Hinduism Buddhism Chapter 4 Section 2 Did You

Hinduism & Buddhism Chapter 4 Section 2

Did You Know? l In 1949, the country of Tibet was invaded by China still occupies Tibet and tries to expel Tibetan Buddhism. l Tibetans who fail to denounce their religion or possess an image of the Dalai Lama, their religious leader, are punished.

Hinduism l Hinduism is the world’s 3 rd largest religion and one of the oldest. Hinduism’s roots are in the Aryan religion, which changed after borrowing ideas from conquered people of India. l Brahman: is the universal spirit made up of thousands of gods and goddesses. l Upanishads: are ancient religious writings that describe the search for Brahman. l Dharma: the divine law of Hindus. This law states that Hindus must perform the duties of their caste. l Karma: are the consequences of how a person lives. l

Discussion Question l According to Hindus, what are the consequences of a good and a bad life? l Hindus believe if a person lives a good life, then that person might be reborn into a higher caste. l If the person lives a bad life, then the person might be reborn in a lower caste.

Buddhism l Buddhism: is a religion founded by Siddhartha Gautama, the man who became known as the Buddha, or “Enlightened One”. l He was a prince who left his family and wealth to travel. In his travels, he saw much suffering and questioned the need for suffering. Legend tells he meditated under a tree for 49 days, and then he understood. l For the rest of his life, Siddhartha traveled to tell people about his discovery. l Nirvana: A state of wisdom, occurs when a person gives up all desires. l Four Noble Truths: the core of Buddha’s teachings. l Eightfold Path: describes steps to eliminate suffering. l

Buddhism continued l Buddhism divided into Theravada and Mahayana Buddhism. Theravada: Buddhists believe the Buddha was a great teacher, not a god. l Mahayana: Buddhists believe the Buddha was a god who came to save people. l l Tibet: religious leader, lamas, headed the government. Dalai Lama: was the government leader. l Panchen Lama: was the religious leader. l Theocracy: is a form of government in which religious leaders head the government. l Jainism: is another religion that challenged Hinduism. l Jains: believe in nonviolence to all living creatures and live a strict life. l Ahimsa: is the Jain practice of nonviolence, has influenced many people in modern times, including Mohandas Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. l

Discussion Question l Why was Buddhism popular with people of lower castes? l The Buddha taught that a person’s life depended on the person, not the caste into which the person was born. l He believed that a person could stop being reborn by following the Eightfold Path. l This gave the lower caste people hope.