World History

1. World History Chapter Three Section Two

2. Hinduism and Buddhism • Hinduism – no single founder • Came about from Aryans merging their religion with the Indus Civilization • Other peoples added their gods and goddesses • Hinduism became a complex mix of gods and goddesses

3. Beliefs • Everything is part of the all encompassing force of Brahman – supernatural force • Worship many gods • Most important: Brahma – creator, Vishnu – the Preserver, Shiva – the Destroyer • Can take many forms, animals or humans • Sacred texts – Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita

4. Moksha • Atman – essential self – could be a form of Brahman or the same as Brahman • Goal of Hindus is to reach Moksha – union with Brahman • Must free themselves from selfish desires that separate them from Brahman • Cannot achieve it in one life time – must be reincarnated • Reincarnation – rebirth of the soul in another bodily form – allows people to work towards moksha through several lives

5. Hinduism • Can achieve moksha through obeying karma • Karma – all actions in a persons life that affect their fate in the next life • Humans are the closest to Brahman, then animals, plants, rocks, waters • Good and bad karma – earned in life • People are reborn in a higher or lower level

6. Dharma – religious and moral duties of a person • Ahimsa – nonviolence – everything is an aspect of Brahman and deserve to be respected

7. Jainism • Mahavira – founded Jainism – grew out of Hinduism and is still around today • Emphasizes meditation, self denial, and extreme forms of ahimsa • To avoid killing living things, even an insect they carry brooms to sweep the ground

8. Caste Systems • Caste – social system in which people are born into a group and rarely can move out • Caste told people what they could do, where they could go, what they could eat, how to dress • Could not marry or eat with anyone outside of your caste • High-caste people had rules in place so they would not have to be around lower class people

9. Untouchables • Today called dalits – life was hard and restrictive, feared they could get polluted from them • Had to use a wooden clapper to warn of their approach

10. Social Orders • Caste system ensured social stability • If they fulfill their duties in present caste, they will come back to a higher level • Gave people identity and independence • Each caste had its own leader • Over time additional castes developed as new people came to the subcontinent • Thousands of castes and subcastes

11. Buddhism • Siddharta Guatama – religious reformer • Teachings spread across Asia and became beliefs for Buddhism • He was a prince, mother had a dream, interpreted that he would become a wandering holy man • To prevent this, he was kept in a palace and never let outside

12. Buddhism • At age 29 his life changed • Went beyond the palace walls and saw an old man, a sick man, and a dead body – he became aware of human suffering • Was deeply disturbed and left family • Wandered for years seeking truth from Hindu holy men who could not satisfy him • Sat next to tree and sat there until he understood the meaning of life • Throughout the night he was tempted by evil spirits to give up meditating but he fended them off • When he rose, he understood the cause and cure for suffering and sorrow = became Buddha

13. Buddhism • Four Noble Truths – Heart of Buddhism • 1: All life is full of suffering, pain, sorrow • 2: The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or negative deeds and mindsets such as hatred and desire • 3: The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirtue • 4: The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path

14. Buddhism • Eightfold Path – right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right contemplation • Final goal is Nirvana – union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth

15. Comparing Buddhism and Hinduism • Buddhism came from Hinduism • Both stress non-violence and believed in Karma, dharma, and cycle of rebirth • Differences: • Hinduism focused on priests, rituals and gods • Buddhism focused on enlightenment through meditation • Also rejected the caste system – offering nirvana to all

16. Spread of Buddhism • Buddha gained many followers across India while he preached • Some who accepted Buddha’s teachings set up monasteries and convents for meditation and study

17. Collecting Buddha Teachings • At age 80 Buddha ate spoiled food and died • Before he did he said “Decay is inherent in all things” • Followers collected his teachings in the Tripitaka “Three Baskets of Freedom” • Overcome anger not by becoming angry. • Overcome evil with good. • Overcome the liar by the truth.

18. Buddhism Spreads • Missionaries and traders spread Buddhism • Split into two sects (subgroups): • 1: Theravada Buddhism – followed Buddha's original teachings. Required life devoted to spiritual work. Only most dedicated, monks and nuns, could hope to reach nirvana • 2: Mahayana Buddhism: easier for ordinary people, picture Buddha as a god even though he said not to worship him. Believe in an afterlife with many heavens and hells – spread to China, Korea, Tibet and Japan

19. Buddhism Declines in India • Slowly declined in India • Hinduism absorbed some Buddhism teachings • Included Buddha as another Hindu god • Some Buddhist centers in India survived until 1100’s A.D. until they fell to invading Muslim armies