TITLE: Eastern Religions

Hinduism & Buddhism

Name

Date

Hour

Buddhism

Hinduism

Hinduism - India Caste System

Hinduism• Polytheistic – Many gods

– Brahma-the creator – Vishnu-the preserver– Shiva-the destroyer

• Third largest religion-– 1 billion followers mainly in India & Nepal

• Religious texts: Vedas = Sanskrit sacred texts of Hinduism

• Oldest of the practiced religions- C. 5000BCE• Protected Animal – Cow- may not be harmed

– Many Hindus are vegetarians due to belief in reincarnation.

Hinduism• Beliefs: Vary, but include

reincarnation and karma– Reincarnation

• Belief that the soul is born again and again• Ones status is determined by their karma

– Karma• Literal translation is actions• The moral law of “cause and effect”• The total sum of the positive and

negative actions of one’s life

Caste Hierarchy: a system that separates groups of people by inherited rank or profession

Hindu believe that you are born into a caste level by REINCARNATION (Good behavior = move up)

Caste System is a Social StructureHistorically India’s answer for filling all ‘jobs’ and that society member worked hard.

Jobs and Social classes were permanent you were born in to a level and you stayed until death (reincarnation).

In 1950’s was made Illegal in India but still uses the Caste System and predominant in the rural areas of India

Caste Hierarchy: DirectionsDraw this pyramid and the boxes on your paper.

Caste Hierarchy/Pyramid

BRAHMINS > Priests and Teachers

Caste Hierarchy/Pyramid

Kshatriyas > Warriors/Government leaders

Caste Hierarchy/Pyramid

Vaisyas > Merchants, traders

Caste Hierarchy/Pyramid

Sudras > Farmers, manual laborers, artisans

Untouchables/Dalits

•No caste at all (Their souls are considered too impure)•Clean streets, toilets•Can never be part of the Caste system (not even w/reincarnation)•No privileges

Untouchables

Caste Hierarchy/Pyramid

Must: Take a job from your casteMarry w/in same casteSocialize w/in your casteNo social mobility w/in your lifetime, only from reincarnation

Less People

More People

BRAHMINS Priests and Teachers

Kshatriyas - Warriors/ Government

Vaisyas - Merchants, traders

Sudras - Farmers, manual laborers, artisans

UNTOUCHABLES!

RULES TO CASTE SYSTEM

Brahma

Vishnu

Shiva

Buddhism

• Founded c. 500 BCE by Siddhartha Gautama- born in Nepal

• Became known as the Buddha– “Enlightened One”

• The Buddha taught his followers how to avoid sorrow and escape the suffering of life and rebirth

• Nirvana—The escape of suffering

Buddhism, cont…• c 250 BCE-250CE: Buddhism spread

throughout Asia from India• Buddhism is not widely practiced in India• Buddhism is very important in

– Sri Lanka– China– Japan– South-East Asia– Thailand is 95% Buddhist

8 Fold Path

The Buddha, Indian Perspective

Chinese “Laughing” Buddha

Cambodian Buddha

Japanese Buddha

End

Color and label your world map so it becomes a World Religion map. DOGSTAIL YOU MAP

Pay attention to where each religion is located. Why is it there? How did it get there?