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Religion
South Asia, East Asia and
South East Asia
Hinduism
Hinduism is one of the world’s oldest religions
with 900 million
The religion began in India about 4000 years
ago.
Hinduism is a polytheistic religion with
thousands of gods and goddesses
Most important gods are
– Bhrahma-the creator
– Vishnu-the preserver
– Shiva-the destroyer
Can also be seen as monotheism
– God, Bhrahma and all living creatures are one in
the “world spirit”
Hindu Beliefs
They believe that rivers (like the
Ganges) and animals (like cows)
are sacred.
They believe in reincarnation (a
person’s soul never dies)...a person
can be reborn many times until
their soul reaches their final
resting place
– Dharma, performance and fulfillment
of one’s moral and social duties in
life, move the soul towards
deliverance from sorrow and pain
– Karma, belief that present condition
reflects what the person did or did
not do during a previous life
Caste System
Brahmins-Priests
Kshatriya-nobles
Vaisya-traders, artisans,
farmers, herders
Sudra-laborers
Untouchables
•The Caste system is very
rigid, you cannot move up in
social class
•The Indian Constitution
has outlawed caste based
discrimination
•The Caste System is
declining in urban areas as
education improves
•The Caste System is still
prominent in many rural
areas
Buddhism
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The religion started in India more than 2500 years
ago as a result of Prince Siddhartha Gautama’s
quest for Enlightenment.
After Gautama saw the truth about life he became known
as Buddha, “Enlightened One”
Buddhists do not believe in a personal god.
A pagoda is the house of worship (Buddhist temple).
Found mainly in China, Tibet, Japan, SE Asia.
Four Noble Truths
Pathway to enlightenment
Buddhists believe one is reborn until one reaches
enlightenment or nirvana, you must follow the middle path
Major Religions in India
Hinduism, Islam and Buddhism
Other regions:
– Jainism
4.2 million followers
believe in extreme nonviolence
everything has a soul
Strict vegetarians
Do not believe in gods or spiritual beings, more a religion
of self-help
– Sikhism
Founded in the early 1500s,
a mixture of Islam and Hinduism,
monotheistic and believe in karma and reincarnation
Major Religions of Japan
Buddhism
Shinto
– Japanese devotion to invisible spiritual beings and
powers called kami
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Kami are not gods but if treated properly they will
intervene in our lives to bring benefits
Not seen as a religion but a way of life
An ethnic religion, rarely practiced outside Japan
Has no scriptures, no founder, no God
Teaches ethical practices
Does not require members to follow Shinto as
their only religion, coexists with Buddhism
Daoism/Taoism
China
Ancient tradition of philosophy and religious belief
The Tao, “the Way”, is the ultimate creative principle
of the universe
– All things are unified and connected in the Tao
The Tao is not God, but Taoists worship many deities
in temples
Taoism promotes, harmony, being virtuous, and self
development
Taoism practices, meditation, feng shui, fortune
telling
Before the Communist revolution, Taoism was the
strongest religion in China
– After the government began destroying any non-communist
religions its numbers have significantly reduced
Confucianism
A belief system based on the teaching
of Kong Fu Zi (Confucius) (551-479
BC)
– Violence, poverty, and crime was
increasing in China
– Confucius thought people should return to
the customs of the past so that society
could be stable again
Confucius suggested a set of rules for
behaving based on strict moral ideas
(li)
– Respect, loyalty, honesty, hard work,
politeness and generosity
Emphasized family relationships and
devotion to or respect for one’s elders
– Filial piety
Today, most families in China still
follow the teaching of Confucius