Religions and Philosophies Charts
PolytheismHinduismBuddhism
How did it start(who, where, when)? / It started in various early civilizations. People thought of these gods as representations of things in nature: the sun, water, etc. / In Northern India, around 4000 years ago when the Aryans migrated into India from the NW
No founder. Developed from different beliefs. / The Buddha was troubled by the pain and suffering in the world. He became an ascetic and starved himself, but that didn’t work, so he meditated under a tree and achieved enlightenment. India 2500 years ago
God / Many gods representing nature or ideas: Poseidon is the god of the sea, Athena the goddess of wisdom and war, Venus is the goddess of love) / Started out with just one god, Brahman. Now has hundreds of gods, just as Vishnu and Shiva / No god. BUDDHA IS NOT A GOD!!!
Afterlife / Most polytheistic religions believe in a type of paradise and underworld. These are like Heaven and Hell, but they are not as extreme—not as good or bad places. / Hindus believe you are reincarnated into a better or worse life based on your karma—what you did in this life—doing your duty according to dharma / Buddhists believe you are reincarnated into a better or worse life based on what you do
Goal of the individual / To get the gods to be pleased with them so the gods will help their lives / To escape the cycle of reincarnation by getting enough good karma / To escape the cycle of reincarnation by getting rid of all desire and all attachment to things of this world
Holy books / Stories passed down orally, works of fiction, long poems / The Vedas, The BhagavadGita / The 4 Noble Truths (know them)
The Eightfold Path or Middle Path (know them)
Tripitaka, Buddha’s sermons
Religious practices/worship / Pray, story-telling, temples, priests, sacrifice / Yoga, doing good works, ritual cleansing / Meditation, going to temple, trying to get rid of all attachment/desire
JudaismChristianityIslam
How did it start(who, where, when)? / In the Middle East 3500 years ago
God promised Abraham to make his descendants into a great nation, a holy people, and to bless them. Those descendants are the Jews / Jesus began preaching around 30 AD, in Israel, which was part of the Roman Empire. He was crucified and came back to life, then his followers preached to other areas / Muhammad was troubled by people’s greed, so he went to the hills and meditated. While there, he received a message from Allah speaking through the angel Gabriel. Muhammad went around and preached this message in Saudi Arabia around 600 AD
God / Yahweh. The only God. God is loving, merciful, powerful, the creator of everything, and He will judge everyone / The Trinity: The Father (the same as Yahweh), the Son (Jesus), the Holy Spirit (the spirit which comes and lives in believers) / Allah, one God, who is all-powerful and loving
Afterlife / Heaven or Hell / Heaven or Hell / Heaven or Hell
Goal of the individual / To obey God’s law, to worship and praise God, to go to Heaven / To go to Heaven by believing in Jesus and living your life for Him / To please Allah, to go to Heaven
Holy books / The Old Testament, which includes the Torah, God’s law, poems, songs, history of the Jewish people / The Bible, which includes the Old Testament and the New Testament: stories of Jesus’ life and letters to churches and people / The Qu’ran, which contains the messages that Muhammad received from Allah through Gabriel
Religious practices/worship / Pray, go to the synagogue, don’t do any work on the Sabbath, fast on Yom Kippur, the day of Forgiveness, obey the Torah, God’s law / Pray, praise God, go to church, sing songs, do good works, love God and love one another / The 5 Pillars: belief, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage
ConfucianismDaoismLegalism
How did it start(who, where, when)? / Emerged during the late Zhou dynasty (400s BC) when China was in turmoil. Confucius wanted to be a government official but he was unable because he was strong willed.He was a political adviser and had several discipleswho later passed on his teachings / Emerged during the late Zhou dynasty (400s BC) when China was in turmoilLaozi and others wrote the teachings over several centuries / Emerged during the late Zhou dynasty (400s BC) when China was in turmoil. It was a response to the troubles, so it taught that people should be controlled by harsh laws
God / Confucius focuses on the earth: how to help solve political and social problems and make people better. He didn’t believe that people could really understand religious issues like God. / This is more of a philosophy that focuses on following dao, or “the way,”—the original force of the universe, and eternal and unchanging principle that governs all the workings of the world / This is a theory about human nature and society. It teaches that if the laws are strict enough, people will act right
Afterlife / Again, he does not think that people can really know about the afterlife. His primary concern is to make society and people better / Daoism does not teach on the afterlife. Its ideal is people who live in harmony with dao and cease striving and live simply / Not focused on this—focused on how to get an orderly society and keeping people from doing wrong
Goal of the individual / To be a junzi—“superior individual”
Ren-kind, benevolent, courteous, respectful, diligent, loyal
li-propriety, courteous, respect to elders or superiors
xiao-filial piety (children should respect parents and other family elders, look after them, support them in old age, remember ancestors / To live in harmony with dao
Live simply, cease striving, disengage from the affairs of the world, cultivate self-knowledge, understand the natural principles that govern the world and live in harmony with them, reflection, introspection / Legalism focuses more on the state—strengthening and expanding it at all costs. There should be clear and strict laws that will keep people under control. They would even punish a family for not reporting any illegal activity of a family member
Books / The Analects, a book of Confucius’s sayings and teachings collected by his pupils. Confucius also used the Book of Songs, Book of History, and Book of Rites / Daodejing (Classic of the Way and of Virtue)—basic Daoist beliefs written by Laozi and others over several centuries / The Book of Lord Shang
and others
Religious practices/worship / They are very socially active: they seek government positions, and tried to solve political and social problems and promote harmony in public life / Daoism wants people to live simply, not keep striving in life, not get advanced education, live in peace and harmony with dao, reflect on and contemplate nature and inside themselves / People should not do wrong and should be punished severely if they do. They believe harsh punishment will prevent future wrongdoing