Download Introduction to Hinduism & Buddhism

INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• BRAHMAN: one single
spiritual power that lives
in everything
• AVATAR: representation
of Hindu god or goddess
in human or animal form
• Hinduism: Major religion
from India
• Practiced by over 850
million people
• One of world’s major
religions
• Developed from a blend
of beliefs from Aryans
and Indians over 3,000
years
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Deity: god or holy being
• HINDUISM
• Very complex; brings
ideas from many religions
• Worship many gods and
goddesses but believe in
one main brahman
• No single leader or
founder
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Moral: doing what is
“right”, accepted by
culture; “correct”
• HINDUISM
• Three important Hindu
gods: Brahma, the
Creator; Vishnu, the
Preserver; Shiva, the
Destroyer
• Believe their deities come
to earth as avatars
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• REINCARNATION: belief
in the rebirth of the
soul, often in human or
animal form
• DHARMA: religious and
moral duties of each
person
• AHIMSA: nonviolence
(a main teaching of
Hinduism)
• Hindus believe life is a
spiritual journey
• Teachings come from
holy texts called
Upanishads
• Believe every living
thing has a soul
• Each person will be
judged by his or her
actions on earth and
reincarnated
accordingly
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• When a Hindu reaches
a “perfect” life, he or
she becomes one with
Brahma and breaks
cycle of reincarnation;
must follow “dharma”
• Believe in non-violence
• All people and things
are part of Brahman so
they don’t eat meat
and try not to harm
living things
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Hinduism in day to day
practice:
• May worship at temples
• May have shrines in
homes and make
offerings
• Practice of Yoga frees
soul – three types:
physical activity, selfless
deeds, learning the holy
texts
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• BUDDHISM
• Meditate: to focus your
thoughts inward to reach
spiritual awareness or
relaxation
• Nirvana: A higher form of
existence; lasting peace
reached by giving up
selfish desires
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Siddhartha Gautama
• Indian Prince
• Had never known suffering,
old age, sickness, or death
• At age 30 he left palace and
saw suffering in the outside
world
• Gave up his wealth and
position in hopes of finding
causes of suffering
• Traveled for 7 years looking for
truth
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Fast: to go without food
or liquids (other than
water) during the day for
religious reasons
• Coexist: to live or work
together
• Meditated to seek
understanding
• Legend says he fasted
and meditated under a
fig tree for 49 days
• He found the answers he
was looking for
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Gautama spent 45 years
traveling in India and sharing
his knowledge
• He gained many followers
• They called him “Enlightened
One”, or Buddha
• His teachings came to be
called Buddhism
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Buddha taught that
people should avoid
extremes in life
• Said wish for wealth or
power caused
unhappiness
• Believed people should
follow the “Middle Way”
or 8-Fold Path
INTRODUCTION TO
BUDDHISM
• Like Hindus, Buddhists
believe in reincarnation
• Believe you could be
“released” from
reincarnation by
following “Middle Way”
and reaching nirvana
INTRODUCTION TO
BUDDHISM
• BASIC TEACHINGS:
• Act unselfishly
• Tell the truth
• Avoid violence
• All people are
equal
• Appeals to those in
caste system
INTRODUCTION TO
HINDUISM & BUDDHISM
• Karma: Belief that
choices you make
in the present will
impact the future;
“What comes
around goes
around”
• Example: A good choice in
this life may mean you have
a good outcome later in life
OR in a later life. The
opposite is true, too.
• SHARED BELIEFS:
• Hindus and Buddhists
believe in
nonviolence and
idea that it’s not okay
to harm others
• Some Hindus believe
Buddha is a
reincarnation of
Vishnu, the preserver
• Both believe in Karma