Religion For Frank HOPKINS ONLY

WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions

HINDUISM & JAINISM

WEEK 2

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

The Hindu tradition perceives the existence of cyclical nature of the universe and everything within it. The cosmos follows one cycle within a framework of cycles. It may have been created and reach an end, but it represents only one turn in the perpetual "wheel of time", which revolves infinitely through successive cycles of creation and destruction. Within this cycle of creation and destruction of the universe, the soul (atman) also undergoes its own version of cycle called samsara , the cycle of rebirth in which individual souls are repeatedly reincarnated.

Nature of God/Creator

Jainism believes in God not as a creator but as a perfect being. They believe that when the jiva or the soul becomes liberated it lives in a blissful state and according to Jain philosophers that is the true nature of God.

View of Human Nature

Hinduism articulates several different, overlapping paths, or margas for humans to follow. Although these paths may seem to be inconsistent, and even contradictory, fully developed Hinduism holds that they are in fact three different, and sometimes overlapping, means to fulfill the same religious goal

View of Good & Evil

Good and evil are relative terms, one of which cannot exist without the other. What we call good depends upon the existence of what we call evil, and evil exists only in relation to good. Being interdependent terms they cannot be separated. In trying to separate them and to make each stand by itself as independent of the other, we not only destroy their relative and interdependent nature, but also destroy the terms themselves. The moment we try to separate good from evil, we find this to be true. Evil cannot exist alone. If we try to make evil stand by itself as entirely separate from good, we can no longer recognize it as evil.

View of Salvation

Salvation for a Hindu is called Moksha. Moksha is when an enlightened human being is freed from the cycle of life-and-death (the endless cycle of death and reincarnation) and comes into a state of completeness. He then becomes one with God.

View of After Life

Jainism believes that all people are caught in an endless cycle of birth, death and rebirth. Jainism stresses detachment from the world and austerity. It abhors violence of any kind against both humans and animals and emphasizes Ahimsa - non-violence. Re-incarnation and the doctrine of karma are important precepts in the religion.

Practices and Rituals

Jainism practices and rituals depend greatly on how seriously one participates in the religion. Intensity ranges from one's life revolving around the religion, and one's beliefs revolving around their life.

Celebrations & Festivals

Hindu festival celebration have a special ritual to be celebrated in that way by the act of worship, offerings to deities, offering Ganga Jal, fasting, bathing in Ganga jal in early morning, feasting, Dan, Dakshina, Puja, Katha, Hoom, aarti and so many. All the people of Hindu religion celebrate their festivals by uniting together in community without any distinction of age, caste and gender.

Week 2 - Sources

http://1stholistic.com/prayer/hindu/hol_hindu-creation-of-the-universe.htm

http://www.indianetzone.com/49/nature_god_jainism.htm

http://death.findyourfate.com/life-after-death/jainism.html

http://brockbaker.pbworks.com/w/page/8687915/Jainism%3A%20Practices%20Rituals%20and%20Festivals

http://www.indiacelebrating.com/festivals/

BUDDHISM

WEEK 3

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

The traditional Buddhist cosmology, the life cycle of a universe is cyclical. There is a period of its formation, a period where it endures, a period where it disintegrates and a period of void before a new universe forms from the luminous space that remains.

Nature of God/Creator

Buddhist beliefs may include gods, ancestors, and the afterlife, but the most important in Buddhist beliefs is about suffering and how to escape it.

View of Human Nature

Buddhism is described as a nontheistic religion. There is no personal God who creates the world or to whom prayers can be directed.

View of Good & Evil

The Buddhist understanding is that good and evil are innate, inseparable aspects of life. This view makes it impossible to label a particular individual or group as "good" or "evil." Every single human being is capable of acts of the most noble good, or the basest evil.

View of Salvation

Salvation in Buddhism follows a different paradigm or template because human evil is not viewed as sin against God or violation of his commands. Human evil is grounded in fundamental ignorance. It is not the simple ignorance of facts, but a blindness to our true nature as passion-ridden beings filled with hate, greed and the delusion of our own goodness. Such ignorance causes the violence and suffering we see in our world perpetrated by humans. We are in bondage to our egos and driven by unknown forces in our subconscious. In Buddhism karma functions as the predisposition to engage in actions whose roots lies beyond the boundaries of our consciousness.

View of After Life

Buddha accepted the basic Hindu doctrines of reincarnation and karma, as well as the notion that the ultimate goal of the religious life is to escape the cycle of death and rebirth. Buddha asserted that what keeps us bound to the death/rebirth process is desire, desire in the sense of wanting or craving anything in the world. Hence, the goal of getting off the Ferris wheel of reincarnation necessarily involves freeing oneself from desire.

Practices and Rituals

Meditation is a way of mentally focusing or being mindful that is intended to help the practitioner achieve enlightenment. Buddhism rituals and practices comprise of very intricate and detailed prayers. Prayer or Puja in Buddhism is mainly a way of expressing dedication towards God and making offerings to Him. Meditation also forms a part of the rituals & practices in Buddhism. Following of the rituals moves a person forward, on the path to enlightenment. The prayers are initiated with the evoking of a sangha. After the Sangha has been evoked, sadhaka or dharma student performs three prostrations, also known as three gates or three aggregates

Celebrations & Festivals

Buddhist holidays are joyful occasions. A festival day normally begins with a visit to the local temple, where one offers food or other items to the monks and listens to a Dharma talk. The afternoon might consist of distributing food to the poor to earn merit, circumambulating (walking around) the temple three times in honor of the Three Jewels, chanting and meditation.

Week 3 - Sources

Fisher, M.P. (2014) Living Religious Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ

http://www.ecobuddhism.org/wisdom/editorials/bce

http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/beliefs

http://www.sgi.org/about-us/buddhism-in-daily-life/good-and-evil.html

http://bschawaii.org/shindharmanet/salvation2/

http://www.near-death.com/religion/buddhism/afterlife-beliefs.html

DAOISM & CONFUCIANISM

WEEK 4

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 4 - Sources

WEEK 5

SHINTO

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 5 - Sources

WEEK 6

JUDAISM

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 6 - Sources

WEEK 7

CHRISTIANITY

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 7 - Sources

WEEK 8

ISLAM

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 8 - Sources

WEEK 9

SIKHISM

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 9 - Sources

WEEK 10

NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS

Cosmogony - Origin of the Universe

Nature of God/Creator

View of Human Nature

View of Good & Evil

View of Salvation

View of After Life

Practices and Rituals

Celebrations & Festivals

Week 10 - Sources

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