1. Belief Systems

2. World Religions
Essential Question: How have belief systems impacted the development of cultures and historical events?

3. World Religions I. Belief Systems (World Religions)
Purposes - Religion is a concept man uses to:
1. Explain the Unknown
a. How the world was created?
b. What happens after you die?
2. Provide moral guidelines or laws to live by

4. World Religions B. Types of Belief Systems
1. Polytheistic – Belief in MORE THAN ONE god or divine being
a. Examples: Animism, Shinto, Hinduism, Daoism
 2. Monotheistic – Belief in ONE god.
a. Examples: Judaism, Christianity, Islam

5. World Religions
Sacred Writings – Holy books or texts that provides an explanation to the origins of the religion, guidelines for behavior, holy days of observance, as well as rituals and practices.
Examples:
Vedas and Upanishads – Hinduism
Analects – Confucianism
Torah and Talmud – Judaism
Holy Bible – Christianity
Qur’an - Islam

6. World Religions
Rules of Behavior – Provides guidelines for behavior in order to achieve enlightenment, harmony or salvation.
Examples:
Dharma – Hinduism
Eight Fold-Path – Buddhism
Ten Commandments – Judaism and Christianity
Five Pillars of Islam – Islam

7. Hinduism

9. E. Hinduism
1. Founder - There is no one person who is considered the founder of Hinduism. It is believed that the Aryans and the people of the Indus River Valley’s traditions formed the foundation of Hindu beliefs.
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 3000 BCE
3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly practiced in India. (80% of India is Hindu)

10. Hinduism 4. Significant Writings –
a. Vedas - collections of prayers and verses about creation and reverence for nature
b. Upanishads - discussions about the soul and proper ways of behavior.
5. Significant Religious People – Hindu priests (Brahmins) carry out traditional religious practices in temples.

11. Current Vedas
Originals

12. Brahmins

13. Hinduism Hinduism 6. Beliefs:
a. Polytheistic – Brahma is the Supreme Being in the Hindu religion. Hindus believe in millions of different gods and are considered manifestations of the one god Brahma. There are three main gods that control the cycle of life:
  Brahma- the creator
Vishnu- the preserver of life
Shiva- the destroyer

14. The Preserver of Life
The Creator
The Destroyer

15. Hinduism
b. Moksha - In Hinduism, salvation is achieved through a spiritual oneness of the soul with the Brahma. To achieve this goal, the soul must obtain Moksha, or liberation from the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
c. Reincarnation – The belief that your soul is reborn into another body
d. Karma – deeds (actions, words, and thoughts) that impact your future
e. Dharma - fulfilling one's duty or occupation in life

16. Hinduism
f. Hindu cycle of life - The Hindu cycle of life can best be represented by the infinity symbol. It is believed that a person is given life by Brahma, protected in life by Vishnu, until finally Shiva claims you in death. Then the cycle is repeated over and over again until one finally achieves Moksha.
Caste System - A rigid class structure (hierarchy) of India that is based on Hindu beliefs.
A person’s position in the caste system is based on their karma from their previous lives

17. Hinduism
i. Good karma - if you follow the dharma you will be rewarded in the next life and move up the caste
j. Bad Karma - If you fail you fulfill your dharma, you will be punished and demoted in the caste system their following life.
k. Untouchables - are members of Hindu society thought to have been removed from the Caste System, with no hope of returning to it, due to their misdeeds in previous lives. Work that is deemed unclean for all other Hindus is reserved for these Outcasts.

19. How does the Caste System provide social and political order?

20. Hinduism Hinduism 7. Practices:
a. Prayer - Prayer and offerings at temples
b. Dharma - daily life is regulated by caste rules
c. Social discrimination – Limited caste interaction creates discriminatory practices and does not allow social mobility.
d. The Caste System was outlawed in 1947, but it is still widely practiced.
e. Art - expression of faith through the arts

21. Buddhism

23. F. Buddhism
Founder - Siddhartha Gautama, or Buddha, which means "enlightened one."
Geographic Origin - Developed in India approximately around 500 BCE
Currently Practiced - Most common in Southeast Asia and East Asia. Through trade, migration and pilgrimages
Significant Writings – Tripitka, or the Three Baskets of Wisdom.
traditional orange robes.

24. Buddhism
5. Places of Worship - Buddhism may be practice individually, but temples and monasteries known as Pagodas can be used for worship.
6. Significant Religious People - The Dalai Lama is the spiritual leader of the Tibetan sect of Buddhism. Buddhist monks can be identified by their traditional orange robes.

26. Buddhism
7. Beliefs:
a. Buddha - Siddhartha Gautama was a prince born into the Brahmin caste, and led a luxurious lifestyle. However, he was troubled by the human misery that he saw around him everyday (death, illness and poverty). After meditating under a Bodhi tree, he concluded that desire was the root caused of all suffering.

27. Buddhism
b. Four Noble Truths - Siddhartha's philosophy of the nature of human suffering and its relation to desire is articulated by these four statements:
1. Life is full of pain and suffering.
2. Human desire causes this suffering.
3. By putting an end to desire, humans can end suffering.
4. Humans can end desire by following the Eight-fold Path.

28. Buddhism
C. The Eight-Fold Path – Gautama’s guidelines on how to achieve Nirvana
1. Right views Right livelihood
2. Right Aspirations Right Effort
3. Right Speech Right Mindfulness
4. Right Conduct Right Contemplation

29. Siddhartha Gautama
Under the Bodhi Tree

30. Do you think that human suffering is connected to worldly desires
Do you think that human suffering is connected to worldly desires? Why or Why not?

31. Buddhism
d. Reincarnation - Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of reincarnation, or samsara, which is similar to beliefs of Hinduism. Like Hindus, Buddhists believe one’s karma influences a person’s reincarnation. e. Rejects the Caste System - Instead Buddhists who believe that a person is reincarnated until they can achieve Nirvana, spiritual enlightenment. f. Nirvana – Spiritual enlightenment

32. Buddhism
What similarities and differences do Hinduism and Buddhism have?

33. G. Confucianism
Founder - Confucius, a scholar, philosopher and politician
Geographic Origin - Developed in China approximately around 500 BCE
Currently Practiced - Most commonly in China, as well as elements Southeast Asia and East Asia culture.
Significant Writings –The Analects

34. Confucianism Beliefs:
Provided Stability - Confucius believed that social order and mutual respect would provide order and stability in society if there were rules to guide behavior in the family unit, society and the government.
Filial Piety - respect for parents, above all duties, even loyalty to the state. Also, the needs and success of the group were more important than those of the individual.

35. Confucianism
c. Five Relationships - Confucianism teaches that there is a natural social order to society which can best be explained through the Five Relationships:
Ruler to subject.
Father to son.
Older brother to younger brother.
Husband to wife.
Friend to friend.

36. What lessons do parents teach their children?
Do the five relationships apply to our society today? If so, which one?
Which relationships do not apply to today?

37. Confucianism
d. Superior and Inferior Relationships - In these relationships, the first role is considered superior to the second role and the second role is considered subordinate to the first. It was taught that if everyone knew their place in society, then order would prevail.
e. Role of the Superiors - For example, the ruler must provide leadership, guidance and discipline to the subjects. This would be the same for fathers, husbands and elders.
f. Role of Inferiors - For example, the subjects must show loyalty, love and compliance to the leader. This would be the same sons, wives (women), younger generations.
g. Friend to Friend – friends are considered equal

38. Confucianism
6. Practices – a. Dynastic Cycle - As long as the rulers were good and did well for their people, they held the Mandate of Heaven. If, after several generations, the dynasty becomes corrupt or does not protect their people, they will lose the Mandate of Heaven and a new dynasty will take over. b. Patriarchal Society - Women are subservient to men. In Confucius’ five relationships, women are mentioned only as the inferior of men. However, women were to be respected if they were the mother of sons. c. Ancestor Worship - Respect for and worship of ancestors because filial piety was stressed even after your ancestors’ death

39. Confucianism
d. Scholar Gentry -A well run system of government must be headed by educated, knowledgeable people and stressed the importance of education for the upper class (scholar gentry). e. Civil Service Exams – Exams based on Confucian principles that Chinese officials must pass in order to work for the government.

40. H. Daoism H. Daoism/Taoism 1. Founder – Lao Tsu, a Chinese philosopher
H. Daoism/Taoism
1. Founder – Lao Tsu, a Chinese philosopher
2. Geographic Origin - Developed in China approximately around 500 BCE
3. Currently Practiced - Most commonly in China, as well as elements Southeast Asia and East Asia culture.
4. Significant Writings – Tao-te-Ching or The Way of Virtue

41. Daoism
a. Daoism - It represents a naturalistic ideal of how one should live their life.
b. Dao - can be translated into English, meaning "the way." It is a philosophy which teaches that nature has a “way” in which it moves, and that people should accept the “way” of nature.
c. Wu-Wei - concept of "not doing." This means that people should not act unnaturally by doing things, but rather should openly accept the natural way.
The Force

42. Daoism
d. Harmony in nature - An emphasis is placed on the link between people and nature. Taoism teaches that this link lessened the need for rules and order, and leads one to a better understanding of the world.
e. Government is unnatural - Daoists viewed governments as “unnatural” and believed that the best governments are the ones that govern the least.
f. Yin and Yang - symbol that has also been used to illustrate the natural harmony that exists in the world. Everything must have an opposing force that allows the harmonious universe to exist.

43. Daoism Male Female Light Dark Heavenly Earthly Aggressive Passive
Yin Yang
Male Female
Light Dark
Heavenly Earthly
Aggressive Passive
Strong Weak
Hot Cold