Religions of Ancient India

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Religions of Ancient India

• Chapter 6.2

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Origins of Hinduism

• One of the worlds oldest
• 3rd largest religion after Chrisitianity and
  Islam
• Developed by the Aryans
• Started off as Brahmanism
• Sacred writings called the Vedas

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Vedas

• Had to be memorized by Brahmin priests
• Spoken out loud
• After Aryans developed writing, the Vedas were
  written down in Sanskrit

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What is Hinduism?

• Universal spirit called Brahman

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Hinduism

• Ancient texts known as Upanishads
• Describe the search for Braham
• Says every living thing has a soul and is part of
  Braham
• At death, the soul leaves the body and joins with
  Braham

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Brahma

• The Creator

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Vishnu

• The Preserver

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Shiva

• The Destroyer

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Reincarnation

• Rebirth of the Soul
• Soul passes through many lives
• Before reaching Brahman

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Karma

• Peoples status
• Based on past lives
• What a person does in previous life will decide
  how they are reborn
• If a person has bad karma, they are reborn in a
  lower form
• When good people die, they are reborn in a higher
  form of life

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Dharma

• Personal duty to earn a better existence in the
  next life

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How beliefs shape society

• All life is sacred
• Animals as well as people were treated with
  kindness and respect
• Made Indians more accepting of varna system
• A person who leads a good life is reborn into a
  higher jati

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Rise of Buddhism

• Some Indians were not happy with Hinduism
• Some left their homes and looked for peace

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Buddhism

• Buddhism is one of the worlds major religions
• Most Buddhist live in SE Asia and E Asia
• Only a few live in India
• Buddhas birthplace

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Siddhartha Gautama

• Became known as the Buddha
• Founded a new religion call Buddhism

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Siddhartha Gautama

• Born c.563 B.C. in Nepal
• Was a rich prince
• Left is wife and newborn son to explore life
• Shocked at the misery of people
• For the first time he realized the world was
  filled with suffering
• Became a monk
• Stopped to meditate
• Gained followers

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What did Buddha teach?

• Believed the world of the spirit was more
  important than the everyday world
• People suffer because they care too much about
  the wrong things
• Fame, money, and personal possessions lead to
  greed or anger
• Taught the 4 Noble Truths

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Four Noble Truths

• 1. Life is full of suffering
• 2. people suffer because they desire
• worldly things and want to satisfy
• themselves
• 3. The way to end suffering is to stop
• desiring things.
• 4. The only way to stop desiring things is
• following the Eightfold Path

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Eightfold Path to Enlightment

• 1. Know and understand the Four Noble Truths
• 2. Give up worldly things and do not harm others
• 3. Tell the truth, do not gossip, and do not
  speak badly of others
• 4. Do not commit evil acts, such as killing,
  stealing, or living an unclean life.
• 5. Do rewarding work
• 6. Work for good and oppose evil
• 7. Make sure your mind keeps your senses under
  control
• 8. practice meditation to see the world in a new
  way

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Buddhism

• When people are free from earthly concerns, they
  reach nirvana-state of perfect peace
• Welcomed all people
• Placed little importance on varna system
• Believed in reincarnation
• People would reach the end of cycle of rebirth by
  following 8 Fold Path

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Buddhism

• Many Untouchables and Indians in lower jati
  accepted Buddhism
• For the first time they had hope of reaching
  enlightenment

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Buddhist divide

• Theravada-believe Buddha is a great teacher
• Mahayana-teaches Buddha is a god

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Jainism

• Developed by Mahavira
• Became known as Jina-or conqueror
• Practice nonviolence toward ALL living things

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Gandhi

• Led a nonviolent struggle against British rule
• Gandhis nonviolent resistance influenced Dr.
  Martin Luther King Jr.