Download ReligionsofSouthAsia

South Asia:
Religion
Cultural Hearth
 Early
cultures developed along Indus River
 Major religions emerged
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Hinduism
Buddhism
Islam
Hinduism
 Not
just a religion- also
determines social and economic
elements
 Hindu Religion
Major faith of India and Nepal
Forms of worship differ by
region
Over 33,333 gods due to the
different denominations
Complicated faith without a
uniformly accepted belief
system
Basic Hindu Beliefs
 Reincarnation
 Living
things have souls, upon death
souls transfer into new living creature
 Karma
 Every action brings certain results
 No escaping consequences of one’s
actions
 Dharma
 Set of rules that need to be followed
to be reincarnated up a caste
Buddhism
• Philosophy that began in India
• Based on the teaching of Siddhartha Gautama
(Buddha)
– Objects to the harsh features of Hinduism
based on caste
• Focus on knowledge- esp. self knowledge
• Eliminate worldly desires- peaceful
• Goal to reach enlightenment- reincarnated until
fully reached
The Four Noble Truths
• Life is difficult
• All hardships and suffering comes from
inappropriate desire
• To avoid suffering, avoid inappropriate
craving
• To stop inappropriate craving, follow the
Eightfold Noble Path.
The Eightfold Noble Path
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Proper views
Proper aspirations
Proper speech
Proper conduct
Proper livelihood
Proper effort
Proper mindfulness
Proper meditation
Islam
 Arrival
of Islam
Around 700 A.D. Arab
armies conquered
lower Indus Valley
Mughal Empire, a
powerful Muslim state,
dominated
Conversion in
northwest (Pakistan)
and Northeast
(Bangladesh) and
island nations
(Maldives/Sri Lanka)
Other Religions
 Jainism
 Religion
that emerged around 500 B.C. as protest to
orthodox Hinduism
 Stressed extreme non-violence
 Sikhism
 Faith incorporating elements of Hinduism and Islam
 Monotheistic and believes in reincarnation
 Originated in Punjab in 1400s
 Sikh men noted for work as soldiers and bodyguards
Other Religions
 Zoroastrian
 Ancient
religion focusing on struggle between good
and evil
 Found in Mumbai area
 Christians
 British missionaries converted animists to
Protestantism
Learning Task
 Fill


in the boxes with the following religion:
Big boxes: Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism
Small boxes: Zoroastrianism, Jainism, Sikhism,
Christianity
 For



each religion:
Write one sentence summarizing the major ideas.
Draw one picture associated with the religion
Write where you find it
Hinduism
Islam
Buddhism
Zoroastrianism
Sikhism
Jainism
Christianity
Comparison of Hinduism and Islam
•Hindus tend to be vegetarians
(ahimsa and reincarnation
beliefs foster this)
•Cows are sacred animals
•Believe in reincarnation
•Brahman, if it is God, is an
impersonal one
•Follow caste system – no
social or religious mobility
within one lifetime
•Formerly practiced sati
(widow would throw herself on
husband’s funeral pyre)
•Muslims see Hindus as
polytheistic not to be tolerated
•Muslims eat meat (cows) –
not pork
•Muslims are strict
monotheists
•Muslims believe in a personal
God
•Muslims reject the concept of
castes – equality of believers
•Reject reincarnation
Globalization & Diversity: Rowntree, Lewis, Price,
Wyckoff