Buddhism, Jainism, & Hinduism. A Comparison

Transcription

1 Buddhism, Jainism, & Hinduism A Comparison

2 Buddhism: Beginnings Founded by Siddhartha Gautama ( BCE) Princely lifestyle Family in Kshatriya caste Abandoned his family & privilege to become a wandering acsetic (deprive self of all forms of indulgence) Later known as the Buddha ( Enlightened One ) After 6 years, decided on a Middle Path Self-deprivation not getting toward enlightenment Proposed Four Noble Truths Belief in Karma Belief in cycle of rebirth to 3 fortunate realms & 3 unfortunate realms Followers took vows of celibacy, nonviolence, and poverty Spread throughout India, Central, Southeast, and East Asia after Buddha s death

3 Four Noble Truths 1. Life is suffering 2. Suffering arises from desire 3. Solution to suffering lies in curbing desire 4. Desire can be curbed if a person follows the Eightfold Path Right views Aspirations Speech Conduct Livelihood Effort Mindfulness Meditation

4 Original Form of Buddhism Centered on the individual Denied usefulness of gods in finding enlightenment Important to live in moderation to minimize suffering Search for spiritual truth through self-discipline & meditation Ultimate reward = nirvana Different from Vedic tradition that emphasized eternal survival of the atman (soul) Individuals in Buddhism don t have a soul-like component that survives upon entering nirvana

5 Changes to Buddhism Success in spread of Buddhism subverted the individualistic & atheistic tenets of Buddha Monasteries established Hierarchy of monks & nuns Worshipers erected stupas over relics of Buddha Believers began to worship Buddha as a god Early images represented Buddha only indirectly, but later (2 nd century CE) statues of Buddha and bodhisattvas (enlightened individuals) began to proliferate

6 Split of Buddhism Mahayana Buddhism (Great Vehicle) Embraced new features Accessible to more people (not just ascetics & monks) Primary form in North Asia & China, Japan, Tibet, & Mongolia Aim to become boddhisatvas (enlightened, but delay nirvana to help others) Includes venerations of celestial beings, Buddhas, ceremonies, religious rituals, and use of sacred objects Theravada Buddhism (Teachings of the Elders) Followed most original teachings of Buddha Dominant in southern Asia, esp. Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos Strive to become arhats (saints that achieved enlightenment & nirvana) More philosophical than religious

7 Jainism:Beginnings Founded by Mahavira ( BCE) Also known as Jina, the conquerer Began same time as Buddhism Emphasized holiness of life force animating in all living creatures Practiced strict nonviolence Wore masks to prevent accidentally inhaling insects Brushed off seats before sitting down Extreme asceticism Ate only what was given to them by others Eventually starved to death

8 Jainism: Beliefs Goal to achieve moksha release from the cycle of rebirth Seen in Vedic religion Karma Universe & everything in it is eternal Universe has 3 realms: heavens, earthly realm, & hells Perfect universal presence and multiple deities Jiva soul attached to a body Same size in an ant s body as a human s body 2 categories: immobile single-sensed & mobile multisensesd

9 Hinduism s Evolution Roots in Vedic religious traditions Reacted to threats of Jainism & Buddhism in the 4 th century CE Consistencies Brahmin priests retained high social status Changes Sacrifice less central More opportunity for contact between gods & individual worshippers Gods altered with formerly minor deities Vishnu and Shiva gaining prominence

10 Hindu Deities Vishnu the preserver Benevolent Helps in times of need Appears on earth in one of many incarnations when demonic forces threaten cosmic order Rama Buddha Shiva creation & destruction 330 Million gods according to one tradition Reflect ethnic, linguistic, and cultural diversity of India All seen as manifestations of a single divine force of the universe

11 Hindu Beliefs Variety of ways to approach god & obtain divine favor Special knowledge of sacred truths Mental & physical discipline Extraordinary devotion to the deity Worship in temples Pilgrimage to famous shrines Attendance at festivals Ganges River sacred Religious duty vary by social standing, gender, and stage of life Meditation important Reincarnation Karma Vedas ancient sacred texts Dharma fulfilling one s purpose Moksha enlightenment/liberation

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14 Analyze changes and continuities in the foundations and spread of two religions in the period 600BCE to 600CE: Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism 1. What is the question asking you to do? 1. What is the time period? 2. What area of the world am I analyzing? 2. Outline your essay 1. Baseline 2. Impact 3. Things that changed 4. Things that remained the same 3. Include these other things: 1. Relevant world historical context 2. Describe how events in one place relate to the BIG picture (compare to other regions, global processes) 3. Discuss WHY things changed & how they were prior to the change 4. Contrast the starting point and what remained the same

15 Analyze changes and continuities in the foundations and spread of two religions in the period 600BCE to 600CE: Buddhism, Christianity, Judaism Initial Condition Turning Point 1 Turning Point 2 Ending Condition Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Justify how the change relates to the region or theme in your thesis Relate the change to changes occurring in other regions / around the world in the time period Justify how the change relates to the region or theme in your thesis Relate the change to changes occurring in other regions / around the world in the time period Continuities: What was something that did not change? How does this relate to the region or theme in the thesis? How does this relate to other continuities around the world in the time period?

16 Additional Resources Samples & scores explained: members/repository/ap06_worldhistory_ q2.pdf