MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Hinduism - every other religion can be reduced to
  it?
• Essence of Hinduism - all of reality is one
• All of the diversity in the universe can be
  reduced to a monism - one thing.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Modern influences - Mahatma Gandhi -
  non-violence, equality of the sexes
• Inspiration to Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Cultic groups - Transcendental Meditation, New
  Age Movement

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Sacred Writings -
• Vedic texts, Mahababharata
• God view - Brahman is the all- encompassing life
  force
• Hinduism is monotheistic AND polytheistic AND
  pantheistic

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Against Christianity, God (Brahman) is not
  transcendent. Although he cannot be
  distinguished from humanity, he is still
  nonpersonal.
• Brahman is one and there is no second is not
  the same as Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God,
  the LORD is one

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Appears to have a Trinity of Brahman (Creator),
  Vishnu (Preserver), and Siva (Destroyer). But
  not equivalent of Christian view.
• Brahman - creator of new manifestations of
  reality
• Vishnu - becomes incarnate to preserve order
• Siva - can show mercy or destroy

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Salvation is cyclical - moving up or down the
  scales of cosmic justice. Bad karma results in
  rebirth in a lower life-form.
• Paths to escape rebirth include
• knowledge, works and devotion.
• Some look for Christian parallels.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Distinctions with Christianity -
• Denies difference between good and evil
• Sin is not rebellion against God.
• Salvation is not forgiveness of sins.
• Death only brings rebirth into another life- form.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
HINDUISM

• Other characteristics - sees numerous leaders as
  incarnations of God.
• Devotion - holy places, private life.
• Toleration - highest of all truths is the truth
  of all religions.
• Adherents - 690 million, about 13 of world
  population

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Buddhism the unreligion -
• Deities, if they exist, are irrelevant
• No more atheistic than theistic or pantheistic
• Sacred writings - the Tripitaka

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS -
• 1. Suffering is universal
• 2. Suffering is caused by desire
• 3. To eliminate suffering is to eliminate
  desire.
• 4. A path must be followed in order tp achieve
  this and end rebirth.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• EIGHTFOLD PATH
• 1. Right belief 2. Right feelings
• 3. Right speech 4. Right conduct
• 5. Right livelihood 6. Right effort
• 7. Right memory 8. Right meditation
• Completing this path ends the cycle of rebirth

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Against Christianity, Buddhism does not see God
  as transcendent and immanent.
• God is more a process of becoming.
• Buddhism more an atheistic religion than any of
  the others.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Sin is Tanha - all lust or desire arising in
  ones life.
• For Christianity, wrong desire is only that which
  is self-serving.
• Some of the Ten Commandments are similar with
  precepts of Buddhism.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Salvation has two parts -
• Liberation from the cycle of rebirth
• Cultivation of character and obedience to the
  Eightfold Path
• Salvation is attained with no outside help

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Christian views on salvation oppose those of
  Buddhism -
• Salvation in the person and work of Jesus Christ
• Death leads to the presence of God
• Resurrection key to salvation

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
BUDDHISM

• Other characteristics -
• Mingles moral law and ceremonial observances
• No blood atonement for sin
• Not a missionary religion
• Has 311 million adherents - fourth largest
  religion in the world

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
CONFUCIANISM

• Essentially a primal religion
• Sacred writings - Five Classics
• After Confucius died, two streams -
• Human nature inherently good and should strive
  for harmony with heaven
• Human nature neither good nor bad but required
  restraint and training

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
CONFUCIANISM

• Neo-Confucianism arose about A.D. 960.
• Sought a pure Confucianism while also
  incorporating aspects of Buddhism and Taoism.
• Stressed humans and their place in the universe,
  rationality, and history as a guide to right
  decisions.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
CONFUCIANISM

• Other characteristics -
• State, family and individual are a unified whole.
• Father-son relationship the primary one in
  society.
• Ancestor worship is important.
• Confucianism is in decline.

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
CONCLUSIONS

• Views on objective world -
• West - scientific progress
• Hinduism - inner self
• Buddhism - objective world, but it is temporary
• West - desires should be met
• East - desires should be disciplined

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MAJOR ASIAN RELIGIONS
CONCLUSIONS

• West - time is of value
• East - value is outside this world
• West - nature is to be used
• East - nature is to harmonized with