Religions of India’s Classical Age

Religions of India’s Classical Age By: Cade Venhuizen

Hinduism • People live many lives until they reach spiritual perfection • Reincarnation- live on after death in a new body • In time, a person can reach moksha- the highest position when no further reincarnation is needed • Animals have souls-people were vegetarians

Hinduism • Worshipped Brahman-3 parts-Brahma the Creater, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the destroyer • Also worshipped many lesser gods • Sanskrit-language spoken by gods • Veda(knowledge)-written in Sanskrit-holist book to the Aryans

Jainism • Founded in India in the 500s and 400s B.C. by an Indian prince named Mahavira • Rejected Vedas and Brahman • Based on belief that every living thing had a soul-were vegetarians • Best way to bring change was through peaceful action (nonviolence)

Buddhism • Founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who was born to royal parents in about 563 B.C. • The first time he went out of the palace walls, he saw an old person, a sick person, and a dead person • For six years, he studied for the knowledge of how to end suffering • He also prayed with the Brahman priests • After intense thought, he discovered the meaning of life-people should seek love, truth, and the joy of knowledge

Buddhism • Gautama(Buddha) spent the rest of his life teaching his message, which centered around the Four Noble Truths: 1. Suffering is a part of life, 2. Wanting things brings suffering, 3. People can find peace by giving up wants, and 4. Following the Eightfold path can end reincarnation and lead to nirvana • After his death in 483 B.C., the religion Buddhism was based on his teachings

Confucianism • Kong Fuzi, or Confucius(Great Master Kong) lived towards the end of the Zhou dynasty • He was a great teacher • None of his writings remain, however, his students remember his teachings in the form of short statements • They collected them in a book called the Lunyu(Chinese) or the Analects(English)

Confucianism • Filial piety- fulfilling one’s duty to one’s parents, following their wishes, and caring for them • Confucius said people should use filial piety to honor their king • His teachings were mostly ignored during his lifetime, but, his ideas eventually spread throughout eastern Asia

Legalism • After establishing the Qin dynasty, the Qin empire changed his name to Shi Huangdi • He depended on a way of government now known as legalism • It taught that people obeyed their ruler out of fear instead of respect(people who obey are rewarded-those who do not are punished) • Shi Huangdi ruled the Chinese people harshly, but brought important changes about

Legalism • Shi Huangdi: ended power of nobles and made a strong central government • Set up bureaucracy • United China and extended its borders • Organized building projects • Made peasants build more than 4,000 miles of road and Great Wall of China • Made sure everything about Confucianism was destroyed • Clay soldiers guard his tomb

Daoism • Han dynasty supported Confucianism and Daoism • Happiness is key to long life • Han dynasty had many important innovations such as: • Seismograph and paper • Silk Road-overland trade route that connected China and Europe

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Religions of India’s Classical Age