Eastern Approaches to a Unified Reality
Hinduism
Scope
World's Oldest Religion
Dates Back to 10,000 BCE
Third Largest Religion
80% of India's Population
Ultimate Reality
"Brahman"
Goal of the Individual
Realize Truth
Multiple Paths
Monist/Dualist
Following Gods
Divine Self
Brahman
Self-Realization
Seeking Awareness, Understanding and Connection with Ultimate Reality.
Fundamental Beliefs
Vedas
Texts
Brahmans
Priests
Reincarnation
Karma
Buddhism
Background
Indian Prince Siddharta Gautama, 500 BCE
Story
"Sheltered Young Prince Shocked by Suffering he Saw Outside, Left his Life of Luxury to Seek Answers"
Became Buddha ("Enlightened One")
"Taught Dharma (the Path to Liberation from Suffering) and Establishing the Sangha (a Community of Monks)"
Four Noble Truths
Dukkha
Suffering is Everywhere and a Part of Life
Samudaya
Suffering has a cause
Attachment or Misplaced Desire Rooted in Ignorance.
Nirodha
End of Suffering
"One Must Cease All Desires"
Nirvana
Marga
Path to End Suffering
Noble Eightfold Path
Right --> View, Thought, Speech, Conduct, Vocation, Effort, Attention and Meditation
Buddha
Reality
Ever-Changing
Inter-Related
Enlightenment and Nirvana
Meditation
Karmic Acts
Rituals
Worship
Scope
Began in India 2,500 Years Ago
Dominant World Religion in the East
Types of Buddhism
Theravada Buddhism
Southeast Asia
Atheistic, Philosophical in Nature
Focuses on Monastic Life and Meditation
Mahayana Buddhism
China and Japan
Deities, Celestial Beings, Other Traditional Religious Elements
Ways of Worship
Ritual, Devotion, Meditation
Major Forms
Zen, Nichiren, Tendai, and Pure Land
Confucianism
Background
China
6th-5th Centuries BCE
Supreme Sage K'ung-fu-tsu (Confucius)
Beliefs
Enlightenment
Revitalization of Nobility and Virtue
Importance of Elders and Ancestors
Ren (Humaneness or Benevolence) and De (Virtue)
Li (Ritual Norms)
Zhong (Loyalty to One's True Nature)
Shu (Reciprocity)
Xiao (Filial Piety)
Optimistic View of Human Nature
"Humans are Teachable, Improvable, and Perfectible Through Personal and Communal Endeavour"
Heaven (T'ien)
Influence
Japan
Korea
Vietnam
Taoism
Background
China
Popular in Taiwan
142 C.E.
Revelation of the Tao to Zhang Daoling
Communist Takeover of China
Religion Banned
Beliefs
Tao
-Source of Creation
-The Ultimate
-Inexpressible and Indefinable
-Unnameable
-Natural Universe as a Whole
-Way of Nature as a Whole
The One
Essence of Tao
Wu and Yu
Non-Being and Being
Te
Virtue
Awareness of Tao
Tzu Jan
"That Which is Naturally So"
Wu Wei
Letting the World Take its Natural Course
"When Nothing is Done, Nothing is Left Undone"
- Tao Te Ching
Yin Yang
Complimentary Forces
Ch'i or Qi
Cosmic Vital Energy
Sources
Ms. Howlett's Content of U1A5