Hinduism and BuddhismHindu Temple in Riverdale, Georgia

Largest Hindu Temple in the U.S.Lilburn, GA.

Vocabulary• Sect- a smaller group of people that have

differing beliefs from the larger group.• Brahman- the collective soul.• Swami- Hindu religious teacher.• Sutra- Buddhist text.• Caste System – belief system whereby social

class is hereditary and do not change.• Vedas/The Books of Knowledge – a book

containing prayers, hymns and rituals of the Hindu religion

Hinduism• Developed in India• 1500 BCE Aryans

moved to the Indus Valley

• Vedas and other Aryan beliefs led to the development of Hinduism

• Polytheistic• The religion spread

throughout India

Hindu Beliefs• All gods are part of a

supreme spirit (Brahman)• All living thing have souls

(animals and people)• Cow is sacred• Many are vegetarians (no

meat)• Reincarnation• Karma• Caste System

Caste System1. Priest2. Warriors and rulers3. Merchants. Traders and

farmers4. Peasants, field workers ___________________5. Untouchables

NOT allowed to marry outside of their caste, many jobs determined according to caste, and the government is trying to abolish this system.

Hinduism vs. other religions• During King Asoka’s

(crowned 273 B.C.E) rule, Buddhism increased in India and Hinduism following decreased.

• Hinduism became popular again.

• Buddhism and Jainism practices mixed with Hinduism.

• 7th Century CE Islam becomes established.

• Islam 2nd most practiced religion today.

• 80% of Indians are Hindu.

Vocabulary• Buddhism – a belief that people could find

peace if they could reject • Buddha – the name given to priest of the

Buddhist religion; also known as “The Enlightened One”

• Four Nobel Truths – four phases of the Buddhist religion

• Nirvana – name given to reaching a state of perfect peace in the religion of Buddhism

• The Middle Way – the goals that were to be accomplished by following what Buddha called the Eightfold Path (eight rules for conduct) in the religion of Buddhism

Siddhartha Gautama• Rich• Founded Buddhism

around 500 B.C.• Troubled by poverty and

suffering• Left home and became a

monk• Wanted to know why

people had to suffer• Meditated and thought• Concluded that to find

peace one had to reject greed and desire

Gautama Cont…

• Gautama accepted reincarnation and karma but did not agree with the caste system.

• His followers called him Buddha or Enlightened One.• He taught the Four Noble Truths: 1. Life brings pain2. Suffering and sorrow caused by greed for material things3. End suffering by giving up desires (Nirvana)4. The Middle Way

The Middle Way (The Eight Fold Path)

Buddhist Beliefs• The key to Buddhism is

unselfishness• No need for gods or

priests• Man can change evil into

good• The Middle Way equals

perfect peace• 6% of world population is

Buddhist• 4th largest in the world