What is Yoga?
 A method
of training designed to lead
to the union with Brahman
Origins of Hinduism

Believe it was the Aryans who settled in India that
developed Hinduism
 Vedas- Collection of hymns and religious ceremonies
 Upanishads –book explaining how to unify Brahman
and Atman
 Brahman- a form of ultimate reality one seeks to join
after death
 Atman – the individual self, known after enlightenment,
“the World Soul”

Early form of Hinduism too complex an idea for
common Indians
 Developed more “human-like” gods and goddesses
3 Chief Gods
Brahma the Creator
 Vishnu the Preserver
 Shiva the Destroyer
 Gods and Goddesses give every day
people a means to seek salvation and a
means to gain everyday things needed
in life

Main Hindu Ideas
Reincarnation – the 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” requires that all people do
their duty in life
 All 3 ideas are connected in such that one must
follow their dharma in life (duties) in order to
achieve good karma. If you achieve good karma,
you will achieve more success in your next life

Origins of Buddhism
Appeared in Northern India in the 6th century
B.C.E.
 Founder was named Siddhartha Gautama (a.k.a.
the Buddha or “Enlightened One”)
 Was raised in wealth, a sheltered life

 One day discovered the pain of illness, sorrow of death,
and the effects of old age
 Gave up his royalty to find the end of suffering in the
world

Reached enlightenment while meditating under a
tree (Bodhi Tree)
Buddhist Beliefs
Denied reality of the material world
 Pain, poverty, and sorrow that afflict human beings
are caused by their attachments to the things of
this world

 Once people let go of their worldly cares; pain and
sorrow can be forgotten
 After that, then comes bodhi, or wisdom
 Achieving wisdom is a key step to achieving nirvana:
the ultimate reality – the end of the self and the reunion
with the Great World Soul
Teachings of Siddhartha
Eightfold Path
Right view – we nee to know the 4 Noble
Truths
2. Right intention – we need to decided
what we really want
3. Right speech – we must seek to speak
truth and to speak well of others
4. Right action – The Buddha gave 5
precepts: “Do not kill. Do not steal. Do
not lie. Do not be unchaste. Do not take
drugs or drink alcohol.”
1.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Right livelihood – we must do work that uplifts our
being
Right effort - The Buddha said “those who follow
the Way might well follow the example of an ox
that arches through the deep mud carrying a
heavy load. He is tired, but his steady, forwardlooking gaze will not relax until he comes out of
the mud”
Right mindfulness – we must keep our minds in
control of our sense “all we are is the result of
what we have thought.”
Right concentration – we must meditate to see
the world in a new way.
Buddhist Ideas

Siddhartha accepted idea of reincarnation and
dharma
 Rejected the caste system
 All people could reach nirvana as a result of their good
behavior
○ Appealed to downtrodden peoples at the lower end of the social
scale

Rejected idea of gods
 Forbade his followers to worship either his person or his
image after death
 People view Buddhism as a philosophy instead of religion

After his death, followers traveled throughout India
spreading his message.
 Temples sprang throughout the countryside and Buddhist
monasteries were established
Confucianism
Founded by Confucius, 551-479 BCE
 The Analects are a collection of Confucius sayings
 Helped to form social order in China
 Belief that humans are good, not bad
 Respect for elders
 Code of politeness (still used in Chinese society
today)
 Emphasis on education
 Ancestor worship
 5 Key Relationships

Daoism (Taoism)
Founded by Laozi (Lao-tzu) in China
 Stressed the Yin and Yang

 Simple life in harmony with nature
 Don’t stress material things
 Live a humble life
 No laws or government
○ “the best government is one that governs the least”
Helped to form Chinese culture and values
 Yin and Yang

 2 forces the Chinese believe need to remain in balance
○ Can’t have one without the other
Legalism

Chinese philosophy during the Han
Dynasty that all people are evil and the
government should punish all those who
break the law (STRICT)
Jainism
Founded in India
 Believed in Ahimsa (non-injury)

 Avoid hurting others
 Strict vegetarians
 Filters their water
 Sweep their path as they walk
○ Don’t injure unseen creatures
 Believes in reincarnation
Buddhism
Hinduism