1. THE BASICS OF Hinduism and Buddhism August 7 th, 2012 Mr. Johnson’s Pre-AP World History

2. Mr. Johnson’s Key Warning  IMPORTANT NOTE: The purpose of this exercise is not to convert anyone to a belief in a specific religion. The purpose is to help students gain a clearer understanding of the impact of Hinduism and Buddhism on the history of the World and the United States

3. Part #1 – Common Knowledge  Working in groups of 4, list everything that you know already about the basic beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism in Warm-Up Box #6. Specifically, answer the following questions to the best of your ability:  a) Who was involved in the creation of Hinduism and Buddhism?  b) When was Hinduism and Buddhism developed?  c) Where did Hinduism and Buddhism begin?  d) What are the basic beliefs of Hinduism and Buddhism?  e) Why did Hinduism and Buddhism become so popular?

4. Part #2 – Why Religions Exist  Hypothesis: Religion exists to fill the void of questions left unanswered by science.  Basic Questions of all World Religions 1. Where do we come from? – What is the origin of life and matter? 2. Why are we here? – What, if any, is the purpose for the existence of life? 3. Where do we go after this life? – Is their life after death and, if so, what is it like?

5. Part #2 – Hinduism and Buddhism’s Answers  Working with your group, use the following quotations from the Upanishads and the Jatakas to determine Hinduism and Buddhism’s answers to the previously stated questions. Write these answers on the same sheet of paper as your previous list of your prior knowledge regarding Hinduism and Buddhism.

6. Hinduism’s Answers – Question 1  “The essence of all beings is the earth, the essence of the earth is water, the essence of water the plants, the essence of plants man, the essence of man speech.” (Upanishads, First Prapathaka, First Khanda, Verse 2)  'What is the origin of this world?' 'Ether 1, 'he replied. For all these beings take their rise from the ether, and return into the ether. Ether is older than these, ether is their rest. (Upanishads, First Prapathaka, Ninth Khanda, Verse 1)1  Ether, or we might translate it by space, both being intended, however, as names or symbols of the Highest Brahman.

7. Buddhism’s Answers – Question 1  For Buddhists the creator of the universe of experience is not an external being, but your own Karma. Karma substitutes the role of God, but the main difference is that it is not separated from the individual. Past actions of thought, speech and body determine, limit and set a boundary for the experiences that I can have in the present, and present actions set the same boundaries for future experiences.  The time from the creation to the destruction of the universe is called a kalpa (an very long, long time). At the end of the kalpa the human and god realms are destroyed and at the beginning of a new kalpa the god realm is the first to appear. Due to his past karma, one particular being is the first to be reborn in the god realm and for a long time he is living alone. At some moment he wishes to have companionship and sooner or later a second being is reborn there. When this happens the first being, Brahma, thinks "I wished for companionship, and now this being appeared so I must be his creator!". The second being thinks "This other being was here before me, so he must be my creator" and all the next beings reborn in the god realm, fall into the same mistaken logic. Later on, the good karma that make this beings gods is exhausted and they fall into the human realm. Unconsciously they remember that the saw the creator god in a past life so they continue to worship him.

8. Hinduism’s Answers– Question 2  That syllable is a syllable of permission, for whenever we permit anything, we say Om, yes. Now permission is gratification. He who knowing this meditates on the syllable (Om), the udgîtha, becomes indeed a gratifier of desires. (Upanishads, First Prapathaka, First Khanda, Verse 8)  The vast majority of Hindus engage in religious rituals on a daily basis. Most Hindus observe religious rituals at home. Devout Hindus perform daily chores such as worshiping at the dawn after bathing (usually at a family shrine, and typically includes lighting a lamp and offering foodstuffs before the images of deities), recitation from religious scripts, singing devotional hymns, meditation, chanting mantras, reciting scriptures etc. A notable feature in religious ritual is the division between purity and pollution. Religious acts presuppose some degree of impurity or defilement for the practitioner, which must be overcome or neutralised before or during ritual procedures. Purification, usually with water, is thus a typical feature of most religious action.

9. Buddhism’s Answers – Question 2 The Four Noble Truths taught by the Buddha  Dukkha: Suffering exists  Samudaya: There is a cause for suffering.  Nirodha: There is an end to suffering  Magga: In order to end suffering, you must follow the Eightfold Path. The Eight-Fold Path taught by the Buddha 1. Right Views – Seeing the world through the Four Noble Truths. 2. Right Resolve – Wanting to behave correctly and justly. 3. Right Speech – Telling the truth, speaking kindly. 4. Right Conduct – Being good. 5. Right Livelihood – Having a job that supports a moral life. 6. Right Effort – Trying to keep your mind focused on the good. 7. Right Mindfulness – Paying attention to what you think and feel. 8. Right Concentration – Meditating as Buddha did to reach nirvana.

10. Hinduism’s Answers– Question 3  When a man has mastered the Rig-veda, he says quite loud Om; the same, when he has mastered the Sâman and the Yagus. This Svara is the imperishable (syllable), the immortal, free from fear. Because the Devas entered it, therefore they became immortal, and free from fear. He who knowing this loudly pronounces (pranauti) - that syllable, enters the same (imperishable) syllable, the Svara, the immortal, free from fear, and having entered it, becomes immortal, as the Devas are immortal. (Upanishads, First Prapathaka, Fourth Khanda, Verses 4- 5)

11. Buddhism’s Answers – Question 3  When someone reaches nirvana, it means that he or she has broken free of samsara, the cycle of reincarnation and suffering which characterizes all life on Earth. In addition to being free from suffering, the individual is also beyond obsessions and earthly concerns. He or she has a high level of wisdom and compassion, and has reached a state of perfect peace with all life. For Buddhists, nirvana is the highest state one can attain, and it can take a very long time to reach this state.  Buddhists distinguish between a state of nirvana reached during life, and the state which emerges after death. People such as the Buddha allegedly achieved nirvana during their lifetimes through intense asceticism, prayer, and faith, and they were in turn rewarded with the “final nirvana” which occurs in the afterlife. When someone attains nirvana in life, he or she is supposed to be easy to identify, as this spiritual state tends to make one stand out.  The term “nirvana” literally means “to extinguish,” although the term refers to the extinction of life as one knows it, not to a final end. Buddhists strive to attain Buddhist nirvana by following the Eightfold Path and other precepts of their faith, and many believe that they have no way of knowing how long they have been on Earth, working towards eventual nirvana.

12. Part #4 – Why Hinduism and Buddhism?  Finally, as a group discuss why you believe Hinduism and Buddhism has become a major world religion. Focus your discussion on what you know about human nature, history, and the message taught by Hinduism and Buddhism. As a group, identify 3 reasons why Hinduism and Buddhism has become one of the dominant religions in the world today.