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JH WEEKLIES ISSUE #25
2012-2013
World Religious Leaders
This week we are introducing you to five different religious figures from Asia. All have
had a profound impact not only on their own followers, but on other religions, political
institutions, and philosophies worldwide. Here are some names, terms, and events that you
will come across on the following pages.
Muhammad
Islam
Mecca
Mount Hira
Gabriel
Medina
Hijra
Quran
Hajj
Five Pillars of Islam
caliphs
Green Dome
Vishnu
Hindu
Brahma
Shiva
reincarnated
avatars
Dharma
Lakshmi
Confucius
Master Kong
Lu
Spring and Autumn Period
Analects
The Four Books
The Five Classics
Zhou Dynasty
Dao
ren
Zoroaster
Zoroastrianism
monotheistic
Zarathushtra Spitama
Avesta
Gathas
Ahura Mazda
Ahriman
aša
druj
Also sprach Zarathustra
Dalai Lama
Siddhartha Gautama
Buddhists
Ocean of Wisdom
Avalokiteshvara
Nirvana
bodhisattva
Four Noble Truths
Lhamo Dondrub
Eightfold Path
Tenzin Gyatso
Tiananmen Square
Tibet
Nobel Peace Prize
Seventeen Point Agreement
1959 Tibetan Uprising
Government of Tibet in Exile
Dharamshala
Yellow Hat Sect
Muhammad
In the religion of Islam, Muhammad is considered by his followers to be the last prophet of
God. An adherent of Islam is called a Muslim. There are more than 1.5 billion followers of the
religion, making up almost a quarter of the world’s population.
Born in 570 A.D. in Mecca, Muhammad was cared for by his uncle after his parents died at an
early age. He worked as a merchant and a shepherd as a young man and was known to spend
several weeks a year praying in isolation. It was during one of these retreats in a cave on Mount
Hira near Mecca that the angel Gabriel appeared to him, an event known as Muhammad’s first
revelation.
Muhammad began to gain followers, but he also began to face hostility from some local tribes.
In 622 A.D., he and his followers migrated to Medina to escape persecution. This journey,
known as the Hijra, marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar. He continued receiving
revelations, and the Quran, regarded by Muslims as the “Word of God,” is assembled from the
revelations which Muhammad reported receiving until his death.
Over the next ten years, Muhammad united the various tribes in Medina and took control of
Mecca through a series of battles. In 632, the year of his death, Muhammad completed his first
truly Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. This Great Pilgrimage is known as the Hajj. To this day, the
Hajj is one of the Five Pillars of Islam, and it is the duty of every able-bodied Muslim who can
afford to do so to make the pilgrimage at least once in his or her lifetime.
Muhammad's grave lies within the confines of what used to be his wife Aisha's and his house. He
is buried next to the first two caliphs, Abu Bakr and Umar. The Green Dome was built in 1279
above the tomb.
Topics for further study:
 What are the five pillars of Islam?
 What are the two different sects of Islam? How do they differ from one another?
Vishnu
Vishnu is one of three gods that make up the Hindu triumvirate. The god Brahma is the creator
of the universe, Shiva is the destroyer of the universe, and Vishnu is the preserver and protector
of the universe. Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent and has close
to one billion followers, making it the third largest religion in the world.
Although Vishnu is mentioned in early Hindu texts, he is usually ranked among the lesser gods.
It isn’t until later that he is elevated to greater prominence. According to Hindu belief, Vishnu
has been reincarnated on nine occasions as different avatars in an effort to restore the balance
between good and evil during times of trouble. Perhaps the three most well-known of these
incarnations are the seventh, eighth, and ninth avatars: Rama, Krishna, and Buddha. Hindus
believe he will be reincarnated one last time close to the end of the world. Vishnu is the
embodiment of mercy and goodness; he maintains the cosmic order Dharma, which designates
those behaviors considered necessary for the maintenance of the natural order of the universe.
Vishnu is typically represented with a human body with blue skin and with four arms. Each
hand carries a different object. The conch shell represents Vishnu’s power to create and
maintain the universe. The sound it produces (“Om”) represents the primeval sound of creation.
The chakra, a disc-like spinning weapon, symbolizes the purified spiritualized mind. The lotus
flower, or Padma, represents spiritual liberation, divine perfection, and purity. The mace
represents spiritual, mental, and physical strength. Vishnu is usually depicted either reclining on
the coils of a serpent with his consort Lakshmi massaging his feet or standing upright on a lotus
flower with Lakshmi close by.
Topics for further study:
 What are the ten avatars of Vishnu?
 How does the Buddha factor into the Hindu religion?
Confucius
Confucius was a Chinese thinker and educator whose teachings have had a far reaching impact
on much of the East Asian world for centuries. To his followers, he was known as “Master
Kong,” a great teacher. His sayings and ideas developed into a moral and philosophical system
that has had a far reaching impact not only on East Asians cultures, but also on other religions
and forms of government around the world. Even people who study and follow these teachings
don’t necessarily consider themselves Confucians, but rather they complement their religious and
social beliefs with this moral philosophy.
Although little is truly known about the life of Confucius, Confucius was said to have been born
in 551 B.C. in a vassal state called Lu. His father died when he was young, and he was raised by
his mother in poverty. As a young adult, he took on many jobs including that of a bookkeeper
and a shepherd. He lived in China during a time known as the “Spring and Autumn Period,”
an era in which China enjoyed no political unity and suffered from warfare among small states.
Confucius did spend a short time in his adult life as a political leader, but he left that position to
focus on teaching.
Confucius’s teachings were later turned into an elaborate set of rules and practices by his
numerous disciples and followers, who organized his teachings into the Analects, which took its
present form sometime during the second century B.C. The Analects is actually just one of The
Four Books, Chinese classic texts illustrating the core value and belief systems in Confucianism.
There are also The Five Classics, a series of ancient Chinese books used in Confucianism as the
basis of studies. These books were said to have been compiled or edited by Confucius himself.
Confucius taught about antique precedents established during the height of the royal Zhou
Dynasty. The Analects depicts Confucius as someone who “transmits, but does not innovate.”
What he sought to do was to transmit the Dao (Way) of the sages of the past and to restore the
moral integrity of the state. While Confucius believed that people live their lives within
established parameters according to a supreme being, he argued that people are ultimately
responsible for their actions and especially for their treatment of others. Although he believed
that people could do little or nothing to alter their fate of existence, they could determine what
they accomplished and what they are remembered for. This could be accomplished through
studying and practicing li, the ritual forms and rules of propriety through which one expresses
respect for superiors and enacts his role in society in such a way that he himself is worthy of
respect and admiration.
Confucius believed that the welfare of a country depended on the moral cultivation of its people,
beginning from the nation’s leadership. He believed that individuals could begin to cultivate an
all-encompassing sense of virtue through ren, and that the most basic step to cultivating ren was
devotion to one’s parents and older siblings. His primary goal in educating his students was to
produce ethically well-cultivated men who would demonstrate consummate integrity in all
things. He taught that a ruler’s sense of virtue was his primary prerequisite for leadership.
Here are some of the famous quotes attributed to Confucius
- “Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.”
- “Everything has its beauty but not everyone sees it.”
- “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.”
- “Learning without thought is labor lost; thought without learning is perilous.”
Topics for further study:
 What are The Four Books and The Five Classics?
 What aspects of Confucianism are similar to Christianity?
Zoroaster
Zoroaster was the prophet and founder of Zoroastrianism, which according to many scholars is
the first widespread monotheistic religion. This religion was the state religion of ancient Iran,
dating back to the 6th century B.C., but today there are fewer than 250,000 followers worldwide.
Zoroaster is known outside of the West by the name Zarathushtra Spitama. The “traditional”
date places Zoroaster’s life in the 7th century B.C., but analysis of the ancient texts attributed to
him find that he lived much earlier, between the 11th and 16th centuries B.C. He lived
somewhere near present day eastern Iran or Afghanistan.
Knowledge of Zoroaster’s life comes from the Avesta, a collection of scriptures collected over
several centuries; it is written in the Avestan language. The Gathas are 17 hymns believed to
have been composed by Zoroaster himself. They are included as part of the Avesta and are the
most sacred texts of the Zoroastrian faith.
Around the age of 30, Zoroaster received a divine revelation from Ahura Mazda, The Lord of
Wisdom. Zoroaster received much opposition at first, and it was difficult for him to spread his
new faith under he was able to convert a prince named Kavi Vishtaspa. Zoroaster did not
consider himself divine, but rather, he was divinely inspired.
Zoroaaster’s teachings were in sharp contrast to the prevailing local traditions. He taught that
there was one supreme god, Ahura Mazda, who encompassed all wisdom, instead of many local
gods primarily related to nature. Instead of focusing on placating many gods through stringent
rituals, this new religion focused on correct living and genuine piety. Ahura Mazda also had an
opposing force, Ahriman, who embodies the principle of evil. As written in the Gathas,
Zoroaster describes the human condition as the mental struggle between aša (the truth) and druj
(lies). The purpose of all of creation is to sustain the notion of aša through active participation in
the exercise of constructive thoughts, words, and deeds in life.
In classical antiquity, the Greeks understood Zoroaster to be a prophet and founder of an ancient
religion of Iran, but they began to depict him more as a sorcerer/astrologer. In the West, he is
often referred to as a sage, magician, or miracle worker. Even though the number of followers
has dwindled, Zoroaster remains an influence in many later religions and philosophies. In fact,
Friedrich Nietzsche wrote a philosophical treatise titled Also sprach Zarathustra (Thus Spoke
Zarathustra) which inspired a tone poem of the same name composed by Richard Strauss in
1896. This musical work’s initial fanfare, entitled “Sunrise,” is famous for its work in Stanley
Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Topics for further study:
 How can the life of Zoroaster be compared and contrasted to that of other religious
figures, including Jesus and Muhammad?
 How are the basic themes of good and evil, like the struggle between aša and druj
prevalent in other major religions?
Dalai Lama
Tibetan Buddhists believe that each Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of his predecessors who, in
turn, are the manifestations of Avalokiteshvara, the patron saint of Tibet and bodhisattva of
compassion. Bodhisattvas are enlightened beings who consciously choose to be reborn in order
to help others achieve enlightenment. There have been a total of 14 Dalai Lamas, the current one
being formally recognized as such in 1950. Adherents to Tibetan Buddhism number between 10
and 20 million which is just a fraction of the 400-500 million Buddhists in all sects.
Born Lhamo Dondrub, and given the religious name Tenzin Gyatso, the current Dali Lama is
the 14th in succession. He was found by a search party when he was only two years old, but
didn’t formally become the Dalai Lama until he was 15. At that time, he became the temporal
ruler of Tibet. By the time he was 23 years old, he had completed his studies, which equate
roughly to a doctorate in Buddhist philosophy.
Relations between Tibet and China have been rocky for hundreds of years. In 1950, the Chinese
government negotiated the Seventeen Point Agreement with the newly enthroned 14th Dalai
Lama’s government, granting them autonomy. Relations soured and in a few years, the 1959
Tibetan Uprising took place. Fearing for his life, the Dalai Lama fled Tibet, and with the help
of the CIA, he established the Government of Tibet in Exile in Dharamshala, India.
The Dalai Lama is the head monk of the Yellow Hat Sect of Tibetan Buddhists. Founded in the
late 14th century, the Yellow Hats promoted academic studies and restored discipline to
monastic life. Buddhism was created in the 6th century B.C. with the birth of Siddhartha
Gautama. The religion spread throughout parts of Asia and came to Tibet in the 8th century
A.D. The first Dalai Lama was born in 1391, but the title Dalai Lama wasn’t adopted until the
1570s when a Mongolian king gave the title meaning “Ocean of Wisdom” to the third Dalai
Lama. Buddhists teach that the goal of spiritual development is to reach Nirvana, a state of
perfect enlightenment. This is done through several means, including adherence to the Four
Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path. However, Tibetan Buddhism is slightly different than
other Buddhist sects, but their differences are nuanced.
The current Dalai Lama has spent his life committed to benefiting humanity. He is a prolific
author and speaker. He has conducted hundreds of conferences, lectures and workshops at major
universities and institutions throughout the world. He has met with heads of state and religious
leaders all over the world, promoting his message of peace and compassion. After the
Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his “struggle of
the liberation of Tibet and the efforts for a peaceful resolution.”
Topics for further study:
 Who were the first 13 Dalai Lamas? Will there be a 15th?
 What are the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path?
 Why has the Chinese government seen Tibet and the Dalai Lama as such a threat to their
country?