Hinduism  and  Buddhism  Examining  Religious  Beliefs    

•  All  five  of  the  world  religions  studied  in  this  sec;on  are  based  on  miracles  

•  Historians  cannot  study  ac;ons  that  leave  no  direct  evidence;  they  can  only  study  the  ac;ons  of  believers  

•  Religious  belief  creates  standards  of  behavior  and  religious  organiza;ons  

•  Creates  a  sense  of  the  sacred    

Examining  Religious  Beliefs  

•  Historians  can  study:  – Sanc;fica;on  of  ;me  

– Sanc;fica;on  of  space  – Sanc;fica;on  of  language  and  literature  – Sanc;fica;on  of  ar;s;c  and  crea;ve  endeavor  – Sanc;fica;on  of  family  and  ancestors  – Crea;on  of  religious  organiza;on  

Hinduism  

•  The  Origins  of  Hinduism  –  Because  of  use  of  Sanskrit,  many  believed  that  Hinduism  was  a  product  of  the  Aryan  invasion  

–  Now  believe  that  Indus  Valley  people  were  source  of  many  Hindu  beliefs  

–  Anthropologists  believe  that  Hinduism  is  an  amalgam  of  a  variety  of  different  beliefs  

–  Outsiders,  not  insiders,  see  Hinduism  as  a  unified  religion    

Hinduism  

•  Sacred  Geography  and  Pilgrimage  – Hinduism  is  confined  to  the  Indian  subcon;nent  and  its  migrants  

– Broad  dispersion  of  sacred  places  promotes  pilgrimages  to  important  sites  

– Each  city  and  town  has  its  own  sites  that  foster  close-­‐knit  communi;es    

Hinduism  

•  Central  Beliefs  of  Hinduism  – Rigveda  •  Oldest  of  four  Vedas  composed  1500-­‐1200  B.C.E.  •  1,028  verses  of  Sanskrit  poetry  that  invokes  early  gods  and  speculates  on  the  crea;on  of  the  world  

•  Does  not  claim  to  offer  specific  answers  

Hinduism  

•  Central  Beliefs  of  Hinduism  [cont.]  –  Caste  

•  Rigveda  introduced  the  caste  system  as  result  of  sacrifice  of  Purusha,  a  mythical  creature,  into  four  parts  

•  Caste  is  hierarchical  and  hereditary  •  Specula;ons  of  purpose  include  maintaining  order  among  the  diverse  people  of  India,  preserving  frozen  economic  system,  or  suppressing  subject  people  

•  Believe  that  today’s  caste  system  existed  in  the  past  •  Caste  was  oZen  more  important  that  government  

Hinduism  

•  Central  Beliefs  of  Hinduism  [cont.]  –  Brahmanas  (from  900-­‐500  B.C.E.)  and  Upanishads  (800-­‐500  B.C.E)  •  Former  discusses  rituals  and  myths;  la_er  contains  mys;cal  specula;on  

•  From  the  Upanishads  Hindus  derive  –  dharma  =  religious  and  ethical  du;es    –  karma  =  human  ac;vi;es  and  impact  on  its  atman  

–  samsara  =  life  cycle  of  different  du;es  for  different  stages  

–  moksha  =  unifica;on  of  atman  and  Brahman  

Hinduism  

•  Central  Beliefs  of  Hinduism  [cont.]  – The  Great  Epics  •  Bhagavad-­‐Gita  is  part  of  Mahabharata  

–  A  story  of  du;es  and  meaning  of  life  and  death  

– Warrior  (kshatriya)  must  fulfill  dharma  by  figh;ng    

–  Krishna,  blue-­‐skinned  god,  is  non-­‐Aryan  –  Story  supports  bhak6,  mys;cal  devo;on  to  god  –  Role  of  women  is  more  pres;gious  than  in  Ramayana,  where  Rama’s  wife  Sita  was  subservient    

Hinduism  

•  Central  Beliefs  of  Hinduism  [cont.]  – The  Puranas  •  Focus  on  Vishna  and  Shiva,  most  popular  of  the  Hindu  gods  

•  Goddesses  serve  as  consorts  to  powerful  male  gods  

•  Balance  the  suppressed  vision  of  women  present  in  earlier  Hindu  literature  

Hinduism  

•  Temples  and  Shrines  –  ShiZ  in  Hindu  prac;ce  in  7th  century  C.E.    –  Personal  prayer  replaced  sacrifice  as  way  to  communicate  with  the  gods  

–  Result  was  caves  and  temples  of  great  beauty  that  reflected  Hindu  beliefs  through  art  

–  Sexual  passion  and  union  of  males  and  females  entered  worship  as  analogues  for  passion  for  gods  

Hinduism  

•  Religion  and  Rule  – Powerful  sought  support  in  religion  and  religion  validated  power  of  elites  

– Brahmin  priests  were  used  to  awe  indigenous  people  aZer  confisca;on  of  local  lands  

– Kings  rewarded  priests  with  land,  court  subsidies,  and  temple  bequests  in  return  for  support  

Hinduism  

•  Hinduism  in  Southeast  Asia  –  Brahmin  priests  and  Hindu  priests  were  used  as  early  as  the  3rd  century  C.E.  to  validate  royal  authority  in  rare  example  of  spread  of  Hinduism  outside  India  

–  Represented  an  extension  of  ongoing  trade  –  Externals  of  Hinduism-­‐-­‐Sanskrit,  Indian  gods,  and  Indian  calendar-­‐-­‐present  by  5th  century    

Buddhism  

•  Origins  of  Buddhism  –  Developed  within  Hinduism  –  The  Life  of  the  Buddha  (born  c.  563  B.C.E.)  

•  Sheltered  life  sha_ered  by  introduc;on  to  human  suffering  at  age  twenty-­‐nine  

•  Reached  enlightenment  aZer  medita;on  under  tree  •  An;dote  to  pain  and  suffering  is  recogni;on  that  tempta;ons  are  illusions  

•  Key  is  Four  Noble  Truths  and  Noble  Eighkold  Path  

Buddhism  

•  The  Origins  of  Buddhism  [cont.]  –  The  Sangha  (groups  of  monks  and  nuns)  

•  Ini;ally  open  to  women;  nuns  today  are  in  Tibet  

•  Obedient  to  order,  monks  are  intellectually  free  

•  Se_led  into  monasteries  aZer  abandoning  tradi;on  of  begging  

•  Abandonment  of  begging  led  to  loss  of  contact  with  common  people  

Buddhism  

•  Emergence  of  Mahayana  Buddhism  –  200  B.C.E-­‐200  C.E.  saw  more  Buddhist  than  Hindu  shrines  in  India  

–  General  councils  codify  Theravada  Buddhism  and  Mahayana  Buddhism  (“Greater  Vehicle”)  

–  Believed  that  bodhisa8vas  facilitated  achievement  of  Nirvana  by  masses    

– Maitreya  Buddha  a  servant  to  redeem  humanity  – Mahayana  Buddhism  a  challenge  to  Hinduism  

Buddhism  

•  Decline  of  Buddhism  in  India  –  Buddhist  appeal  was  for  warriors  and  businessmen  who  felt  scorned  by  Brahmins  

–  Decline  paralleled  decline  of  Gupta  empire  

– Many  Indians  could  not  easily  dis;nguish  Mahayana  Buddhism  from  Hinduism  

–  Buddhists  relied  on  Hindu  priests  to  conduct  life-­‐cycle  ceremonies  

Buddhism  

•  Decline  of  Buddhism  in  India  [cont.]  –  Hinduism  became  more  a_rac;ve  to  Buddhists  

•  Hindu  religion  built  on  common  folktales  

•  Could  be  Hindu  and  Buddhist  at  same  ;me  

•  Neither  group  treated  women  well  

–  Began  to  wane  with  onset  of  Muslim  traders  along  silk  route  

– Muslims  destroy  remnants  of  temples  and  monasteries  upon  entering  India  

Buddhism  

•  Jainism  – Another  religion  of  India,  similar  to  both  Hinduism  and  Buddhism  

– Like  Theraveda  Buddhism,  Jains  reject  caste  system  and  supremacy  of  Brahmins  

–  Jains  prac;ce  nonviolence  to  such  a  degree  that  many  do  not  farm  for  fear  of  killing  creatures  in  the  soil  

– Rely  on  Hindu  priests  for  ceremonies  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  China  – Arrival  in  China:  The  Silk  Route  •  First  Buddhist  missionaries  to  China  in  65  C.E.  •  Pilgrimages  to  India  to  learn  Buddhism  included  those  of  Faxian  (early  5th  century)  and  Xuanzang  (early  7th  century)  •  All  traveled  the  silk  route    

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  China  [cont.]  – Rela;ons  with  Daoism  and  Confucianism  •  Fall  of  Han  discredited  Confucianism  and  opened  door  to  Buddhist  ideas  •  Mahayana  Buddhism  similar  to  Daoism  •  In  south,  Buddhism  represented  philosophy  for  dealing  with  hazardous  life  in  semi-­‐exile  •  Buddhism  and  Confucianism  accommodated  each  other  •  Buddhist  travels  promoted  Chinese  unity  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  China  [cont.]  –  Buddhism  under  Tang  Dynasty  (618-­‐907  C.E.)  

•  Divided  into  eight  major  sects  

•  Pure  Land  variant  promised  paradise  for  those  who  believed  in  the  ruler  of  paradise,  Buddha  Amitabha  

•  Chan  taught  the  importance  of  medita;on  

•  Invented  woodblock  prin;ng  •  Only  woman  to  rule  China  in  her  own  name,  the  “Emperor”  Wu  (625-­‐705  C.E.),  used  Buddhism  to  legi;mate  her  rule    

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  China  [cont.]  –  Buddhism’s  Decline  in  China  

•  Chinese  power  in  central  Asia  broken  by  Islamic  power  

•  Central  Asian  Buddhism  survived  only  in  Tibet  

•  Tang  Emperor  Wuzong  (r.  840-­‐846  C.E.)  feared  power  of  Buddhism  and  blamed  it  for  decline  of  Tang  power  –  Confiscated  Buddhist  lands  –  Destroyed  Buddhist  texts    –  Forced  monks  and  nuns  to  leave  monasteries  and  convents  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  Japan  –  Japan  followed  Shinto,  “the  way  of  the  kami,”  who  were  powers  and  spirits  inherent  in  nature  

–  AZer  arrival  of  Buddhism,  kami  were  seen  as  minor  Buddhas  while  bodhisa_vas  and  Buddhas  were  seen  as  major  kami    

–  Japanese  royal  family  knew  of  adop;on  of  Buddhism  by  Asoka  and  imitated  his  ac;on  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  Japan  [cont.]  – Buddhism’s  Arrival  in  Japan  •  Arrived  552  C.E.  via  Korea  •  Ini;al  acceptance  ;ed  to  belief  that  monks  could  work  medical  miracles  

•  Acceptance  at  court  came  under  Prince  Shotoku  Taishi  (573-­‐621  C.E.)  

•  Saw  Buddhism  as  a  basis  of  Chinese  power  and  wanted  that  power  source  for  himself  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  Japan  [cont.]  – Buddhism’s  Role  in  Unifying  Japan  •  Japanese  crea;on  of  Nara  capital  expanded  imita;on  of  Chinese  prac;ces  including  Buddhism  •  Buddhism  joined  Shinto  as  support  of  government  •  Buddhism  facilitated  Japanese  centraliza;on  •  Buddhist  wealth  and  power  alarmed  many  Japanese    

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  Japan  [cont.]  –  Japanese  Buddhism  Develops  New  Forms  

•  Saicho  monastery,  placed  far  from  centers  of  power,  focused  on  Tendai  variant  that  held  enlightenment  achieved  by  sincere  religious  devo;on  

•  Shingon  (“True  Word”)  emphasized  mantras  

•  Amida  (Amitabha)  favored  chan;ng  mantras  

•  Zen  (Chan  in  China)  emphasized  defense  of  state  and  the  importance  of  mar;al  arts  

Buddhism  

•  Buddhism  in  Japan  [cont.]  – Las;ng  Buddhist  Elements  in  Japanese  Society  •  Cul;vated  an  especially  pure  aesthe;c  dimension  •  Buddhist  emphasis  on  transience  of  all  life  affected  Japanese  literature  such  as  the  Tale  of  Genji    

•  Merged  with  aspects  of  Shinto  

Comparisons  

•  Both  have  experienced  transforma;ons  

•  Both  have  sacred  calendars  and  control  of  life-­‐cycle  events  

•  Both  have  sacred  languages  •  Both  ul;mately  connect  to  common  people  •  Both  show  flexibility  of  world  religions  •  Both  show  ;es  between  government  and  religion  

What  Difference  Do  They  Make?  •  Hinduism  sustains  a  religion  of  polytheism  that  provides  cultural  unity  for  South  Asia  

•  Buddhism  is  religion  of  hundreds  of  millions  of  people