Notes for 10/22/08 --- Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucius, and Daoism

Hinduism

-Origins in the religious beliefs of the Aryan peoples who settled in India.

-We learn about the religious beliefs from the Vedas

  • Vedas --- collections of hymns and religious ceremonies that were passed down orally earlier

-Ultimate reality or god called Brahman

-Duty of the individual to seek the ultimate know

-Developed the practice yoga

  • Yoga --- method of training designed to lead to union between god and self.

-Indians wanted a more concrete form of heavenly salvation and so the creation of gods and goddesses came about

-Three chief gods

  • Brahma the Creator, Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer

-Gods gave way to express religious feelings

-Reincarnation --- belief that the individual soul is reborn in a different form after death

-Karma --- the force generated by a person’s actions that determines how the person will be reborn in the next life.

-Dharma --- divine law

  • rules karma

Buddhism

-rival to Hinduism…came out of N. India

-founder known as Siddhartha Gautama aka the Buddha

-deep period of meditation to the point where he starved himself

-the ultimate goal of Buddhism is to achieve nirvana

  • Nirvana --- ultimate reality

-Four noble truths

  • Ordinary life is suffering, suffering is caused by our desire to satisfy others, end suffering by ending desire for selfish goals, follow the middle path

-Middle path is also known as the Eightfold Path

-Accepted idea of reincarnation but rejected the caste system believing all could be equal making Buddhism appealing to the downtrodden peoples at the lower end of the social scale

-Buddha rejected the gods and wanted a more simplified way of living.

Confucianism

-Confucius --- known to the Chinese as the First Teacher

-Wanted political leaders to follow his ideas because he was upset with the violence and moral decay of China at the time

-Until the 20th century Chinese pupils studied his sayings making Confucianism an important part in Chinese culture

-Provided a set of ideas that would help govern China and it became philosophical

-Did not focus on spiritual questions

-Two elements of Confucianism

  • Duty and humanity
  • Duty --- subordinate your interest for the community interest *look at the big picture*
  • Humanity --- compassion and empathy for others

Daoism/Legalism

-Created by Laozi

-The will of Heaven is not through action but rather through inaction

-Don’t interfere with natural order

-Legalism

  • Human beings were evil by nature
  • Government by the superior man could not solve problems you need a system of impersonal laws
  • A strong ruler was required
  • Harsh laws and stiff punishments would be needed
  • The ruler should not show compassion for his people --- much different from Confucius