WHGCEs Middle School Series Session 9 Craig Benjamin

1. W3.2 Growth and Development of World Religions WHGCEs Middle School Series Session 9 Craig Benjamin

2. W3.2 Growth and Development of World Religions (p60) Explain how world religions or belief systems of • Hinduism • Judaism • Buddhism • Christianity • Confucianism (Covered in Session 8, Part I) • and Islam grew and their significance. (Islam is included here even though it came after 300 C.E./A.D.)

3. Six of the world’s major faiths and ethical systems emerged establishing institutions, systems of thought, and cultural styles that would influence neighboring peoples and endure for centuries. 7 – W3.2.1 Identify and describe the beliefs of the five major world religions. 7 – W3.2.2 Locate the geographical center of major religions and map the spread through the 3rd century C.E./A.D. 7 – W3.2.3 Identify and describe the ways that religions unified people’s perceptions of the world and contributed to cultural integration of large regions of Afro-Eurasia.

4. To Include: • Part One: Buddhism and Hinduism • Part Two: Judaism and Christianity • Part Three: Islam

5. PART ONE:Buddhism and Hinduism • Buddhism still popular in India, and has spread to all of Asia. Continues to expand around the world • Shares some beliefs with Jainism. Both derived from the teachings of a great man; both stress the humanity of their teacher (rather than his divinity); both teach non-violence; both developed monastic traditions of celibacy and asceticism • But Buddhism has a more modern appeal and remains popular all over the world in the 21st Century – 2nd fastest growing religion in the world today • Buddha means ‘someone who has awakened from sleep’ • It was the Buddha’s ‘Great Awakening’ that resulted in the discovery of the eternal secret of the meaning of life www.mahindarama.com www.physics.adelaide.edu

6. Siddhartha Gautama: Early Life • Founder of Buddhism came from a kshatriya family, and he gave up his privileged position to seek enlightenment • He was born Siddhartha Gautama in c. 563 BCE in a small state in the foothills of the Himalayas • His wealthy father kept his son in a sheltered life of luxury, determined that he would never know misery • Siddhartha married his cousin and excelled in his studies; he was being groomed to succeed his father as governor

7. Humans and Suffering • Became dissatisfied with his comfortable life, and on short journeys in his chariot around the palace he became aware for the first time of the frailty and mortality of humans • Witnessed more and more misery and suffering amongst the ordinary people, and learned of monks who have withdrawn from the world to lead holy lives and perfect their souls • Became determined to take up the ascetic life himself, and wander the land in the hope it would give him insight into suffering pagecount.burningbird.net

8. Search for Enlightenment • About 524 BCE Siddhartha left his wife, family and luxurious home to lead the life of a holy man (inspired by a Jainist monk he had met) • Wandered the Ganges Valley seeking enlightenment about the apparent inevitability of suffering • Lived the life of an extreme ascetic, practicing virtual starvation and intense meditation • However, none of these tactics gave him the answers he was seeking Siddhartha as Meditating Ascetic – Gandharan 2nd C BCE www.exoticindiaart.com

9. Enlightenment Under the Banyan Tree • Eventually abandoned asceticism as leading nowhere • According to legend he sat down under a huge banyan (bo) tree to meditate upon a better path • Determined to stay seated until he understood the problem of human suffering • For 49 days he sat in meditation, tempted by demons with the pleasures of the flesh • Just before dawn on the 50th day he gained the insights he sought into the elimination of suffering • At that point he became the Buddha – ‘the enlightened one’ Banyan Tree Buddhist Shrine www.acay.com.au/~silkroad/buddha

10. Buddha and the ‘Turning of the Wheel’ • Buddha publicly announced his doctrine in c. 528, near the holy city of Banaras (modern Varanasi) • Buddhists refer to this sermon as the ‘Turning of the Wheel of Law’ because it was the beginning of his quest to promulgate the laws of righteousness

11. Disciples and Death Death of the Buddha. Gandharan 2nd C CE • Quickly attracted disciples from all over the Ganges valley • Organized them into a monastic order who wore yellow robes and traveled the land preaching Buddhism, living off donations • For more than 40 years the Buddha himself led his disciples all over northern India • Around 438 BCE he died at the age of 80, leaving his disciples with a final message: • ‘Decay is inherent in all component things! Work out your salvation with diligence’

12. The Middle Way • Buddhism called the ‘Middle Way’ because it lies between normal human life and desire, and extreme asceticism • Demands only a moderate form of renunciation and asceticism • Philosophy is called Dharma (‘religious good deeds leading to a good afterlife’) and is based on ‘Four Noble Truths’ • The Four Noble Truths are: 1. Suffering dominates our experience 2. The cause of suffering is desire 3. Suffering can be extinguished by extinguishing desire, thereby attaining nirvana the ‘going out of the fire’ of desire) 4. There is an 8-fold path that leads out of suffering to nirvana

13. The Noble Eight-Fold Path to Nirvana • Eight-fold path calls for humans to lead balanced and moderate lives, rejecting both the devotion to luxury found in so many human societies, and the extreme asceticism of hermits and Jains • Noble Eight-fold path means pursuing ‘right’ views, right resolve, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration – i.e. leading a decent, ethical, meditative life • If they pursue the right path of personal effort and redemption, each individual (whatever their status) could escape the cycle of reincarnation and achieve the state of nirvana (perfect spiritual independence) • Buddhism not originally a religion. Buddha criticized all earlier religions; he was an agnostic with no knowledge of God or gods

14. Social Appeal of Buddhism • Like the Jains, Buddhism offered escape from the cycle of incarnation without the help of brahmin priests, and also rejected the caste system • Message of Buddhism thus appealed strongly to the lower classes • Because it did not demand extreme asceticism, Buddhism became far more popular • Merchants became prominent in the ranks of early Buddhists, and often used Buddhism monasteries as inns when they traveled in Northern India www.time.com/time/

15. Appeal of Buddhism: Language Language was another important reason for the immense and immediate appeal of Buddhism The Buddha and his disciples avoided using Sanskrit (literary language used by the brahmins in their rituals) They used vernacular, local tongues (like Kharosthi) instead that reached a much larger audience www.frithjof-schuon.com

16. Buddhist Shrines and Stupas • Early Buddhists recognized holy sites that became focal points for devotion • Pilgrims flocked to sites associated with the Buddha’s life • Also popular were stupas - shrines housing relics of the Buddha and his first disciples The Great Stupa at Sanchi, probably Constructed by Ashoka, 3rd Century BCE www.buddhanet.net/ sanchi.htm

17. Monastic Organization • Buddhists were also highly organized • From the days of the Buddha himself, converts joined monastic communities where they dedicated their lives to the search for enlightenment • Monasteries paid for and supported by gifts from pious lay supporters, allowing the monks to spend most of their time preaching and explaining the dharma to lay audiences • During the centuries following Buddha’s death, monastic organization proved extremely efficient at spreading the Buddhist message and gaining converts • Eventually Buddhist monasteries began to accept gifts from wealthy benefactors and regard these bequests as acts of generosity that merited salvation • Thus wealthy individuals could enjoy the comforts of the world, avoid the sacrifices demanded by early Buddhism, and still ensure salvation

18. This monastery flourished from the 2nd C BCE to the 4th C CE Takht-I-Bahi (Pakistan Today)

19. Support of Ashoka • Early Buddhist movement also benefited immensely from patronage of the Indian Mauryan dynasty • Ashoka’s own account suggests he adopted Buddhism c. 260 BCE after being sickened by the violent war he had waged against the Kalingans • From that moment on he decided to pursue his aims through virtue, benevolence and humanity, rather than war • May have also seen Buddhism as a faith that could help united culturally members of his vast, multicultural empire • Gave up hunting, banned animal sacrifices, and eliminated most meat dishes from his table • Also built monasteries and stupas throughout the empire, made personal pilgrimages to the holy sites of Buddhism, and sent missionaries to Bactria and Sri Lanka

20. Developments in Later Buddhism • Although Buddhism was more accessible than the extreme ascetic religions, it still made heavy demands on individuals seeking to escape the cycle of incarnation • Pure Buddhism involved much sacrifice – giving up personal property, desire for social standing, and detachment from family and the world • Between the 3rd Century BCE and 1st Century CE, however, developments in Buddhist theology opened new, less demanding avenues for salvation, leading to an explosion in popularity for the faith • The first of these developments were the deification of the Buddha • Although the Buddha did not consider himself a god, some of his later followers did, helping converts channel their energies and identify more closely with the faith

21. Boddhisatvas • Second important development was the notion of the boddhisatva (‘an enlightened being’) • Boddhisatvas were individuals who had reached spiritual perfection and merited the reward of nirvana, but who intentionally delayed their entry into nirvana to help others who were still struggling • Like Christian saints, boddhisatvas served as examples of spiritual excellence and inspiration palimpsest.stanford.edu Boddhisatva, Gandharan Sculpture, 2nd Century CE

22. Mahayana Buddhism • These developments in later Buddhism opened the faith to large numbers of people • Proponents of this reformed version called it Mahayana (‘the greater vehicle’ which could carry more people to salvation) • The earlier form was called Hinayana (‘the lesser vehicle’) • During the early centuries of the Common Era Mahayana Buddhism spread rapidly throughout India • Eventually, with the opening up of the Silk Roads, Buddhist monks carried the faith to Central Asia, China, Japan, Korea and SE Asia www.ibiblio.org

23. Hinduism • Buddhism generated new ideas and attracted widespread popularity in the early centuries of the Common Era • At the same time Hinduism underwent a similar evolution that also transformed it into a popular religion of salvation • Contemporary Hinduism is a syncretic religion incorporating Vedic texts, pre-Aryan practices and a range of deities • Changes in doctrine and observances eventually resulted in a faith that addressed the needs of ordinary people

24. Hindu Epics: The Mahabharata The great epic poems the Mahabharata and the Ramayana illustrate the development of Hindu values • Both works originated as secular tales transmitted orally about the great epic age of classical Indian history (c. 1500-500 BCE) • The Mahabharata deals with a massive war for control of northern India between two groups of cousins • Originally a secular work, the brahmins revised it and created a prominent role for the god Vishnu

25. Ramayana • Ramayana was also originally a tale of love and adventure involving the trial of the legendary Prince Rama and his wife Sita • Rama traveled south to Sri Lanka to rescue his kidnapped wife from the demon king • His alliance with Hanuman, the king of the monkeys, led to exciting clashes with his enemies • Brahmins later revised the work to make Rama an incarnation of Vishnu, portraying Rama and Sita as the ideal Hindu husband and wife, devoted and loyal even in times of trouble www.antarin.net Rama and Sita – Indonesian Version!

26. The Bhagavad Gita • A short poetic work, the Bhagavad Gita(‘song of the lord’) illustrates both the obligations of Hinduism, and also its rewards • The Gita was composed by many poets between 300 BCE and 300 CE, taking its final revised form c. 400 CE • It illustrates an episode from the Mahabharata and takes the form of a dialogue between Arjuna (a kshatriya warrior) and his charioteer Krishna, a human incarnation of the god Vishnu • Arjuna is reluctant to fight because the enemy includes many friends and relatives, so Krishna uses several arguments to persuade him to fight

27. Krishna’s Arguments • Arjuna must not worry about his friends and relatives, because the soul does not die with the body; his weapons to not have the power to touch the soul • Arjuna’s caste imposes specific moral and social responsibilities upon him; the duty of shudras was to serve, of vaishyas to work, of brahmins to learn the scriptures, and of kshatriyas to govern and fight • Furthermore, and individuals social responsibilities also had spiritual significance – failure to fulfill caste duties is in fact a grievous sin, whereas their observance brought spiritual rewards

28. Hindu Ethics • Hindu ethics thus differed greatly from those of earlier Indian moralists • As represented in the Bhagavad Gita, only by active participation in the world and the meeting of caste responsibilities was it possible to attain salvation (i.e. not though detachment and renunciation of ordinary life) • However, these duties should be performed in a detached fashion • i.e. humans should not become emotionally involved in their actions, but should concentrate on the actions alone, with no thought of their consequences • This led to the emergence of four specific aims of human life

29. Four Principal Aims of Life • Obedience to religious and moral laws (dharma) • The pursuit of economic well-being and honest prosperity (artha) • The enjoyment of social, physical and sexual pleasures (karma) • The salvation of the soul (moksha) A proper balance of the first three aims would help individuals attain moksha

30. Hindu Male Gods • Principal Hindu gods are Vishnu, Shiva and Devi • Vishnu evolved into a father-god who works continuously for the welfare of humanity • Shiva a powerful god often associated with phallic symbols; represents the cosmic force of change, and the reconciliation of the extremes and opposites of violence and passivity, eroticism and asceticism Shiva Vishnu perso.wanadoo.fr/revue www.asiasociety.org/arts

31. Hindu Female Gods • The wives of Vishnu (Lakshimi) and Shiva (Parvati) are powerful goddesses, stemming from a worship of female divinities as early as the Indus culture • Devia fully developed supreme Goddess, both tender mother and ferocious warrior; wears a necklace of skulls and rides into battle on a lion • She represents the creative power of the universe Lakshimi and Vishnu Dancing Devi www.jorgebastosgarcia www.joelcooner.com/Asian

32. Growth in the Popularity of Hinduism • Hinduism gradually replaced Buddhism as the most prominent religion in India, once Buddhism began to grow more remote from the masses • Later Buddhist monks did not seek to communicate their message to larger society as zealously as their predecessors, while Hinduism attracted increasing popular support and patronage from the wealthy • Guptan emperors and their successors patronized Hinduism in the same way Ashoka had Buddhism • In India today Hinduism (and even the more recent faith of Islam) have completely eclipsed Buddhism

33. Hinduism Today • Most Indian Hindus today are devout followers of either Vishnu or Shiva, although there are thousands of Hindu gods, and animals like the cow are also considered as sacred • Hinduism possesses no Bible or Koran; nor does it have a single personal founder like Mahavira or Buddha • There is no precise body of doctrine – people are Hindu basically if they observe the rules of their caste

34. Part 2: Judaism and Christianity • Hebrews - minor player in history but responsible for three great world religions – Judaism, Christianity and Islam • Only source for much of their history is the Old Testament (final form only approved by council of rabbis in 90 CE) • Speakers of the ancient Hebrew language • The Israeliteswere a branch of Hebrews who eventually settled in Palestine • The Jews were descendants of southern Israelites who inhabited the kingdom of Judah www.loc.gov/exhibits/world

35. Early Hebrews • Early Hebrews were pastoral nomads who inhabited lands between Mesopotamia and Egypt during 2nd Millennium BCE • As Mesopotamia prospered, some Hebrew’s settled in the region’s cities score.rims.k12.ca.us

36. Abraham Abraham The Hebrew Patriarch Abraham came from the Sumerian city of Ur Abraham (1900 BCE?) said to have led his people out of Ur to Palestine because of disorder in Sumer Hebrews took with them Sumerian cultural customs, Hammurabi’s law and the flood idea from the Epic of Gilgamesh

37. To Israel! • Eventually (1850/1700 BCE?) some Hebrews migrated from Palestine to Egypt • According to the Bible, in c1300 under the leadership of Moses this branch moved from Egypt north to the land of Canaan (Palestine) • Here they formed a loose confederation of 12 tribes, known as the Israelites Moses Parts the Red Sea? www.planetkilmer.com/movies

38. Kingdom of Israel • Israelites abandoned tribal structure; adopted Mesopotamian-style monarchy • Women had rights in their society but power concentrated in hands of male kings • Bitter conflicts broke out with the Canaanites, and then with more powerful Philistines ( Palestine) who captured the Ark of the Covenant • Saul first king of Israel www.ericlove.com

39. David Slays Goliath Saul’s successor David (1000-970?) slew the Philistine giant Goliath and recovered the Ark From the South Face of the Abbey of St. Giles in France www.vrcol.fa

40. Solomon Under David’s successor Solomon (961-922 BCE) Israel reached the peak of its power - huge palace and large army based in cosmopolitan city of Jerusalem The Judgment of Solomonc. 1620 Oil on canvas, 174 x 213 cmGalleria Nazionale d'Arte Antica, Rome VALENTIN DE BOULOGNE

41. Archaeologists find no evidence of the reigns of David and Solomon • Old Testament states that after the reign of David, tribal tensions resulted in the Kingdom of Israel splitting in two weaker states

42. Israelite Religious Beliefs • After the time of Moses, the religious beliefs of the Israelites became increasingly distinctive • Early Hebrews had recognized many of the Mesopotamian gods, and believed that nature spirits dwelt in trees, rocks and mountains • Moses embraced monotheism – he believed there was only one god called Yaweh who was a supremely powerful deity and creator of the world • When the kings of the Israelites built their capital in Jerusalem, they did not build a Mesopotamian ziggurat, but a temple in honor of Yaweh www.killingthebuddha.com The Hebrew letters yud, hey, vav, hey -- often depicted in English as YHWH or Yahweh -- spell the name of God.

43. The Ten Commandments • But as well as being the omnipotent creator of the universe, he was also a very personal god, with high moral and ethical standards expected of his followers • In the Ten Commandments Moses warned his followers against antisocial behavior like lying, theft, adultery and murder • After Moses’ death the Israelites wrote a detailed and elaborate law code which provided protection for widows, orphans, slaves and the poor www.jsmatt.com Moses by Rembrandt

44. The Torah • Between 1000-400 BCE the Israelite religious leaders compiled a set of holy scriptures (the Torah – ‘teachings’) – which laid out Yaweh’s laws and role in the affairs of mankind • Torah taught that Yaweh would punish individuals and whole communities collectively if they did not obey his laws www.forumuniversitaire.com

45. The Diaspora • In 722 Assyrian forces conquered the northern kingdom of Israel, capturing 27,290 Israelite slaves and deporting them to other regions • In 586 southern kingdom captured by king of Babylon, Nebuchadnezzar, who also sent his captives into exile • Persian king Cyrus allowed some captives to return home, but most of the Jews scattered all over the region • This scattering referred to as the ‘Diaspora’ (Greek for ‘scattering’) Israelite prisoners and Assyrian guards, Nineveh

46. Religion • Israelite’s devotion to Yaweh only strengthened during this period of turmoil • Between the 9th and 6th Cs a series of prophets urged the Israelites to remain steadfast in their faith • Prophets were moral and social critics who criticized materialism and an increasing interest in Mesopotamian fertility gods • They warned that unless the Israelites changed their ways, Yaweh would punish them by sending conquerors • Many took Assyrian and Babylonian conquests as proof of what the prophets said Hebrew Prophets c. 1300Stone, Cathedral, Strasbourg

47. Influence on Other Monotheistic Religions • Exiles who returned home after the Babylonian conquest organized several small Jewish states as tributaries of the great empire that dominated SW Asia after the 6th C BCE • They also built distinctive religious communities based on their special relationship with Yaweh, the teachings of the Torah, and a concern for righteousness • In this way the Jews maintained a strong sense of identity as a separate and distinct people, even as they participated in the larger, complex society of SW Asia • Eventually, Jewish monotheism, scriptures and moral concerns would profoundly influence the development of both Christianity and Islam

48. The Rise of ChristianityDevelopments in Judaism During the Early Empire • During the reign of the Julio-Claudians, Judaism underwent a major transformation • Judea became a Roman protectorate ruled by procurators like Pontius Pilate (26-36 CE); Jews restless and unhappy, waiting for a Messiah • Some groups like the Essenes developed a form of Judaism that became a link to the emergence of a new religion – Christianity One of the Dead Sea Scrolls www.johnpratt.com The Dead Sea Scrolls were written by the Essenes; John the Baptist an Essene

49. Destruction of Jerusalem Jewish nationalists eventually launched an uprising in 66 CE. The Romans crushed the revolt and destroyed the Temple in Jerusalem! All that remains of it today is the ‘Wailing Wall

50. Jerusalem: Temple Mount and Wailing Wall