Transcript religions_of_china

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-Buddhism-Confucianism-Taoism-
Buddhism
The father of Buddhism
Siddhartha Gautama:
Lived 563 B.C. E. – 483 B.C.E
In southern Nepal
He is the “Enlightened One”
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Buddhism
At 29yrs old Siddhartha Gautama
While sitting under the bo tree, he
experienced
The Great Awakening
Wandered India searching for religious
truth
He spent years meditating,
studying, and preaching
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Buddhism
The Buddha shared his ideas with
anyone who would listen.
He was teaching a religion that was
devoid of:
Authority
Ritual
Tradition
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Buddhism
It was
Empirical
Scientific
Pragmatic
Therapeutic
Egalitarian
Directed at individuals
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Buddhism
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Buddha’s key discovery is known as
the Four Noble Truths.
The first truth is Dukka. Which refers to
life's suffering. All of life is suffering and
pain
Buddha believed that the pains we feel in
life could be cured through Buddhism.
Buddhism
Buddha’s key discovery is known as
the Four Noble Truths.
The second truth is Tanha.
Pain is caused by the desire for wealth
and power.
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Buddhism
Buddha’s key discovery is known as
the Four Noble Truths.
The third truth is the solution for Tanha:
the knowledge and understanding that
there is a way to end suffering and
overcome desire.
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Buddhism
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Buddha’s key discovery is known as
the Four Noble Truths.
The fourth truth is the real solution for
Tanah: nirvana. It comes in the form of the
Eight Fold Path.
Achieve nirvana with excellent conduct
and kindness to all
Buddhism
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The Eight Fold Path: You must have all
of the following qualities to cure
Tanha.
The Right Knowledge:
You must have the knowledge of the Four
Noble Truths.
The Right Aspiration:
You have to want to reach true enlightenment
for the Eight Fold Path to work.
As in Taoism
As in Confucianism
Buddhism
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The Eight Fold Path: You must have all
of the following qualities to cure
Tanha.
The Right Speech:
You need to take notice of how often you feel
the need to deviate from the truth.
The Right Behavior:
Do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste, or take
drugs or intoxicants.
Buddhism
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The Eight Fold Path: You must have all
of the following qualities to cure
Tanha.
The Right Livelihood:
Your occupation can not go against the
teachings of the Buddha.
The Right Effort:
You have to be dedicated and always try to
follow the way of the Buddhist.
Unlike Taoism
Buddhism
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The Eight Fold Path: You must have all
of the following qualities to cure
Tanha.
The Right Mindfulness:
You have to be aware of every part of yourself.
Your thought and your feelings.
The Right Absorption:
If you lose delusion, craving and hostility, the
three poisons. You will see things how they
should be.
Buddhism
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If you follow the Four Noble truths you
could reach Nirvana, which is the
ultimate goal for every Buddhist.
“Nirvana is permanent, stable,
ageless, and deathless; it is power,
bliss and happiness, the secure
refuge, and the shelter.
incomprehensible peace
Buddhism
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Buddha believed in reincarnation.
He saw it as a wave.
He said that nothing will be identical to this
life in the next, “Pari Passu”.
Buddhism
There are three groups of Buddhist
today.
Hinayana: The Little Way
Mahayana: The Great Way
Vajrayana: The Diamond Way
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Buddhism
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Hinayana: The Little Way
They prefer to call their Buddhism
“Theravada”
The way of the Elders.
They follow the Pali Canon records.
Believed that Progress lies with the
individual.
Believe that there is no God to help you get
through life.
As in Confucianism
Buddhism
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Hinayana: The Little Way
The prime attribute is wisdom “Bodhi”.
Sangha: Monasteries filled with spiritual
dynamos where Theravada thrived.
They believe that their religion was for these
high priest to teach and pass on.
They would only use meditation and
invocations to strengthen their faith.
Buddhism
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Mahayana: The Great Way
Claim that they represent the true line of
succession, from the Buddha.
That Buddha reached Nirvana and returned
to teach others how to reach it as well.
They believe that there are Buddhas and
Bodhisattvas to help them through life.
Bodhisattvas: A person that has attained
enlightenment, but postpones Nirvana in order to
enlighten others.
Buddhism
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Mahayana: The Great Way
The prime attribute is compassion “Karuna”.
Believe that the religion is primarily for the
average person.
They added supplications, petition, and
calling out Buddha’s name for strength.
Buddhism
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Vajrayana: The Diamond Way
The way to realize Buddha’s wisdom and
compassion.
Vajrayana started in Tibet.
The essence of Vajrayana Buddhism is
Tantra.
It teachings gives the advantage of reaching
Nirvana in a single life time by using, and
focusing all the energies in the body.
Buddhism
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Vajrayana: The Diamond Way
Mantras: Fashion sounds into holy formulas
Mudras: Turn hand gestures into scared
dances
Mandalas: Use icons who’s holy beauty
empowers
Buddhism
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Vajrayana: The Diamond Way
The Dali Lama is the Vajrayana’s version of a
Bodhisattva.
The Dali Lama has reincarnated himself 13
times, so he can continue to lead the Tibetan
people.
Buddhism
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Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana: The
Rafts
They all have a single founder.
They all deal with the metaphor, using a raft
to cross life’s river.
Once you cross the river the realm of God is
no distant place. It is where you now stand.
They all have very lavish temples and
shrines.
Unlike Taoism
Buddhism
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Hinayana, Mahayana, Vajrayana: The
Rafts
They all believe in the kindness to all
creatures, the non-killing of animals, the
elimination of caste barriers in religion and
their reduction in social matters.
Buddhism thrives in every Asian land, except
the one that gave birth to it: India
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Confucianism
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The father of Confucianism
Confucius:
Was born around 551 B.C.
in Lu in the Shantung
Province
Father was upper class
Born out of wedlock
He never knew his father
He and his mother lived in
poverty
Confucianism
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Confucius was one of the worlds best
teachers
He founded the philosophical school
called Ru
He died at the age of 74
 He never thought of himself as a sage
His teachings were recorded by his
students in the Analects
Confucianism
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With his death began his glorification
His teachings have touched almost every
Chinese student for the past two thousand
years.
Confucius believed that tradition was the key
to peace.
He believed that tradition would show them
the way back to a happy, stable China.
Confucianism
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Confucius had Five Ideals that guided his
thoughts:
Jen: Is the ideal way for one to carry oneself
through life. “Measure the feeling of others
by one’s own.”
Chu Tzu: If Jen is how a person should be,
then Chu Tzu is how a person should act.
Confucianism
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Confucius had Five Ideals that guided his
thoughts:
Li: The way things should be done. It is the
way you should act in what ever role you play
Unlike Taoism
in life.
A father should be a father, and a ruler should be
a ruler.
Te: Translates to “Power”. How the people
with power, use it. For a person to be a great
leader his followers must choose to follow
him.
Confucianism
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Confucius had Five Ideals that guided his
thoughts:
Wen: Victory goes to the state with the
highest culture. Art has the power to
ennoble the human spirit.
China placed the scholarbureaucrat at the top of
its social scale, and its
soldiers at the bottom.
Confucianism
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Confucius believed that without human
relationships, there would be no self.
There are Five Constant relationships
in life:
Parent and Child
Husband and Wife
Elder Sibling and Junior Sibling
Elder Friend and Junior Friend
Confucianism
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People have to warrant the respect and
power that comes with their positions in
life. Power and respect are not a given,
they must be earned.
He believed that if everyone followed the
five ideals, the effect would be widespread through family, community, and
the world.
Unlike Taoism
As in Buddhism
Confucianism
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Confucius shifted China’s focus from
heaven to earth. Though he did not
remove heaven from the picture.
He saw that his country could not serve it’s
people, so how was it going to serve it’s
ancestors.
He believed that somewhere in the universe
there is a power that is on the side of right.
Confucianism
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You should be able to work out your
problems with out involving the courts.
Confucianism has the power to change
entire civilizations for the better. It
affects every aspect of life and makes it
better.
Confucianism
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Confucius repeatedly calls for selfexamination
Confucius focused on the individuals, the
people, more than anything else.
As in Buddhism
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Unlike Taoism
Taoism
The father of Taoism
Lao Tzu:
Was born around 640 B.C.
No one is really sure about
any dates or places.
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Taoism
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Lao Tzu was not pleased with his people,
so he left and went on a journey.
On his journey, an official asked him
to leave a record of his beliefs.
He wrote a 5,000 character
book called Tao Te Ching
The book became the
foundation of Taoism
Taoism
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The Tao Te Ching is in effect the Taoist
bible.
It centers around the concept of Tao: “the
way” or “the “path”
Strong emphasis is placed on non-action;
that is, the absence of aggressive action
Taoism
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There are three meanings of “Tao”
Tao- The way to ultimate reality. This Tao is
way to vast for a person to comprehend or
fathom.
Tao- The way of the universe. The norm, the
rhythm, and the driving power in all of
nature. Deals more with the spiritual side
then the Physical side of things.
Taoism
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There are three meanings of “Tao”
Tao- The way of human life. It refers to the
way that we mesh with the Tao of the
universe.
Taoism
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Just like the three meanings of Tao. All
three were designed to facilitate the
power of Tao through “te”
There are three types of Taoism:
Philosophical Taoism
Religious or Popular Taoism
Vitalizing Taoism
Taoism
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Philosophical Taoism:
Is a reflective look at life
Relatively unorganized
Teaches what you should understand
You work on improving yourself
Seeks power through knowledge
Sought to conserve “te” and not to expend is
on friction and conflict.
Taoism
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Philosophical Taoism:
Wu Wei- The perfect way to live life, and
reduce conflict and friction
Combines supreme activity and supreme
relaxation
The conscious mind has to get out of the
way of its own light.
For one to perfect the wu wei lifestyle.
A lifestyle above excess and tension.
As in Buddhism
Taoism
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Religious Taoism:
Became a full fledge church
Its programs are active
“The Taoist priesthood made cosmic lifepower available for ordinary villagers.”
Their power was with magic, the harnessed
higher powers for human ends.
Want to help transmit “Ch’i” to people that
can not get it on their own.
As in Buddhism
Taoism
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Vitalizing Taoism:
The programs are active
Relatively unorganized
Teaches what you should do.
Is a self help program
You work on improving yourself
Want to increase the amounts of Tao or “te”
in their life
They do this through “ch’i”
Taoism
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Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing
Taoism
All center on how to maximize their Tao.
They honor hunchbacks, cripples
because the tallest tree gets the axe first.
Their temples blend in with the
landscape. They do not stand out.
Unlike Buddhism and
Confucianism
Taoism
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Philosophical, Religious and Vitalizing
Taoism
They all teach that people will be at their
best when they are living in harmony with
their surroundings.
They consider ceremonies pompous and
downright silly.
They feel there is nothing to gain from social
correctness and the meticulous observance
Unlike Confucianism
of propriety.
Unlike Buddhism
Taoism
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The Taoist believe in opposites, and that
things in nature have a way of working
themselves out.
Unlike Confucianism
Unlike Confucianism
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