ENCOUNTERING GOD IN WORLD RELIGIONS

1. ENCOUNTERING GOD IN WORLD RELIGIONS

2. HINDUISM

3. Hindu prayer for peace Oh God, lead us from the unreal to the Real. Oh God, lead us from darkness to light. Oh God, lead us from death to immortality.Shanti, Shanti, Shanti unto all. Oh Lord God, may there be peace in heaven. May there be peace on Earth. May herbs be wholesome, and may trees and plants bring peace to all. May all beneficent beings bring peace to us. May all things be a source of peace to us. And may thy peace itself, bestow peace on all and may that peace come to me also.

4. Sanata Dharma • “Hinduism” is not the true name of the religion. • name given by Muslims, i.e., “the religion of the people of the Indus” • Adherents call it “Sanata Dharma” • Eternal Wisdom, Eternal Truth • many religious expressions from the same cultural source

5. Basic human desires • People can have want they want. • 1. pleasure: comforts, beauties of nature, food, sex • 2. success: fame, power, wealth • 3. duty: giving, service • 4. meaning: being, awareness (knowledge), joy, liberation.

6. Four paths to the goal Four basic personality types: intellectual, emotional, active, experimental 1.Jnana yoga, the path of knowledge (reflective). Hearing (learning), thinking (reflecting), self‑identifying. Goal: to realize oneness with God/universe. Jnana is the steepest path, only for a few. 2. Bhaktiyoga, the path of love (emotional). Goal: to adore the deity with fullness of love. 3.Karmayoga, the path of work, good deeds (active). Goal: to transcend selfishness, isolation. 4. Rajayoga, the path of exercises (empirical, experimental).

7. 8 steps of raja yoga 1. Abstain from injury, lying, stealing, sensuality, greed 2. Observe: cleanliness, contentment, self‑control, studiousness 3. Bodily control 4. Control of breathing 5. Control of senses 6. Control of thoughts (concentration) 7. Unity of subject and object 8. Samadhi: beyond forms, concepts; swimming in the ocean of being.

8. Four stages of life 1. The student 2. The householder 3. Retirement (the forest experience) 4. Sannyasin: beyond desire, hate, love.

9. BASIC PRINCIPLESof HINDUISM • God (Brahman): • Creator (Brahma), • Preserver (Vishnu), • Destroyer (Shiva). • The law of karma: every decision has its consequences. • The cycle of existence, rebirth. • Religion: many paths to the same goal.

10. Hindu Scriptures: the Vedas • Hindu tradition has two types of Scripture: • primary (Sruti): divine origin, revealed to rishis • 4 Vedas (3500 B.C.), Bhagavad Gita • Veda: hymn, ritual, theology, philosophy (upanishads). • secondary (Smriti): human origin, written to explain the Sruti writings. • Itihãsas (Epics): Mahabharata, Ramayana • Purãnas (Mythology) • Dharma Shãstras Law Codes • Ãgamas & Tantras Sectarian Scriptures. • Darshanas Manuals of Philosophy

11. Upanishads • “The last part of the Vedas” • Offer spiritual vision, philosophical reflection • Explain key doctrines: self-realization, yoga, meditation, karma, reincarnation • “You are that” (Tat tvam asi). • The Bhagavad Gita, is part of the Mahabharata. • Message: Everyone has to perform his or her duty to please God, to serve the world and to repay one's debt to the society.

12. The Epics:Mahabharata, Ramayana • The Ramayana tells the story of Rama and Sita. Sita is abducted by the evil Rahwana and Rama, with the help of friends and allies, wins her back. • The Mahabharata is mainly the story of Lord Krishna. • These are not ordinary legends but refer to the lives of avatars, incarnations of God

13. Puranas: Myths • 18 major Puranas(500 A.D.) • Long bookswith stories of gods and goddesses, hymns, history, cosmology, ethics, rituals, spiritual knowledge. • The Puranas are like popular encyclopedias of religion and culture • The most frequentlyread scriptures • important to the worshippers of Krishna

14. Agamas: sectarian scriptures • Also known as Tantras • The sectarian scriptures of the three major theological traditions • worship Ultimate Reality as Vishnu • revere Ultimate Reality as Shiva • venerate Ultimate Reality as Shakti, the Divine Mother • Each Agama consists of four parts: philosophical and spiritual knowledge, yoga and mental discipline, construction of temples, rituals and festivals.

15. a a Lord Krishna Shiva, the Lord of the Dance

16. Clockwise: Durga riding on a tiger. Wife of Shiva especially venerated in Bengal; Parvati, goddess of love and marriage; Ganesh, god of wisdom, students; Hanuman, the white monkey warrior from the Ramayana.

17. BUDDHISM BUDDHISM

18. Buddhist prayer • Let no one anywhere despise another, • Let no one out of anger or resentment • Wish suffering on anyone. • Just as a mother with her own life • Protects her only child from harm, • So within yourself let grow • A boundless love for all creatures.

19. BUDDHISM • The Buddha • Siddhartha Gautama, born 560 BC in northern India. • Wealthy, married, one child. • 4 passing sights: sickness, old age, death, monk. • Attains enlightenment under the Bo tree. • Reformer of Hindu tradition. • Buddhism • A religion without authority, ritual, speculation, tradition, grace, mystery (without God?).

20. THE FOUR BASIC TRUTHS • 1. Life is out‑of‑kilter, dislocated, out of joint (like a displaced bone) and causes pain. a. Trauma of birth b. sickness c. old age d. fear of death e. being bound to what we hate f. being separated from what we love. • 2. The source of pain is selfish desire. • 3. The cure for pain is ridding oneself of selfish craving. • 4. This can be done by following the Eightfold Path.

21. The four basic truths are like medical treatment • First truth: recognizing the symptoms (examination to discover what is wrong) • Second truth: diagnosis (naming the sickness) • Third truth: prognosis (hope; there is a cure) • Fourth truth: prescription (path; what you must do to be healed)

22. The Eight-fold path 1. Right knowledge: the Four Basic Truths 2. Right aspiration: focus one's attention 3. Right speech: speak the truth 4. Right behavior: do not kill, steal, lie, be unchaste etc. 5. Right livelihood: become monk. Lay people should avoid life‑destroying occupations: sell poisons, slaves, butcher, brewer, arms manufacturer etc 6. Right effort: develop virtues, curb passions, overcome negative states of mind. 7. Right mindfulness: analysis, self‑examination, trace actions, moods, emotions to their cause. Withdraw from life for periods of silence to see and analyze. 8. Right techniques: Raja yoga.

23. Nirvana Nirvana • Nirvana is the Goal of the Eight-fold path. • Enlightenment, • Fullness of life, • True happiness, • Escape from the • wheel of rebirth, • Heaven (?)

24. Theravada “the small raft” The individual on his own Salvation by solitary effort Buddha is model, teacher Main virtue: truth The path is full-time work The monk/nun Ideal: arhat (wise person) No ritual Meditation, no petition Mahayana “the big raft” Humanity one community Salvation by grace Buddha is savior Main virtue: compassion The path in daily life The lay person Ideal: bodhisattva Ritual Prayer to boddhisattva The Two Rafts

25. Buddhist Scriptures • The original collection of Buddhist sutras, in Pali, are gathered in the tripitaka (three baskets) collection. All Buddhists (Theravada, Mahayana) accept these. • In addition, Mahayana Buddhists follow other sutras written in Sanskrit or Chinese. • Lotus sutra - universal Buddha-nature • Heart sutra - recited in Chan/Zen monasteries • Amida sutra - Pure Land school

26. Theravada:The Teaching of the Elders • Relive Buddha’s experience under Bo tree • Earliest form of Buddhist teaching • Buddha is a teacher, • Teaches the path to overcome suffering • Does not speculate about God, afterlife • Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Laos, Cambodia

27. Ordination A newly-ordained monk is carried in procession. In Theravada Buddhism, becoming a monk is necessary for salvation. In popular belief, a mother is saved when her son becomes a monk.

28. Chanting the sutras

29. Mahayana • Based on belief that Buddha left the Bo tree and went to preach, out of compassion for others • Buddha is incarnation of eternal Buddha-nature (God) • Many saints, bodhisatthvas, help humans • China, Japan, Korea, Nepal, Taiwan, Vietnam

30. KWAN YIN

31. Confucian Heritage CONFUCIAN HERITAGE

32. Kung Fu-Tzu • Born about 551 BC • teacher, • advisor to rulers. • Confucius has been called “the world's greatest single intellectual force.”

33. Teaching of Confucius • What you do not wish done to you, do not do to others. • Do not look for quick results nor for small advantages. If you seek quick results, you will not reach the final goal. If you are led astray by small advantages, you will never accomplish great things.

34. Teaching of Confucius • The noble person first practices what he preaches, then preaches what he is practicing. • Feel kindly towards all, but be intimate only with the virtuous. • When you see a person of worth, think how you can imitate him. When you see an unworthy person, examine your own character.

35. How should we live in society? • Like other Chinese thinkers, Confucius tried to answer basic societal questions. • How to have good values in social life? • How to transmit positive values to the next generation? • How to build social cohesion, a civilized society?

36. The philosophers’ answers • Realists: People are selfish, greedy, lazy. Make them do what is right. Law. Authority. Police state. • Idealists: (Mo Tzu) Love and service. Imitate the good God who rules the universe. Goodness is its own reward. You can’t force people to do good. • Confucius: Tradition forms people into a community, teaches each their place, The proper relations with others, creates and continues solidarity.

37. Confucian values • Jen: proper relationship between individuals: friendship, love, goodness, trust, big‑heartedness, generosity. • Chun‑tsu: poise, competence. The perfect host, the person at home in this world. Politeness, hospitality, etiquette. Respect self, others. Service dignifies. • Li: Propriety, precedent, knowing and doing what is appropriate, the Golden Mean. • Five basic relationships: parent‑child, siblings, husband‑wife, friends, ruler‑subject. Importance of family, age. • Te: Good government, right use of power. • Wen: “The arts of peace”: music, art, poetry, culture.

38. Transmitting social values Mobilize every aspect of social life to promote these values: education sports music feasts worship government occasions family affairs and celebrations leisure art

39. Confucian religion Is Confucianism a religion, or is it an ethical system? Shang Ti, The Supreme Ancestor heaven/earth continuum The importance of the ancestors

40. TAOISM

41. Taoist prayer • The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao.The name that can be namedis not the eternal Name. • The unnameable is the eternally real.Naming is the originof all particular things. • Free from desire, you realize the mystery.Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations. • Yet mystery and manifestationsarise from the same source.This source is called darkness. • Darkness within darkness.The gateway to all understanding.

42. Lao Tzu • Lao Tzu (Ancient Master), born c. 604 BC. Contemporary of Confucius • Few details about his life • Once visited by Confucius • Archivist in small town, didn't preach, organize, no disciples • Finally, he wandered off, leaving behind the Tao Te Ching (The Way and Its Power.)

44. Tao The rhythm of nature

45. THE TAO the way, the path, the way of ultimate reality, beyond imagination, speech, transcendent, ground of all existence, basic mystery of life “Those who know don't speak, those who speak don't know.”

46. The Tao The rhythm, driving power of Nature, the ordering principle behind all life, infuses and informs all things (immanent). Tao is benign, graceful, flowing, generous. Tao is the way humans should regulate their life in line with the nature, rhythm of the universe.

47. Live at peace with the universe, Live in harmony within human family, Live in harmony with yourself.

48. Popular Taoism: prayers, rituals to make contact with the Force (Power, Tao) of universe. Esoteric Taoism: become a receptacle for tao, magical powers, healing, psychic influence. Philosophical Taoism: how to live in tune with the universe.

49. Wu wei - creative inaction • Being, not doing. • “The way to do is to be.” • Spontaneity, humility, simplicity • No self‑assertiveness, competition, pomp

50. Yin moon female completion cold darkness matter submission Yang sun male creation heat light spirit dominance Yin-yangPrinciple of complementarity, impermanenceUniverse is composed of oppositeswhich produce and overcome each other.