Religions & the Meaning of Life

Explore - Learn - Grow

Part 1- Western religions

Part 3- EastAsian Views

Part 2- South Asian religions

Part 4- Comfort of religion & purpose of life

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* Westminster Shorter Catechism

* "Man's chief (goal) end is to glorify God, and enjoy him forever".

* Baltimore Catechism answers the question:"Why did God make you?" by saying "God made me to know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven."

Christianity

Part 1- Western religions 2

* Apostle Paul: “they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us."

* Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) teaches that the purpose of life on Earth is to gain knowledge and experience.

Christianity (continued)

Part 1- Western religions 3

* In Islam, man's ultimate life objective is to worship the creator Allah by abiding by the Divine guidelines revealed in the Qur'an and the Tradition of the Prophet.

* Earthly life is merely a test, determining one's afterlife, either in Jannat (Paradise) or in Jahannam (Hell).

Part 1- Western religions 4

Islam

The Five Pillars of Islam are duties incumbent to every Muslim:

1- Shahadah (profession of faith)

2- Salah (ritual prayer)

3- Zakah (charity)

4- Sawm (fasting during Ramadan)

5- Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca)

Islam (continued)

Part 1- Western religions 5

* The meaning of life is to elevate life, both in this world ('Olam HaZeh) and in the world to come ('Olam HaBa).

* Among other crucial values in the Torah is pursuit of justice, compassion, peace, kindness, hard work, prosperity, humility, and education.

Judaism

Part 1- Western religions 6

* Purpose of life is focused on spiritual growth and service to humanity.

* Human beings are viewed as intrinsically spiritual beings.

* People's lives in this material world provide extended opportunities to grow, to develop divine qualities and virtues, and the prophets were sent by God to facilitate this.

Bahá'í Faith

Part 1- Western religions 7

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* Most believe that the ātman (spirit,soul)—the person's true self—is eternal.

* Spiritual development occurs across manylifetimes, and goals should match the stateof development of the individual.

* There are 4 possible aims to human life,known as the purusharthas (from least to greatest):

1- Kāma (wish, desire, love and sensual pleasure)2- Artha (wealth, prosperity, glory)3- Dharma (righteousness, duty, morality, virtue, ethics),

encompassing notions such as ahimsa (non-violence) and satya (truth)4- Moksha (liberation, i.e. liberation from Saṃsāra, the cycle of

reincarnation).

Hindu PhilosophiesHindu God - Ram

Part 2- South Asian religions 8

* The meaning of life is tied up in the concepts of karma (causal action), sansara (the cycle of birth and rebirth), and moksha (liberation).

* Existence is conceived as the progression of the ātman (similar to the western concept of a soul) across numerous lifetimes, and its ultimate progression towards liberation from karma.

* Particular goals for life are generally subsumed under broader yogas (practices) or dharma (correct living) which are intended to create more favorable reincarnations, though they are generally positive acts in this life as well.

Part 2- South Asian religions 9

Hindu (continued)

* Vishnu, Supreme God * Includes the central beliefs of Hinduismsuch as monotheism, reincarnation, samsara,karma, and the various Yoga systems.

* But with a particular emphasis on devotion (bhakti) to Vishnu through the process of Bhakti yoga, often including singing Vishnu's name's (bhajan), meditating upon his form (dharana) and performing deity worship (puja).

* Purpose of human life especially is to think beyond the animalistic way of eating, sleeping, mating and defending and engage the higher intelligence to revive the lost relationship with Krishna.

Vaishnavism (Hinduism)

Part 2- South Asian religions 10

* Jainism is a religion originating in ancient India, its ethical system promotes self-discipline above all else.

* It divides the universe into living and non-living beings. Only when the non-living become attached to the living does suffering result. Therefore, happiness is the result of self-conquest and freedom from external objects.

* The meaning of life may then be said to be to use the physical body to achieve self-realization and bliss.

JainismJainism barnstar

Part 2- South Asian religions 11

* Buddhists believe that life is inherent with suffering or frustration.

* True suffering is caused by attachment to objects material or non-material, which in turn causes one to be born again and again in the cycle of existence.

* Suffering can be overcome through human activity, simply by removing the cause of suffering.

Buddhism

Part 2- South Asian religions 12

* Similar to the Hindu philosophy and religion, attaining and perfecting dispassion is a process of many levels that ultimately results in the state of Nirvana.

* Nirvana means freedom from both suffering and rebirth.

Part 2- South Asian religions 13

Buddhism (Continued)

* "Sikh" means student, which denotes that followers will lead their lives forever learning

* Salvation can be obtained by following various paths, so Sikhs do not have a monopoly on salvation.

* Sikhs balance their moral and spiritual values with the quest for knowledge, and they aim to promote a life of peace and equality but also of positive action.

* The ultimate destination of a Sikh is to lose the ego completely in the love of the lord and finally merge into the almighty creator.

Sikhism

Khanda, an important symbol

of Sikhism.

Part 2- South Asian religions 14

* See Part 3 of Great thinkers' notes on the meaning of life:

MoismTaoismShinto torii

Part 3- East Asian religions 15

Richard Dawkins at UC Berkeley

Part 4- Comfort of religion & purpose of life 16

In summary 17

In summary 18

Christianity glorify God, and enjoy him forever, know Him, to love Him, and to serve Him in this world, and to be happy with Him forever in heaven, gain knowledge and experience

Islam worship the creator Allah by abiding by the Divine guidelines

Judaism elevate life, both in this world and in the world to come

Baha'i spiritual growth and service to humanity

Hindu progression of the ātman (soul) across numerous lifetimes, and its ultimate progression towards liberation from karma

Vaish-navism

engage the higher intelligence to revive the lost relationship with Krishna

Jainism self-conquest and freedom from external objects

Buddhism attain Nirvana, the freedom from both suffering and rebirth

Sikhism lose the ego completely in the love of the lord and finally merge into the almighty creator

Detailed chart: www.religionfacts.com

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* wikipedia.com

* The Everything World's Religions Book: Explore the Beliefs, Traditions and Cultures of Ancient and Modern Religions, page 1 Kenneth Shouler - 2010* Faith, Religion & Theology By Brennan Hill, Paul F. Knitter, William Madges

* www.religionfacts.com* www.dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality* www.allaboutreligion.org* wiki.answers.com* www.meaning-of-life.info* www.einsteinandreligion.com/meaninglife.html

Sources and References 19

In the note section of this slide

Participant Notes 20