Chapter 4 & 5 Ancient India & Ancient China

Section 2 - The Beginnings of Hinduism

Where did Hinduism come from? •  Mixed with many cultures

–  Became very complex –  World’s oldest living religion

•  Developed over 3,500 years ago

•  One of the world’s major religions –  National religion of India

•  More than 700 million people practice it –  Influenced many other religions

How many people practice Hinduism?

How is it different from other religions?

•  No single founder •  Worshipped many gods and goddesses

–  But believe in one spirit

What are some of the gods and goddesses?

•  Most important Hindu gods: –  Brahma - the Creator –  Vishnu - the Preserver –  Shiva - the Destroyer

•  Gods take different forms of humans and animals •  Each god part of a single all powerful force - Brahman

Brahma: The Creator -  Created the world from a lotus flower

-  Created woman by cutting her from his own body

-  Because she would hide from him -  Brahma gained three more heads so that he will always see her

from every side

Vishnu: The Preserver •  Believed Vishnu is kind and worried about the welfare

of human beings –  Protect humans from disaster –  Guided people

-  Balances good and evil -  Job is to maintain order -  If evil gets too powerful, Vishnu comes to Earth to

restore balance

Shiva: The Destroyer and Re-Creator •  Shiva not worried about human matters

–  He is powerful –  Sometimes destroys universe and creates it again –  His dance represents the cycles of life, death, and rebirth

Who or what is Brahman? •  He created Earth and everything on it

What are the basic beliefs? •  Share central beliefs contained in religious writings or

sacred texts –  Sacred text - Upanishads –  Written in form of questions by students and answers by

teachers

•  Reincarnation - rebirth of the soul •  Believed:

–  Person may die but is reborn in life of another living thing –  Good life = cycle of life ends and joins Brahman –  By doing this a person is following their Dharma - religious

duties –  Ashimsa - nonviolence

What do Hindus believe happen when they die?

Section 3 - The Beginnings of Buddhism

Who began Buddhism? •  Siddhartha Gautama after seeing an old man suffer

–  Founded one of the world’s major religions

•  Studied Hindu but did not agree with ideas •  Began meditating - thinking deeply about sacred things •  After 49 days of fasting under fig tree - found answers •  He was called Buddha - “The Enlightened One”

•  No gods to worship –  Through right thinking and self-denial a person could find

answers –  People should follow the Middle Way - avoid too much

pleasure and worrying about life

What do they believe?

What do they believe? •  Avoid violence •  No not kill any living thing •  If done they would find nirvana - lasting peace and be

released from reincarnation •  All people are equal •  Have priests and monks •  People become missionaries - person who spreads their

religious beliefs to others –  Learn to meditate and teach at monasteries

Buddhism today •  Died out in India •  Became center of religious thought in China •  Part of culture in Japan, Korea, China, Tibet and

Vietnam

Section 2 Confucius and His Teachings

Who was Confucius? •  Born 551 B.C. •  Called Kong Fu Zi

–  China’s first professional teacher •  Died in 479 B.C. - age 72 •  Thought he was a failure

•  Teachings of earlier wise people •  Wanted stability and peace to the kingdom •  Had a philosophy - system of beliefs and values, called

Confucianism •  He believed people should:

–  Behave properly to one another, peace and order would return = society would succeed

–  Respect those above and below them –  Show loyalty and respect within family = spread through society

What did he teach?

What did he teach? •  People in power should set examples

–  Good ruler = good people

•  Major impact on Chinese government •  Teachings became training for civil service - group of

people who carry out the work of the government •  Left great impact on China

What was the impact?

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