Religions of South East Asia
Hinduism- Ethnic
• Began: 2000 B.C.E.
• Founder: Dravidians
•
•
& Aryans
Origin: un-known,
but thought to be
brought by Aryans
Number of
members: 838
million
Hinduism
• Region- SEA: India, Nepal,
•
Sri Lanka
Religious Leaders- priests,
gurus- spiritual leaders,
swamis- teachers
Hinduism
• Holy Books: The Bhagavad Gita,
Vedas, Upanishads
• House of Worship: Temples
Hinduism
• Holy place: tirthas= pilgrimages
(examples: Mt. Kailash, Ganges,
and the Himalayas
Hinduism
• Dietary law: no meat/alcohol
• Monotheistic:
•
NO - over 350 million gods
YES – Brahman (pantheism)
Holy day of the week: Every
day is holy
Hinduism
• Holidays:
•
Divali: Festival of lights
Dessehra: Rama’s victory over
Ravana= victory of good over evil
Burial of Dead: cremation burn the
dead
Hinduism
• Name of Diety- 3 main ones (Trimurti)
1. Brahman- judge
2. Vishnu- protector
3. Shiva- destroyer
Hinduism
Requirements and Main Beliefs
• Reincarnation: Karma & Dharma
• Caste System
1.Priests
2.Warriors
3.Merchants
4.Laborers
5.Untouchables
• Moksha- breaking cycle
Hinduism
• Diffusion: ethnic religions usually
•
stay in specific region
Symbols: Swastika, Om, Lotus
Buddhism
Buddhism- Universal
• Began: 563 B.C.E.
• Founder: Siddhartha
•
•
Gautama
Origin: Siddhartha
Gautama
Number of Members: 500
million to 1.5 billion (due
to Chinese Communism)
Buddhism
• Schools and Regions:
Therevada: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri
Lanka
•
Mahayana: China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam
Zen: China
Tibetan (Mantrayana): Tibet, Nepal
Religious leaders:
Dalai Lama- reincarnate, Sangha- order
of monks Bodhisattva- teacher
Buddhism
• Holy Book: Tripitaka (3 baskets) - holds Buddha's
•
sayings & rules for monks they were collected in
baskets.
House of Worship: Pagodas and Stupas
Buddhism
• Holy Places-
Nepal- birthplace of Buddha
Bodh Gaya- Enlightenment
Sarnath- sermon & death
Buddhism
• Dietary Law: Moderation
• Monotheistic: More philosophy than religion
• Holy day of the week: Every day is holy
Buddhism
• Holidays: Vassa- meditation from July-October
•
•
Wesak/Vesak- Buddha’s birth
Buddha Day – birth, enlightenment, death
Burial of the dead: Cremation
Name of deities: none
Buddhism: Requirements & Main Beliefs
• 3 universal truths
1. Nothing is lost in the universe
2. Everything changes
3. Law of cause and effect
• Reincarnation
• 4 noble truths:
1.
2.
3.
4.
all life is suffering
suffering comes from desire
desire can be eliminated
there is a path to eliminate desire
• The 8 Fold Path
• Nirvana
Buddhism
• 8 fold path: the right
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
viewpoint
values
speech
actions
livelihood
effort
mindfulness
meditation
Buddhism
• Symbols: Wheel, Bodhi Tree,
Footprints, Lotus Flower,
Mandalas, Prayer Flags
Confucianism
Confucianism- Ethnic
•
•
•
•
•
•
Began: 520 B.C.E.
Founder: Confucius
Origin: Confucius
Number of Members: 6 million
or 350 million
Region: SEA – mainly China
Religious leaders:
Teacher/Sages
Confucianism
• Holy Books:
•
•
•
•
5 classics (Wujing): written by Confucius
4 books (Analects/Shshu): written by his followers
House of Worship: None
Holy place: None
Dietary Law: None
I-Ching
Monotheistic: Philosophy
Confucianism
• Holy Day of the Week:
•
•
•
•
None
Holidays: None
Burial of Dead: Local
Customs
Name of Deities: None
Diffusion- could be
universal but mainly
stayed within Chinese
culture
Confucianism – Requirements and Beliefs
• Social code based on morality rather
•
•
•
than laws. Established social order
within Chinese Society
Look to the past for insight to behavior
and follow ancestral examples
The “Way of Heaven” – natural turn of
events
The “Mandate of Heaven” - Be a good
ruler
Confucianism- requirements cont.
• Filial Piety: 1.Ruler/Subject
2.Father/Son
3.Older/younger brother
4.Husband/Wife
5.Friend/Friend
• Everyone must know their role &
live accordingly
• Believe the answer to social ills
was self-cultivation, starting with
education
Confucius Sayings:
• Study the past if you are to define the
future.
• Do not dwell on mistakes and thus make
them crimes.
• Those who do not study are just cattle
dressed in men’s clothing
Confucius’ comments about women were
not as nice…….
Taoism
• Began: 604 BCE
• Founder: Lao Tzu
• Origin: Lao Tzu
• Number of Members: 20 million
• Region: SEA - China
Taoism
• Religious Leaders: Priests
• Holy Book: Tao Te Ching
• House of Worship: Temples/Monastaries
I-Ching
The I Ching is a collection of practical wisdom, pertaining to
every conceivable situation. It originates in ancient China and
is probably the oldest Chinese classical text. "I Ching" means
"Book of Changes."
There are 64 different kinds of situations in the I Ching. Each
one is indicated by a hexagram, which is a symbol made up by
6 lines, each of which can be broken or unbroken.
Taoism
• Holy Places: None
• Dietary Laws: None
• Monotheistic: No – Philosophy/Way of Life.
(Taoism has many gods, most of them borrowed from other
cultures. These deities are within this universe and are
themselves subject to the Tao.)
Taoism
Holy Day of Week: None
Holidays: None
Burial of the Dead: Local
Customs
Deity: The 3 Pure Ones
Taoism: Requirements and Main Beliefs
• Tao Means “The Way”
• Return to Nature
• Everything will come out right if you let nature take its course
• Live Tranquil rural life in union with nature
• Nothing is permanent or absolute, but in a state of flux
between two opposites
• Yin and Yang: represent opposites (good and evil/light and
dark)
Diffusion: Mainly in China
Shinto (“Way of the Gods”) - Japan
Shinto
Began: Preliterate times (6th century)
Founder: Not known
Origin: Japanese indigenous culture
Number: Japanese population (ethnic)
Shinto
Region: SEA - Japan
Religious Leaders: Priests
Holy Book: Kojiki and Nihon
Shoki
House of Worship: Shrines
Shinto
Komainu-Guardians - Buddhist
• Holy Place: Family alters, effigies, shrines, or
anything marked with a rope or gate (torii)
• Dietary Law: Food offerings
• Monotheistic: Considered polytheistic or a way of
life rather than religion
Shinto
• Holy Day of the Week: None
• Holidays: None
• Burial of the Dead: Local customs
• Name of Deities: Kami (spirits)
and Amaterasu
Shinto
Beliefs:
1. Most things have a kami (spirit)
2. Prayer and Offerings are used
3. Purity is emphasized
4. Shinto led to the Japanese belief
that as sole descendants of the sun,
they were uniquely gifted to rule the
world.
Diffusion: Stays within Japan