World History

Chapter ThreeSection Two

Hinduism and Buddhism

• Hinduism – no single founder• Came about from Aryans merging their

religion with the Indus Civilization• Other peoples added their gods and

goddesses• Hinduism became a complex mix of gods and

goddesses

Beliefs

• Everything is part of the all encompassing force of Brahman – supernatural force

• Worship many gods• Most important: Brahma – creator, Vishnu –

the Preserver, Shiva – the Destroyer• Can take many forms, animals or humans• Sacred texts – Vedas, Bhagavad-Gita

Moksha• Atman – essential self – could be a form of

Brahman or the same as Brahman• Goal of Hindus is to reach Moksha – union with

Brahman• Must free themselves from selfish desires that

separate them from Brahman• Cannot achieve it in one life time – must be

reincarnated • Reincarnation – rebirth of the soul in another

bodily form – allows people to work towards moksha through several lives

Hinduism

• Can achieve moksha through obeying karma• Karma – all actions in a persons life that affect

their fate in the next life• Humans are the closest to Brahman, then

animals, plants, rocks, waters• Good and bad karma – earned in life• People are reborn in a higher or lower level

• Dharma – religious and moral duties of a person

• Ahimsa – nonviolence – everything is an aspect of Brahman and deserve to be respected

Jainism

• Mahavira – founded Jainism – grew out of Hinduism and is still around today

• Emphasizes meditation, self denial, and extreme forms of ahimsa

• To avoid killing living things, even an insect they carry brooms to sweep the ground

Caste Systems

• Caste – social system in which people are born into a group and rarely can move out

• Caste told people what they could do, where they could go, what they could eat, how to dress

• Could not marry or eat with anyone outside of your caste

• High-caste people had rules in place so they would not have to be around lower class people

Untouchables

• Today called dalits – life was hard and restrictive, feared they could get polluted from them

• Had to use a wooden clapper to warn of their approach

Social Orders

• Caste system ensured social stability• If they fulfill their duties in present caste, they

will come back to a higher level• Gave people identity and independence• Each caste had its own leader• Over time additional castes developed as new

people came to the subcontinent• Thousands of castes and subcastes

Buddhism

• Siddharta Guatama – religious reformer• Teachings spread across Asia and became

beliefs for Buddhism• He was a prince, mother had a dream,

interpreted that he would become a wandering holy man

• To prevent this, he was kept in a palace and never let outside

Buddhism• At age 29 his life changed• Went beyond the palace walls and saw an old man, a sick

man, and a dead body – he became aware of human suffering

• Was deeply disturbed and left family• Wandered for years seeking truth from Hindu holy men

who could not satisfy him• Sat next to tree and sat there until he understood the

meaning of life• Throughout the night he was tempted by evil spirits to give

up meditating but he fended them off• When he rose, he understood the cause and cure for

suffering and sorrow = became Buddha

Buddhism

• Four Noble Truths – Heart of Buddhism• 1: All life is full of suffering, pain, sorrow• 2: The cause of suffering is nonvirtue, or

negative deeds and mindsets such as hatred and desire

• 3: The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirtue

• 4: The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow the Eightfold Path

Buddhism

• Eightfold Path – right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conduct, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right contemplation

• Final goal is Nirvana – union with the universe and release from the cycle of rebirth

Comparing Buddhism and Hinduism

• Buddhism came from Hinduism• Both stress non-violence and believed in Karma,

dharma, and cycle of rebirth• Differences:• Hinduism focused on priests, rituals and gods• Buddhism focused on enlightenment through

meditation• Also rejected the caste system – offering nirvana

to all

Spread of Buddhism

• Buddha gained many followers across India while he preached

• Some who accepted Buddha’s teachings set up monasteries and convents for meditation and study

Collecting Buddha Teachings

• At age 80 Buddha ate spoiled food and died• Before he did he said “Decay is inherent in all

things”• Followers collected his teachings in the

Tripitaka “Three Baskets of Freedom”• Overcome anger not by becoming angry.• Overcome evil with good.• Overcome the liar by the truth.

Buddhism Spreads• Missionaries and traders spread Buddhism• Split into two sects (subgroups):• 1: Theravada Buddhism – followed Buddha's

original teachings. Required life devoted to spiritual work. Only most dedicated, monks and nuns, could hope to reach nirvana

• 2: Mahayana Buddhism: easier for ordinary people, picture Buddha as a god even though he said not to worship him. Believe in an afterlife with many heavens and hells – spread to China, Korea, Tibet and Japan

Buddhism Declines in India

• Slowly declined in India• Hinduism absorbed some Buddhism teachings• Included Buddha as another Hindu god• Some Buddhist centers in India survived until

1100’s A.D. until they fell to invading Muslim armies