"It is true that even across the Himalayan barrier India has sent to the west, such gifts as grammar and logic, philosophy and fables, hypnotism and chess, and above all numerals and the decimal system.” Will Durant E. Napp

HINDUISM Has no historical founder Developed over many centuries along with Indian civilization Later spread into Southeast Asia but not a missionary religion Associated with a particular people and place Never was a single tradition Rather the term “Hinduism” derived from outsiders – Greeks, Muslims, British E. Napp

Vedas -Earliest of Hindu texts -Collection of poems, hymns, prayers and rituals -Compiled by priests called Brahmins, transmitted orally for centuries (written in Sanskrit around 600 BCE) -Brahmins gained power and wealth through the performing of sacrifices and rituals Dissatisfaction with Brahmins led to another body of sacred texts Upanishads (composed by anonymous thinkers between 800 and 400 BCE) -Sought to understand the inner meaning of the sacrifices E. Napp

HINDU BELIEFS Brahman or the World Soul is the ultimate reality Beyond all separate identities, persons, and forms lay this divine reality According to philosophical Hinduism, the individual human soul ( atman ) was part of this ultimate reality Therefore, the perceived separateness of people and forms is an illusion Everything is Brahman E. Napp

Beyond the quest for wealth and power, lay the effort to achieve union with Brahman -An end to the illusory perception of a separate existence - Moksha (liberation) But until moksha is achieved, there is samsara or rebirth (reincarnation) Rebirth is determined by the individual’s actions ( Karma ) and performance of duty ( Dharma ) Therefore, the caste system is a register of every person’s spiritual progress E. Napp

BUDDHISM Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 556 – ca. 486 BCE) -Founder of Buddhism -Indian prince from a small north Indian state -Led a sheltered and privileged existence -Shocked by the existence of old age, sickness, and death -Left family and wealth -Began search for the causation and cessation of suffering E. Napp

Upon becoming the Enlightened One (the Buddha), formulated the Four Noble Truths -Life has suffering. -Selfish desire is the cause of suffering. -Suffering can end. -Follow the Noble Eightfold Path (eight actions to help eliminate suffering) Nirvana is the elimination of suffering -The identity is extinguished as greed, hatred, and delusion are extinguished too -Loving-kindness or compassion for all living things develops E. Napp

Many similarities to Hinduism -Karma, reincarnation, overcoming the incessant demands of the ego, meditation, release from samsara Differences too -Rejected religious authority of Brahmins, ridiculed rituals and sacrifices, not much interested in the creation of world or existence of God E. Napp

Reluctantly allowed women to become Buddhist nuns But Buddhist nuns had inferior status than Buddhist monks Nonetheless, in opposition to “The Laws of Manu” -Classic Hindu text on the position of women - “In childhood, a female must be subject to her father; in youth to her husband; when her lord is dead to her sons; a woman must never be independent.” E. Napp

Buddhism’s popularity was increased by teachings in Pali, local and accessible language During the reign of Ashoka ( BCE), Buddhism had state support E. Napp

Over time, two primary schools of Buddhism developed -Theravada (Teaching of the Elders) portrayed Buddha as a wise teacher and model but not divine -Mahayana (Great Vehicle) developed in the early centuries CE and claimed that help was available for the strenuous journey through bodhisattvas or spiritually developed individuals who had postponed entry into nirvana to help others still suffering (even Buddha became something of a god) E. Napp

But Buddhism died out in the land of its birth -A revived Hinduism made Buddhism less attractive (the Mahabharata and Ramayana were epic poems that encouraged action in the world and a detached performance of caste duties leading to liberation) - Bhakti or the way of devotion to a deity also developed -But perhaps most importantly of all, Buddhism was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon E. Napp

Krishna encourages the Arjuna to perform his duty in the Bhagavad-Gita (part of the Mahabharata). E. Napp

According to Hindus, Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. Buddha is a part of the Hindu pantheon. E. Napp

By 1000 CE, Buddhism disappeared as a separate religious tradition within India. However, Buddhism became a universal belief system by spreading to new lands. E. Napp

STRAYER QUESTIONS In what ways did the religious traditions of South Asia change over the centuries? What is the difference between the Theravada and Mahayana expressions of Buddhism? What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenges of Buddhism? E. Napp