Religion
Origin of All Things
Nature of God
View of Human Nature
View of Good and Evil
View of “Salvation”
View of After Life
Practices and Rituals
Celebrations and Festivals
Week 2
Hinduism
Hindu: Has either a specific moment of origin or a specific founder. Tradition understands itself to be timeless.
Hindus believe that there is one true god, the supreme spirit called Brahman. He has many forms and lives in the whole universe symbolized by the sacred syllable Om
Hindus believe that to achieve oneness with God, it is required to be conscious of God and to fulfill one’s duty. After completing the requirements the soul becomes part of the eternal Brahman.
Hindus believe that pain and suffering and any kind of misfortune have not been imposed on people by God. It is the same for good things that happen. Things happen because of the law of Karma.
Hinduism salvation can be achieved in one of three ways: the way of works, the way of knowledge, or the way of devotion.
Hinduism believes in the rebirth and reincarnation of souls. The souls are immortal and imperishable.
Hindus have many religious practices: Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Namaste Greeting, Puja, and
The Sadhu
Hinduisms Major festivals likely to be observed are: Holi, Diwali, and Mahashivaratri
Jainism
universe is without beginning or end
no creator or destroyer, believe in demons and gods, but gods are subject to ignoble passions
birth as human is highest stage of life, short of liberation
karma, particles that accumulate on us as we act and think, affecting this life and future lives
karma- only by our own actions can we be saved
Samsara – the wheel of birth and death
samayka – inner purification, ahismsa (nonviolence), aparigraha (nonattachment, and anekantwad (nonabsolutism)
Divali, Paryushan Mahaparva
Week 3
Buddhism
Buddhism does not offer an explanation or preference for the origin of existence.
Buddhism- Do not believe in the existence of a god, that enlightenment...