rather he is the Exemplar
Hadith Literature
Sunnah - A supplement to the Qur’an containing a collection of traditions recounting what the prophet Muhammad “said, did, confirmed, and affirmed”
Like a Biography
Many sources pertaining to Law
Shariah - literally means the way to water - source of all life and signifies the way to god; a source for Islamic law
Principle of Ijma - means consensus, (i.e. - the belief that the majority of Muslims cannot be in error)
The Five Pillars
Salaah - Prayer
Shahaada - Testifying to faith
Sawm - Fasting
Zakaah - Charity
Hajj - Pilgrimage
Denominatinos of Islam
Sufi
The “Mystics of Islam”
Seek union with god through contemplation, ascenticism, and prayer; gained through communal ceremonies involving trance
Most are men
Follow the rules of order known as Tariqa
Muslim Observances
Shahadah - Inition marks a muslim’s entry into the faith
Akika - Birth Ceremony; most Muslims do not celebrate birthdays in a westernized way since it takes away devotion to Allah
Weddings are straightforward services
Requires a contract, dowry, witnesses, consent
Ramadan
Occupies the whole ninth month of the Islamic calandar
Adults embark on a rigidly observed period of abstention, reflection, and purifications
Between sunrise to sunset, Muslims do not eat, drink, smoke, marital relations; they are encouraged to read the Qur’an from the beginning to end during the holy month
Muslims are expected to forgo indulgences, reflect on past deeds, reinforce basic personal discipline, and express gratitude to Allah
Laila ul Qadr
Celebrated on a night falling during the final ten days of Ramadan
Commemorates Muhammad’s first experience of divine revelation
Eid Al Fitr
Feast period marks the end of Ramadan
Eid Ul Adha - Celebrates Faithfulness and obedience of patriarch Abraham, a day of sacrifice
Three Months after Ramadan
Al-Isra Wal Miraj
Marks Muhammad’s divinely supported journey from Mecca
Maulid Al-Nabi - Celebrates birth of Muhammad (12th day of the 3rd month 570 CE)
Muslim Afterlife Beliefs
Every human is accountable to God for his or her actions and intentions
If a Muslim fails to fight injustice, they will be called to account by god
A central doctrine of the Qur’an is the Last Day
Until Judgement, deceased souls remain in their graves awaiting resurrection (Barzakh); although they begin to immediately feel a taste of their destiny to come
There are two exceptions to this rule. If you die for God you are immediately ushered into heaven, and if you are an enemy of Islam, you are ushered into hell
Paradise - Jannah (Firdaws is the highest level)
Hell - Jahannam - Seven different levels of hell
Four Steps of Age - Age in the womb, Age of the Mortal World, Age of Barzakh, Age of the Hereafter (Day of judgement)
Muslim Funeral Traditions
Embalming is not required and generally prohibited
Washing, shrouding, and burial should be hastened
The person should be allowed to face the Ka’aba
Cremation is NEVER acceptable
Al-Ghusul - Ritual washing of the body
Al-Kafan - ritual shroud for the body
Funeral rites include recitation of the Janazah
Al-Dafin - burial of the body on their right side facing mecca
Islam limits its mourning to 40 days