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"It is true that even across the Himalayan barrier India has sent to the west, such gifts as grammar and logic, philosophy and fables, hypnotism and chess, and above all numerals and the decimal system.”. Will Durant. Hinduism. Has no historical founder - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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"It is true that even across the Himalayan barrier India has sent to the west, such gifts as grammar and logic, philosophy and fables, hypnotism and chess,
and above all numerals and the decimal system.”
Will Durant
E. Napp
HINDUISM Has no historical founder Developed over many centuries along with
Indian civilization Later spread into Southeast Asia but not a
missionary religion Associated with a particular people and place Never was a single tradition Rather the term “Hinduism” derived from
outsiders – Greeks, Muslims, British
E. Napp
E. Napp
Vedas -Earliest of Hindu texts -Collection of poems, hymns, prayers and
rituals -Compiled by priests called Brahmins,
transmitted orally for centuries (written in Sanskrit around 600 BCE)
-Brahmins gained power and wealth through the performing of sacrifices and rituals
Dissatisfaction with Brahmins led to another body of sacred texts
Upanishads (composed by anonymous thinkers between 800 and 400 BCE)
-Sought to understand the inner meaning of the sacrifices
E. Napp
E. Napp
HINDU BELIEFS Brahman or the World Soul is the ultimate
reality Beyond all separate identities, persons, and
forms lay this divine reality According to philosophical Hinduism, the
individual human soul (atman) was part of this ultimate reality
Therefore, the perceived separateness of people and forms is an illusion
Everything is Brahman
E. Napp
E. Napp
Beyond the quest for wealth and power, lay the effort to achieve union with Brahman
-An end to the illusory perception of a separate existence
-Moksha (liberation) But until moksha is achieved, there is
samsara or rebirth (reincarnation) Rebirth is determined by the individual’s
actions (Karma) and performance of duty (Dharma)
Therefore, the caste system is a register of every person’s spiritual progress
E. Napp
E. Napp
BUDDHISM Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 556 – ca. 486 BCE) -Founder of Buddhism -Indian prince from a small north Indian state -Led a sheltered and privileged existence -Shocked by the existence of old age,
sickness, and death -Left family and wealth -Began search for the causation and
cessation of suffering
E. Napp
E. Napp
Upon becoming the Enlightened One (the Buddha), formulated the Four Noble Truths
-Life has suffering. -Selfish desire is the cause of suffering. -Suffering can end. -Follow the Noble Eightfold Path (eight
actions to help eliminate suffering) Nirvana is the elimination of suffering -The identity is extinguished as greed,
hatred, and delusion are extinguished too -Loving-kindness or compassion for all living
things develops
E. Napp
E. Napp
Many similarities to Hinduism -Karma, reincarnation, overcoming the
incessant demands of the ego, meditation, release from samsara
Differences too -Rejected religious authority of Brahmins,
ridiculed rituals and sacrifices, not much interested in the creation of world or existence of God
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Reluctantly allowed women to become Buddhist nuns
But Buddhist nuns had inferior status than Buddhist monks
Nonetheless, in opposition to “The Laws of Manu”
-Classic Hindu text on the position of women - “In childhood, a female must be subject to
her father; in youth to her husband; when her lord is dead to her sons; a woman must never be independent.”
E. Napp
Buddhism’s popularity was increased by teachings in Pali, local and accessible language
During the reign of Ashoka (268 -232 BCE), Buddhism had state support
E. Napp
Over time, two primary schools of Buddhism developed
-Theravada (Teaching of the Elders) portrayed Buddha as a wise teacher and model but not divine
-Mahayana (Great Vehicle) developed in the early centuries CE and claimed that help was available for the strenuous journey through bodhisattvas or spiritually developed individuals who had postponed entry into nirvana to help others still suffering (even Buddha became something of a god)
E. Napp
E. Napp
But Buddhism died out in the land of its birth -A revived Hinduism made Buddhism less
attractive (the Mahabharata and Ramayana were epic poems that encouraged action in the world and a detached performance of caste duties leading to liberation)
-Bhakti or the way of devotion to a deity also developed
-But perhaps most importantly of all, Buddhism was incorporated into the Hindu pantheon
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Krishna encourages the Arjuna to perform his duty in the Bhagavad-Gita (part of the Mahabharata).
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According to Hindus, Buddha is the ninth incarnation of Vishnu. Buddha is a part of the Hindu pantheon.
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By 1000 CE, Buddhism disappeared as a separate religious tradition within India. However, Buddhism became a universal belief system by spreading to new lands.
E. Napp
E. Napp
STRAYER QUESTIONS In what ways did the religious traditions of
South Asia change over the centuries? In what ways did the religious traditions of
South Asia change over the centuries? What is the difference between the
Theravada and Mahayana expressions of Buddhism?
What new emphases characterized Hinduism as it responded to the challenges of Buddhism?
E. Napp