Comparison of World Religions
Connor Witt
Buddhism
- Began with the birth of Buddha Siddhartha Guatama
- Siddhartha Guatama started it
- Buddhism is polytheistic based on the other branches (Buddha)
- Nirvana (complete peace and happiness) is achieved by letting go of worldly things and is achieved by the Noble Eightfold Path
- Buddhism started in Lumbini, Nepal
- It started in the 6th century BC
- One thing taught in the religion is "Compassionate acts can alter your fate. Conversely, acts of viciousness can adversely affect your fate." (http://www.ymba.org/books/thus-have-i-heard-buddhist-parables-and-stories/parables)
- In 2001, there was an estimated 362 million Buddhist
- It spread by sea and the Silk Route
- There isn't one book in general. There is only sacred texts, including the Dhammapada
- Ananda, Dalai Lama, Guatama, Nhat Hanh, and Sakyamuni are all considered notable people in the Buddhist religion
- The leadership goes from Buddhist monks to nuns
Buddhism
Where buddhism is practiced today
Hinduism
Where Hinduism is practiced today
Confucianism
Where is Confucianism practiced today
Hinduism
- Hinduism began about 4,000 years ago and was the religion of the ancient people
- Aryans or the ancient people started it
- Polytheistic (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva)
- A soul doesn't die and is continuously reborn, people can't be attached to earthly desires to be free and happy, you have to worship, have knowledge and do virtuous acts to be free of earthly desires
- India is the place of origin
- While one's subjective experience is true, it may not be the totality of truth. If the sighted man was deaf, he would not hear the elephant bellow. ( http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_men_and_an_elephant)
- In 2001, there were 820 million Hinduism believers
- Started off as a variety of beliefs and practices that were not linked, but as it grew it was tightly linked and began already spread
- There is not a specific book, are sacred texts like the Vedas and Puranas
- Animals, specifically cows, are considered sacred
- The "classes" are the Guru, the holy man, and the Brahmin priest
Confucianism
- Confucius started Confucianism and it was his ideas and philosophy
- It is neither polytheistic or monotheistic because it's more philosophy rather than a religion
- You must respect your parents and elders, education is key, and social order and government should be based on family relationships
- China is the place of origin
- Is about 1000-5000 years old
- "Caring for Older Adults" was a 'parable' in the beliefs of Confucius.
- In 2001, there were 6.3 million followers of Confucius
- Confucius' disciples spread his teachings and later on, there were texts created about what he taught
- The Five Classics and the Analects
- Priests and Confucius
- There is no clergy