Topic 1
hinduism, budDhism, & Confucianism
THE SPREAD OF CULTURE AND RELIGION THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA
THE SPREAD OF CULTURE AND RELIGION THROUGH SOUTHEAST ASIA
Unit 4 - Topic 1: Overview......................................................................................................................................................1
Unit 4 - Topic 1: Goal, GLEs & Description............................................................................................................................2
Essential Content - GLEs
Ancillary Content - GLEs
Homework: What Did you Learn in Unit 3..........................................................................................................................3
Student Strategies.................................................................................................................................................................4
Caterpillar Writing
Thinking Like a Historian
R.A.C.E. Strategy for Reading
C.E.R. Strategy for Reading and Stating Claims (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning)
Lesson Activity: Vocabulary Words - Homework...............................................................................................................5
Lesson Activity: Building Context - The Spread of Religion and Culture.......................................................................6
Eastern Hemisphere Map - Where Did Religions Originate?............................................................................................7
The Origins of World Religion..............................................................................................................................................8
Using a Map, Identifying the Regions of Origins for Each Major World Religions.........................................................9
Hinduism, Buddhism, & Confucianism
Confucius and Confucianism...............................................................................................................................................10
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Unit 4 Description: Students explore the role of trade in the advancement of civilization by examining the development of civilizations in Asia and Africa. Students investigate the role of trade in the advancement of societies and how trade is responsible for the exchange of more than just goods.
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Topic 3: Goal
Students will be able to write a paragraph explaining how major world religions originated.
Topic (GLEs) for the unit & pacing:
Unit 4: Approximately 5 weeks
Topic 1: Approximately 2-3 class periods
Connections to the Unit Claim:
This task requires students to analyze the origins of world religions and explore how those religions can be culturally diverse. This understanding is critical for establishing the origin and spread of world religions.
Key Connections:
Resources and land use contributed to the development and expansion of trade between civilizations and world religions.
Economic motivations influenced territorial conquests and led to the success of kingdoms.
Territorial expansion and the growth of trade and taxation influenced migration patterns and the spread of cultures, ideas, and religion.
Claim:
How and why have the major world religions spread from their place of origin?
Sub-claim:
Where did the major world religions originate?
6.2.2 Examine how the achievements of early humans led to the development of civilization.
Identify the characteristics of civilizations (large population centers, monumental architecture, and unique art, writing and record keeping, complex institutions, specialization/complex division of labor, and social classes/structures).
Explain how different civilizations, including those today, are similar and diverse.
6.2.6 Analyze the origin and spread of major world religions as they developed throughout history.
Describe the origins of the major world religions.
Analyze the role and importance of key people and places in the origin and spread of world religions.
Using a map, identify the regions of origin for each major world religion.
Explain factors that influenced the spread of world religions.
6.1.1 Produce clear and coherent writing for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences by completing the following tasks:
Options to address 6.1.1 in Unit 4 - Topic 1
Compare and contrast present world societies
Compare and contrast past civilizations to present-day civilizations
Produce written claims on how humans are similar and diverse.
6.1.2 Construct and interpret a parallel timeline of key events in the ancient world.
Create a timeline using appropriate dates, including B.C.E./B.C. and C.E/A.D.
Create parallel timelines of the origin and spread of world religions.
6.1.4 Identify and compare measurements of time in order to understand historical chronology.
Identify historical time periods and eras.
Review terms related to measurements of time as needed (B.C.E./B.C., C.E./A.D., circa or c.).
Examine timelines of key Unit 4 content recognizing measurements of time, sequencing, chronology, location, distance, and duration.
Not all "Ancillary Content" addressed in the textbook at this time. Teachers should include Ancillary Content with the Topic.
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Directions for Homework: Before we start this new topic, take a minute to write about what you have learned so far. Use complete sentences in your writing. Try to fill these pages with the new knowledge you have gained. Celebrating YOU, Because YOU ARE SOMEBODY!!! Don't forget it!
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AD
BC
BCE
CE
Buddhism
Hinduism
culture
religion
caste system
nontheistic
moksha
The Eight-Fold Path
Purusharthas: Four Goals of Life
Confucianism
karma
dharma
kama
artha
The Four Noble Truths
Directions: Open your NOTEBOOK and complete the vocabulary for a HOMEWORK assignment. You will not be tested on all words, but you need to know them for content.
The Spread of Religion and Culture in Eastern Asia
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In the previous three units, we have examined hunter-gathers, the river civilizations, and the ancient Greek and Roman civilizations. In this task, we will begin to understand how each is tied to one another through culture and religion. Remember that "culture" and "religion" are Characteristics of a Civilization.
Culture is a Characteristic of a Civilization
What does Culture mean?
Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music, and arts.
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition goes a step further, defining culture as shared patterns of behaviors and interactions, cognitive constructs, and understanding that are learned by socialization. Thus, it can be seen as the growth of a group identity fostered by social patterns unique to the group.
"Culture encompasses religion, food, what we wear, how we wear it, our language, marriage, music, what we believe is right or wrong, how we sit at the table, how we greet visitors, how we behave with loved ones, and a million other things, Cristina De Rossi, an anthropologist at Barnet and Southgate College in London, told Live Science.
It is important to understand that religions are personal belief systems that are influenced by culture and community. Differences in belief and culture can lead to conflict. Though there may be a commonality between several religions, the ultimate purpose of this task is to define the origin and spread of the major world religions.
Directions: Go to your NOTEBOOK to explain, using your own words, what the meaning of culture is.
Discovery Education offers an introduction to the seven largest religions in the world: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Baha'i Faith, and Sikhism. The program discusses the similarities and differences between the faiths, and offers insight into the unique teachings, beliefs, and customs of each religion. Note: This video addresses topics including faith and spiritual practice. The video does not advocate a given faith, but is part of a series that informs students of the beliefs and practices of many world religions. The founding stories of the religions presented in this series are based on the texts, beliefs, and traditions of those religions and are not intended as historical analysis.
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Students will plot where these religions originated on the map below. The map can be found in your NOTEBOOK.
GLE: 6.2.6 - Analyze the origin and spread of major world religions as they developed throughout history
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As people created more efficient systems of communication and more complex governments in early civilizations, they also developed what we now call religion.
Why did all civilizations adopt some sort of religion and how did these religions spread over vast regions? I know that by 1200 BCE, there were developed cities in most parts of the world. Having examined some early writing from the city of Sumer in Mesopotamia, we know that people had already conceived of gods that looked out for them and the welfare of their crops and cities. But the world religions we know of — Hinduism, Judaism, Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam — were bigger than a single city or even a single region of the world. In fact, these religions have survived for thousands of years, and all of them seem to have developed around the same time. Since people do not appear to have lacked for religious life on a local scale from very early times, why did several large-scale belief systems emerge between 1200 BCE and 700 CE? In fact, why did all the major world religions appear in that era? One way that religion was spread throughout the different civilizations was on the Silk Road. As people traveled the Silk Road to trade their goods, they were also introduced to different religions.
The Geography of Ancient India
Geographically, India has it all. If you were to travel around India, you could climb snowcapped mountains, cross wide grassy plains, hack through dense tropical forests, sail down mighty rivers, and skirt around sun-scorched deserts. You might travel under a bright blue sky or get soaked by seasonal rains.
Mountains. Rivers, and Monsoons
Present-day India, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Nepal, and Pakistan made up the large landmass, or subcontinent, of South Asia. This diamond-shaped landmass was originally an island. However, 40 million years ago the large moving plates on which the continents lie drove the subcontinent into Asia. As the lands collided, they pushed Earth's crust upward to form the Himalaya, a 1,500-mile mountain range.
The Himalaya are the world's highest mountains. Many Himalayan peaks rise about 24,000 feet. Thirty peaks, including Mount Everest--Earth's highest peaks, including Mount Everest--Earth's highest point--are over 25,000 feet high.
On either side of the Himalaya lie lower mountain ranges, including the Hindu Kush, which separates what was once northwest India from present-day Afghanistan. These northern mountains form a natural barrier against invaders. The Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean, and Bay of Bengal have provided further protection. The Decan Plateau, which contains smaller mountain systems, makes up much of southern India.
The two major rivers of northern India, the Indus and the Ganges, both start in the Himalaya. Like the Tigris and the Euphrates in Mesopotamia, these rivers provide water for irrigation and deposit fertile soil for farming.
Strong seasonal winds called monsoons have long been an important element of the subcontinent's climate. These winds bring a dry season in winter. In summer, they bring a wet season with heavy rainfall.
Indus River Valley
Physical characteristics of the Indus River Valley offered nearly ideal conditions for agriculture. The valley's fertile soil and plentiful water supply most likely encouraged nomadic herdsmen to settle there and farm. Villages emerged. Then, around 2500 BCE, some villages grew into cities--and a civilization developed.
Hinduism[1]
Unlike other religious traditions, Hinduism does not originate in a single founder, a single book, or a single point in time. It contains many different beliefs, philosophies, and viewpoints, not always consistent with each other. These apparent contradictions strike only those who are not familiar with this tradition: the Hindu insight claims that the Oneness expresses itself in many different forms.
Hinduism is often labeled as a religion, but it is actually more than that: it is a vast and complex socio-religious body that, in a way, reflects the complexity of Indian society. A rich geography, many languages and dialects, lots of different creeds, racial diversity, all these elements have shaped Hinduism and made it so heterogenic. The lack of unifying overall religious authority and the total absence of a book claiming supreme truth and dogmas have contributed to the diversity of Hinduism as well. It is fair to mention that even the texts we find in Hinduism that claim some sort of divine inspiration do not declare their view to be better than any other and they all exist together in a tolerant fashion. The many manifestations of Hinduism go from highly intellectual philosophies concerning numerous and puzzling metaphysical concerns, many rituals, mental and physical exercises such as Yoga to simple, almost childlike, tales and legends.
This tradition has come down to us from prehistoric times. The foundations of Hinduism can be found in the teachings of anonymous ancient sages or rishis, which were originally transmitted orally. We know very little about Hinduism beyond what can be learned from the Vedas, a collection of hymns and other ritual texts composed in different periods. These texts contain a lot of material including the teachings of the early stages. The oldest evidence of religious practices in India dates back approximately to 5500 BCE. It is a mistake to reduce all early Hinduism to Vedic religion: there were many other non-Vedic religious traditions in early Hinduism which have left no early texts and that can be known to some extent by archaeological evidence.
[1] This passage is excerpted from a work by Cristian Violatti which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. The original work is available at http://www.ancient.eu/hinduism/.
Watch the video below to learn more about how major world religions spread. In your NOTEBOOK you will complete the Journal Journey slide.
What are the major landforms/geographical features of this region?
How do you think the geography of the area helped spread religion?
Were there any geographical barriers?
What positive and negative effects might the summer monsoons have had on farmers?
What physical feature separates India from the continent of Asia?
How did physical geography affect the development of Indus Valley civilizations?
Answer these questions after watching the video and reading the passage. Complete the work in your NOTEBOOK.
Slide #12
Lord Shiv Parivaar & Family - Hindu
Purusharthas: Four Goals of Life - Hindu
Siddhartha Gautama - Hinduism
Introduction to Hinduism
Hinduism is the religion of the majority of people in India and Nepal. It also exists among significant populations outside of the subcontinent and has over 900 million adherents worldwide.
In some ways Hinduism is the oldest living religion in the world, or at least elements within it stretch back many thousands of years. Yet Hinduism resists easy definition partly because of the vast array of practices and beliefs found within it. It is also closely associated conceptually and historically with the other Indian religions Jainism, Buddhism, and Sikhism.
Unlike most other religions, Hinduism has no single founder, no single scripture, and no commonly agreed set of teachings. Throughout its extensive history, there have been many key figures teaching different philosophies and writing numerous holy books. For these reasons, writers often refer to Hinduism as 'a way of life' or 'a family of religions' rather than a single religion.
Defining Hinduism
The term 'Hindu' was derived from the river or river complex of the northwest, the Sindhu. Sindhu is a Sanskrit word used by the inhabitants of the region, the Aryans in the second millennium BCE. Later migrants and invaders, the Persians in the sixth century BCE, the Greeks from the 4th century BCE, and the Muslims from the 8th century CE, used the name of this river in their own languages for the land and its people.
The term 'Hindu' itself probably does not go back before the 15th and 16th centuries when it was used by people to differentiate themselves from followers of other traditions, especially the Muslims (Yavannas), in Kashmir and Bengal. At that time the term may have simply indicated groups united by certain cultural practices such as cremation of the dead and styles of cuisine. The 'ism' was added to 'Hindu' only in the 19th century in the context of British colonialism and missionary activity.
The origins of the term 'hindu' are thus cultural, political, and geographical. Now the term is widely accepted although any definition is subject to much debate. In some ways, it is true to say that Hinduism is a religion of recent origin yet its roots and formation go back thousands of years.
Some claim that one is 'born a Hindu', but there are now many Hindus of non-Indian descent. Others claim that its core feature is the belief in an impersonal Supreme, but important strands have long described and worshipped a personal God. Outsiders often criticize Hindus as being polytheistic, but many adherents claim to be monotheists.
Some Hindus define orthodoxy as compliance with the teachings of the Vedic texts (the four Vedas and their supplements). However, still, others identify their tradition with 'Sanatana Dharma', the eternal order of conduct that transcends any specific body of sacred literature. Scholars sometimes draw attention to the caste system as a defining feature, but many Hindus view such practices as merely a social phenomenon or an aberration of their original teachings. Nor can we define Hinduism according to belief in concepts such as karma and samsara (reincarnation) because Jains, Sikhs, and Buddhists (in a qualified form) accept this teaching too.
Although it is not easy to define Hinduism, we can say that it is rooted in India, most Hindus revere a body of texts as sacred scripture known as the Veda, and most Hindus draw on a common system of values known as dharma.
· Hinduism originated around the Indus Valley near the River Indus in modern-day Pakistan.
· About 80% of the Indian population regard themselves as Hindu.
· Most Hindus believe in a Supreme God, whose qualities and forms are represented by the multitude of deities that emanate from him.
· Hindus believe that existence is a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, governed by Karma.
· Hindus believe that the soul passes through a cycle of successive lives and its next incarnation is always dependent on how the previous life was lived.
· The main Hindu texts are the Vedas and their supplements (books based on the Vedas). Veda is a Sanskrit word meaning 'knowledge'. These scriptures do not mention the word 'Hindu' but many scriptures discuss dharma, which can be rendered as 'code of conduct', 'law', or 'duty'
· Hindus celebrate many holy days, but the Festival of Lights, Diwali is the best known.
· The 2001 census recorded 559,000 Hindus in Britain, around 1% of the population.
History of Hinduism
Hinduism's early history is the subject of much debate for a number of reasons.
Firstly, in a strict sense, there was no 'Hinduism' before modern times, although the sources of Hindu traditions are very ancient.
Secondly, Hinduism is not a single religion but embraces many traditions.
Thirdly, Hinduism has no definite starting point. The traditions which flow into Hinduism may go back several thousand years and some practitioners claim that the Hindu revelation is eternal.
Although there is an emphasis on personal spirituality, Hinduism's history is closely linked with social and political developments, such as the rise and fall of different kingdoms and empires. The early history of Hinduism is difficult to date and Hindus themselves tend to be more concerned with the substance of a story or text rather than its date.
Hindu Notions of Time
Hindus in general believe that time is cyclical, much like the four seasons, and eternal rather than linear and bounded. Texts refer to successive ages (yuga), designated respectively as golden, silver, copper, and iron.
During the golden age, people were pious and adhered to dharma (law, duty, truth) but its power diminishes over time until it has to be reinvigorated through divine intervention.
With each successive age, good qualities diminish, until we reach the current iron or dark age (kali yuga) marked by cruelty, hypocrisy, materialism, and so on. Such ideas challenge the widespread, linear view that humans are inevitably progressing.
Students will start completing the World Religions Graphic Organizer shown below.
Siddhartha Gautama - Hinduism
Gautama Buddha - Lantau Island
Buddhism
Tian Tan Buddha
Bronze Statue of a big Buddha
Buddhism
Manusmriti, widely regarded to be the most important and authoritative book on Hindu law and dating back to at least 1,000 years before Christ was born, "acknowledges and justifies the caste system as the basis of order and regularity of society".
The caste system divides Hindus into four main categories - Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, and the Shudras. Many believe that the groups originated from Brahma, the Hindu God of creation.
Questions: The Caste System - Interpret Charts
To which caste did most Indians belong?
Which caste was the smallest? Why do you think this was so?
At the top of the hierarchy were the Brahmins who were mainly teachers and intellectuals and are believed to have come from Brahma's head, and the smallest. The Brahmins established relationships with kings, preaching that the gods gave kings the right to rule. The kings upheld the authority of the Brahmins. Then came the Kshatriyas, or the warriors and rulers, supposedly from his arms. The third slot went to the Vaishyas, or the traders, who were created from his thighs. At the bottom of the heap were the Shudras, who came from Brahma's feet and did all the menial jobs.
The main castes were further divided into about 3,000 castes and 25,000 sub-castes, each based on their specific occupation.
Outside of this Hindu caste system were the achhoots - the Dalits or the untouchables.
For centuries, caste has dictated almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life, with each group occupying a specific place in this complex hierarchy.
Rural communities have long been arranged on the basis of castes - the upper and lower castes almost always lived in segregated colonies, the water wells were not shared, Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Shudras, and one could marry only within one's caste.
The system bestowed many privileges on the upper castes while sanctioning repression of the lower castes by privileged groups.
Often criticized for being unjust and regressive, it remained virtually unchanged for centuries, trapping people into fixed social orders from which it was impossible to escape.
Despite the obstacles, however, some Dalits and other low-caste Indians, such as BR Ambedkar who authored the Indian constitution, and KR Narayanan who became the nation's first Dalit president, have risen to hold prestigious positions in the country.
Historians, though, say that until the 18th Century, the formal distinctions of caste were of limited importance to Indians, social identities were much more flexible and people could move easily from one caste to another. The Case System is still used, even today.
Directions: Answer the two questions above in your NOTEBOOK.
Polytheism[1]
MANY ARE BETTER THAN ONE
Abrahamic religions are dominated by the notion that One is better than many: One God, One Book, One Son, One Church, One Nation of God. In Hinduism, the more the better: many gods, many books, many sages, many insights.
In this ever-growing community of endless gods and goddesses, the roles of the gods and even their hierarchy are somehow diffuse. Some gods get more attention than others and different accounts suggest different hierarchies. Olympian gods, who had a clear hierarchy, may look greedy and envious compared with the tolerant gods of Hinduism.
Agni, Indra, Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, and Ganesha are just a few examples of very important Hindu gods that were regarded at different times and by different sects as the most important gods. Shiva, Vishnu, and Brahma were part of a holy Hindu trinity (trimurti). Shiva is sometimes associated with the destruction process and Vishnu as the creator who takes the remains destroyed by Shiva in order to regenerate what has been destroyed. For the Ganapatya Hindu sect, Ganesha is the most important deity. Ganesha is highly recognizable with his elephant head and human body, representing the soul (atman) and the physical (maya) respectively. He is also the patron of writers, travelers, students, commerce, and new projects (for which he removes obstacles from one's path) and is rather fond of sweets, to the slight detriment of his figure.
[1] This passage is excerpted from a work by Cristian Violatti which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License. The original work is available at http://www.ancient.eu/hinduism/.
Krishna manifesting his full glory to Arjuna
Beautiful Buddist Temple in Hawaii
Beautiful Buddist Temple Near
Atlanta, Georgia
Beautiful Buddist Temple in Japan
How Did Buddhism Begin?
About 2500 years ago, 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?" Siddartha spent many years doing many religious practices such as praying, meditating, and fasting until he finally understood the basic truths of life. This realization occurred after sitting under a Poplar-Figtree in Bodh Gaya, India for many days, in deep meditation. He gained enlightenment, or nirvana, and was given the title of Buddha, which means Enlightened One.
Hindus occasionally worship in temples, but the home is the center of religious activity. Many homes have a temple room or corner where family members worship. Many Hindus still observe certain cultural practices related to the caste system, such as marrying within one's caste. They also believe the soul is eternal and is reborn in different bodies over different life cycles. This is known as reincarnation.
According to Hindu beliefs, people's actions and conduct create karma, which determines the kind of life into which they will be reborn. The karma of someone who leads a good and moral life leads to rebirth into a better life. A life filled with misdeeds creates bad karma, which leads to rebirth into a life of greater hardship and suffering. The ultimate goal of a Hindu is to end this cycle of birth by living selflessly and eliminating material desires.
There are many paths to the perfect life. One path involves the practice of yoga--a series of exercises intended to help a person achieve spiritual insight. An important idea underlying such practices is to seek and know the truth.
What did Buddha teach?
Buddha discovered Three Universal Truths and Four Noble Truths, which he then taught to the people for the next 45 years.
Three Universal Truths
1. Everything in life is impermanent and always changing.
2. Because nothing is permanent, a life based on possessing things or persons does not make you happy.
3. There is no eternal, unchanging soul and "self" is just a collection of changing characteristics or attributes.
Four Noble Truths
1. Human life has a lot of suffering.
2. The cause of suffering is greed.
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.
The Eightfold Path
1. Right understanding and viewpoint (based on the Four Noble Truths).
2. Right values and attitude (compassion rather than selfishness).
3. Right speech (don't tell lies, avoid harsh, abusive speech, avoid gossip).
4. Right action (help others, live honestly, don't harm living things, take care of the environment).
5. Right work (do something useful, avoid jobs that harm others).
6. Right effort (encourage good, helpful thoughts, discourage unwholesome destructive thoughts).
7. Right mindfulness (be aware of what you feel, think and do).
8. Right meditation (calm mind, practice meditation which leads to nirvana).
What is meditation?
Meditation is an essential practice for most Buddhists. Buddhists look within themselves for the truth and understanding of Buddha's teachings. They seek enlightenment, or nirvana, this way. Nirvana is freedom from needless suffering and being fully alive and present in one's life. It is not a state that can really be described in words -- it goes beyond words.
Meditation means focusing the mind to achieve an inner stillness that leads to a state of enlightenment.
Meditation takes many forms:
-- It can be sitting quietly beside a beautiful arrangement of rocks, contemplating beauty.
-- It can be practicing a martial art such as karate or aikido since they require mental and physical control and strong concentration.
--It can mean focusing on a riddle such as "What is the sound of one hand clapping?"
--It can be contemplating a haiku or short poem that captures a moment in time.
-- It can be in a meditation room of a monastery.
-- It can involve chanting.
-- It can involve the use of a mandala to focus attention on the invisible point at the center of interlocking triangles.
-- It can involve quietly noticing one's breath as it goes in and out. It can happen anywhere at any time.
Where are Buddha's words written down?
After Buddha died, his teachings were gradually written down from what people remembered. The Tripitaka, or The Three Baskets, is a collection of Buddha's sayings, his thoughts about them, and rules for Buddhist monks. The Tripitaka was first written on palm leaves which were collected together in baskets.
If Buddhism began in India, why is it all over so many eastern countries?
There are over 500 million Buddhists today. After Buddha's death, some of his followers had some differences of opinion which eventually led to their breaking away and forming separate kinds of Buddhism. There are two main types, Theravada, which spread to Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, and Mahayana which spread to Nepal, Vietnam, 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 Five Precepts
Even though each form of Buddhism took on its own identity, all Buddhists follow a set of guidelines for daily life called the Five Precepts.
These are:
1. Do not harm or kill living things.
2. Do not take things unless they are freely given.
3. Lead a decent life.
4. Do not speak unkindly or tell lies.
5. Do not abuse drugs or drink alcohol.
Something Extra: Southeast Asia is the maritime crossroads of the Nirvana Route. It is the place where the civilizations of India and China meet. To some degree, India and China were to Southeast Asia what Greece and Rome were to the Mediterranean, with India resembling the Greek process of Hellenization (indeed, the term “Indianization” has been used to describe Indian influence). China exercised a certain amount of geopolitical influence over the region, although, in contrast to the Roman empire, it seldom built an outright empire, with the notable exception of northern Vietnam in the first millennium A.D. The imprint of both India and China was cultural, economic, and political, achieved through commerce more than conquest, through local emulation more than outside imposition.
Discovery Education Video: You will watch the video below that explores the roots of Hinduism as a religion and introduces the many facets of Hindu beliefs. The program also describes how followers of Hinduism worship, live, and celebrate their faith. Note: This video addresses topics including faith and spiritual practice. The video does not advocate a given faith but is part of a series that informs students of the beliefs and practices of many world religions. The founding stories of the religions presented in this series are based on the texts, beliefs, and traditions of those religions and are not intended as historical analysis.
Directions: Take notes on the videos you are about to watch.
Discovery Education Video: You will watch the video below that explores the roots of Buddhism as a religion and introduces the many facets of Buddhist beliefs. The program also describes how followers of Buddhism worship, live, and celebrate their faith. Note: This video addresses topics including faith and spiritual practice. The video does not advocate a given faith but is part of a series that informs students of the beliefs and practices of many world religions. The founding stories of the religions presented in this series are based on the texts, beliefs, and traditions of those religions and are not intended as historical analysis.
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Confucianism
Page 9
The religion of Buddhism has a hearth in Southern Nepal near the Indian border. Today the religion is primarily dominant in Southeast Asia and East Asia through three different sects. The three sects are Theravada, Mahāyāna, and Vajrayana Buddhists (Shown on the map). Buddhism is considered a hierarchical religion with authority in monasteries, monks, nuns, laypeople, and pilgrims). Buddhism is neither a polytheistic or monotheistic religion instead it is nontheistic. It is also universalizing meaning anyone can join the religion at any time. Buddhism spread by hierarchical diffusion through the Magadha Empire and relocation diffusion by trading merchants. Currently, it is especially prominent in countries in East Asia such as China and Southeast Asia. The most populous Buddhist areas are in Thailand, China, Myanmar, Japan, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. The highest percentages of Buddhists in countries are in Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. The beliefs of Buddhism are in their four noble truths which are: All of the living must endure suffering, suffering is caused by a desire to live, and leads to reincarnation, the goal of existence is to escape suffering and the cycle of reincarnation into Nirvana, Nirvana is attained through an Eightfold Path of the rightness of belief, resolve, speech, action, livelihood, effort, thought, and meditation.
BCE: Before the Common Era.
Hinduism - India/Indus Valley
Hinduism spreads across Asia into China
Budda is born in Lumbini and Buddhism overspreads India
CE: The Common Era
Jesus is crucified
Christianity spreads across Europe
Muhammad is born in Mecca - the start of Islam
Islam spreads across Africa and Asia and is the dominant region by 1000 CE
Christianity is dominant in Europe
Age of Discovery spreads Christianity to the new world and Africa
The religion of Hinduism has a hearth in Northern India near the Indus River in the region of South Asia. Hinduism is an autonomous religion without a central authority. In addition, Hinduism can be considered monotheistic and polytheistic because the world is one god with three faces or qualities. These faces are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. Also, it’s an ethnic religion with strict ties to India. It spread throughout Southwest Asia and the Pacific by relocation diffusion. They exerted an enormous religious influence among the civilizations of these regions. Today the religion is located in Nepal, India, and Mauritius. Three core beliefs of Hinduism are: human beings are unrestricted from their bodies or minds, the purpose of life is to be released from cycles of reincarnation and to achieve Nirvana, the holy texts of Hinduism (Vedas) are the ultimate authority in the religion, people in the Hinduism religion believe in Karma which is where beneficial effects are derived from past beneficial actions and harmful effects from past harmful actions.
Buddhism and Hinduism are similar in the fact that both of their origins are in India. Also, “Lord Buddha, the prophet of Buddhism, hailed from a Hindu family.” (Kumar 2018) giving them an ancient connection. In addition, both religions share common beliefs in reincarnation. They are different in many ways. One way is that Buddhism reaches Nirvana through the eightfold path and Noble truths whereas Hinduism reaches it through several ways. In addition, “Buddhism emphasizes sufferings in the existing world whereas Hindus believe that one can enjoy divine bliss through moksha or reunion with God” (Kumar 2018).
“Story Map Journal.” Arcgis.com, www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html?appid=1b4dc0a2340741eebb69ecb38b55e21d#:~:text=Buddhism and Hinduism and Buddhism,are different in many ways.Slide #18
Directions: Go to your NOTEBOOK and complete the Venn Diagram on Hinduism and Buddhism.
Picture of the Indus River
Picture of the Indus River
Page 10
CONFUCIANISM ORIGIN AND SPREAD
Confucianism is based on the teachings of Master Kong, later Latinized to Confucius, who lived in China from 551 BCE to 479 BCE. His teachings were based on the fundamental principles of the Chinese Zhou Dynasty which ruled over China at the time. The hearth of the religion is Confucius's home in the Shandong province of China.
Confucius' teachings formed the basis of a belief system known as Confucianism. His teachings were to restore order. He taught that people should respect authority and one another.
Confucianism has often been referred to as more of a philosophy than a religion. It was founded on the ideas of Tian (天), or supreme being, but Confucius himself is not considered divine. Aside from this, there are no other deities in Confucianism.
BASIC BELIEFS
The main principle of Confucianism is ren ("humaneness" or "benevolence"), signifying excellent character in accord with li (ritual norms), Zhong (loyalty to one's true nature), shu (reciprocity), and xiao (piety).
The teachings of Confucius are found in 9 texts: the Five Classics and the Four Books.
The Five Classics (Book of Odes, Book of Documents, Book of Changes, Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals) contain information about the history of China, social and governmental structure, and the system of divination (yin and yang).
The Four Classics (Doctrine of the Mean, the Great Learning, Mencius, and the Analects) contain Confucius; teachings, conversations, and guides on how to investigate new things and live morally.
Confucianism is an ancient philosophy of respect and kindness. Learn about the history of Confucianism, including its philosophy and founder.
Many of us have heard the biblical phrase, 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' The Chinese philosophy of Confucianism puts it this way: 'Do not do to others what you would have them not do to you.'
Unlike Christianity, Confucianism is technically not a religion. But it does share the Christian approach of loving others. In fact, that is the foundation of the philosophy. Confucianism is based entirely on kindness, mutual respect, and an appreciation for character virtues. It is founded on the belief that society can flourish only when people learn to interact positively with each other.
Confucianism was developed in China by Master Kong in 551-479 BC, who was given the name Confucius by Jesuit missionaries who were visiting there. However, the fundamental principles of Confucianism began before his birth, during the Zhou Dynasty.
At that time, the ideas of respect and the well-being of others were prevalent, but there was also an emphasis on spiritual matters - specifically, the goodness of the divine and the mandate to rule given to those in power. These ideas were meant to unite the people, create stability, and prevent rebellion.
Confucius believed his philosophy was also a route toward a civil society. However, he shifted attention away from ruling authorities, the divine, or one's future after death, focusing instead on the importance of daily life and human interactions. This new, refined version of the philosophy did not completely take root until the next dynasty, the Han (140-87 BC). It is the Confucianism that many people are familiar with today.
The foundation of Confucianism is an appreciation for one's character and the well-being of others. Now we will discuss the main features that reflect this aim.
According to Confucius, social rituals are specific ways of interacting with others. He explained that in each of our relationships, we have a designated role. In order to keep these relationships healthy, we have to be aware of what that role is and how to live it out. He identified the five main relationships in life to be:
Ruler and subject
Husband and wife
Father and son
Elder brother and younger brother
Friend and friend
As you can see, three of these relationships are familial, and all but the last are hierarchical. According to Confucius, the family makes up the core of society and is the most important of relationships. In terms of the roles of each person, the husband should be kind and listen to his wife, for example. His wife should also obey him because that is part of her assigned role. The principle of doing what we are supposed to do is referred to as 'Li' in the Chinese language.
Whose teachings have influenced China for centuries?
What book contains the teaching of Confucius?
Slide # 21
True/False Statements
Below, you will find several statements about Confucianism. If the statement is factual, write 'T' or 'true' next to it. However, if the statement is false, write 'F' or 'false' next to it, and then explain why it is not an accurate statement about Confucianism. Make sure to explain thoroughly why the false statement is inaccurate.
Statements:
_____ Loving others is the foundation of Confucianism.
_____ Confucianism is one of the most popular religions in the world.
_____ Confucianism was originally developed in Japan.
_____ Confucius was given his name by Jesuit missionaries who were visiting the region.
_____ Confucius taught others the four main relationships in life: husband and wife, father and son, elder brother and younger brother, and friend and friend.
_____ The idea that every person and living thing deserves kindness and respect is a common belief of Confucianism.
_____ The principle of doing what we are supposed to be d doing is called 'Ren.'
_____ Confucius saw life as a way to reach inner perfection.
Slide #19
Love for children is a basic ideal in Chinese society. True or False
Which of the following is true of the Chinese culture?
Most people make a living in the eastern third of the country by _______.
The most rule-based of the three religions of China is _______.
Today, China is a ___________.
Confucianism provided China with a strong social foundation by promoting __________.
Slide #20
NOTE TO TEACHERS: Go to the Teacher Resources to find the 6 questions for your Student Exit Ticket & answers. Discovery Education Video: You will watch the video below to learn more about China and Confucianism. At the end of the video, you will be given an Exit Ticket with 6 questions that you will turn in for a GRADE. Pay attention! This series consists of three programs that can be used for grades five through nine. Each program is fifteen minutes long and has a five-question video quiz. The content of this valuable resource is firmly rooted in national educational standards. The series was filmed in various locations in China and Nepal, as well as in the United States. It offers a fascinating look at the long history, varied geography, and amazing civilization of the world’s largest nation. This program examines the following topics: geography, neighboring countries, language, population Confucianism Taoism Buddhism Traditional Beliefs (yin and yang, feng shui, tai chi, the Eight Trigrams, the I Ching).
Directions: Go to your NOTEBOOK and answer the six questions about the Video.
After the chaotic period of civil war ended, Confucianism made a comeback during the 600s. The government reintroduced traditional Confucian-style tests for civil service. Confucian principles of respect, responsibility, loyalty, the duty to family, and the state became popular once again.
In contrast, Buddhism encouraged moral behavior but played down the importance of obedience to outside authority in favor of inner guidance. Daoism, which emphasized our essential unity with nature, also had a strong following. These three competing belief systems became interwoven. Confucianism's concern with earthly duty influenced the religious spirituality of Buddhism and Daoism. As a result, Confucianism once more emerged as an important part of Chinese society.