Transcript Hinduism and Buddhism - Momin2015-2016

Hinduism and Buddhism
India
 What do you remember about the family life in ancient India?
The Four Varna
Brahmins- Priest
KshatriyaWarriors/Adminstration
Vishya- “Folks” Artisans,
farmers, herdsman, etc.
Sudra- serve other three
classes.
The Caste System
 Over the centuries, a multiplex social structure developed
 Key marker of a persons identity and place in society
 Caste System-designate the fixed social groups into which
individuals are born
The Caste System
 Higher castes were considered more pure than lower castes.
 Lowest level who were outside the caste system were the so-
called “untouchables”
 Performed the most polluting task such as taking out the trash,
disposing of the dead, etc
Religion
 Two of the world’s major religions,
Hinduism and Buddhism, originated in India
 Both helped shape the history of India and
other Eastern civilization
Hinduism
• A Group that calls
themselves “aryas” first
appeared in northwest India
around 1500 B.C
• They brought the origins of
Hindu teachings
Principles of Hinduism
 Reincarnation- “rebirth” belief that the soul/self is reborn
after death
 After number of rebirths, it will achieve its final goal of union
with Brahman
 Karma- action and consequence. A persons intentional acts
have inevitable consequences and determine the persons
future condition in this life and after
 Dharma- “Order, truth, duty, law” defines duty and right
behavior
Buddhism
Buddhism
 Began in the 5th or 6th century
 Founded by Siddhartha Gautama in 563 BC
 Born into a Hindu family (Warrior)
 Known as Buddha or Enlightened One
 Intense period of meditation to fine oneness with god.
 Path to enlightenment
Sayings…
 “Do not accept what you hear by report…. Be lamps unto
yourselves”
 Do not go by what is handed down, nor on the authority of
your traditional teachings. When you know of yourselves:
“These teachings are not good …. Then reject them.”
 When asked who he was he would respond “I am awake”
 Neither a god nor an angel but a simple man who had awakened
to the truth
Central Ideas of Buddhism
 The pain and sorrow that afflict us are due to our attachment
to “things: in the world.
 Nirvana- ultimate reality, the end of the self and a reunion
with the great World Soul
 The heart of this teaching is the Four Noble Truths
4 Noble Truths
 Human life involves suffering and sorrow
 Desire for pleasure and material things causes suffering and
sorrow
 Renouncing desire frees soul from suffering
 8 fold path leads to nirvana
8 fold path
 Right views-----see life as it is
 Right intentions-----life of goodwill
 Right speech-----no lies or gossip
 Right action------ law-abiding and honest
 Right living-------avoid harming others
 Right effort------- seek to prevent evil
 Right mindfulness------awareness of one’s self
 Right concentration-------meditation
Buddha’s Teachings
 Declared the caste system irrelevant
 Discouraged the formation of a cult to himself and did not
encourage the making of images
 Buddha died at age 80
 His followed traveled across India spreading his message
 Temples sprang up throughout the countryside
Mauryan Empire 320 BC- 170 BC
 Chandragupta Maurya, founder
 United Northern India from the Ganges to Indus
 Many enemies
 Rigid bureaucracy
 Standardized weights and measures
 Standards for doctors
Asoka
 Grandson of Chandragupta
 Military rule increased size of India with bloody wars
 Sickened by war Asoka became a Buddhist and stopped the
killing
 Improved living conditions and roads
 Carved written laws in pillars
 Mauryan dynasty declined
 Last emperor killed by one of his generals who
 Set up the Gupta Dynasty
Gupta Dynasty
 Buddhism declined and Hinduism grew
 Chandra Gupta I took power in 320 AD
 Golden age
 Social prosperity
 Arts and sciences
 Less centralized political system
 Lost rule in 550AD to Barbarian invaders