Transcript Hinduism and Buddhism Develop

Hinduism and Buddhism
Develop
On the Indian Subcontinent
How did Hinduism Evolve?
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No specific founder
Vedic hymns interpreted = Upanishads (750550 BCE)
Caste system/varna: determines every
aspect of an individual life (dharma)
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Atman+ Brahman= moshka
Karma determines reincarnation
Faith demanded that people accept their life
Protest religions: Jainism and Buddhism
Brahma: The Creator
Shiva: The
Destroyer
Vishnu: The Protector
The Hindu Caste System
Varnas:
Priests
Warriors, Police
Merchants
Farmers,
Peasants,
Servants
The
Untouchables
Siddhartha/Buddha
Lived
as a prince and a beggar
The Development of Buddhism
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Siddhartha Gautama- Great Ruler or
Spiritual Leader?
Buddha preached a path to
Enlightenment to break the cycle of
reincarnation and reach nirvana, a
release from selfishness and pain
The Four Noble Truths
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Life is filled with suffering and sorrow
The cause of this suffering is selfish desire for
the temporary pleasures of this world
In order to end suffering, one must end desire
To overcome desire, you follow the Eightfold
Path ( the middle way between desire and selfdenial)
Impact of Buddhism
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Rejection of caste system appealed to
the poor
Monastic spread
Spread in Asia through trade and
missionary outreach
absorbed by Hinduism in India
Pilgrimage sites and stupas
Bodhgaya, India
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A giant Buddha
statue in Bamyan,
Afghanistan, erected
in the 6th century
C.E.
Destroyed by the
Taliban in 2001
Buddha at Sukhotai, Thailand
Chinese Buddha
Symbols in the images
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Long earlobes= Buddha
hears everything, wore big
earrings
The Buddha's bump
symbolizes wisdom.
A dot on the forehead
represents the all seeing eye
The fingers are long, slender,
and usually finely webbed to
indicate that the Buddha
can "catch" people, similar
to the Christian idea of Jesus
the fisherman. Also less likely
to break,
Halo representation of light
emanates from the Buddha,
usually circles the whole
body
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This mudra shows
fearlessness, protection
and peace
right hand raised to
shoulder height, arm bent,
and palm facing
outward.
Shows that the hand is
empty of weapons and
thus indicating friendship
and peace.
To western eyes, it looks
like the gesture meaning
"stop.“
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Bhumisparsha (Earth
Witness) Mudra
Symbol of
Enlightenment when
he summoned the
earth goddess,
Sthavara, to bear
witness
symbolizes the union
of method and
wisdom
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Dharmachakra (WheelTurning) Mudra
symbolizes the occasion
when he preached to his
companions the first
sermon after his
Enlightenment, setting
into motion the Wheel of
teaching.