Eurasian Cultural Traditions 500 BCE500 CE Legalism Strict
Eurasian Cultural Traditions 500 BCE-500 CE
Legalism �Strict Rules, Severe Consequences �Pessimistic view of human nature �Only the state can act in people’s long term interest �Focus on military and farming - nothing else was really important �Inspired the Qin dynasty (Shihangdui) �Discredited shortly thereafter because of brutality
Legalism
Confucianism �Confucius - educated aristocrat - teachings collected in “the Analects” �Principle - life is unequal relationships - superior people should lead by moral example - superior people should be benevolent and sincere - lesser people should be “inspired” into obedience �Education - advocated for broad liberal arts education - application of liberal arts into government
Confucianism �Became the central part of education in Han dynasty (after Qin discredited legalism) �Family as a model for political life - filial piety - women should be humble and obey men �History - spoke of a “golden age” in the past - modest social mobility through education (civil service exams) �Confucianism was not religious, it did not discredit spirits and gods; but educated elite had little to do with them.
Confucianism
Daoism �Laozi “The Way and Its Power” �Dao = “the way” �Education and improving oneself is useless �Withdrawal to the world of nature �Daoism entered popular religion - spirits, magic �Provided the ideology for peasant rebellions - Yellow turban rebellion
Daoism
Hinduism �Hinduism – the polytheistic religions in India - the term was invented by outsiders �No Founder �Widely recognized sacred texts created some uniformity �The Vedas – Holy Books of Hinduism - compiled by Brahmins (priests, top caste) - told orally until about 600 BCE - told of rituals and sacrifices, brought Brahmins wealth and power
Hindu Gods
Hinduism: Upanishads �“The Upanishads” developed in response to dissatisfaction with Brahmins - composed between 800 -400 BCE - Brahman = world soul, atman = human soul - moksha = liberation, or union with Brahman - goal of reincarnation is to achieve moksha - law of karma : one’s actions effects reincarnation - Hinduism: reincarnate one caste at a time
Buddhism �Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 566 -486 BCE) - referred to by followers as Buddha (enlightened one) �Central Principle: “All life is suffering” - sorrow’s cause: craving individual fulfillment - cure: living a modest, moral life w/ meditation �Goal – to achieve Nirvana “oneness with the universe”
Hinduism/Buddhism �Similarities - life is an illusion - karma and rebirth - overcome demands from the ego - escape the cycle of rebirth - practice meditation
Hinduism/Buddhism �Buddhist challenges to Hinduism - rejection of Brahmin’s religious authority - individuals take control of their spiritual development - achieve Nirvana from any caste �Buddhist Women - offered more independence than Hinduism (though women still considered inferior) - many women converted
Types of Buddhism �Theravada - respect for the teachings of Buddha (Siddhartha) - practices, not beliefs - Buddha is not divine, not a god �Mahayana - developed in early centuries CE. - Buddha became divine - popular religion of salvation �Buddhism eventually spread to China along silk roads during Han dynasty �In first millennium, a new popular Hinduism emerged in India w/ stories such as Mahabhrata and Ramayana
Eightfold Path
Four Noble Truths
Zoroastrianism �Monotheism first developed in Zoroastrianism and Judaism. Both influenced Christianity and Islam. �Ahura Mazda – God of Zoroastrianism - represented truth, light and goodness �Spread in Persian Empire �Destroyed during Alexander’s Empire
Ahora Mazda
Judaism and Zoroastrianism �The Jews borrowed much from Zoroastrianism - idea of God vs. Satan - idea of last judgment and bodily resurrection - belief of a final defeat with the help of a savior - remaking the world at the end of time
Judaism �Holy book: Torah (old testament) �Prophet: Abraham (covenant) �Covenant with God (Hebrews were “chosen people” in exchange for sole devotion to God) �Foundations for Christianity and Islam
Torah
Classical Greece �Did not create an enduring religious tradition - system of polytheism and cults �Most intellectuals rejected religion - the world is a physical reality governed by natural laws - human reason can create a system for ethical life - growing role of law in Athenian political life
Greek Thinkers (ca. 600 -300 BCE) �Socrates “Apology” - Plato “The Republic” (philosopher kings) - Aristotle �Pythagoras – Pythagorean theorem �Herodotus – “History of the Persian Wars” �Hippocrates – Balance of fluids in the body
Pythagoras
Comparing Buddha and Jesus �Differences �Gautama was royal / Jesus was lower class �Jesus was monotheistic / Gautama ignored the supernatural �Jesus was more social and political than Gautama �Jesus active for 3 years / Gautama active for over 40 �Jesus executed as a criminal / Gautama died of old age
Comparing Jesus and Buddha �Similarities - were mystics (claimed another level of spirituality) - challenged conventional values - stressed love and compassion as the basis of morality - transformed into Gods by followers - neither intended to start a new religion
Christianity Becomes a World Religion �Process began with Paul (10 -65 CE) �Missionary activities �Inclusion of non-Jews �Women had more opportunities (still patriarchy) �Attraction – miracle stories, caring for each other �Christians persecuted in Roman Empire until Constantine converts. �Theodosius the Great makes it official religion of Roman Empire (helps unify the empire)
Constantine
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