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Robert W. Strayer
Ways of the World: A Brief Global
History with Sources
Second Edition
Chapter 4
Culture and Religion in Eurasia/North Africa
(500 B.C.E.–500 C.E.)
Copyright © 2013 by Bedford/St. Martin’s
I. China and the Search for Order
A. The Legalist Answer
1. High rewards, heavy punishments
2. Qin Shihuangdi
1. Human nature is naturally selfish.
2. Intellectualism and literacy is
discouraged.
3. Law is the supreme authority and
replaces morality.
4. The ruler must rule with a strong,
punishing hand.
5. War is the means of strengthening
a ruler’s power.
One who favors the principle
that individuals should obey a
powerful authority rather
than exercise individual
freedom.
The ruler, therefore, “cracks his
whip” on the backs of his
subjects!
I. China and the Search for Order
B. The Confucian Answer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Confucius, Analects, & Confucianism
Moral example of superiors
Unequal relationships governed by ren
Education and state bureaucracy
Filial piety and gender expectations
Secular
* 551 – 479 B.C.E.
* Born in the feudal
state of Liu.
* Became a teacher
and editor of books.
Li --> Rite, rules, ritual decorum (Binding
force of an enduring stable society)
Ren --> humaneness, benevolence,
humanity
Shu --> Reciprocity, empathy
Do not do unto others what you would
not want others to do unto you.
Yi --> Righteousness
Xiao --> Filial Piety (Respect your elders!)
1. Ruler
Subject
2. Father
Son
3. Husband
Wife
4. Older
Brother
Younger
Brother
5. Older
Friend
Younger
Friend
*
Status
* Age
* Gender
* The single most important Confucian
work.
* In Chinese, it means “conversation.”
* Focus on practicalities of interpersonal
relationships and the relationship of
the role of rulers and ministers to the
conduct of government.
* Knowing what he knows and knowing what he
doesn’t know, is characteristics of the person
who knows.
* Making a mistake and not correcting it, is
making another mistake.
* The superior man blames himself; the
inferior man blames others.
* To go too far is as wrong as to fall short.
* The emperor is the example of
proper behavior --> “big daddy”
* Social relationships are based on
“rites” or “rituals.”
* Even religious rituals are
important for SOCIAL, not
religious reasons, acc. to Confucius.
I. China and the Search for Order
C. The Daoist Answer
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Laozi’s Daodejing and Zhuangzi
Withdrawal into nature
Spontaneous natural behavior not rigid education
Dao (“The Way”)
Contradict or complement Confucianism?
* Not sure when he
died.
[604 B.C.E. - ?]
* His name means
“Old Master”
* Was he Confucius’
teacher?
* The basic text of Daoism.
* In Chinese, it means The Classic in
the Way and Its Power.
* “Those who speak know nothing:
Those who know are silent.”
These words, I am told,
Were spoken by Laozi.
If we are to believe that Laozi,
Was himself one who knew,
How is it that he wrote a book,
Of five thousand words?
1. Dao [Tao] is the first-cause of the
universe. It is a force that flows through
all life.
2. A believer’s goal is to become one with
Dao; one with nature. [“The butterfly or
the man?” story.]
3. Wu wei --> “Let nature take its course.”
--> “The art of doing nothing.”
--> “Go with the flow!”
4. Man is unhappy because he lives acc. to
man-made laws, customs, & traditions that
are contrary to the ways of nature.
To escape the “social, political, & cultural
traps” of life, one must escape by:
1. Rejecting formal knowledge and
learning.
2. Relying on the senses and instincts.
3. Discovering the nature and
“rhythm” of the universe.
4. Ignoring political and social laws.
* Feminine
* Masculine
* Passive
* Active
* Darkness
* Light
* Cold
* Warmth
* Weak
* Strong
* Earth;
Moon
* Heaven;
Sun
How is a man to live in a world dominated
by chaos, suffering, and absurdity??
Confucianism --> Moral order in society.
Legalism --> Rule by harsh law & order.
Daoism --> Freedom for individuals and
less govt. to avoid
uniformity and conformity.
Q. How did the
Daoist outlook
differ from that
of Confucianism?
Question: So what is the modern day
fictional equalivent of Daoism?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Force that goes through everything
Dark and light side
Use your instincts
Trust nature
Big Picture Questions
1. Is a secular outlook on the world an essentially modern
phenomenon, or does it have precedents in the second-wave era?
2. “Religion is a double-edged sword, both supporting and undermining
political authority and social elites.” How would you support both sides
of this statement?
3. How would you define the appeal of the religious/cultural traditions
discussed in this chapter? To what groups were they attractive, and
why?
4. In what different ways did these religious or cultural traditions define
the purposes of human life?
5. Looking Back: What relationships can you see between the political
dimensions of second-wave civilizations described in Chapter 3 and
their cultural
II. Cultural Traditions of Classical India
A. South Asian Religion: From Ritual Sacrifice to
Philosophical Speculation
1. Vedas (1500–600 B.C.E.), Brahmins, and rituals
2. Upanishads (800–400 B.C.E.)
3. Atman and Brahman
II. Cultural Traditions of Classical India
A. South Asian Religion: From Ritual Sacrifice to
Philosophical Speculation
4. Samsara, moksha, and karma
5. Gender and the Laws of Manu
6. Cults and deities as different paths
Taoist philosophy
A clever mind is not a heart.
There is more to knowing than just
being correct.
The wise know their limitations; the
foolish do not.
From The House at Pooh Corner
"Rabbit's clever," said Pooh thoughtfully.
"Yes," said Piglet. "Rabbit's clever."
"And he has Brain."
"Yes," said Piglet, "Rabbit has Brain."
There was a long silence.
"I suppose," said Pooh, "that that's why he never understands anything."
"Lot's of people talk to animals," said Pooh.
"Maybe, but..."
"Not very many listen, though," he said.
"That's the problem," he added.
Roo and Tigger were walking along the forest one morning, and Tigger
was talking about all the things that Tiggers can do....
"I can swim," said Roo. "I fell into the river, and I swimmed. Can Tiggers
swim?"
"Of course they can. Tiggers can do everything."
"Can they climb trees better than Pooh?" asked Roo, stopping under the
tallest Pine Tree, and looking up at it.
"Climbing trees is what they do best," said Tigger. "Much better than
Poohs."
And the next thing they knew, they were stuck in the tallest pine tree.
India
Early civilization arose in the Indus River Valley,
flourished, and then mysteriously died out. Later
India’s Vedic civilization developed a culture based
on old and new beliefs.
A. The Beginning
1. Harappan civilization…3rd
millennium B.C.E.
2. Centered on the Indus
river system
The Aryans – The Vedic Period
Sometime after 2000 BC, a new people took
control of India. Historians often refer to this
group as the Aryans, from a Sanskrit word
meaning “noble.” Eventually the Aryans
ruled over most of India, except for the far south.
-- Indo-Europeans
-- Pastoralists
-- Moved into Asia Minor, Europe,
Iran and, eventually, the Indus
and Ganges river systems
The Vedas were a collection of hymns
written by the Aryans about the gods. This
period (1,500 – 1,000 BCE) of Indian history
takes its name from them!
A. Aryan Epic Age (1000 – 600 B.C.E.)
1. Epic Poems have told us most of the Indian history
from this period.
a. Mahabharata – India’s greatest epic poem
b. Ramayana
c. Upanishads – Religious epic poems
B. Aryan Society promoted high levels of organization
1. Develops into caste system
2. Four castes (varnas)
a. Priests (brahmin)
b. Warriors
c. Merchants
d. Peasants, servants
e. Untouchables – worked at unclean jobs
3. Castes are hereditary; intermarriage is forbidden
BRAHMAN
KARMA
Buddhism
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"Awakened One" (Buddha): Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would
one day be known as the Buddha, began his life as a prince in a
kingdom in ancient India.
Prince Gautama (Buddha) was born about 553 BCE. He had parents
who loved him, many servants to wait on him, the finest clothes, and a
different palace for each season of the year. Yet, he found his world full
of suffering. It upset him that painful old age, sickness, and death were
all part of life in this world.
One day, he met a monk. He was amazed that this monk could find
calm and peace in a world filled with such sufferings. That day he made
a very difficult decision. He decided to leave his wealth, his comfort, his
wife, and his newborn son, to become a monk.
•
•
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•
For the next six years he traveled throughout India. But the answers he
found were not enough. One day, while sitting under a fig tree, an
understanding came to him. This understanding was a way to end
suffering. That was the day Prince Siddhartha Gautama began to earn a
new title, the Buddha, which means "Awakened One".
Four Noble Truths: His journey to find the meaning of life had
concluded. The Buddha realized that life is ruled by Four Noble Truths:
Life is filled with suffering
Suffering is caused by people's wants.
Suffering can be ended if people stop wanting things, like more pleasure
or more power.
To stop wanting things, people must follow 8 basic laws, called the
Eightfold Path.
Eightfold Path: In brief, these are the laws of the Eightfold Path:
To know the truth , To intend to resist evil ,To not say anything to hurt
others ,To respect life, property, and morality ,To work at a job that does
not injure others ,To try to free one's mind from evil ,To be in control of
one's feelings and thoughts ,To practice appropriate forms of
concentration
II. Cultural Traditions of Classical India
B. The Buddhist Challenge
1. Siddhartha Gautama (ca. 566–ca. 486 B.C.E.)
2. The Buddha’s teachings and nirvana
3. Relationship to Hinduism
II. Cultural Traditions of Classical India
B. The Buddhist Challenge
4.
5.
6.
7.
Restrictions and opportunities for women
Popular appeal
Theravada
Mahayana’s bodhisattvas
Q. What is the
difference between the
Theravada
and Mahayana
expressions of
Buddhism?
II. Cultural Traditions of Classical India
C. Hinduism as a Religion of Duty and Devotion
1. Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, and Ramayana
2. Bhakti
3. Buddhism absorbed back into Hinduism
Q. In what ways did
Buddhism reflect
Hindu
traditions, and in
what ways did it
challenge them?
Big Picture Questions
1. Is a secular outlook on the world an essentially modern
phenomenon, or does it have precedents in the second-wave era?
2. “Religion is a double-edged sword, both supporting and undermining
political authority and social elites.” How would you support both sides
of this statement?
3. How would you define the appeal of the religious/cultural traditions
discussed in this chapter? To what groups were they attractive, and
why?
4. In what different ways did these religious or cultural traditions define
the purposes of human life?
5. Looking Back: What relationships can you see between the political
dimensions of second-wave civilizations described in Chapter 3 and
their cultural
Let’s Test What You Know
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1. A series of “situations” are about to be presented to you.
2. You will be placed into groups of 4. Each of you will represent one of
the following. Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and a follower of
Legalism.
3. You will be assigned this part by me. And you are not to tell anyone
which you are.
4. When your team is presented with the “situation” please have a
discussion within your group to determine the correct solution.
HOWEVER…… you must argue from the point of view I have given
you.
5. Your group must come to some sort of agreement, compromise or
solution. You will only have 4 minutes to do so for each situation
Situation 1
• A student knows that they are
failing a class. Students from each
of these doctrines know they will be
in trouble when their parents find
out. How do they handle this
situation?
Situation 2
• A student's friends smoke
and are trying to get them
to start. How do they
handle this situation?
Situation 3
A student really likes a new
student in school, but all the
other students are making
fun of the new student's
clothes. How should the
first student act?
Situation 4
A student knows that an
older brother or sister is
cheating on tests. How
should the student act?
III. Toward Monotheism: The Search for
God in the Middle East
A. Zoroastrianism
1. Zarathustra (seventh to sixth century B.C.E.)
2. Persian state support, Achaemenid Dynasty (558–330 B.C.E.)
3. Ahura Mazda versus Angra Mainyu
4. Human free will, struggle of good versus evil, a savior, and
judgment day
III. Toward Monotheism: The Search for
God in the Middle East
B. Judaism
1. Migrations and exiles of a small Hebrew community
2. One exclusive and jealous god
3. Loyalty to Yahweh and obedience to his laws
Q. What was distinctive about
the Jewish
religious tradition?
IV. The Cultural Tradition of Classical
Greece: The Search for a Rational
Order
A. The Greek Way of Knowing
1. Questions, not answers
2. Socrates (469–399 B.C.E.), Plato (429–348 B.C.E.), and Aristotle
(384–322 B.C.E.)
3. Rational and non-religious analysis of the world
B. The Greek Legacy
1. Alexander the Great, Rome, and the Academy in Athens
2. The loss and recovery of Greece in Europe
3. Greek learning in the Islamic world
V. The Birth of Christianity… with
Buddhist Comparisons
A. The Lives of the Founders
1. Encounter with a higher level of reality
2. Messages of love
3. Jesus’ miracles and dangerous social critique
V. The Birth of Christianity… with
Buddhist Comparisons
B. The Spread of New Religions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
New religions after their deaths
Paul (10–65 C.E.)
Lower social classes and women
Non-European Christianity
Christianity as a Roman religion
V. The Birth of Christianity… with
Buddhist Comparisons
C. Institutions, Controversies, and Divisions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
The exclusion of women from leadership
Debates over doctrine and texts
Council orthodoxy and expulsion
Roman and Greek cultural traditions
Diversity in the Buddhist world
Q. What aspects of Zoroastrianism and Judaism
subsequently found a place in Christianity and
Islam?
Q. In what ways was Christianity transformed in
the five centuries following the death of Jesus?
VI. Reflections: Religions and
Historians
A.
B.
C.
D.
Secular, evidence based history versus faith
Change of time in the faith?
Verifying the divine?
Schisms within the faiths
Big Picture Questions
1. Is a secular outlook on the world an essentially modern
phenomenon, or does it have precedents in the second-wave era?
2. “Religion is a double-edged sword, both supporting and undermining
political authority and social elites.” How would you support both sides
of this statement?
3. How would you define the appeal of the religious/cultural traditions
discussed in this chapter? To what groups were they attractive, and
why?
4. In what different ways did these religious or cultural traditions define
the purposes of human life?
5. Looking Back: What relationships can you see between the political
dimensions of second-wave civilizations described in Chapter 3 and
their cultural