Student Name: _________________________________________________________________Polytheism Learning Log: Hinduism and Buddhism

Learning Goals: I will be able to compare and contrast the similarities and differences between Hinduism and Buddhism. I will be able to define the word – polytheism.

Warm Up Hindu FactsFounder: UnknownDate begun: UnknownNumber of followers: 1 billionBegan in: IndiaWorld ranking: 3rd largest religionMain gods: Brahma, Shiva, Vishnu

(1000’s of deities)Religious Text: VedasOldest world religionBeliefs: Dharma, Karma,

Reincarnation, Moksha, Nirvana

Life of a HinduANNOTATE: Go through the Hinduism facts. Highlight in facts in the story that represent the facts

about Hinduism.

Pavan is a typical Hindu boy from a family that is well respected in his city. They are in the Vaishu caste system, which is

an Indian social class of farmers, traders, and merchants. His father is a merchant of spices and tea to neighboring

countries. Every day, Pavan walks the streets of his city, Mumbai, to go to school where they speak Hindi and English.

The streets are very crowded, and he sees people of many castes. Women in another caste system, known as Untouchables,

work on the curb doing tasks many other Indians will not do – cleaning gutters with their brooms, in hopes of money being

tossed at them. Although Pavan is a decent young man, he cannot acknowledge the women, as it is against their cultural

beliefs.

Pavan’s parents are very proud of him. They have arranged a marriage for him, a beautiful young lady also from the same

Vaishu caste. Pavan will go to university in India, to learn business, and take over for his father. Afterwards, the plan is

for the arranged couple to be married. He wonders if he will fall in love with her, as he may not meet her until soon before

they are married. However, she will move in with him and his parents after they are married.

He goes to his temple, to pray to his favorite god. He must do what is right, because he wants to be reincarnated, after he

dies from this current life. His prayers, or mantras, ask to give him courage to do what his parents expect, even though he

might want to fall in love with someone else. However, in Hindu life, family is the priority. By fulfilling his dharma, his

What parts of the Hinduism does the story reflect?

What questions do you have about Hinduism that you can ask Pavan?

TEKS 1B

Student Name: _________________________________________________________________Polytheism Learning Log: Hinduism and Buddhism

life’s purpose, he will be rewarded in his other life.

Warm Up Buddhism FactsFounder: Siddhartha GautamaDate begun: UnknownNumber of followers: 500 millionBegan in: IndiaLocated primarily: China and East

Asia.World ranking: 6th largest

religionMain gods: Varies depending on

the kind of BuddhismReligious Text: TripitakaBeliefs: Meditation, mantras,

reincarnation Nirvana

Life of a BuddhistANNOTATE: Go through the Buddhism facts. Highlight in facts in the story that represent the facts

about Buddhism.

Kai, a young Buddhist woman, lives in a Bangkok, Thailand. Most everyone in Thailand is Buddhist, a person practicing

Buddhism. She just graduated from school, and changes are coming as she will soon be a teacher and plan to marry her

boyfriend. They both look forward to spending their life together in their own home.

Kai regularly wakes up at 5:30 and makes herself green tea. Daily, she meditates to clear her mind and gain inner peace.

She may do this several times a day, as it is important that she follows the Eight Fold Path to reach Nirvana. But as she is

moving into a new part of her life, she is deeply focused on being enlightened in her journey. She will go to the temple to

leaves an orange, and meditates again, but not to any particular god. Kai believes that after she dies, she will either be

reincarnated or go to Nirvana.

As a child, Kai was taught that if she is angry or frustrated that a good Buddhist does not display those feelings outwardly

to others. With the right wisdom, morals, and meditation, people can control their desires and feelings to strive for

something better. So, Kai daily meditates in the morning, frequently goes to temple but never prays to Gautama, the

founder of Buddhism. And she is able to seek out any opportunities that she wishes in her Thai home.

Ask Kai questions that you may still have about Buddhism? What is missing from her story that could help answer the question?

After reading the stories of Pavan and Kai, discuss the differences that religion plays in their lives?

TEKS 1B

Student Name: _________________________________________________________________Polytheism Learning Log: Hinduism and Buddhism

TEKS 1B