World Religions: Origins and Practices

 Hinduism originated in ancient India about 4000 years ago
 It was the religion of an ancient people known as the
Aryans.
 Archeological evidence from the Indus Valley civilization helps to establish Hinduism as the oldest living religion.
 The general name for God in Hinduism is Brahman.
 The name of the divine essence within us is called Atman.
 The Hindus believe in reincarnation.
 4 main social positions in Hinduism. Brahmins (priest and teachers), Kshatriyas ( rulers and soldiers), Vaishyas
(merchants), and Shudras (workers).

 The Vedas: these are the oldest writings of the Hindus.
They are a collection of hymns, prayers , and magic spells.
 The Upanishads: these are stories and parables told by gurus (teachers) to their students.
 The Mahabharata: this is a story of war between two families. The Bhagavad Gita is a very popular story from this text.
 The Ramayana: this is a story of the god Rama and the rescue of his wife from an evil king.

Diwali is the festival of lights. Light represents knowledge.
It is celebrated in late October. This is the Hindu New Year.

Holi is the festival which marks the coming of spring. It is held in March or April. There are bonfires and people cover each other with colored water and powders.

 Judaism began about 4000 years ago in the Middle
East(modern day Israel).
 It was the first monotheistic religion(one god).
 A Hebrew shepherd named Abraham is considered the founder of Judaism.
 The name for God for the Jews is Yahweh which means
“to be” or “I am”.
 Moses was chosen by God to lead the Hebrew people
(Jews) out of Egypt where they were enslaved.
 God gave Moses the Ten Commandments which form the
Jewish belief.

 The Tenakh is the ancient collection of writings that are sacred to the Jews. They were written over a period of almost 1000 years from 1000 BCE to 100 BCE.
 The word Tenakh comes from the first letters of the three text that are included in this text: the Torah, the
Nev’im (prophets), and the Ki’tuvim ( writings that include histories, prophecies, poems, hymns, and sayings.
 The Talmud is also important to the Jewish faith. It is a discussion on the way to follow and interpret the Torah.
 The Ten Commandments are God’s laws that govern daily life.

 There are 3 basic groups of Jewish people who have a different understanding of the interpretation of the
Torah.
 Orthodox Jews: believe that all of the practices of the
Torah which is practical to obey must be obeyed without question.
 Conservative and Reform Jews: believe that the ancient laws and practices have to be interpreted for modern life with more concern for community practices rather than ritual practices.
 Messianic Jews: During the 1960’s and 70’s this movement began as some Jews accepted Jesus as the messiah as prophesied in the Bible (old testament) but still follow Jewish rituals and practices.

 Rosh Hashannah: the Jewish New Year Festival that takes place in September or October.
 Yom Kippur: this is the Day of Atonement during which people fast, pray, and atone for their sins, asking God for forgiveness. This takes place ten days after Rosh
Hashannah.
 Passover or Pesach: takes place in the spring and marks the liberation of the Jews from slavery in Egypt, the giving of the Ten Commandments, and the journey into Israel.
 Hanukkah: the festival of lights. It is held in late November or December and it is marking the rededication of the temple after a period of persecution. The eternal light was rekindled but there was not enough oil to keep it burning.
Miraculously the oil lasted for 8 days until more oil was found. This is why the Menorah ( a candle holder with 8 candles) represents this event.

 Christianity traces its beginnings in modern day Israel and began over 2000 years ago.
 Christianity is based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, a Jew, who was known as Jesus of Nazareth.
 Christians believe that Jesus was the “Son of God” and was both human and divine.
 Jesus’ early followers came to believe he was the Messiah, or messenger sent by God to free God’s people from slavery, sin , and death.
 Christianity is practiced by more people than any other religion.
(33% of the population of the world).
 Christianity is practiced throughout the world, mainly North and
South America, and Europe.
 There is only one god in Christianity (monotheistic).

 Christianity uses the Holy Bible as its foundation.
 The Christian Bible has two parts: the Old Testament which is the Hebrew scriptures; and the New
Testament which contains writings about Jesus and about the early church.
 The 4 gospels (a word meaning ‘good news”) of the
New Testament are accounts of Jesus’ life and teaching, of his death and resurrection ( rising from the dead).

 Christianity has spread all over the world and is practiced by 2 billion people. As with any large group,
Christianity has experienced many interpretations, disagreements and struggles for power over the centuries. This has lead to the growth of many different branches of Christianity.
 There are however 3 basic streams of Christianity:
Orthodox, protestant, and Roman Catholic.
 Other denominations include: Presbyterian, Lutheran,
Baptist, Methodist, Evangelical, Mormon, Episcopalian, and many more.

 Advent - the 4 week season of preparation for the birth of Christ, and for the Second Coming. Often an Advent wreathe is used as a focus for prayer during Advent.
 Epiphany - the visit of the three wise ones to Jesus just after his birth and their subsequent spreading of the news of his birth throughout the world.
 Lent - the period leading up to Easter commemorating the 40 days
Jesus spent in the desert fasting and praying. A time for personal reflection and improvement through prayer, fasting, and study.

Holy Week – the last week of Jesus' life, including Palm Sunday, which celebrates his triumphal entry into Jerusalem the week before he was crucified; Maundy Thursday, a remembrance of the Last
Supper with the disciples; and Good Friday, the day Jesus was crucified on a cross, which is the most recognized symbol of
Christianity.

 Easter - Jesus' resurrection from the dead. Eggs are a major symbol of Easter since they symbolize new life.
Crosses are often covered with flowers to symbolize Jesus' victory over death.
 Ascension Day - when Jesus' ascended into Heaven.
 Pentecost - the gift of the Holy Spirit, God's presence in the world, to Jesus' followers in the form of a mighty wind and tongues of fire.
 Saints' Days - official days, recognized by many Christians, especially Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican, celebrating people who have lived particularly holy lives and are recognized as official saints.

 Christmas- Celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ
 In addition, certain passages in an individual Christian's life are marked by celebration and special services.
These include Baptism or birth into the Christian church;
Confirmation, an informed commitment to membership in the church; weddings; and funerals.

 Islam is a monotheistic faith centered around belief in the one God (Allah). In this regard, it shares some beliefs with Judaism and Christianity by tracing its history back to the patriarch Abraham, and ultimately to the first prophet, Adam.
 The last in the series of prophets, according to Muslims, was Muhammad.
 Muhammad was born in Mecca, Saudi Arabia around
570 CE. He worked first as a shepherd and then as a merchant. He was not happy with the people around him because of superstitions and social and economic injustice. The people were worshipping many gods and had forgotten the message of prophet Abraham to worship one God.

 Muhammad loved to pray and meditate in the mountains. On one of those occasions, in the year 610
CE, when he was about 40 years old, he received a revelation from God through the angel Jibril (Gabriel).
He continued to receive messages from God throughout his life and he began preaching to others what he had learned. His main message is that there was no other
God but Allah and that people should lead their lives in a way that was pleasing to Allah.

 Islam is an Arabic word which means "surrender, submission, commitment and peace." Thus, Islam can be defined as a path to attain complete peace through voluntary submission to the divine will.
 "Allah" is simply the Arabic word for God. He is the same universal God worshipped by people of all faiths.
The word "Allah" is sometimes preferred over God because it is neither masculine nor feminine. Also, there is no plural for "Allah.“
 Followers Of Islam are called Muslims.

 Belief in one God (Allah).
 Belief in the Angels.
 Belief in the holy books sent to all the prophets including the Torah that was revealed to the prophet Moses, the
Bible that was revealed to the prophet Jesus, and
Qur'an (Koran) that was revealed to the prophet
Muhammad.

 Belief in all the prophets sent by God including Noah,
Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Jesus and
Muhammad. Although Muslims believe in Isa or Jesus they don't think of Jesus as the Son of God the way Christians do.
 Belief in the Day of Judgment and life after death. The best reward for performing good deeds is getting closer to God.
 Belief in divine decree. This means that God is all-powerful and nothing can happen without His permission, however,
He has given human beings freedom to choose whether to be good or bad. In the end, everyone will be questioned about how they lived in this life.

 Shahadah (declaration of faith)—to bear witness or testify that there is no god except one God (Allah) and Muhammad is His prophet or messenger.
 Salat (ritual prayer)—the five daily prayers are performed at dawn, noon, mid-afternoon, sunset and night. The prayers are offered in
Arabic language and facing the direction of Mecca.
 Zakah (alms tax) –Giving 2.5% of one's wealth to the poor and needy.
 Sawm (fasting)—Muslims fast during the daylight hours in the ninth month of the Islamic lunar calendar called Ramadan. The purpose is to remind people of the goodness of what they have and to show equality with the poor. Ramadan is a time for study and selfdiscipline.
 Hajj (pilgrimage): Muslims believe in making a pilgrimage to Mecca to the Ka'bah ( Arabic for cube) at least once in their lifetime. The kA'bah is believed to have been built by Ibrahim (Abraham)and one of his sons. Muhammad restored it to worship Allah. For this reason it is a very sacred place to Muslims.



 Muslims believe that the last revealed scripture sent by God is the Qur'an or Koran. It is the speech of God revealed in the Arabic language to Muhammad during his mission of twenty-three years. The Qur'an was written down by scribes and memorized during the lifetime of Muhammad. The
Qur'an emphasizes moral, ethical and spiritual values with the aim of establishing justice for everyone. Many Muslims try to learn to read the Koran in its original language, Arabic.
It is not uncommon for Muslims to memorize whole chapters of it. They read part of it every day. The Sunnah is a record of Muhammad’s words and deeds. The Sunnah is used to help interpret the Koran. There is also instruction in it on belief, worship and behavior.

 Id ul-Fitr- This festival marks the end of the month of fasting, Ramadan. It ends with the sighting of the new moon in the sky. Muslims visit their mosque to say special prayers, visit friends and relatives, eat special feast foods and exchange gifts and cards. It is a time of thankfulness for Allah's blessings which are better appreciated because of the experience of fasting during
Ramadan.

 Hajj-This is the pilgrimage to Mecca to worship in the Ka'bah. Muslims try to do this at least once in their lifetime. Pilgrims wear plain, identical clothes to show that all are equal in Allah's eyes. They walk around seven times, counterclockwise. They walk or run seven times between two hills followed by a 16 mile walk to Mount Arafat where
Muhammad preached his last sermon. On the way back to Mecca, Muslims throw stones at three stone pillars which represent Satan. Then they make a final seven circles around the Ka'bah.

 The Hajj, whether on pilgrimage or at home, ends with the festival of Id ul-
Adha in which a sheep or goat is sacrificed. This is a reminder of the sacrifice Ibrahim (Abraham) was asked to make of his son, Isma'il (Ishmael). When
Ibrahim was just about to sacrifice his son to show his obedience to God, God provided a lamb instead. The festival celebrates God's mercy and Ibrahim's obedience. This story in different versions is in the Koran, the Bible, and the Old
Testament which shows the common heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and
Islam.

 Id Ul-Ghadir This festival in Shia communities around the world celebrates the anniversary of the Holy Prophet
Mohammed's completion of his final message to humankind with regard to his succession.
 Milad an-Nabi (birthday of the Holy Prophet)- Muslims celebrate this occasion with great rejoicing. Muslims gather to narrate the stories of the Prophet's birth, childhood, his character, manhood and his mission.
 Lailat al-Qadr(Night of Power)The night in which the prophet Mohammed received the first revelation from
God. The Night of Power is one of the odd-numbered nights of the last ten days of Ramadan. A portion of this night is spent reading the Qur'an and making special prayers.

 About 2500 years ago in India, a prince named
Siddhartha Gautama began to question his sheltered, luxurious life in the palace. He left the palace and saw four sights: a sick man, an old man, a dead man and a monk. These sights are said to have shown him that even a prince cannot escape illness, suffering and death. The sight of the monk told Siddhartha to leave his life as a prince and become a wandering holy man, seeking the answers to questions like "Why must people suffer?" "What is the cause of suffering?"

 1.Human life has a lot of suffering.
 2.The cause of suffering is greed, desire and attatchment.
 3.There is an end to suffering
.
 4.The way to end suffering is to follow the Middle Path.

 Buddha then taught people not to worship him as a god. He said they should take responsibility for their own lives and actions. He taught that the Middle Way was the way to nirvana. The Middle Way meant not leading a life of luxury and indulgence but also not one of too much fasting and hardship. There are eight guides for following the Middle path.

 Right understanding and viewpoint (based on the Four Noble
Truths)
 Right values and attitude (compassion rather than selfishness).
 Right speech (don't tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid gossip).
 Right action (help others, live honestly, don't harm living things, take care of the environment).

 Right work (do something useful, avoid jobs which harm others).
 Right effort (encourage good, helpful thoughts, discourage unwholesome destructive thoughts).
 Right mindfulness (be aware of what you feel, think and do).
 Right meditation (calm mind, practice meditation which leads to nirvana).

 There are two main types, Theravada, which spread to Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
Thailand, Cambodia and Laos, and
Mahayana which spread to Nepal, Viet
Nam, China, Korea and Japan. Mahayana took on aspects of the cultures where it was practiced and became three distinct branches: Vajrayana Buddhism or
Tibetan Buddhism, Pure Land
Buddhism and Zen Buddhism.

 The Ripitaka was first written on palm leaves which were collected together in baskets.
 The Great Treatise of The Stages of The Path of
Enlightenment ( Lam Rim Chen Mo).
 The Tibetan Book Of the Dead.

 Wesak- This is the celebration of Buddha's birth. For
Theravada Buddhists, it is also the celebration of Buddha's enlightenment and death. During this celebration, statues of
Buddha are decorated. Offerings are taken to monasteries, and sometimes there are fireworks.
 Vassa- This is a time to meditate and study. In Buddha's time, it was during the rainy season which meant it was hard to travel and teach so it was a good time for meditation and study. During Vassa, a meditation retreat, all Buddhists are supposed to set aside some time for study and meditation. At the end of Vassa, people bring new robes to monks.

 Different countries have different Buddhist celebrations. For example in Japan, Buddhists celebrate the flower festival, or Hana Matsuri, to honor Buddha's birthday. Temples are decorated with cherry blossoms and children pour scented tea over statues of the baby Buddha. In India,
Buddhists celebrate the Festival of the Sacred
Tooth in honor of Buddha's first teaching. One of
Buddha's teeth is paraded around in the streets as an expression of this celebration.

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 The Dalai Lama is the head of Tibetan
Buddhism.
 He is considered the reincarnation of the
Buddha of compassion (Avalokiteśvara).
 Dalai Lama is translated as “Ocean of
Wisdom.”
 Tenzin Gyatso, The 14 th Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989 for his efforts to establish world peace.


"The need for simple human-to-human relationships is becoming increasingly urgent . . .
Today the world is smaller and more interdependent. One nation's problems can no longer be solved by itself completely. Thus, without a sense of universal responsibility, our very survival becomes threatened. Basically, universal responsibility is feeling for other people's suffering just as we feel our own. It is the realization that even our enemy is entirely motivated by the quest for happiness. We must recognize that all beings want the same thing that we want. This is the way to achieve a true understanding, unfettered by artificial consideration ."