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Chapter 9: Hinduism and Buddhism Examining Religious Beliefs

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1 Chapter 9: Hinduism and Buddhism Examining Religious Beliefs
All five of the world religions studied in this section are based on miracles Historians cannot study actions that leave no direct evidence; they can only study the actions of believers Religious belief creates standards of behavior and religious organizations Creates a sense of the sacred

2 Examining Religious Beliefs
Historians can study: Sanctification of time Sanctification of space Sanctification of language and literature Sanctification of artistic and creative endeavor Sanctification of family and ancestors Creation of religious organization

3 Hinduism The Origins of Hinduism
Because of use of Sanskrit, many believed that Hinduism was a product of the Aryan invasion Now believe that Indus Valley people were source of many Hindu beliefs Anthropologists believe that Hinduism is an amalgam of a variety of different beliefs Outsiders, not insiders, see Hinduism as a unified religion

4 Hinduism Sacred Geography and Pilgrimage
Hinduism is confined to the Indian subcontinent and its migrants Broad dispersion of sacred places promotes pilgrimages to important sites Each city and town has its own sites that foster close-knit communities

5 Hinduism Central Beliefs of Hinduism Rigveda
Oldest of four Vedas composed B.C.E. 1,028 verses of Sanskrit poetry that invokes early gods and speculates on the creation of the world Does not claim to offer specific answers

6 Hinduism Central Beliefs of Hinduism [cont.] Caste
Rigveda introduced the caste system as result of sacrifice of Purusha, a mythical creature, into four parts Caste is hierarchical and hereditary Speculations of purpose include maintaining order among the diverse people of India, preserving frozen economic system, or suppressing subject people Believe that today’s caste system existed in the past Caste was often more important that government

7 Hinduism Central Beliefs of Hinduism [cont.]
Brahmanas (from B.C.E.) and Upanishads ( B.C.E) Former discusses rituals and myths; latter contains mystical speculation From the Upanishads Hindus derive dharma = religious and ethical duties karma = human activities and impact on its atman samsara = life cycle of different duties for different stages moksha = unification of atman and Brahman

8 Hinduism Central Beliefs of Hinduism [cont.] The Great Epics
Bhagavad-Gita is part of Mahabharata A story of duties and meaning of life and death Warrior (kshatriya) must fulfill dharma by fighting Krishna, blue-skinned god, is non-Aryan Story supports bhakti, mystical devotion to god Role of women is more prestigious than in Ramayana, where Rama’s wife Sita was subservient

9 Hinduism Central Beliefs of Hinduism [cont.] The Puranas
Focus on Vishna and Shiva, most popular of the Hindu gods Goddesses serve as consorts to powerful male gods Balance the suppressed vision of women present in earlier Hindu literature

10 Hinduism Temples and Shrines
Shift in Hindu practice in 7th century C.E. Personal prayer replaced sacrifice as way to communicate with the gods Result was caves and temples of great beauty that reflected Hindu beliefs through art Sexual passion and union of males and females entered worship as analogues for passion for gods

11 Hinduism Religion and Rule
Powerful sought support in religion and religion validated power of elites Brahmin priests were used to awe indigenous people after confiscation of local lands Kings rewarded priests with land, court subsidies, and temple bequests in return for support

12 Hinduism Hinduism in Southeast Asia
Brahmin priests and Hindu priests were used as early as the 3rd century C.E. to validate royal authority in rare example of spread of Hinduism outside India Represented an extension of ongoing trade Externals of Hinduism--Sanskrit, Indian gods, and Indian calendar--present by 5th century

13 Buddhism Origins of Buddhism Developed within Hinduism
The Life of the Buddha (born c. 563 B.C.E.) Sheltered life shattered by introduction to human suffering at age twenty-nine Reached enlightenment after meditation under tree Antidote to pain and suffering is recognition that temptations are illusions Key is Four Noble Truths and Noble Eightfold Path

14 Buddhism The Origins of Buddhism [cont.]
The Sangha (groups of monks and nuns) Initially open to women; nuns today are in Tibet Obedient to order, monks are intellectually free Settled into monasteries after abandoning tradition of begging Abandonment of begging led to loss of contact with common people

15 Buddhism Emergence of Mahayana Buddhism
200 B.C.E-200 C.E. saw more Buddhist than Hindu shrines in India General councils codify Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism (“Greater Vehicle”) Believed that bodhisattvas facilitated achievement of Nirvana by masses Maitreya Buddha a servant to redeem humanity Mahayana Buddhism a challenge to Hinduism

16 Buddhism Decline of Buddhism in India
Buddhist appeal was for warriors and businessmen who felt scorned by Brahmins Decline paralleled decline of Gupta empire Many Indians could not easily distinguish Mahayana Buddhism from Hinduism Buddhists relied on Hindu priests to conduct life-cycle ceremonies

17 Buddhism Decline of Buddhism in India [cont.]
Hinduism became more attractive to Buddhists Hindu religion built on common folktales Could be Hindu and Buddhist at same time Neither group treated women well Began to wane with onset of Muslim traders along silk route Muslims destroy remnants of temples and monasteries upon entering India

18 Buddhism Jainism Another religion of India, similar to both Hinduism and Buddhism Like Theraveda Buddhism, Jains reject caste system and supremacy of Brahmins Jains practice nonviolence to such a degree that many do not farm for fear of killing creatures in the soil Rely on Hindu priests for ceremonies

19 Buddhism Buddhism in China Arrival in China: The Silk Route
First Buddhist missionaries to China in 65 C.E. Pilgrimages to India to learn Buddhism included those of Faxian (early 5th century) and Xuanzang (early 7th century) All traveled the silk route

20 Buddhism Buddhism in China [cont.]
Relations with Daoism and Confucianism Fall of Han discredited Confucianism and opened door to Buddhist ideas Mahayana Buddhism similar to Daoism In south, Buddhism represented philosophy for dealing with hazardous life in semi-exile Buddhism and Confucianism accommodated each other Buddhist travels promoted Chinese unity

21 Buddhism Buddhism in China [cont.]
Buddhism under Tang Dynasty ( C.E.) Divided into eight major sects Pure Land variant promised paradise for those who believed in the ruler of paradise, Buddha Amitabha Chan taught the importance of meditation Invented woodblock printing Only woman to rule China in her own name, the “Emperor” Wu ( C.E.), used Buddhism to legitimate her rule

22 Buddhism Buddhism in China [cont.] Buddhism’s Decline in China
Chinese power in central Asia broken by Islamic power Central Asian Buddhism survived only in Tibet Tang Emperor Wuzong (r C.E.) feared power of Buddhism and blamed it for decline of Tang power Confiscated Buddhist lands Destroyed Buddhist texts Forced monks and nuns to leave monasteries and convents

23 Buddhism Buddhism in Japan
Japan followed Shinto, “the way of the kami,” who were powers and spirits inherent in nature After arrival of Buddhism, kami were seen as minor Buddhas while bodhisattvas and Buddhas were seen as major kami Japanese royal family knew of adoption of Buddhism by Asoka and imitated his action

24 Buddhism Buddhism in Japan [cont.] Buddhism’s Arrival in Japan
Arrived 552 C.E. via Korea Initial acceptance tied to belief that monks could work medical miracles Acceptance at court came under Prince Shotoku Taishi ( C.E.) Saw Buddhism as a basis of Chinese power and wanted that power source for himself

25 Buddhism Buddhism in Japan [cont.] Buddhism’s Role in Unifying Japan
Japanese creation of Nara capital expanded imitation of Chinese practices including Buddhism Buddhism joined Shinto as support of government Buddhism facilitated Japanese centralization Buddhist wealth and power alarmed many Japanese

26 Buddhism Buddhism in Japan [cont.]
Japanese Buddhism Develops New Forms Saicho monastery, placed far from centers of power, focused on Tendai variant that held enlightenment achieved by sincere religious devotion Shingon (“True Word”) emphasized mantras Amida (Amitabha) favored chanting mantras Zen (Chan in China) emphasized defense of state and the importance of martial arts

27 Buddhism Buddhism in Japan [cont.]
Lasting Buddhist Elements in Japanese Society Cultivated an especially pure aesthetic dimension Buddhist emphasis on transience of all life affected Japanese literature such as the Tale of Genji Merged with aspects of Shinto

28 Comparisons Both have experienced transformations
Both have sacred calendars and control of life-cycle events Both have sacred languages Both ultimately connect to common people Both show flexibility of world religions Both show ties between government and religion

29 What Difference Do They Make?
Hinduism sustains a religion of polytheism that provides cultural unity for South Asia Buddhism is religion of hundreds of millions of people


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