WORLD RELIGIONS STUDYING THE WORLDS RELIGIONS GLOBAL VILLAGE

WORLD RELIGIONS STUDYING THE WORLD’S RELIGIONS

GLOBAL VILLAGE • ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY HAS DECREASED THE DISTANCE BETWEEN FORMERLY REMOTE AREAS OF THE WORLD • KNOWLEDGE OF PEOPLE, WHO WERE FORMERLY NEVER IN CONTACT, NOW IS NECESSITATED IN ORDER TO CARRY ON BUSINESS AND AVOID CONFLICT AROUND THE WORLD

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF RELIGION?

RELIGIOUS QUESTIONS • WHERE DID WE COME FROM? • WHY ARE WE HERE? • THE ANSWERS TO THESE MYSTERIES LED TO THE FORMATION OF RELIGIONS WHICH PROVIDE A WAY OF LIVING AND DYING MEANINGFULLY

WHAT IS THE HUMAN CONDITION? • WHAT IS OUR ESSENTIAL NATURE? • OUR WE ENDOWED WITH SOME FORM OF SOUL? • WHY IS THERE SUFFERING? – RELIGIONS OFTEN DESCRIBE A MEANS OF OVERCOMING SUFFERING • ARE WE BY NATURE GOOD OR EVIL? – CREATION STORIES OFTEN ATTEMPT TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL PERFECTION? • IS THIS ATTAINABLE NOW OR IN AN AFTERLIFE? • IS IT ATTAINABLE WITHOUT DIVINE ASSISTANCE? • THREE BASIC QUESTIONS THAT RELIGION DEFINES SPIRITUAL PERFECTION – WHAT IS ETHICAL? – HOW DO WE TRANSCEND THE HUMAN CONDITION? – HOW DO WE ATTAIN SALVATION?

WHAT IS ETHICAL? • TEACHING REGARDING WHAT IS RIGHT OR WRONG IN ORDER TO ATTAIN SPIRITUAL PERFECTION

HOW DO WE TRANSCEND THE HUMAN CONDITION? • BRINGING ONE FACE TO FACE WITH THE HUMAN CONDITION, AND THEN RAISING ONE ABOVE IT OR TO SEE THROUGH IT. – BUDDHIST ENLIGHTENMENT • “CONTINUING TO INHABIT A PHYSICAL BODY WITH THE USUAL DISCOMFORTS AND NEEDS WHILE MAINTAINING A STATE OF INDESCRIBABLE SPIRITUAL TRANQUILITY AND BLISS. ”

HOW DO WE ATTAIN SALVATION? • “MOST RELIGIONSTEACH THAT SPIRITUAL PERFECTION IS CLOSELY RELATED TO SOME FORM OF SALVATION FROM THE LIMITATIONS IMPOSED BY THE HUMAN CONDITION: DEATH” • SOME RELIGIONS TEACH THIS IS ATTAINABLE IN THIS LIFE, OTHERS THAT IT AWAITS IN THE AFTERLIFE.

WHAT IS OUR DESTINY? • THE DEGREE ONE HAS ATTAINED SPIRITUAL PERFECTION CORRESPONDS TO ONE’S REWARDS IN THE AFTERLIFE. • RELIGIONS THAT TEACH HUMAN BEINGS LIVE MORE THAN ONE LIFETIME, BELIEVE THAT LIFE AFTER DEATH IS JUST ANOTHER STEP TOWARD THE FINAL DESTINY.

WHAT IS THE NATURE OF HE WORLD? • QUESTIONS ON THE CREATION OF THE WORLD – COSMOLOGY: UNDERSTANDING THE NATURE OF THE UNIVERSE • RELIGIONS EITHER SUPPORT INTEREST IN SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY OR ARE SUSPICIOUS OF IT

WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE REALITY AND HOW IS IT REVEALED? • ULTIMATE REALITY IS REVEALED TO HUMAN BEINGS THROUGH SACRED STORIES, MYTHS AND TYPES OF RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES • THEISTIC RELIGIONS – BELIEF IN GOD OR MULTIPLE GODS • MONOTHEISM, POLYTHEISM, PANTHEISM • NONTHEISTIC RELIGIONS – NO BELIEF IN GOD RELEVANT TO HUMAN BEINGS

SEVEN DIMENSIONS OF RELIGION • ALL RELIGIONS HAVE 7 DIMENSIONS (CHARACTERISTICS) THAT ARE UNIQUE TO EACH RELIGION EVEN THOUGH SOME DIMENSIONS ARE EMPHASIZED MORE THAN OTHERS IN A PARTICULAR RELIGION

EXPERIENTIAL • RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE OF INDIVIDUALS – THEISTIC • FASCINATION; AWE-INSPIRING – NONTHHEISTIC • MYSTICISM; VISION QUEST

MYTHIC • STORIES OR SACRED LITERATURE THAT CONVEY IMPORTANT TRUTHS OF THE RELIGION

DOCTRINAL • THE BELIEF ASPECT OF A RELIGION IS CATAGORIZED AS THE DOCTRINAL DIMENSION OR BASIC BELIEFS – APOSTLE’S CREED • THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE RELIGION WHICH MAKES SENSE OF THE MYTHS AND EXPERIENTIAL

ETHICAL • HOW DOES A PERSON ACT IN THE LIVING WORLD

RITUAL • WORSHIP IN FORMALIZED SETTINGS, OFTEN REENACTING MYTHS OR SACRED STORIES

SOCIAL • SENSE OF BELONGING TO A COMMUNITY – EMPOWERING A RELIGION THROUGH SHARED EXPERIENCE • FORTIFIES A COMMUNITY – INDIVIDUALS WHO EMBODY IDEALS OF SPIRITUAL PERFECTION: SAINTS

MATERIAL • BOOKS, ARCHITECTURE, STATUES, NATURAL FORMS

EMPATHY • THE CAPACITY OF SEEING A THING FROM ANOTHER’S PERSPECTIVE

PRIMAL RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS • THE NATURE OF PRIMAL RELIGIONS – NATIVE INHABITANTS OF AUSTRALIA, AFRICA AND THE AMERICAS PRACTICE RELIGIONS WHICH ARE CONSIDERED PRIMAL • PRIMAL: TEND TO COME BEFORE RELIGIONS TRADITIONS HAVE BEEN ESTALISHED

WHY STUDY PRIMAL RELIGIONS? • PROVIDE SPECIAL INSIGHT INTO THE MYTHIC ORIENTATION TOWARD LIFE • ALL RELIGIONS STEM MORE OR LESS DIRECTLY FROM PRIMAL BEGINNINGS • OFTEN ARE THE TRADITIONS OF NONLITERATE PEOPLE – TEND TO BE THE TRADITIONS OF TRIBAL PEOPLE, GENERALLY ORGANIZED IN SMALL GROUPS

RELIGION OF THE AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINES • MAINTAINED TRADITIONS THOUSANDS OF YEARS OLD • HAD NO CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS UNTIL ABOUT TWO CENTURIES AGO

THE DREAMING: THE ETERNAL TIME OF THE ANCESTORS • AT A CERTAIN POINT IN THE MYTHIC PAST, SUPERNATURAL BEINGS CALLED “ANCESTORS” EMERGED AND ROAMED THE EARTH • THEY GAVE SHAPE TO THE LANDSCAPE AND CREATED VARIOUS FORMS OF LIFE • ORGANIZED HUMANS INTO TRIBES AND DETERMINED THE TRIBE’S LANGUAGE, SOCIAL RULES AND CUSTOMS • WHEN THEY FINISHED THEY LEFT BEHIND SYMBOLS OF THEIR PRESENCE IN THE FORM OF NATURAL LANDMARKS – ROCK PAINTINGS AND SO ON

THE DREAMING • MYTHIC PERIOD OF THE “ANCESTORS”: THE DREAMING – ABORIGINES BELIEVE THAT THE SPIRITUAL ESSENCE OF THE ANCESTORS REMAINS IN THE VARIOUS SYMBOLS THEY LEFT BEHIND – THESE SITES OF THESE SYMBOLS ARE BELIEVED TO BE CHARGED WITH SACRED POWER – ONLY CERTAIN INDIVIDUALS ARE ALLOWED TO VISIT THESE SITES – THE RITUAL APPROACH TO THESE SITES RE-ENACTS THE MYTHIC EVENTS OF THE “DREAMING” – THIS REENACTMENT GIVES THEM ACCESS TO ENDLESS SOURCES OF SACRED POWER OF THE SITES • ABORIGINAL COSMOLOGY PLAYS A CONSTANT ROLE IN ABORIGINAL RELIGION

THE DREAMING (CON. ) • EACH INDIVIDUAL HAS RESIDING WITHIN THEM THE SPIRITUAL ESSENCE OF THE ANCESTORS • A CHILD IS BORN WHEN THE MOTHER OR SOME OTHER RELATIVE MAKES SOME FORM OF CONTACT WITH A SACRED SITE – THIS USUALLY INVOLVES A RITUAL THAT DRAWS THE ANCESTOR’S SPIRITUAL ESSENCE INTO THE UNBORN CHILD – EACH ABORIGINE IS A LIVING REPRESENTATION OF AN ANCESTOR • THIS IS SYMBOLIZED BY A “TOTEM” : THE NATURAL FORM THE ANCESTOR APPEARED IN THE DREAMING – TOTISM: THE SYSTEM OF BELIEF AND RITUAL BASED ON TOTEMS

ABORIGINAL SPIRITUAL PERFECTION • HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SUPERNATURAL, THE HUMAN WORLD AND THE WORLD OF NATURE

ANIMATING THE POWER OF THE DREAMING: ABORIGINAL RELIGIOUS LIFE • MUST RECREATE THE MYTHIC PAST IN ORDER TO TAP INTO ITS SACRED POWER • IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH THIS CERTAIN RITUALS MUST BE PERFORMED • RITUALS WERE TAUGHT TO THE FIRST HUMANS BY THE ANCESTORS IN DREAMING

TABOO: THE BASIS OF ABORIGINAL SOCIAL STRUCTURE • TABOO: CERTAIN ACTIVITIES, OWEING TO THEIR SACRED NATURE, ARE SET ASIDE FOR SPECIFIC MEMBERS OF THE GROUP AND ARE FORBIDDEN TO OTHERS • AGE AND SEX ARE OFTEN THE RESTRICTIVE FACTORS • OLDER MEMBERS OF THE TRIBE ARE IN CHARGE OF SUCH MATTERS • THE YOUNG ACHIEVE RELIGIOUS MATURITY THROUGH THE PROCESS OF INITIATION

INITIATION • AWAKEN YOUNG PEOPLE TO THEIR SPIRITUAL IDENTITY (TOTEM) • THIS RITUAL BRINGS ABOUT THE SYMBOLIC DEATH OF CHILDHOOD AND A SPIRITUAL REBIRTH INTO ADULTHOOD • YOUNG ABORIGININES LEARN THE ESSENTIAL TRUTHS ABOUT THEIR WORLD AND HOW TO ACT WITHIN IT • THESE RITUALS MAY SEEM NONSENSICAL TO US, BUT TO ABORIGINES THEY ARE ESSENTIAL TO GIVE MEANING TO THEIR LIFE

AN AFRICAN TRADITION: THE RELIGION OF THE YORUBA • RELIGION OF 10 MILLION AFRICANS THAT HAS EXISTED OVER ONE THOUSAND YEARS

THE YORUBA AND THEIR UNIVERSE • LOCATED IN THE WEST-CENTRAL PORTION OF AFRICA IN THE COUNTRIES OF NIGERIA, BENIN AND TOGO • ORIGINATED WITH A COMMON CULTURE AND LANGUAGE • GENERALLY IN URBAN AREAS; IFE HAS BEEN THE MOST IMPORTANT CITY, SINCE IT IS BELIEVED THE GOD ORISHA-NLA FIRST BEGAN TO CREATE THE WORLD

YORUBA COSMOLOGY • HEAVEN – INVISIBLE HOME OF THE GODS AND ANCESTORS • EARTH – NORMAL EXPERIENCE, VISIBLE HOME OF HUMAN BEINGS WHO DESCENDED FROM THE GODS – ALSO POPULATED BY PERVERTED FORMS OF HUMAN BEINGS SUCH AS WITCHES AND SORCERERS • CAUSE DISASTROUS HARM IF NOT CONTROLLED

PURPOSE OF YORUBA RELIGION • MAINTAIN THE BALANCE BETWEEN THE HUMAN BEINGS OF EARTH AND THE GODS AND ANCESTORS OF HEAVEN, WHILE GUARDING AGAINST THE EVIL DEEDS OF THE SORCERORS AND WITCHES

GODS AND ANCESTORS: THE INHABITANTS OF HEAVEN • SUPREME GOD: OLORUN • LESS POWERFUL GODS: ORISHAS • ALL THESE GODS INHABIT HEAVEN

OLORUN, THE HIGH GOD • CHARACTERISTICS – ORIGINAL SOURCE OF POWER IN THE UNIVERSE – DISTANT AND REMOTE – NOT INVOLVED IN HUMAN AFFAIRS – OTHER GODS, ORISHAS, FUNCTION AS MEDIATORS BETWEEN OLORUN AND HUMAN BEINGS

ORISHAS • SOURCES OF ALL SACRED POWER WHICH CAN HELP OR HARM HUMAN BEINGS, DEPENDING HOW WELL RITUALS, DESIGNED TO APPEASE THEM ARE CARRIED OUT • HUNDREDS EXIST • SOME ARE WORSHIPPED BY ALL YORUBA • SOME WORSHIPPED ONLY BY ONE FAMILY GROUP

SIGNIFICANT ORISHAS • ORISHA-NLA – CREATOR OF THE EARTH • OGUN – GOD OF IRON AND OF WAR – ORIGINALLY A HUMAN BEING – INHABITS THE BORDER AREA BETWEEN THE ANCESTORS AND THE REST OF THE ORISHAS • ESU – – CONTAINS BOTH GOOD AND EVIL PROPERTIES MEDIATES BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH HAS A PLACE AT EVERY SHRINE TRICKSTER FIGURE • SIGNIFICANT IN MANY PRIMAL RELIGIONS

THE ANCESTORS OF THE LIVING • DECEASED HUMANS WHO ARE ACQUIRED SUPERNATURAL STATUS • CAN HELP OR HARM HUMANS • TWO TYPES OF ANCESTORS – FAMILY ANCESTORS – DEIFIED ANCESTORS • KNOWN THROUGHOUT YORUBA SOCIETY AND NOW WORSHIPED BY LARGE NUMBERS OF PEOPLE

CONNECTING HEAVEN AND EARTH: RITUAL PRACTITIONERS • ALL PLAY THE ROLE OF MEDIATION AND MAINTAINING THE BALANCE BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH • SEVERAL PRACTITIONERS MEDIATE BETWEEN HUMANS AND THE ANCESTORS DEPENDING UPON WHAT THE WORSHIPER WANTS FULFILLED – HEAD OF A FAMILY – DIVINERS • DIVINATION – THE PRACTICE OF PREDICTING THE FUTURE BY WISDOM STORIES – RITUAL SPECIALISTS • TRANSMITTING MESSAGES FROM THE DECEASED TO THE LIVING AT FESTIVALS

RELIGION OF THE NORTH AMERICAN PLAINS INDIANS • “NATIVE AMERICANS” MIGRATED FROM SIBERIA OVER 20, 000 -30, 000 YEARS AGO • MORE THAN 30 TRIBES, SPEAKING SEVEN DISTINCT LANGUAGES, RESIDED IN THE REGION OF THE GREAT PLAINS • THEIR CULTURE WAS GREATLY AFFECTED BY THE INTRODUCTION IF THE HORSE BY EUROPEANS IN THE 16 TH CENTURY • THEIR RELIGION TODAY SERVES AS A MODEL PAN-INDIAN RELIGION, WHICH IS UNITING TRIBES FROM ACROSS NORTH AMERICA

LAKOTA PEOPLE • LAKOTA (SIOUX) – KNOWN BEST FOR “CUSTER’S LAST STAND” (1876), WOUNDED KNEE (1890) – ABOUT 100, 000 CURRENTLY LIVE ON RESERVATIONS

BASIC BELIEFS • SUPREME REALITY: WAKAN TANKA (GREAT SPIRIT) – NAME REFERS TO 16 SEPARATE DEITIES – NUMBER 16 IS SACRED NUMBER TO THE LAKOTA

COSMOLOGY • CREATION AND APPEARANCE OF HUMAN BEINGS EXPLAINED IN DETAILED MYTHS CELEBRATING SUPERNATURAL BEINGS INVOLVED • KEY DEITY: INKTOME-”SPIDER” (TRICKSTER) • BELIEF THAT, IN DEATH, FOUR SOULS DEPART FROM A PERSON AT DEATH – ONE JOURNEYS TO THE “SPIRIT PATH” (MILKY WAY” – ONE MEETS AN OLD WOMAN WHO JUDGES IT • ALLOWS IT TO CONTINUE TO THE OTHER WORLD OF ANCESTORS OR SENDS IT BACK TO EARTH AS A GHOST – OTHER SOULS ENTER UNBORN CHILDREN AND ARE REBORN IN NEW BODIES

THE VISION QUEST • COMMON TO MANY PRIMAL RELIGIONS • PRIMARY MEANS FOR AN INDIVIDUAL TO GAIN ACCESS TO SPIRITUAL POWER IN ORDER TO ENSURE GREATER SUCCESS IN HUNTING, WARFARE AND CURING THE ILL. • BOTH MEN AND WOMEN EXPERIENCE THE QUEST • OVERSEEN BY A MEDICINE MAN OR WOMAN – ISSUES SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS BEFOREHAND INTERPRETS THE CONTENT OF THE VISION AFTERWARD – PARTICIPANT UNDERGOES A RITUAL PURIFICATION IN THE SWEAT LODGE BEFORE THE QUEST

VISION QUEST (CON. ) • SWEAT LODGE: REPRESENTS THE UNIVERSE • PROCESS OF PROFUSELY SWEATING SYMBOLIZES BOTH A PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL CLEANSING • THE VISION QUESTER THEN GOES TO A DESIGNATED SECLUDED SPOT FOR A PERIOD OF TIME WITH NO FOOD OR WATER, PERFORMING CERTAIN RITUALS AS INSTRUCTED BY THE MEDICINE MAN OR WOMAN • THE VISION APPEARS IN THE FORM OF AN ANIMAL, SOME OTHER OBJECT OR FORCE OF NATURE • THE VISION IS THEN INTERPRETED BY THE MEDICINE MAN AND THESE LESSONS WILL INFLUENCE THE QUESTOR FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIFE

THE SUN DANCE • FOCUSES ON THE TRIBE • OCCURS AT THE BEGINNING OF SUMMER: A CELEBRATION OF THE NEW YEAR AND AS A PREPARATION FOR THE ANNUAL BUFFALO HUNT • CEREMONY CONDUCTED BY MEDICINE MAN OR A WOMAN OF OUTSTANDING CHARACTER • CEREMONY CENTERED AROUND THE “SUN DANCE” LODGE – COTTONWOOD TREE REPRESENTING THE “AXIS MUNDI” CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE – TWENTY-EIGHT POLES COMPOSE THE LODGE REPRESENTING THE 28 DAYS OF THE LUNAR MONTHLY CALENDAR – THE LODGE REPRESENTS THE UNIVERSE AND THE FOUR COMPASS DIRECTIONS

A MESOAMERICAN RELIGION: THE AZTECS AND THEIR LEGACY • POPULATION OF ABOUT 15 MILLION; MAKES THEM EXCEPTION OF PRIMAL RELIGIONS • CENTERED IN CITY OF TENOCHTITLAN (MEXICO CITY) • EMPHASIZED RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MYTH AND RITUAL • INFLUENCE STILL FOUND IN MODERN RELIGIOUS PRACTICES

THE AZTECS AND MESOAMERICAN CULTURE • CULTURE CENTERED IN REGION FROM MEXICO SOUTH TO COSTA RICA • NATIVE AMERICANS ARRIVED ABOUT 20, 000 YEARS AGO • FROM ABOUT 2, 000 B. C. UNTIL ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ARRIVAL OF COLUMBUS, AREA DOMINATED BY SOPHISTICATED DIVERSE CULTURES – OLMECS, MAYA, TOLTEC, AZTEC

THE TOLTEC TRADITION: THE FOUNDATION OF AZTEC RELIGION • INFLUENCED BY TOLTECS • BELIEVED TOLTEC GOD, QUETZALCOATL, PRESIDED OVER GOLDEN AGE • EARTHLY DEVOTEE WAS THE YOUNG PRINCE, WHO RULED AS PRIEST-KING • AZTEC COSMOLOGY ATTRIBUTED THE CREATION OF THE WORLD TO QUETZALCOATL

TEOTIHUACAN: PLACE OF ORIGINS • BELIEVED THAT ORIGIN OF THE COSMOS TOOK PLACE AT TEOTIHUACAN – LOCATED ABOUT 30 MILES FROM THE CAPITAL – QUETZALCOATL WAS WORSHIPPED LONG BEFORE THE RISE OF THE TOLTECS – LOCATION IS NOW THE MOST POPULAR ARCHEOLOGICAL SITE IN MEXICO

COSMOLOGY: TIME AND SPACE • COSMOLOGY RELATED WITH – PESSIMISTIC VIEW OF TIME – PERSPECTIVE ON HUMAN CONDITION – RITUAL OF HUMAN SACRIFICE

AGE OF THE FIFTH SUN • CURRENT SUN WAS THE FIFTH SUN • PREVIOUS SUNS HAD BEEN DESTROYED AND SIMILAR FATE WAS ANTICIPATED • HUMAN SACRIFICE WAS THE ONLY WAY TO FORESTALL THIS EVENT • BELIEVED THAT THE FIFTH SUN WAS THE LAST SUN • EACH SUN HAD OCCUPIED ITS OWN COSMIC LOCATION

FOUR DIRECTIONS AND THE AXIS MUNDI • EARTHLY REALM CONNECTED TO A MANY-LAYERED HEAVEN AND UNDERWORLD • SERPENT MOUNTAIN WAS THE CENTER OF THE WORLD AT TENOCHTITLAN; THE TEMPLE WAS WHERE THE FOUR DIRECTIONS CONVERGED – MOUNTAINS ARE FREQUENTLY AXIS MUNDI’S FOR PRIMAL RELIGIONS

THE HUMAN ROLE IN SUSTAINING THE COSMOS • TWO DIVINE FORCES, ONE IN THE HEAD AND ONE IN THE HEART, INFLUENCED THE HUMAN CONDITION • THE HUMAN HEAD AND HEART WERE REGARDED AS POTENT NOURISHMENT FOR THE SUN AND THE COSMOS

THE RITUAL OF HUMAN SACRIFICE • THE HEART WAS OFFERED AS NOURISHMENT TO THE SUN • THE HEAD WAS OFFERED TO THE SKY • THE INDIVIDUAL WILLINGLY WAS SACRIFICED AND ENTERED THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF HEAVEN • SACRIFICES CARRIED OUT ONCE EVERY TWENTY DAYS – VICTEMS WERE NORMALLY CAPTURED WARRIORS

THE MASTERY OF LANGUAGE • MUCH RELIGIOUS POWER WAS CONVEYED THROUGH THE MASTERY OF LANGUAGE • AZTECS SPOKE “NAHUATL” • “KNOWERS OF THINGS” COULD COMMUNICATE WITH THE GODS AND MAKE OFFERINGS THROUGH LANGUAGE AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SACRIFICE

FROM AZTEC EMPIRE TO CATHOLIC MEXICO • HERNAN CORTES CONQUERS THE AZTECS IN 1521 • MONTECZUMA BELIEVED HE WAS A GOD • THE VIRGIN OF GUADALUPE, WHICH APPEARED IN 1531 AT A LOCATION THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN VENERATED AS THE SACRED PLACE OF THE AZTEC MOTHER GODDESS • AZTECS ALSO PERFORMED RITUALS

SUN DANCE (CON) • SELF-MUTILATION BY SOME PARTICIPANTS WAS CONSIDERED THE ONLY WORTHY SACRIFICE A HUMAN BEING COULD OFFER THE SUPREME BEING • EVENTUALLY OUTLAWED BY U. S. GOVERNMENT, IT IS NOW LEGAL AND PRACTICED IN ITS TRADITIONAL FORM AMONG TRIBES OF THE PLAINS

HINDUISM • MANY RIVERS TO ONE OCEAN – HARMONY AND TOLERANCE ARE KEY ASPECTS OF HINDUISM – ALL BELIEFS AND PRACTICES ARE AIMING FOR THE SAME RESULT: SALVATION • “GOD IS ONE BUT MEN CALL HIM BY MANY NAMES” (from the RIG VEDA)

HUMAN DESTINY: FROM WORLDLY REALMS TO THE DIVINE BEYOND • SPIRITUAL PERFECTION AMOUNTS TO A RETURN TO THE BEGINNING • THE FINAL DESTINY OF SALVATION THROUGH LIBERATION RETURNS THE INDIVIDUAL TO THE BEGINNING

LIBERATION: RETURNING TO THE SACRED SOURCE • TO BE LIBERATED, OR ATTAIN SALVATION, MEANS TO BE RELEASED FROM THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION • THIS CANNOT BE ATTAINED IN ONE LIFETIME • REINCARNATION-SEVERAL LIFETIMES • MOKSHA: BEING RELEASED FROM THE HUMAN CONDITION INTO THE INFINITE OR DIVINE • THE HINDU WHO ATTAINS MOKSHA IS NEVER AGAIN REINCARNATED AND IS UNITED FOREVER WITH THE DIVINE

THE DIVINE: ONE ULTIMATE REALITY, MANY “MASKS” • HINDUS WORSHIP MANY GODS AND GODDESSES; THOUGHT OF AS MANY MASKS OF GOD

MONISM: ALL IS BRAHMAN • MONISM: THE BELIEF THAT ALL REALITY IS ULTIMATELY ONE • PLANTS, ANIMALS, GODDESSES, SHARE A COMMON ESSENCE • THIS ESSENCE IS CALLED BRAHMAN – BRAHMAN IS PURE SPIRIT, THE SOURCE OF THE UNIVERSE AND BEYOND HUMAN PERCEPTIONS AND THOUGHT • THE SACRED TEXTS, UPANISHADS, REFER TO BRAHMAN AS “NOT THIS, NOT THAT”

BRAHMAN: THE ESSENCE OF ALL REALITY • THE ULTIMATE REALITY CAN BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH INWARD CONTEMPLATION OF THE SELF • THE ULTIMATE REALITY WITHIN IS NAMED: ATMAN – THE ETERNAL SELF • THE TERMS BRAHMAN AND ATMAN ARE INTERCHANGEABLE

POLYTHEISM: 330 MILLION GODS AND GODDESSES • HINDUS REGARD ITS GODS AND GODDESSES AS EXTENSIONS OF ONE ULTIMATE REALITY • SINCE THE DIVINE REALITY IS BEYOND THE REACH OF THE HUMAN SENSES AND THOUGHT, HUMANS NEED POINTS OF CONTACT WITH THE DIVINE: MULTIPLE MASKS (GODS) • HINDUS MAY WORSHIP WHICHEVER GODS THEY LIKE, SINCE THEY ARE ALL THE ESSENCE OF THE ULTIMATE REALITY

MANY WORLDS, MANY LIFETIMES: HINDU COSMOLOGY • IF EVERYTHING COMES FROM THE DIVINE, BRAHMAN, WHY DOES THERE APPEAR TO BE ANYTHING ELSE? • NO REAL IMPORTANCE IN EXPLAINING THIS OTHER THAN HUMANS HAVING TO DEAL WITH THE REALITY AND GAIN SALVATION

CYCLES OF CREATION • TIME AND CREATION ARE VIEWED AS ONGOING CYCLES • LONG PATTERNS OF CREATION AND DESTRUCTION

REINCARNATION • WHILE THE UNIVERSE GOES THROUGH THIS CYCLE, HUMANS ALSO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OF REINCARNATION UNTIL THEY ATTAIN “MOKSHA” • “SAMSARA”: “WHEEL OF REBIRTH; THE INDIVIDIDUAL IS REINCARNATED FROM ONE LIFEFORM TO ANOTHER • INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS ARE NOT TRANSMITTED

REINCARNATION (CON. ) • REINCARNATION OCCURS ON MANY LEVELS: GODS, DEVILS ETC… • “BHAGAVAD-GITA”: HINDUISM’S MOST SACRED TEXT – THE GOD, KRISHNA, TEACHES THE WARRIOR, ARJUNA, ABOUT MANYY IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS ISSUES

LAW AND ORDER: DIVINE PRINCIPLES IN THE WORLD • KHARMA AND DHARMA CONNECT THE DIVINE WITH THIS WORLD • FORM A BASIS FOR MORAL LIFE AND PERMEATE THE EARTHLY LIFE WITH SPIRITUAL SIGNIFICANCE

KARMA • DETERMINES THE NATURE OF EACH REINCARNATION • MEANS “ACTIONS” OR “DEEDS” • INDIVIDUAL MORAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS • INDIVIDUAL KARMIC RECORD STAYS WITH YOU FROM REINCARNATION TO REINCARNATION • KARMA DETERMINES THE LIFEFORM INTO WHICH ATMAN APPEARS

DHARMA • STANDARD OF ETHICAL DUTY BASED ON THE DIVINE ORDER OF REALITY • THE COMPLETE RULE OF LIFE • FOUR SOURCES PROVIDE GUIDANCE ABOUT DHARMA IN PARTICULAR SITUATIONS – DIVINE REVELATION – SACRED TRADITION – EXAMPLES OF THE WISEST IN SOCIETY – CONSCIENCE

DHARMA (CON. ) • DHARMA LIMITS PURSUIT OF DESIRES • SHIFTS SATISFYING OWN DESIRES TO THE CONCERN FOR OTHERS • IT IS THE ETHICAL FEATURE OF HINDUISM

HINDU SOCIETY: MAPPING THE INDIVIDUAL’S IDENTITY • DHARMA IS CONNECTED TO SOCIAL ORDER DETERIMINED BY GENDER, CASTE AND STAGE OF LIFE

DOING ONE’S JOB: THE CASTE SYSTEM • VARNA WAS THE ORIGINAL TERM • BRAHMIN – PRIESTS • KSHATRIYA – WARRIORS AND ADMINISTRATORS • VAISHYA – PRODUCERS: FARMERS, MERCHANTS, ARTISANS • SHUDRA

CASTE (CON. ) • ORIGINALLY THERE WERE OVER 3, 000 CASTES • DEPENDENT ON OCCUPATIONS • FOR WOMEN, CASTE WAS CONTINGENT ON WHO SHE MARRIED • THIS WAS OFTEN DICTATED BY DHARMA • OUTCASTS OR “UNTOUCHABLES”, WERE ANOTHER CASTE

ACTING ONE’S AGE: FOUR STAGES OF LIFE • STUDENT – INTENSIVE STUDY OF SACRED LITERATURE • HOUSEHOLDER – MARRIAGE (ARRANGED) – PURSUING A CAREER, RAISING FAMILY • FOREST DWELLER – FIRST GRANDCHILD – RETREAT FROM WORLDLY BONDS • SANNYASIN (ASCETIC)

SEEKING ONE’S DESIRE: FOUR GOALS OF LIFE • SENSUAL PLEASURE (KAMA) – A LEGITIMATE AIM OF LIFE • CELEBRATES THE PURSUIT OF PLEASURE – MUST REMAIN WITHIN THE LIMITS OF DHARMA • MATERIAL SUCCESS (ARTHA) – YEARNING FOR FULFILLMENT BEYOND SENSUAL PLEASURE • HARMONY WITH DHARMA – GOES BEYOND A DUTY GRUDGINGLY PERFORMED – PERFECT HARMONY WITH DHARMA • THE BLISS OF MOKSHA – PATHS TO ACHIEVE MOKSHA ARE NUMEROUS

THREE PATHS TO LIBERATION • THREE PATHS BY WHICH THE PERSON MOVES CLOSER TO THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF LIBERATION • PEOPLE HAVE DIFFERENT TALENTS OR TENDENCIES – TO BE ACTIVE – TO GAIN KNOWLEDGE – TO EXPERIENCE EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT

FOR THE ACTIVE: KARMA MARGA, “THE PATH OF WORKS” • SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS “KARMA YOGA” • MARKED BY AN ATTITUDE OF UNSELFISHNESS – ATTATCHMENT TO THE RESULTS OF ACTION MUST BE AVOIDED – DO THE RIGHT THING ONLY BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT • THIS PATH HAS ALL TO DO WITH LIVING IN ACCORDANCE WITH DHARMA • EXEMPLIFIED BY GANDHI – “RELIGION IS CONCERN FOR THE WORLD EXPRESSED THROUGH SOCIAL SERVICE”

GANDHI

FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL: JNANA MARGA, “THE PATH OF KNOWLEDGE” • THE STEEPEST ASCENT TO LIBERATION • REQUIRES DEVOTING TIME TO LEARNING AND MEDITATION; MORE PRACTICAL FOR THE BRAHMIN CLASS • EMPHASIZES ATTAINING KNOWLEDGE OVER IGNORANCE • IT GOES BEYOND THE MERE ACCUMULATION OF FACTUAL KNOWLEDGE • IT MEANS TO LIVE, TO EXPERIENCE THE TRUE NATURE OF REALITY

THREE SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY • THREE SCHOOLS OF HINDU PHILOSOPHY: THE ATTAINMENT OF KNOWLEDGE OVER IGNORANCE – VEDANTA • SHANKARA TAUGHT THAT REALITY AMOUNTS TO MONISM – SANKHYA • REALITY IS COMPOSED OF TWO DISTINCT CATEGORIES: MATTER AND AN INFINITE NUMBER OF ETERNAL SELVES • THE FOLLOWER OF SANKHYA ATTEMPTS TO FREE THE ETERNAL SELF FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE PERSONALITY – YOGA • TO FREE THE ETERNAL SELF FROM BONDAGE BY STRIPPING AWAY THE MANY LEVELS OF PERSONHOOD IN WHICH THE SELF IS WRAPPED • AN 8 STEP PROCESS THAT LEADS EVENTUALLY TO “SAMADHI”, A TRANCELIKE STATE I WHICH SELFCONCIOUSNESS IS LOST AND THE MIND IS ABSORBED INTO ULTIMATE REALITY (p. 56, 57)

FOR THE EMOTIONAL: BHAKTI MARGA, “THE PATH OF DEVOTION” • LEADS SPIRITUAL ENERGY OUTWARD TOWARDS WORSHIP OF A DEITY • DEVOTION TO A DEITY REDUCES THE INDIVIDUALITY THAT BINDS THE SELF TO SAMSARA (CYCLE OF REINCARNATION) • ATTENTION IS FOCUSED ON THE DIVINE, NOT ON THE SELF

GODS AND GODDESSES • COMMONPLACE TO WORSHIP SEVERAL GODS • MORE POPULAR GODS: VISHNU, KALI, SHIVA, RAMA, KRISHNA • IMPORTANT TRIAD – BRAHMA=THE CREATOR – VISHNU=THE PRESERVER – SHIVA=THE DESTROYER

AVATARS • INCARNATION OR LIVING EMBODIMENT OF A DEITY – GENERALLY VISHNU • IN ORDER TO ACCOMPLISH A DIVINE PURPOSE

THE BHAGAVAD-GITA • MOST CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH BHAKTI MARGA • ACCOUNTS WITH THIS TEXT FAVOR THE PATH OF DEVOTION

ASPECTS OF DAILY DEVOTION • RITUAL, PRAYER, VISITS TO TEMPLES AND SHRINES. • VENERATION OF SACRED COWS

HOUSEHOLD AND VILLAGE RITUALS • HOUSEHOLD DEITIES FREQUENTLY HAVE SHRINES IN THE HOME • VILLAGES OFTEN WORSHIP IN UNISON DURING ANNUAL FESTIVALS TO HONOR CERTAIN GODS OR GODDESSES

HOLY PLACES • ALL RIVERS, IN PARTICULAR THE RIVER GANGES • PILGRIMS FREQUENTLY TAKE RITUAL BATHS IN THE GANGES IN ORDER TO SYMBOLLICALLY WASH AWAY THEIR SINS

COW VENERATION • THE COW REPRESENTS LIFE • IN THE PAST, THE KILLING OF A COW WAS A CAPITAL OFFENSE

HINDUISM IN THE MODERN WORLD • THE MODERN WORLD SEEMS TO POSE A CHALLENGE FOR HINDUISM SINCE INDIA’S STRUGGLE TO BECOME A DEMOCRACY, SEEMS TO BE IN CONTRADICTION TO HINDUISM’S CASTE CONCEPT.

THOSE WHO HINDUS REVERE: RELIGIOUS LEADERS • BRAHMIN – TEND TO ANCIENT RITUALS • GURUS (ENLIGHTENED TEACHERS) – TEACH THE TRUTH OF THE u. PANISHADS

BUDDHISM • A THERAPY FOR LIVING FROM ONE WHO “WOKE UP” – GAUTAMA WAS MORTAL, NOT A GOD, WHO UNDERWENT AN EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCE – HE AWOKE TO THE FULL AWARERNESS OF THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION AND TO THE MEANS OF TRANSCENDING IT – TEACHES THE EXPERIENCES OF AWAKENING – GAUTAMA PRESCRIBED A CURE FOR THE HUMAN CONDITION; A THERAPY FOR LIVING

THE LIFE OF GAUTAMA • NO ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF GAUTAMA’S LIFE EXISTS • MOST ACCOUNTS WERE WRITTEN HUNDREDS OF YEARS AFTER HIS DEATH • ACCOUNTS HAVE BEEN EMBELLISHED

FROM PAMPERED PRINCE TO STARVING ASCETIC • BORN INTO THE WARRIOR CLASS, HIS FATHER WAS THE RULER OF A SMALL NORTHERN INDIAN KINGDOM • BORN IN 563 B. C. , HIS FULL NAME WAS SIDDHARTHA GAUTAMA • FATHER ATTEMPTED TO MAKE SIDDHARTHA A WORLDLY PRINCE

THE FOUR PASSING SIGHTS • • A DECREPIT OLD MAN A DISEASED MAN A CORPSE A RELIGIOUS ASCETIC MAN – SEARCHING FOR SALVATION FROM A WORLD OF SUFFERING

THE GREAT GOING FORTH • AT THE AGE OF TWENTY-NINE, HE GIVES UP THE LIFE OF A PRINCE AND BECOMES AN ASCETIC AND AUSTERE LIFE OF A MENDICANT • THIS EVENT SYMBOLIZES THE TRIUMPH OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE OVER THE WORLDLY LIFE • HE BELIEVED REDUCTION OF THE BODY WOULD INCREASE HIS SPIRITUAL POWERS

THE MIDDLE WAY • A HEALTHY SPIRITUAL LIFE DEPENDS ON A HEALTHY PHYSICAL LIFE • WHILE REJECTING OVERINDULGENCE IN BODILY PLEASURE, IT DOES NOT REJECT THE BODY ITSELF • SPIRITUAL HAPPINESS IMPLIES HAPPINESS IN MIND, BODY AND IN SPIRIT

THE ENLIGHTENED ONE • SEATED UNDER A FIG TREE IN A LOTUS POSITION, HE RESOLVED NOT TO MOVE UNTIL HE FOUND COMPLETE AND PERFECT FULFILLMENT • MARA, THE GOD OF DEATH, ATTEMPTS TO MOVE GAUTAMA FROM HIS SPOT • GAUTAMA ASKS THE EARTH TO BEAR WITNESS TO HIS RESOLVE

ENLIGHTENMENT • HE WITHSTANDS THE TEMPTATIONS OF FEAR AND PASSION • HE FOCUSES INWARD AND ENTERED A MEDITATIVE TRANCE AND PERCEIVES THE NATURE OF THE HUMAN CONDITION • FIRST WATCH (EVENING) – PERCEIVED HIS OWN PREVIOUS LIFETIMES • SECOND WATCH (MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT)

FOUNDING OF THE SANGHA • SEEKING REFUGE IN THE THREE JEWELS – REPEATING A RITUAL FORMULA THREE TIMES, ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR AUTHORITY – A DEFFINITE COMMITMENT TO BUDDHISM • THREE JEWELS OF BUDDHISM – THE BUDDHA – THE DHARMA • BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS – THE SANGHA • MONASTIC COMMUNITY

DEATH AND FINAL NIRVANA • IN 483 B. C. , SIDDHARTHA BECOMES ILL AFTER EATING SPOILED FOOD • “ALL THE CONTENTMENTS OF BEING ARE TRANSITORY; WORK OUT YOUR SALVATION WITH DILEGENCE” • HE MOVES FROM PERFECT TRANQUILITY TO NIRVANA

THE DHARMA: BUDDHIST TEACHINGS • THE CONSTRUCTS OF BUDDHISM ARE DEFINED BY THE TEACHING OF A PERSON RATHER THAN FAITH IN A DIVINE BEING • DHARMA: THE TEACHINGS OF THE BUDDHA – INSIGHT IS GAINED THROUGH A PROFOUND MEDITATION EXPERENCE – SINCE THIS INSIGHT WAS ATTAINED BY A MAN, IT CAN BE ATTAINED BY ALL

DHARMA (CON. ) • THIS INSIGHT IS NOT RELIANT ON FACTS BUT DEVELOPMENT OF WISDOM OR INSIGHT INTO THE HUMAN CONDITION • BUDDHISM IS THE MOST PSYCHOLOGICAL OF ALL RELIGIONS

BUDDHISM AND HINDUISM: THE INDIAN CONTEXT • MANY HINDUS REGARD BUDDHA AS A REINCARNATION OF THE GOD VISHNU • BUDDHA OFTEN REACTED AGAINST HINDUISM

A SHARED COSMOLOGY • BOTH RELIGIONS BELIEVE THAT TIME IS CYCLICAL • GAUTAMA WAS NOT THE ONLY BUDDHA • MULTIPLE WORLD S EXIST: HEAVENS, HELLS AND THE MIDDLE REALM OF HUMANS AND ANIMALS • BASIC TO BOTH TRADITIONS IS “SAMSARA”= WHEEL OF REBIRTH • ONLY THROUGH NIRVANA = RELEASE

THE BUDDHA’S REACTION AGAINST EARLY HINDUISM • DISSATTISFIED WITH SPECULATIVE PHILOSOPHY AND RITUAL SACRIFICES OF THE BRAHMIN • USELESS FOR THE TASK OF WINNING SALVATION • DIRECT INWARD OBSERVATIONS OF THE HUMAN CONDITION • ONLY THE HUMAN MIND CAN WIN SALVATION • REJECTED CASTE SYSTEM

BUDDHA’S REACTION TO HINDUISM (CON. ) • SACRED TEXTS OF BUDDHISM WRITTEN IN “PALI”; LANGUAGE OF THE OCMMON PEOPLE • WOMEN WERE ACCEPTED INTO THE SANGHA, BE IT RELUCTANTLY

INDIVIDUALS AND THEIR DESTINY • ALL THINGS DISCOVERED BY THE BUDDHA ARE DISCOVERABLE BY ONESELF • PARADOX: EXAMINING COMPLETELY THE INNER REALM OF SELF LEADS TO THE DISCOVERY THAT THE SELF “DOES NOT EXIST”

THE THREE MARKS OF EXISTENCE: • NO-SELF, IMPERMANENCE, SUFFERING • GAUTAMA DISCOVERED THAT CHANGE – EVERYTHING, WITHIN AND WITHOUT, IS CHANGING CONSTANTLY= THE THREE MARKS OF EXISTENCE

ANATTA • SIMILAR TO ATMAN IN HINDUISM • MEANS “NO-SELF” TO BUDDHISTS • THE ESSENCE OF BUDDHISM IS THERE IS NO ESSENCE • THE “YOU” OF THE PAST NO LONGER EXISTS IN THE PRESENT

ANNICA • EXISTENCE IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING: IMPERMANENCE – LIKE A RIVER, WE ARE A CONSTANTLY CHANGING FLOW OF THOUGHTS, FEARS, HOPES, PERCEPTIONS, ETC….

DUKKHA • SUFFERING: THE NATURAL RESULT OF THE PREVIOUS TWO MARKS OF EXISTENCE • ALSO IS ONE OF THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

SAMSARA: BUDDHIST REBIRTH • REBIRTH IN THE BUDDHIST COSMOLOGY, IS ANALAGOUS TO THE LIGHT OF ONE CANDLE BEING PASSED ON TO ANOTHER CANDLE • THE TRANSFERENCE OF A BUNDLE OF ENERGY PATTERNED ON ONE’S KARMA

KARMA: BUDDHIST MORALITY AND PERSONAL IDENTITY • LIKE THE HINDU BELIEF, IT IS THE MORAL LAW OF CAUSE AND EFFECT • TO THE BUDDHISTS, PERSONAL IDENTITY DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON KARMA • AT CONCEPTION THE NEW PERSON IS POSSESSED OF THIS PARTICULAR STATUS BROUGHT ON BY THE KARMA OF THE PREVIOUS LIFE • BUDDHIST MORALITY EMPHASIZES INTENTION – THE DEGREE OF IMMORALITY DEPENDS ON THE INDIVIDUAL’S INTENT RATHER THAN THE OUTCOME

KARMA (CON. ) • THE MORAL LIFE REQUIRES THE OBSERVANCE OF THE FIVE PRECEPTS: – DO NOT TAKE LIFE – DO NOT TAKE WHAT IS NOT GIVEN – DO NOT ENGAGE IN SENSUOUS MISCONDUCT – DO NOT USE FALSE SPEECH – DO NOT DRINK INTOXICANTS

KARMA (CON. PART 3) • THE FIVE PRECEPTS APPLY TO ALL BUDDHISTS • MONKS AND NUNS HAVE FIVE ADDITIONAL PRECEPTS – DO NOT EAT AFTER NOON – DO NOT WATCH DANCING OR SHOWS – DO NOT USE GARLANDS, PERFUMES OR ORNAMENTS – DO NOT USE A HIGH OR SOFT BED – DO NOT ACCEPT GOLD OR SILVER

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS • TO LIVE IS TO SUFFER • SUFFERING IS CAUSED BY DESIRE • SUFFERING CAN BE BROUGHT TO CESSATION • THE SOLUTION TO SUFFERING IS THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH – THEY ARE THE CENTRAL TEACHING OF BUDDHISM • • DIAGNOSING THE DISEASE DETERMINING ITS CAUSE ISSUING A PROGNOSIS PRESCRIBING A CURE

DIAGNOSIS OF THE DISEASE: DUKKHA • HUMAN LIFE, BY ITS NATURE, IS UNAVOIDABLEY WRAPPED UP IN DUKKHA (SUFFERING) • THE FIRST NOBLE TRUTH: SUFFERING, FRUSTRATION, DISLOCATION, DISCOMFORT – OUR ATTACHMENT TO PLEASANT THINGS SETS US UP TO SUFFER WHEN WE ARE SEPARATED FROM THEM – “A WISH IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MENTAL ATTACHMENT TO SOME OBJECT THAT IS NOT YET OURS TO ENJOY”

DETERMINATION OF THE CAUSE: TANHA • TANHA: DESIRE, THIRST, CRAVING – SELFISH ORIENTATION; DESIRE OF INDIVIDUAL ATTAINMENT, FOR PRIVATE FULFILLMENT – ATTACHED TO OUR FALSE IDEA OF BEING AN INDIVIDUAL SELF, LEADS TO CARE FOR OUSELVES, ALL THE WHILE ONLY ADDING TO THE FIRE OF TANHA (INDIVIDUAL FULFILLMENT) – THEREBY INCREASING SUFFERING

PROGNOSIS • WHILE THE BUDDHA’S PROGNOSIS FOR HUMAN LIFE, SUFFERING , WOULD SEEM TO BE PESIMISTIC, IN REALITY HIS PROGNOSIS IS OPTIMISTIC • THE “DISEASE AND ITS CAUSE CAN BE ROOTED OUT FROM EACH OF US

PRESCRIPTION FOR A CURE: THE NOBLE EIGHTFOLD PATH • THE CURE ENCOMPASSES ALL ASPECTS OF LIFE • A LIFE OF MODERATION SET FORTH ON THE MIDDLE WAY • THEY CONSTITUTE ONGOING PRACTICES, NOT STAGES TO BE MASTERED AND THEN LEFT BEHIND

THE EIGHTFOLD PATH • RIGHT VIEWS – LEARN THE CONTENT OF BUDDHAS’S TEACHINGS • RIGHT INTENTIONS – ABANDON GREED, HATRED AND DELUSION – NURTURE GENEROSITY, FRIENDSHIP AND INSIGHT • RIGHT SPEECH – AVOID GOSSIP, LYING, ABUSIVE TALK, IDLE TALK • RIGHT CONDUCT – OBEY THE FIVE PRECEPTS OF BUDDHISM • RIGHT LIVELIHOOD – AVOID SELLING WEAPONS, LIQUOR, BUTCHERING, HUNTING OR THE MILITARY • RIGHT EFFORT – MAINTAIN MENTAL ALERTNESS; TO DISCRIMINATE WISE AND UNWISE CHOICES • RIGHT MINDFULNESS – DEVELOP MENTAL FOCUS NEEDED FOR MEDITATION • RIGHT MEDITATION – ASSCEND THROUGH THE LEVELS OF MEDITATION=NIRVANA

EIGHTFOLD PATH (CON. ) • THE EIGHT STEPS EMBRACE THE PRIMARY FOCAL POINTS OF BUDDHIST TRAINING: – – WISDOM (1 -3) MORALITY (3 -5) CONCENTRATION (6 -8) THROUGH THE PROCESS OF MEDITATION, AND THE HEIGHTENED STATES OF AWARENESS IT NURTURES, BUDDHISM EMPHASIZES THE EXPERIENTIAL DIMENSION OF RELIGION

ENLIGHTENMENT AND NIRVANA • FOLLOWING THE EIGHTFOLD PATH WILL LEAD TO NIRVANA • THE STILL-LIVING “ARHAT” WHO HAS BECOME AWAKENED THROUGH MEDITATION HAS EXPERIENCED A FORETASTE OF THE FINAL NIRVANA • BUDDHAS ARE DISTINCT FROM THEIR FOLLOWERS IN THAT THEY NEED NO MODEL TO PROVIDE TEACHING IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THEIR AWAKENING.

COMPASSION: THE ENLIGHTENED ARHAT • WHILE STILL BEING ENGAGED IN THE AFFAIRS OF THIS WORLD, THE ARHAT NO LONGER IS ATTACHED TO THE WORLD, THEREFORE THE ARHAT IS PERFECTLY COMPASSIONATE TOWARD ALL LIVING THINGS. • HE IS FREE FROM THE IMPRISONMENT OF TANHA AND THUS FREE FROM DUKKHA • THEY HAVE LET GO OF ANY SENSE OF INDIVIDUAL EXISTENCE AND HAVE ACHIEVED SPIRITUAL PERFECTION

NIRVANA • NIRVANA: “BLOWING OUT” – HAVING EXTINGUISHED ALL SELFISH DESIRE, THE ARHAT HAS ATTAINED COMPLETE LIBERATION FORM SAMSARA – THE RESULT IS INDESCRIBABLE JOY

THREE RAFTS FOR CROSSING THE RIVER: DIVISIONS OF BUDDHISM FOR BUDDHISTS, RELIGION SERVES AS THE MEANS TO ACHIEVE NIRVANA THE CYCLE OF LIFE, SAMSARA, IS ON ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER; NIRVANA IS ON THE OTHER SIDE. RELIGION IS THE RAFT THAT ENABLES US TO GET TO THE OTHER SIDE.

“VEHICLES” THAT ENABLE US TO CROSS THE RIVER • DIFFERENCES AS THE RESULT OF REGIONAL VARIATIONS • THERAVADA – THE LESSER VEHICLE • MAHAYANA – THE GREAT VEHICLE • VAJRAYANA – THE VEHICLE OF THE DIAMOND

THERAVADA: “THE WAY OF THE ELDERS” • FOUND IN THE AREAS OF CAMBODIA, SRI LANKA, MYANMAR (BURMA), THAILAND • BUDDHA IS BEYOND THE REACH OF HUMANS • THE TEACHINGS OF BUDDHISM ARE MOST IMPORTANT, NOT THE FIGURE OF THE BUDDHA • FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS AND EIGHTFOLD PATH

THERAVADA (CON. ) • FOCUS IS ON MEDITATION • EMPHASIS ON MONASTIC LIFE • MONKS OUTNUMBER NUNS; HOLD MORE PROMINENT POSITION IN THERAVADA BUDDHISM • SERVING AS A MONK FOR THREE MONTHS IS SEEN AS A REQUIRED STEP TOWARD ADULTHOOD

MAHAYANA: THE GREAT VEHICLE • DOMINANT FORM OF BUDDHISM FOUND IN JAPAN, CHINA AND KOREA • BUDDHISM FOR THE MASSES • FOCUS IS ON BUDDHA HIMSELF AS A DIVINE SAVIOR • SALVATION MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH THE INFINITE COMPASSION OF THE BUDDHA • PREACH DHARMA RATHER THAN IMMEDIATE NIRVANA

MAHAYANA (CON. ) • ROLE OF BODHISATTVAS IS SIGNIFICANT IN MAHAYANA BUDDHISM • “BUDDHAS IN THE MAKING” • STOPPED SHORT OF ENTERING NIRVANA OUT OF COMPASSION FOR OTHERS • ON OCCASION THEY APPEAR IN THE WORLD AS HUMAN BEINGS • BODHISATTVAS ARE THE IDEAL TYPES; NOT ARHATS

VAJRAYANA: TIBETAN BUDDHISM • BUDDHA’S TEACHINGS HAVE THE STRENGTH AND CLARITY OF A DIAMOND • ADHERENTS BELIEVE NIRVANA CAN BE ATTAINED IN THIS LIFETIME, HERE AND NOW • SMALL MINORITY OF BUDDHISTS IN TIBET • SHUT OFF THE ENRGY OF DESIRE TO STOP SUFFERING

VAJRAYANA (CON. ) • THREE PRACTICES CAPITALIZE ON THE SENSUAL ENERGIES AS A WAY OF ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF SPIRITUAL ENHANCEMENT • MANDALAS: patterned icon that visually excite • MUDRAS: choreographed hand movements, drawing on energies of movement • MANTRAS: chants harnessing spiritual

THE ENDURING WISDOM OF THE BUDDHA

JAINISM • AHIMSA AND ASCETICISM: JAINISM’S IDEALS – ORIGINATED IN INDIA – WORLDS ARISE AND DECAY IN A SERIES OF INFINITE CYCLES – SAMSARA, KARMA AND MOKSHA MEAN THE SAME IN THEJAINIST RELIGION AS THE HINDU RELIGION – AHIMSA: ETHICAL FOUNDATION OF JAINISM (MANY VEGETARIANS) • THE CENTRAL PRINCIPLE • RELIGIOUS LIFE IS PRIMARILY THE AVOIDANCE OF HARMING OTHER LIVING CREATURES • MONKS AND NUNS PRACTICE AN EXTREME LIFESTYLE OF AHIMSA THROUGH ASCETICISM

MAKERS OF THE RIVER CROSSING • TERM DERIVED FROM THE WORD JINA (CONQUEROR) • THE SPIRITUAL CONQUERS THE PAST • TIRTHANKARAS: THOSE WHO HAVE ATTAINED SALVATION • JAINIST BELIEVE THAT 24 PEOPLE HAVE ACHIEVED A RIVER CROSSING DURING THIS WORLD CYCLE=CONQUERORS

PREVIOUS SLIDE (CON. ) • THESE “CONQUERORS” HAVE BEEN OF AN INFINITE NUMBER OVER THE COURSE OF ETERNITY • ONLY THE LAST TWO TIRTHANKARAS ARE REGARDED AS HISTORICAL PERSONS – PARSHVA: LIVED IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY B. C. – MAHAVIRA: ROLE MODEL FOR JAINS THROUGH THE CENTURIES

MAHAVIRA THE TWENTYFOURTH TIRTHANKARA • “GREAT HERO”; LIVED 599 -527 B. C. • CONTEMPORARY OF GAUTAMA • JAINISM REPLACED THE HINDU CASTE SYSTEM WITH ONE OF THEIR OWN • LIFE SIMILAR TO THAT OF SIDDHARTHA • EXTREME ASCETIC • MAHAVIRA: – HELD FAST TO ASCETICISM – LEARNED TRUE PRACTICES OF JAINISM

MAHIVIRA (CON. ) • KEVALA: JAIN ENLIGHTENMENT • COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OR OMNISCIENCE • HIS ELEVEN PRINCIPLE DISCIPLES WERE BRAHMINS WHO HAD CONVERTED FORM HINDUISM • AT THE AGE OF 72 HE STARVED HIMSELF TO DEATH • JAINS BELIEVE HE DWELLS IN

KNOWING THE UNIVERSE: COSMOLOGY AND SALVATION

THE JAIN UNIVERSE

UPWARD AND DOWNWARD CYCLES