Religions of South East AsiaReligions of South East Asia

Hinduism- Hinduism- EthnicEthnic

• Began: 2000 Began: 2000 B.C.E. B.C.E.

• Founder: Founder: Dravidians & Dravidians & AryansAryans

• Origin: un-known, Origin: un-known, but thought to be but thought to be brought by Aryans brought by Aryans

• Number of Number of members: 838 members: 838 millionmillion

HinduisHinduismm

• Region- SEA: India, Region- SEA: India, Nepal, Sri LankaNepal, Sri Lanka

• Religious Leaders- Religious Leaders- priests, gurus- spiritual priests, gurus- spiritual leaders, swamis- leaders, swamis- teachersteachers

HinduismHinduism• Holy Books: The Bhagavad Holy Books: The Bhagavad

Gita, Vedas, UpanishadsGita, Vedas, Upanishads

• House of Worship: TemplesHouse of Worship: Temples

HinduisHinduismm

• Holy place: tirthas= Holy place: tirthas= pilgrimages (examples: Mt. pilgrimages (examples: Mt. Kailash, Ganges, and the Kailash, Ganges, and the HimalayasHimalayas

HinduisHinduismm

• Dietary law: no Dietary law: no meat/alcoholmeat/alcohol

• Monotheistic: Monotheistic:

NO - over 350 million NO - over 350 million gods YES – Brahman gods YES – Brahman (pantheism)(pantheism)

• Holy day of the week: Holy day of the week: Every day is holyEvery day is holy

HinduismHinduism

• Holidays:Holidays:

Divali: Festival of lightsDivali: Festival of lights

Dessehra: Rama’s victory over Dessehra: Rama’s victory over Ravana= victory of good over evilRavana= victory of good over evil

• Burial of Dead: cremation burn the Burial of Dead: cremation burn the deaddead

HinduisHinduismm• Name of Diety- 3 main ones (Trimurti)Name of Diety- 3 main ones (Trimurti)

1. Brahman- judge1. Brahman- judge

2. Vishnu- protector2. Vishnu- protector

3. Shiva- destroyer3. Shiva- destroyer

HinduisHinduismm

Requirements and Main Requirements and Main BeliefsBeliefs

• Reincarnation: Karma & DharmaReincarnation: Karma & Dharma

• Caste SystemCaste System1.1.PriestsPriests

2.2.WarriorsWarriors

3.3.MerchantsMerchants

4.4.LaborersLaborers

5.5.UntouchablesUntouchables

• Moksha- breaking cycleMoksha- breaking cycle

HinduismHinduism• Diffusion: ethnic religions Diffusion: ethnic religions

usually stay in specific regionusually stay in specific region

• Symbols: Swastika, Om, LotusSymbols: Swastika, Om, Lotus

BuddhismBuddhism

Buddhism- Buddhism- UniversalUniversal

• Began: 563 B.C.E. Began: 563 B.C.E.

• Founder: Siddhartha Founder: Siddhartha GautamaGautama

• Origin: Siddhartha Origin: Siddhartha GautamaGautama

• Number of Members: Number of Members: 500 million to 1.5 500 million to 1.5 billion (due to Chinese billion (due to Chinese Communism)Communism)

BuddhisBuddhismm

• Schools and Regions: Schools and Regions:

TherevadaTherevada: : Cambodia, Laos, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri LankaMyanmar, Sri Lanka

MahayanaMahayana: : China, Korea, Japan, China, Korea, Japan, VietnamVietnam

Zen: Zen: ChinaChina

Tibetan (Mantrayana): Tibetan (Mantrayana): Tibet, Tibet, NepalNepal

• Religious leaders:Religious leaders:

Dalai Lama- reincarnate, Sangha- Dalai Lama- reincarnate, Sangha- order of monks Bodhisattva- order of monks Bodhisattva- teacherteacher

Buddhism Buddhism

• Holy Book: Tripitaka (3 baskets) - holds Holy Book: Tripitaka (3 baskets) - holds Buddha's sayings & rules for monks they were Buddha's sayings & rules for monks they were collected in baskets. collected in baskets.

• House of Worship: Pagodas and StupasHouse of Worship: Pagodas and Stupas

BuddhismBuddhism

• Holy Places- Holy Places- Nepal- birthplace of BuddhaNepal- birthplace of Buddha

Bodh Gaya- EnlightenmentBodh Gaya- Enlightenment

Sarnath- sermon & deathSarnath- sermon & death

BuddhismBuddhism

• Dietary Law: ModerationDietary Law: Moderation

• Monotheistic: More philosophy than religionMonotheistic: More philosophy than religion

• Holy day of the week: Every day is holyHoly day of the week: Every day is holy

BuddhismBuddhism

• Holidays: Vassa- meditation from July-OctoberHolidays: Vassa- meditation from July-October

Wesak/Vesak- Buddha’s birthWesak/Vesak- Buddha’s birth

Buddha Day – birth, enlightenment, Buddha Day – birth, enlightenment, deathdeath

• Burial of the dead: CremationBurial of the dead: Cremation

• Name of deities: noneName of deities: none

Buddhism: Requirements & Main Buddhism: Requirements & Main BeliefsBeliefs

• 3 universal truths3 universal truths1. Nothing is lost in the universe1. Nothing is lost in the universe

2. Everything changes2. Everything changes

3. Law of cause and effect3. Law of cause and effect

• ReincarnationReincarnation

• 4 noble truths: 4 noble truths: 1. all life is suffering 1. all life is suffering

2. suffering comes from desire 2. suffering comes from desire

3. desire can be eliminated3. desire can be eliminated

4. there is a path to eliminate desire4. there is a path to eliminate desire

• The 8 Fold PathThe 8 Fold Path

• NirvanaNirvana

DiffusionDiffusion- universal- universal

BuddhismBuddhism

• 8 fold path: the 8 fold path: the right right 1. viewpoint1. viewpoint

2. values2. values

3. speech3. speech

4. actions4. actions

5. livelihood5. livelihood

6. effort6. effort

7. mindfulness7. mindfulness

8. meditation8. meditation

BuddhisBuddhismm• Symbols: Wheel, Bodhi Symbols: Wheel, Bodhi

Tree, Footprints, Lotus Tree, Footprints, Lotus Flower, Mandalas, Prayer Flower, Mandalas, Prayer FlagsFlags

ConfucianisConfucianismm

Confucianism- Confucianism- EthnicEthnic

• Began: 520 B.C.E. Began: 520 B.C.E.

• Founder: ConfuciusFounder: Confucius

• Origin: ConfuciusOrigin: Confucius

• Number of Members: 6 Number of Members: 6 million or 350 millionmillion or 350 million

• Region: SEA – mainly China Region: SEA – mainly China

• Religious leaders: Religious leaders: Teacher/SagesTeacher/Sages

ConfucianismConfucianism

• Holy Books: Holy Books:

5 classics (Wujing): written by Confucius5 classics (Wujing): written by Confucius

4 books (Analects/Shshu): written by his followers4 books (Analects/Shshu): written by his followers

• House of Worship: NoneHouse of Worship: None

• Holy place: NoneHoly place: None

• Dietary Law: NoneDietary Law: None

• Monotheistic: PhilosophyMonotheistic: PhilosophyI-Ching

ConfucianisConfucianismm

• Holy Day of the Week: Holy Day of the Week: NoneNone

• Holidays: NoneHolidays: None

• Burial of Dead: Local Burial of Dead: Local CustomsCustoms

• Name of Deities: NoneName of Deities: None

• Diffusion- could be Diffusion- could be universal but mainly universal but mainly stayed within Chinese stayed within Chinese cultureculture

Confucianism – Requirements and Confucianism – Requirements and BeliefsBeliefs

• Social code based on morality Social code based on morality rather than laws. Established rather than laws. Established social order within Chinese social order within Chinese Society Society

• Look to the past for insight to Look to the past for insight to behavior and follow ancestral behavior and follow ancestral examplesexamples

• The “Way of Heaven” – natural The “Way of Heaven” – natural turn of eventsturn of events

• The “Mandate of Heaven” - Be a The “Mandate of Heaven” - Be a good rulergood ruler

Confucianism- requirements cont.Confucianism- requirements cont.• Filial Piety: Filial Piety: 1.Ruler/Subject 1.Ruler/Subject

2.Father/Son 2.Father/Son

3.Older/younger 3.Older/younger brother brother

4.Husband/Wife 4.Husband/Wife

5.Friend/Friend5.Friend/Friend

• Everyone must know their role & Everyone must know their role & live accordinglylive accordingly

• Believe the answer to social ills Believe the answer to social ills was self-cultivation, starting was self-cultivation, starting with educationwith education

Confucius Confucius Sayings:Sayings:• Study the past if you are to define the Study the past if you are to define the

future.future.

• Do not dwell on mistakes and thus Do not dwell on mistakes and thus make them crimes.make them crimes.

• Those who do not study are just cattle Those who do not study are just cattle dressed in men’s clothingdressed in men’s clothing

Confucius’ comments about women wereConfucius’ comments about women were

not as nice……. not as nice…….

TaoismTaoism

• Began: 604 BCE

• Founder: Lao Tzu

• Origin: Lao Tzu

• Number of Members: 20 million

• Region: SEA - China

TaoismTaoism

• Religious Leaders: Priests• Holy Book: Tao Te Ching• House of Worship: Temples/Monastaries

I-ChingI-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.)

TaoismHoly 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”) - Shinto (“Way of the Gods”) - JapanJapan

ShintoShinto

Began: Preliterate times (6th century)Founder: Not knownOrigin: Japanese indigenous cultureNumber: Japanese population (ethnic)

ShintoShinto Region: SEA - JapanReligious Leaders: PriestsHoly Book: Kojiki and Nihon ShokiHouse of Worship: Shrines

ShintoShinto

• 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

Komainu-Guardians - Komainu-Guardians - BuddhistBuddhist

• Holy Day of the Week: None• Holidays: None• Burial of the Dead: Local customs• Name of Deities: Kami (spirits) and Amaterasu

Shinto

ShintoShinto

Diffusion: Stays within Japan

Beliefs: 1.Most things have a kami (spirit)2.Prayer and Offerings are used3.Purity is emphasized4.Shinto led to the Japanese belief that as sole descendants of the sun, they were uniquely gifted to rule the world.