1. Asian Religions:
Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Legalism, Zoroastrianism, Jainism & Hinduism

2. Hinduism No founder, no time, began in India Beliefs:
Dharma: duties to perform in life, determined by caste
Karma: good and bad deeds you do
Moksha: ultimate goal, release from reincarnation & achieving oneness with the Universe
Samsara: the level of births and deaths you are at; if you have good Karma, you will move up the level of Samsara

3. More Hinduism Ganges river is holy Gods: (polytheistic)
Brahma: the creator
Shiva: creator and destroyer
Vishnu: Preserver, transcendent love
Krishna: lover and trickster, seducer of wives and daughters
Associated with purity and pollution
Those who work more intellectual jobs are more pure
Pollution is when people come into contact with sweat or excrement; to ensure purity you must marry within own caste

4. Jainism Indian belief system Founded by Vardhamana Mahavira
Practice Ahimsa nonviolence toward all things
Extremists sweep the ground as they walk to avoid killing insects
Popular among lower class because if all things have a soul there should not be classes; rejected caste system

5. Buddhism Founded in India by Siddhartha Gautama, a Prince
Later called Buddha, “Enlightened One”
Spread on Silk Road
Taught Four Noble Truths
Life is suffering
Suffering caused by desire
There is a way out of suffering
Must follow the Eightfold Path
Eightfold Path
Tells how to stop desiring by living a righteous manner

6. Buddhism comes from Hinduism
Goal is to reach Nirvana by breaking cycle of reincarnation and becoming one with universe
Altered ideas of
Dharma: combined beliefs of 4NT & 8FP
Karma
Samsara: coming into existence as a moral creature
Brahmins are not necessary, everyone can achieve enlightenment on their own without gods or goddesses
Equality among all believers

7. Era of Warring States Last 200 years of Zhou (441-221 BCE)
Began three philosophies
Confucianism
Daoism
Legalism

8. Confucianism Confucius
Philosopher, believed he could bring an end to existing warfare
Key was finding good leaders
Most important concepts
Ren: appropriate feelings
Li: correct actions
Filial Piety: respect for one’s parents
Five Relationships:
Ruler to subject
Father to son
Husband to wife
Sibling to sibling
Friend to friend
Became major philosophy during Han
Students compiled his sayings into Analects

9. Daoism
Laozi wrote book called Tao De Ching (Daodejing) during Era of Warring States
Dao: “the way (of nature of the cosmos)”
Concept of wu wei act by not acting and problems will solve themselves
The less government the better
Symbol of Yin Yang, represents balance
How does this work with Confucianism?
Be Confucian at work, Daoist in time off

10. Legalism
Principle that men is inherently evil and needs strict laws and punishment to behave properly
Strong government = stable society
Used by Qin to end Era of Warring States

11. Zoroastrianism
Ancient Persian religion (600 BCE CE) founded by Zarathustra
Left his family in search of wisdom, God spoke to him
Beliefs
World is a blessing and one should take enjoyment of it (wealth, sexual pleasure, social status)
World is battleground between good and evil, each person takes part in the struggle
At the end of time god will judge and send to heaven or hell