Religious Traditions Hinduism Buddhism Basic Hindu Beliefs Hinduism

Religious Traditions: Hinduism & Buddhism

Basic Hindu Beliefs ¨ Hinduism is the chief religion of India. ¨ Hinduism: no founder or formal church ¨ Its roots lie in ancient Aryan beliefs and practices. ¨ Sacred texts: the Vedas (eternal truths revealed to wise men) and the Upanishads (help explain ideas in Vedas) ¨ The Ramayana and the Mahabharata

Brahman ¨ Polytheistic ¨ Each god is part of a single supreme force called brahman. ¨ ¨ (nameless, formless, and unlimited) Many gods of Hinduism give brahman a concrete form that is more understandable to the average person. Three main gods of Hinduism: Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva Brahma: the creator, Vishnu: the preserver, and Siva, the destroyer Throughout India, different sects, or religious groups, worship one or another of these gods or their many wives and children.

Hindu Beliefs ¨ Unity of all life ¨ Every person has an essential self, or atman. This self is ¨ ¨ part of a universal soul, also called atman. To Hindus, atman and brahman are the same thing. All things in nature are part of the same universal soul Nonviolence; Respect nature and not struggle against it Reincarnation: Rebirth of the soul in various forms ranging from a god to a flower or a snake (temporary) Moksha –the true goal of life; freeing of the sould from the body so that the sould can unite with brahman

¨ Karma means “to do” in Sanskrit ¨ Hindus—cycle of death and rebirth continues until the individual soul achieves union with brahman ¨ Law of karma—every deed—mental or physical—in this life affects a person’s fate in a future life. ¨ A person’s present situation is the result of his or her deeds in a past existence. ¨ Good—happiness and evil—sorrow

Dharma ¨ Most Hindus believe that a person’s caste is the result of karma. ¨ Each caste has its own dharma: duties and obligations. Some examples: obedience to caste rules and moral laws ¨ Guide to conduct ¨ Offers Hindus hope for a better life in the future

Buddhism ¨ 600 B. C. the Brahman caste had become very powerful ¨ Some Hindu reformers tried to limit the priests’ power; Siddhartha Gautama ¨ He left his family and his life of wealth to find the cause of human misery (meditated and became enlightened) ¨ Buddha “Enlightened One” ¨ Spent life teaching others what he learned under that sacred tree: the Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths ¨ 1. Universal suffering ¨ 2. The cause of suffering is desire. ¨ 3. The only way to end suffering is to crush desire. ¨ 4. The way to end desire is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path. (guide to right conduct) ¨ Buddha believed that salvation was achieved (like Hindus) when the individual escaped the body; reincarnation, karma ¨ Buddha denied the existence of any gods; priests were not necessary; people were to seek nirvana on their own; also rejected the caste system Sources: World Cultures: A Global Mosaic Prentice Hall 1993.