Five
Major
World
Religions
Hinduism Buddhism Judaism Christianity Islam

2500 – 250 BC
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The religion of Hinduism developed and evolved over a long time in India, giving rise to a variety of beliefs and practices and to other religions, including
Buddhism.
One of the oldest religions of humanity, founded in 1500 BCE or earlier.
It is the 3 rd largest religion in the world.
No particular founder
Brahman

2500 – 250 BC
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1. Brahman -the eternal being - created and preserves the world. Everything in the world is an aspect of
Brahman.
2. Atman - the soul – each person has one that is an aspect of Brahman. Can’t ever be destroyed.
3. Devas – manifestations of Brahman that are active in the world and who help to maintain order.
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3 of the most common—Brahma, Vishnu, & Siva
4. Reincarnation – being reborn into this world lifetime after lifetime ( Samsara )
5. Karma – the sum effect of a person’s actions, good and bad, which helps shape future experiences
6. Moksha - goal of human existence, escape from the cycle of reincarnation to join with the Brahman.
7. Dharma – set of spiritual duties and obligations that must be fulfilled to achieve moksha.

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Oldest, most authoritative:
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1. Four Vedas (“truth”) – sacred hymns of praise
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Contain knowledge revealed by Brahman
2. Upanishads – philosophical reflections on the Vedas
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Also revealed to, not written by, people the Great Indian Epics (composed by sages)
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Ramayana
Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-
Gita )
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Both tell stories that reflect on what it means to live according to Vedic teachings
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
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Vary greatly because worship can take place anywhere—usually a temple or in the home.
Spiritual leaders are called gurus or sages.
Yoga-integrated physical and mental exercises. They teach people to focus their minds and bodies which will aid their meditation in order to attain moksha
Pilgrimage to Ganges (thought it flows through 2 devas so its water is holy. Bathing in it will purify them and remove bad karma.
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Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and reunite with the divine, becoming as one with
Brahman (
)

Brahma , the creator
2500 – 250 BC
Vishnu, the Preserver
Siva, the Destroyer

Hinduism in 1500 C.E.
Hinduism Today
AUM!
AUM!
AUM!
Hinduism located in India and SE Asia
Then and Now

•Buddhism, which teaches people that they can escape the suffering of the world through the Buddhist teachings, developed in
Northeast India in 520
BCE and spread to other parts of Asia
•4 th largest religion in the world
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
(563-483 BCE)
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Unlike Hinduism,
Buddhism can be traced to one single founder,
Siddhartha Gautama
Prince of a small kingdom; he lived a sheltered life and sought the answer to ending suffering
After years of meditation and searching, he sat under a Bodhi tree where he became Enlightened
He transformed into the
Buddha-the Enlightened
One.

2500 – 250 BC
What is the fundamental cause of all suffering?
Desire!
 Therefore, extinguish the self, don’t obsess about oneself. Give up all materials and possessions of the world.

2500 – 250 BC
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There is suffering in the world. To live is to suffer.
The cause of suffering is people’s desires for pleasure and material goods.
The solution is to eliminate desire and attachments.
(Nirvana = “extinction”)
To reach nirvana , one must follow the Eightfold Path .

Right Understanding
Right Intention
2500 – 250 BC
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Effort
Right Livelihood
Right Concentration
Right Mindfulness

2500 – 250 BC
 Nirvana is a state of perfect peace in which the soul would be free from suffering forever. It would escape from the cycle of rebirth.
 If nirvana is not achieved, then the soul would be reborn to live through the cycle of suffering again.
 Spiritual leaders are called monks or lamas.
 Worship takes place in a temple or meditation hall.

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Pali Canon
Dhammapada
Both record the words of the Buddha

Interactive Map http://www.eduplace.com/kids/socsci/books/application s/imaps/maps/g6_u7/

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Therevada
Buddhism
Mahayana
Buddhism
Tibetan
Buddhism
2500 – 250 BC

2500 – 250 BC
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The oldest school of Buddhism.
Found in southern Asia.
The monastic life is the best way to achieve nirvana .
Focus on wisdom and meditation.
Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or “Enlightened One.”
Over 100,000,000 followers today.

2500 – 250 BC
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Founded in northern Asia (China, Japan).
Buddhism “for the masses.”
One doesn’t need to be a monk or nun to reach nirvana; anyone can do it with some help.
Seek guidance from Boddhisatvas , wise beings, people who have found enlightenment but have stayed on earth to help others find their way.
Goal: Not just individual escape from the wheel, but the salvation of all humanity through self-sacrifice of those who are already enlightened.
d few.

2500 – 250 BC
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Developed in Tibet in the 7c CE.
A mix of Theravada and Mahayana.
Boddhisatvas include Lamas, like the Dalai Lama.

Buddhism in 1500 C.E. Buddhism Today
Buddhism located in Southeast and East Asia (China) Then and Now

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Judaism - The Hebrew leader Abraham founded Judaism in Mesopotamia around 1300 B.C. Judaism is the oldest of the monotheistic faiths (religions with one God).
Christianity Founded by Jesus Christ , who was crucified around A.D. 33 in
Palestine in the city of Jerusalem. It was after his death when his followers came to believe in him as the Christ, the Messiah.
Islam - Founded in Arabia by
Muhammad in A.D. 622.

4000–550 BC
All 3 Religions are linked by Abraham — He is the patriarch of all 3
• Islam-Quran
HAGAR
• Judaism-Torah
ABRAHAM SARAH
Ishmael Isaac
12 Arabian
Tribes
•Muhammad
(the last prophet)
•Quran and the
Five Pillars of
Islam
Mecca
(Muslims )
Jacob/Israel
12 Tribes of
Israel
•2 Tribes - (Jews) of Judah
•Jesus Christ (son of God)
•The Hebrew Bible - Old
Testament in the Christian
Bible
Esau
• Other 10 tribes-
(Israelites)
(Hebrews)

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Judaism is over 3000 years old and is the oldest of the world's monotheistic religions
(religions with only one God). It's also the smallest , with only about 14 million (7 th ) followers around the world.
Its holy city is Jerusalem .

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Jews believe that there is a single God
(Yahweh) who not only created the universe, but with whom every Jew can have an individual and personal relationship.
They await the Messiah , who will be an earthly king. They believe in heaven, but that God determines where they go after life on earth.
Ten Commandments is the basic code of law.

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The most holy Jewish book is the Torah
(the first five books of the Christian Bible).
Others include Judaism's oral tradition, the written form of which is known as the
Talmud .
The Torah ( scroll of teachings ) contains the five books revealed to Moses by God on Mount Sinai.
Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and
Deuteronomy

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Jews worship in
Synagogues or temples . Men and women usually sit separately.
Worship is led by a
Rabbi .
Saturday (begins at sundown on Friday) is time for worship.
Stamford Hill, London

• According to the Bible, the First Temple for Jewish worship was built around 900-1000 BCE and destroyed by
Babylonians in 586 BCE.
• The Jews were then sent out of Canaan, but returned after
50 years in exile.
• A Diaspora occurs when a group of people leave their homeland and move to many different locations separately.
• All of the world’s Jewish communities today that do not live in present-day Israel are part of the Jewish Diaspora.

• A new temple was finished 70 years later on the site of the First Temple, but was badly plundered by invading Romans about 54 BCE.
• King Herod, a Jew, ruled Judea for the
Romans. Under him the second temple was rebuilt in 20 BCE.
• When the Romans attacked Jerusalem again in 70 CE(AD), they destroyed
Herod’s temple.
• Today, the single remaining temple wall, the Western Wall, is a place of prayer for
Jewish pilgrims.
• Jews moved away from the land again, until the modern state of Israel was formed in the late 1940s.

Judaism in 1500 C.E.
Judaism Today
In 1500, located in Europe and
Middle East
Today, located in Israel and U.S.

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Christianity is the world's largest religion, with about 2.2 billion followers worldwide.
It is based on the teachings of Jesus
Christ who lived in the Holy Land 2,000 years ago.

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Christians believe that Jesus Christ was the
Son of God
God sent his Son to earth to save humanity from the consequences of its sins
Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his Crucifixion (the Resurrection)
Christians believe that Jesus was the Messiah promised in the Old Testament
Christians believe that there is only one God, but that this one God consists of 3 "persons“ -
God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy
Ghost--Trinity
Christians believe that God made the world.

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Christians believe that they can have a personal relationship with God, and that they are saved by faith, and good works.
They believe in heaven and hell .
They believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God.

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The Bible is the Christian holy book . It is divided into the Old and New Testaments.
Parts of the writing contained in the Old
Testament are also sacred to Jewish and
Muslim people.

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The Christian place of worship is called a Church , which are built in the shape of a cross with the altar facing east towards the rising sun. Services are led by a priest , pastor or reverend.
Day of worship is normally
Sunday.
Westminster Abbey London

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Roman Catholicism vs. Eastern OrthodoxChristian Church divided when the Roman Empire was divided and then fell.
Orthodox Christians do not recognize the authority of the
Pope.
Catholicism vs. Protestantismas a result of the
Reformation, Protestant sects broke with the Catholic
Church and established their own separate churches.

Christianity 1500 C.E.
Christianity Today
In 1500, located in Europe and
Middle East
Today, located in Americas and
Europe

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Islam is the second most popular religion in the world with 1.3 billion followers .
Islam began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him). Those who follow
Islam are called Muslims . Muslims believe that there is only one God , called Allah, who speaks Arabic.

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The Muslim scripture is the Holy Qur'an . It is 'the word of God'. Muslim beliefs and practices are rooted in the Qur'an.
Muslims treat the Qur'an with great respect because they believe that the
Qur'an is from Allah, and every word and every letter is sacred.
Muslims regard the Qur'an as the unaltered word of God.

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The Muslim building for communal worship is called a Mosque .
The word comes from the Arabic for "place of prostration".
Worshippers are called to prayer 5 times a day from minarets – towers on the mosque corners.
They contain only designs, no people or animals or furniture.
Normal day of worship is Friday .
Religious leaders are called imams .
Grand mosque in
Mecca

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Shahadah: declaration of faith
"I bear witness that there is no god, but God; I bear witness that
Muhammad is the prophet of God." By reciting this, one enters
Islamic faith.
Salah: Pray 5 times a day facing Mecca
Muslims are required to pray five times a day, washing themselves before prayer and facing in the direction of Mecca while praying.
Zakat: Give a fixed proportion to charity
Muslims are required to give away a percentage of their earnings to those less fortunate, regardless of their religion.
Saum: Fast during the month of Ramadan
Muslims fast for one lunar month each year, a period called
Ramadan. During this time, Muslims reflect on their behavior and strive to purify their thoughts.
Hajj: Make a pilgrimage to Mecca
If it is financially possible, Muslims are required to travel to Mecca once in their lifetime.

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Hijja :
The month of pilgrimage during which all
Muslims, at least once in their life, should try to make the pilgrimage to
Mecca and worship at the
Kaaba

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Sunni-the majority
Shia-the minority
The split rose from an early dispute over who should be the leader of Islam after the death of Muhammad. The Sunnis argued that the successor should be appointed by election and consensus, as tradition dictated. (Sunni comes from the Arabic word Sunna , meaning “tradition.”) The Shia believed that Muhammad's successors should come from his family, starting with Ali, his sonin-law. These, the partisans of Ali, were named from the word
Shia , meaning “partisan” in Arabic.

Islam in 1500 C.E.
Islam Today
In 1500, located in Middle East,
Africa, and Southern Europe
Today, located in Middle East,
Africa, and Asia

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Judaism – “Islam and Christianity are false interpretations and extensions of Judaism.”
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Christianity – “Judaism is a true religion, but with incomplete revelation. Islam is a false religion.”
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Islam – “Jews and Christians are respected as fellow believers, but with wrong beliefs and only partial revelation.”
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