Religions and Philosophies

What is the function of religion?

What does it do for the people who believe?

Scientific – Explanation for natural phenomena in terms of supernatural causes. Often led to various forms of ritual sacrifice in order to placate the gods of the harvest, fertility, etc.

Moral – serves as a moral purpose by providing codes of conduct for appropriate behavior, which are usually punished through divine threats

Political – religion used to legitimize and consolidate their power. Used to be called the “divine right of kings” and the religiously privileged status of the upper-class

What message is this portrait trying to convey to the audience?

Military – political interests often use religion to further military aims; “God is on our side” propaganda

Ethnic – an ethnic group will identify themselves as a certain religion to foster group unity and to strengthen the group bonds

Economic – used to give an air of divine sanction and legitimacy to economically privileged groups; the wealthy have God’s blessing

Psychological – Freud thought that all religion was a form of mental illness; the individual will project parental qualities on God to feel unconditional love and protection

Emotional – purpose of religion is wish fulfillment and the belief that there is another world where all our dreams can come true and we will be happy and satisfied.

What is Hinduism?

• A philosophy and a way of life – focused both on this world and beyond

– Emphasis on individuals carrying out their obligations/duties

How did Hinduism begin?

• No particular founder

• Indus River Valley Civilization

What are the Sacred Texts?• Shruti (“heard”) – oldest, most

authoritative:– Upanishads - metaphysical speculation– Plus others

• Smriti (“remembered”) – the Great Indian Epics:– Ramayana– Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-Gita)– Plus others

What do Hindus believe?• Ultimate goal of life (Moksha)

– True essence of life – Atman

– Reincarnation (Samsara)

– Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps us bound to this world (good and bad)

How does Hinduism directlife in this world?

• Respect for all life – vegetarian; non-violent• Human life as supreme• Caste system – ensured spiritual purity & orderly

society• The Four Yogas

Symbolism in Hinduism

Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu

Pantheon

Brahma, the creator god

Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu

Pantheon

Vishnu, the preserver god

Incarnates as ten avatars (descents) including:Rama (featured in the Ramayana)Krishna (featured in the Mahabharata)

(Each shown with his consort, Sita and Radha, respectively)

Who do Hindus worship? – the major gods of the Hindu

PantheonShiva, god of constructive destruction(the transformer)

Appears as Shiva Nataraj,lord of the dance of creation…

and with his wife, Parvati, and son Ganesha

(the elephant headed remover of obstacles)

What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine

Saraswati, goddess of wisdom, consort ofBrahma

What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine

Lakshmi, goddess of good fortune, consortof Vishnu

What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine

Parvati, divine mother, wife ofShiva

What about the goddesses?Devi – the feminine divine

Durga, protectress

Kali, destroyer of demonsPlus about 330 million other deities

All these deities are but

Manifest forms (attributes/functions) of the impersonal

Brahman

All these deities are but

Manifest forms (attributes/functions) of the impersonal

Brahman

And we too are manifest forms of God!

“We are not human beingshaving spiritual experiences;

We are spiritual beingshaving a human experience!”

“That art Thou”Hinduism is about recognizing the all pervasiveness

of the divine

Buddhism…

• The “middle way of wisdom and compassion”

• A philosophy, religion, and spiritual practice followed by more than 300 million people

Who was the Buddha?

• Born Siddhartha Gautama – of noble caste in India, 563 B.C.E.

• Became the Buddha, the “Awakened One”at the age of 35

• Spent the remaining 45 years of his life teaching others how to achieve the peace of mind he had achieved

What are some Buddhist texts?

• Tripitaka (the Pali Cannon) – the “Three Baskets”:– Vinaya (“discipline”) – rules for monastic

life– Sutta (“discourse”) – sermons of the

Buddha– Abhidhamma (metaphysical “teachings”)

• Dhammapada – collected sayings of the Buddha

• Other texts used by specific schools

What did the Buddha teach?

• Ultimate goal = Nirvana

• The Four Noble Truths:– To live is to suffer– The cause of suffering is self-

centered desire & attachments– The solution is to eliminate desire

and attachment, thus achieving Nirvana (“extinction”)

– The way to Nirvana is through the “Eight-Fold Path”

What is the Eightfold Path?

Wisdom:

•Right understanding

•Right motivation

Moral discipline:

•Right speech

•Right action

•Right livelihood

Mental discipline:

•Right effort

•Right mindfulness

•Right meditation

What do Buddhists believe?• Rebirth (reincarnation) results from

attachments (karma)• Nirvana is a peaceful, detached state of

mind• Achieving Nirvana means escape from the

cycle of rebirth

Once Gautama Buddha died, after 80 years of life in this world, having achieved Nirvana and teaching multitudes his way of life, he ceased to exist as a distinct being

• Buddhism is non-theistic: Buddha is not the Buddhist God – he is just a revered teacher

The Spread of Buddhism

• Within two centuries after the Buddha died, Buddhism began to spread north and east into Asia

• By 13th century Buddhism had disappeared from India

Theravada BuddhismThe “Way of the Elders” (a.k.a.: the

“small vehicle”)• Oldest school of Buddhism• Focus on wisdom and meditation• Goal is to become a Buddha

Mahayana BuddhismThe “Great Vehicle”• Lay Buddhism – Buddhism “for the

masses”• Focus on compassion• Goal is to become a bodhisattva and

assist others toward enlightenment (the “Bodhisattva Ideal”)

Tibetan BuddhismVajrayana – the “Diamond Vehicle”• A mix of Theravada & Mahayana• Bardo Thodol -Tibetan Book of

the Dead

Zen BuddhismThe “meditation” school:• Lay and monastic• Beauty, arts & aesthetics –

gardens, archery, the tea ceremony, calligraphy, etc.

How does Buddhism differ from Hinduism?

Buddhism rejects…• Authority of the ancient Vedic

texts• The Vedic caste system• The Vedic and Hindu deities• The efficacy of Vedic worship and

ritual• The concept of Brahman• The seeking of power

What is the difference between the Eastern

view of Karma and the Western view of Karma?

Review

ConfucianismA political and social philosophy seeking

social harmony on all levels:Within the self…the family…the community...the state…the nation…the world…the cosmos

Learning from the past to improve the future – hierarchical society to ensure social order

Confucianism - Founder

• Kung-Fu-tzu (Confucius) “Master Kung”– The “greatest teacher who ever lived”

• Meng-Tzu (Mencius) (4th century) continues to develop teachings of Confucius

Confucianism - Texts• The “Five Classics” (of the past):

– I-Ching– The Book of History – The Book of Poems – The Spring and Autumn Annals – The Book of Rituals

• The “Four Books” (Confucian)– Analects – Doctrine of the Mean– The Great Learning– The Book of Mencius

Ultimate Goal

To provide HARMONY IN SOCIETY & To develop one’s Jen (Human Heartedness - the innate goodness of humanity)

Jen is developed through intentionally living by Confucian virtues…

Confucian VirtuesRespect for the five constant/key

relationships:– Parent & child

– Husband & wife– Older & younger sibling

– Ruler & Subject– Friend & Friend

• Filial Piety is the most important duty

More Confucian Virtues

• Rectification of names – a person or thing should be true to its name

• Shu (Reciprocity) – the Golden Rule– “Do not do to others what you would not want

others to do to you”• Li (rites, ritual) – the inherent “pattern” in

things– For Confucius, Li is especially significant in a

social context – propriety or etiquette, the “pattern” of humane behavior

Confucianism Affects Society• Part of the Social Structure

• Government leaders should lead by virtue – lead a virtuous life thus becoming an example for people

Confucianism as a Religion?

• Confucian Temples – honoring Confucius, but it would be considered non-theistic

• Combined with Chinese folk religions– Veneration of the ancestors – ancestor worship– Rituals within…

• the household• the village• the state • the nation

Legalism• Utilitarian political philosophy that

does not serve the scientific function of religion or the ethnic function of religion

• What does that mean?

法家

Legalism - Founder• Hanfeizi

–“Nature of man is evil. His goodness is acquired.”

法家

Legalism(text, ultimate goal, how to achieve ultimate goal)

• Hanfeizi (Book)– To achieve order pass strict laws and

impose harsh punishments– POWER is revered – strength is a

leader’s greatest virtue• Popular among feudal lords and the

Qin dynasty, whom many believe fell from power because of their cruel behavior

法家

Legalism Affects Life• Sacrifice Personal freedom good of

state• Fearful of rulers weakness of Qin

• What would Machiavelli think of this?

• “Lead the people by laws and regulate them by punishments and the people will simply try to keep out of jail, but will have no sense of shame. Lead the people by virtue…and they will have a sense of shame and moreover will become good.”

• Do we live in a world like that?

•If you come to a stop sign in the middle of the desert and no one is coming and there is no sign of a police officer, do you stop?

• How would MVHS change to become a representation of a Confucian state?

• How would MVHS change to become a representation of a Legalist state?

MVHS

TAOISM/DAOISMThe Way of Harmony with

Nature• A philosophy

– Profound and paradoxical

• A way of life– Playful and practical

• A religion

Nature knows best

TaoismOrigins and Texts

• Lao Tzu - founder• Primary text: Tao Te Ching (the “Book of

the Way and the Power”)– 81 short “chapters” containing the basic

philosophy of living in harmony and balance

• Chuang Tzu (4th century BCE) – secondary founder & text– Collection of stories exemplifying the wisdom

and nature of the Taoist sage

Taoism: Goal & beliefs

• Ultimate Goal: HARMONY with NATURE• Tao (“path” or “way”)

– The “nameless”– The “Mother of ten=thousand things”– The “uncarved block”– All pervading within and beyond nature

• Te (“power” or “virtue”)– One’s natural ability brought to peak potential

through following the way• The Taoist Sage learns from observing the way

of nature (flowing water, wind) and letting nature guide his way through life.

More Taoist Beliefs• Wei-wu-wei (“active non-action”)

– Passive non-resistance to the natural forces of life

– Natural way to get things done with least effort and greatest success

– “Go with the flow,” yield to the natural way of things

– Applied in all walks of life

• Relativity: “good” and “bad” as a matter of perspective– The Taoist sage is non-judgmental

Taoism Affects Life

• Seeking Health and Longevity• Alchemy• Meditation• Natural/holistic healing• T’ai-Chi-Ch’uan (“grand ultimate boxing”)• BEST Government governs LEAST

“The Vinegar Tasters”

Confucius

Buddha

Laozi

If the vat of vinegar represents LIFE, then what is the meaning of this scroll? How can the reaction of tasting vinegar/life cause the expressions of each philosopher:

Confucius: Sour?

Buddha: Bitter?

Laozi: Smiling?

What do these reactions/expressions tell us about the philosophical viewpoints?

Let’s rewrite Cinderella…..

Cinderella assignment:• Rewrite the story and make it into a moral tale teaching the fundamental principles of:–Confucianism - Hinduism–Taoism - Legalism–Buddhism