| RELIGION | COUNTRIES | HISTORY | SCRIPTURES | BELIEFS | FESTIVALS | PRACTICES |
| HINDUISM ॐ | India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bali, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Mauritius, West Indies | Name derived from River Sindhu Originally, Arya Dharma Vedic Age (2000-600 BC) Protests Age (600-200 BC) Epics & Puranas (200 BC-AD 1000) Bhakti Age (AD 1000-1750) Modern Age (AD 1750-) 6 Schools of Philosophy: Sankhya, Yoga, Nyaya, Vaisesika, Uttara Mimmsa, Purva Mimamsa Sects: Saivism, Saktism, Vaishnavism Modern Movements: Arya Samaj, Ramakrishna Mission, Brahmo Samaj, Guru Cults | Sruti (Vedas); Smriti (Puranas, etc) Vedas (Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva): Consists of Mantras, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, Upanishads Itihasas: Ramayana & Mahabharata Puranas Bhagavad Gita Agamas: Manuals of Worship | 4 GOALS OF LIFE: Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha 4 STAGES OF LIFE: Brahmacharya, Grihasta, Vanaprasta, Sanyasa 3 WAYS OF SALVATION: Jnana, Karma, Bhakti Karma, Punarjanma, Bhakti | Diwali, Durga Puja, Dasara, Ganapati Puja, Navratri, etc | Temples-Mandir Puja Yagna Yoga Idol Worship Ashrama Dharma (4 Stages of Life) Varna Dharma (Caste Duty) |
| BUDDHISM ☸ | State religion of Burma, Thailand, Tibet, Cambodia and Laos. Great following in Sri Lanka, China, Japan, South Korea. | 6th c. BC: Birth of Siddhartha, Prince of Kapilavasthu The 4 Sights: Old man, Sick man, Dead corpse, Hermit At 29, leaves wife Yasodhara and son Rahul to become a hermit At 35, attains Enlightenment At 80, dies at Kusinara on a full-moon day Sects: Theravada Buddhism: Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand Mahayana Buddhism: Northern countries Lamaism and Tantrik Buddhism: Tibet Zen Buddhism: Japan | Theravada Scriptures in Pali Language Tripitaka (Three Baskets) Vinaya-Pitaka (Discipline) Sutta-Pitaka (Discourse) Abhidhamma-Pitaka (Metaphysical Basket) Mahayana Scriptures in Sanskrit Vinaya Sutras Shastras | Four Noble Truths: (a) Dukkha (suffering) is universal (b) Tanha (Desire) is the cause of suffering (c) Nirvana is the state of emancipation (d) 8-Fold Path of Emancipation: Right views, aspirations, conduct, livelihood, efforts, awareness, meditation Anatta: No-soul. The “I” (ego) is a delusion formed by the 5 skandhas of nama-rupa (name-form): (a) material attributes (rupa) (b) feeling (Vendha) (c) Perception (Samjana) (d) mental dispositions and will (samskaras) (e) Reason (Vijnana) Karma and Punarjanma: Karma is the law of cause and effect. Cycle of Samsara: the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth No need of God-hypothesis Ahimsa: non-violence | Vesak (month of May): Birth of Buddha, Enlightenment, death | Monasticism: bhikkus Sangha: The monastic order “community” Mahayana: Worship of Buddhas and goddesses The Three Refuges (Buddha, Doctrine, Brotherhood of monks) Offerings, Prayers and Invocations, Transference of Merit, Pilgrimages Relic Worship |
| JAINISM 卐 | India | 599 BC: Birth of Vardhamana (Vaisaliya) in Magadha (Modern Bihar) After 12 years of penance, attained Keval Jnana (omniscience) Sects: Svetambara, Digambara | Agamas (Ganipitakas) Angas (12), Angabahyas | Vows: (1) Not to take life (Ahimsa) (2) Not to lie (Satya) (3) Not to steal (Asteya) (4) Not to own property (Aparigraha) (5) Chastity (Brahmacharya) (6) Confession Cycle: Utsarpini, Avarsarpini 7 Principles: Jiva, ajiva, asrava, bandha, samvara, nirjara, moksa. Ajiva (pudgala, dharma, adharma, akasa, kala)+Jiva= 6 substances (dravyas) | Paryushana Parva, Mahavir Jayanti, Diwali, Gyana Panchami, Pausha Dashmi, Varshi Tapa, Maun-agiyara, Navapad Oli, Mahamastakabhisheka | Idol Worship of Tirthankaras, Yaksha and Yakshini Monasticism Meditation and Chanting of Mantras |
| SIKHISM ☬ | India | 15th c. AD: Founded by Guru Nanak (1469–1539) 1539: Guru Nanak chose Lahina (Guru Angad) as successor Persecution under Aurangazeb 1699 : Rise of Khalsa under Guru Gobind Singh | Guru Granth Sahib Adi Granth, Dasam Granth, Janamsakhis | Monotheism, Influence of Kabir, Salvation by grace Kesh, Kanga, Kaccha, Kara, Kripan | Gurpurbs, Visakhi | Gurudwara Kirtan, Satsang, Langar Prohibitions: Cutting hair, intoxication, priestly class |
© Domenic Marbaniang, 2014
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