Religions of the East

Buddhism Hinduism

BuddhismThe quest to be at peace with the universe…

Or something like that…

What is Buddhism?

Founded sometime between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. Hard to be exact with dates a long time ago Few people could read, which means few people could

write down what was happening.

Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, a high Brahmin caste Prince, son of a King

The goal is to reach enlightenment, or a state of awakening where you can understand and be at peace with everything.

Creation of the World

Buddhists take no position on how the world was created.

“We do not know HOW or WHEN or WHY it happened, but the world is here and so are we.”

That’s a good thing.

In short, Buddhists have no opinion about how the world was created!

Focus your attentions on the present since you cannot do anything but worry over the past.

So how did it come around? Siddhartha’s father wanted

him to be King Banned him from

leaving the palace grounds.

29 years old, ventured outside

Witnessed the “Four Sights” Old man, sick man,

corpse, and a priest at peace with the world.

Realized the misery of the world and of the poor people in the lower castes.

The Journey Begins The Prince decides he needs

to find the answers to life’s sufferings.

Sets out on a journey.

Explores monasteries that monks help others, meditate, fast (starve themselves), pray, and take no wives… but found no answers to the sufferings of the world.

This is a painting of the Buddha leaving for his journey! There he goes!

Recreation of Siddhartha

Enlightenment at Last Comes to the realization

that sufferings are caused by the ups and downs of life.

Through meditation and concentration, we can escape from these emotions and be at total peace.

Sat down under the Bodhi Tree and meditated; taught many others.

After a life of peace and teaching, died at the age of 80.

That’s Buddha’s happy face!

Gross!

THE END OF ALL THINGS

Buddhists have an interesting view of how the world will end…

They don’t care!

Don’t worry about it. It will happen someday and there isn’t anything we can do to stop it. Focus your energies on the here and now.

Live for today and for a better future that you create.

Practices and Beliefs

Believe in samsara, or the cycle of death and rebirth 1 of 6 forms: Living in hell, hungry ghost, animals, human, lower

god, supreme god.

Enlightenment brings about release from this cycle.

Karma is a major force in the universe that gives us what we earn in this life or the next.

The Four Noble Truths: How to stop the suffering of the world.

Noble Eightfold Path: The last of the Four Noble Truths, tells us how to live at peace and change our ways of thinking.

Buddha taking a nap

Four Noble Truths

1) dukka: Suffering of this world.

2) origin of dukka: Our human cravings and desires Be they lust, jealously, envy, pride, stubborness, anger.

3) cessation of dukka: giving up our cravings for things that can cause suffering

4) path to the cessation of dukka: this is the goal of Buddhism, and the ways of living and thinking that will lead us from desire and suffering.

Hey! Buddha be waving at us!!!

Notice the symbol?The swastika of Nazi Germany was originally a Hindu/Buddhist symbol for good fortune and peace.

Hitler used it because it symbolized the Aryan race (the people who conquered India).

Monks!!! Many people follow the

practice of being a Buddhist Monk!

Live on the charity of others.

Meditate all day and night

Some never speak

Wear the simplest of clothes.

Practice martial arts for discipline, exercise, and meditation.

Chanting “OM”

Monks are tougher than you or I

Many practice Martial Arts as a form of meditation.

Focusing mind and body to perform incredible feats. Breaking blocks, logs,

and other assorted building materials.

Never actually used in combat Only use for meditation Monks are nonviolent Can’t harm living things

Plus, they can do this!

Cool stuff

Meditation is concentration and chanting to relax the body, release your mind, find enlightenment.

Through meditation, a great many things are possible.

Pain can be completely forgotten

Let’s see how this is possible…

Tibetan Monks Peaceful, nonviolent Buddhist monks.

Lived for thousands of years in northern Vietnam

Abide by a strict and simple Buddhist code of life: Meditate for up to 8 hours a day Live by begging for support from others, and eat only what they can

afford to by from begging. Most do not speak (sounds can upset our inner peace)

Then war breaks out inside their country (Vietnam War)

Buddhist monks are nonviolent so they protest in other ways.

The next slide may be upsetting…

Protest Vietnam War

Checking for Understanding Who was the founder of Buddhism?

What is the goal of Buddhism?

How was the world created according to Buddhists?

How did Siddhartha learn of the sufferings in the world?

What did Siddhartha do when he turned 29?

How are Buddhism and Hinduism similar? Different?

What are the Four Noble Truths?

What is the purpose of the Noble Eightfold Path?

What is meditation?

Hinduism

Older than any old person you know!

According to Hinduism, the universe was never actually created but has always been around. It has been created and destroyed multiple times, we are in the 4th stage now.

There is a constant building and destroying that is natural to our universe, so everything is constantly being created and destroyed by opposite forces. Love, hate Hot, cold Chocolate, Peanut Butter Kobe, LeBron Chicken McNuggets or Fish McBites

In the Beginning…

Creation!!! EGAD!!!

The supreme creator God in Hinduism is Brahman, and TECHNICALLY there is only 1 god that shows itself in a million different ways.

From Brahman we get everything, both the good and the bad, but there are gods that are in charge or every aspect of life and death. It is everything at once, including the other gods.

Like in Christianity, there is a holy trinity:

Christianity has the Father (God), Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit.

Hinduism has Brahman (supreme creator), Vishnu (the one who brings balance to the universe), and Shiva (the destroyer).

The Concept(s) of God(s)

Brahman- the Creator• Always depicted as having many heads

• The other heads are to remind us that Brahman is the eternal source of everything, including other gods.

• Brahman is everything, never just one thing.

• Also, since Brahman is the highest of creation, the highest level of the caste system is also called Brahmin.

Vishnu- The Protector Brahman, Vishnu, Shiva

One of the many gods, but one of the top 3 in importance.

Vishnu appears on Earth to eradicate evil and restore dharma, or “balance to the universe”

Many tales of Vishnu inspiring others and destroying bad people.

Many arms and hands to represent his many tasks for balance, order, peace, stability.

Shiva

The Destroyer

The universe is both good and bad.

There can be no heroes without villains.

Destruction is a natural and necessary thing.

Slayer of demons

Avatars: The gods can all take a great many forms when they come to earth.

Samsara: Cycle of rebirth that all livings things follow.

Moksha: Release from the cycle of samsara after living a perfect life in your position.

Dharma: Universal balance and order, brought about by doing your duty or role based on your station in life. In short, it is your purpose in life.

Karma: Universal system of reward and punishment. Positive deeds will see you rewarded, bad deeds will see you punished in this life or the next.

Important Concepts

Reincarnation We have been born hundreds of times

in many different forms.

If we live according to our dharma, or purpose, we can become promoted in the next life.

If we do well for multiple lives, we receive moksha, or release from this endless cycle and go join the gods.

The rebirth cycle is seen as infinite and tiring, spirits only find peace and rest in moksha.

Why fight the system?

Samsara and Caste

Caste- social ranking in life

Gives every person their dharma, or purpose.

Every level has a specific role in the universe.

Lower castes are being punished for past deeds, higher castes are being rewarded.

No movement up or down within your lifetime, only when you are reincarnated.

Karma

The universal concept of right and wrong, reward and punishment.

The universe is always watching and judging how well you perform your dharma and how you interact with others, and it is keeping score.

Good deeds result in rewards (maybe you found $20 on the floor, maybe you are the only person in your family not to get sick)

Bad deeds results in consequences (getting sick, car breaking down, losing money, break-up)

Horrible things may result in getting reborn in a lower caste, or maybe into a tapeworm, or just a rock!!!

Not to be confused with…

The practices and beliefs of Hinduism are recorded in the holy books, the Vedas

These are a collection of four books, each of a different holy topic: Rig Veda: Book of Mantra

Collection of songs and hymns Sama Veda: Book of Song

Provides meaning to the songs and hymns Yajur Veda: The Book of Ritual

Guidebook of practices for priests Atharva Veda: The Book of Spell

Charms and spells to manipulate the world around you.

The Vedas: Holy Books

Kali Yuga- The End of All Things Starts when castes are overthrown and “alien kings” rule in India.

Brahman returns to earth as Kali Yuga, the final destroyer God, devouring all.

Vishnu will merge with the sun, causing a great drought that will evaporate all water on earth.

Shiva will cause thousands of years of rain.

Earth will be destroyed, so Brahman will make a new earth and start the 5th cycle.

Kali Yuga: I said NO PICKLES!! GROAR!!!!

Yoga

Practice of stretching and strength training for meditation.

Many different positions, chants, methods.

Started as a way of worship and meditation in Hinduism.

Yoga

Why is that guy saluting those dogs?