Hinduism: History, Beliefs & Practices

Week 4 - Hinduism

• Focuses on history, figures, beliefs, texts, leaders, practices, and rituals

History of Hinduism

• Does not have a single founder
• Beliefs and practices evolved gradually
• Indus Valley civilization existed from 2300-1500 BCE
• Indo-European settlers entered the Indus Valley around 1500 BCE

History of Hinduism Vedic Period

• Lasted from 1500-500 BCE
• Sanskrit texts were written
• The four Vedas were composed between 1500-1000 BCE
• Brahmanas were composed between 800-600 BCE
• Aranyakas were composed around 600 BCE
• Upanishads were composed between 700-500 BCE
• Vedas are distinct from Hinduism

Pre-Hindu Brahmanism

• Polytheistic religion is practiced with mostly male deities
• Brahmin priests officiated
• Temples were not required for rituals
• Individuals had access to the gods
• Agni, the god of fire, is central

Early Ascetic Reforms

• Early ascetic reforms in Hinduism included Mahavira (549-477 BCE) of Jainism
• Gautama/Buddha (563-483 BCE) also ushered in reforms
• These reforms led to the decline of Brahmanism
• Vedic Sanskrit transitioned into a ritual language
• Competing religions emerged in India
• Urbanization occurred

History of Hinduism Hindu Synthesis

• The emergence of Classical Hinduism took place from 500 BCE-300 CE
• It was influenced by ascetic reform movements
• Classical Sanskrit was used
• "Orthodox" Hinduism emerged with clear parameters
• The Vedas were established as central

History of Hinduism Golden Age

• Took place from 300-700 CE
• Hindu Gods temples were constructed
• Brahmins gained prominence
• Literacy increased
• Efforts were made to bring Hinduism to rural, illiterate Indians
• Classical Hindu philosophical schools emerged
• "Brahmins" refers to a caste, while "Brahman" refers to the divine essence unifying different Gods

History of Hinduism Post-Classical Period

• This period lasted from 700-1200 CE
• Cultural fragmentation occurred
• The Medieval Period lasted from 1200-1500 CE
• Reunification took place
• Conflicts with Muslims occurred

History of Hinduism Colonial Period

• Involved the Christian Inquisition (1560-1774)
• The Portuguese Empire (1505-1961)
• The British Empire (1612-1947), including the East India Company (until 1858) and British Raj (1858-1947)
• The French Empire (1674-1954) and Denmark-Norway (1620-1868) were also involved
• The term "Hinduism" was first used in 1829
• There was Orientalist interest in Hindu mysticism

History of Hinduism Colonial Period

• The Indian Independence Movement occurred from 1850-1960
• The Indian Mutiny took place in 1857
• The British Indian Army was involved in WW1
• Gandhi played a significant role
• Indian provinces were partitioned into India and Pakistan in 1947

History of Hinduism Recent Past

• Hinduism influenced New Religious Movements
• Hindu Nationalism (Hindutva) emerged
• Postcolonial theory developed

History of Hinduism Hinduism in Canada

• Initial South Asian immigration occurred in 1903
• Mostly Sikhs immigrated at first
• Asian people were not allowed to vote in any elections until 1947
• Prohibition on voting existed
• Asian people were not allowed to vote in Canadian Federal elections until 1947
• Multiculturalization of Canada has been present since the 1960s

Deities

• Orthodox Hinduism is very flexible regarding the number of gods
• Polytheism is practiced
• Monotheism is present
• Atheism exists
• Monism (Brahman) is the concept that one god takes many names and forms

Trimurti

• The three main Gods are Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva
• They are common in iconography

Trimurti Brahma

• Creator god who is linked with Prajapati
• Brahma has four faces
• He is rarely worshipped today

Trimurti Vishnu

• Vishnu is also known as Adideva is a preserving deity
• Vishnu is associated with kindness and "order"
• He has four hands holding a conch shell, Chakra, Lotus Flower (beauty of life), and Mace (strength of the body, more important than Brahma)
• Vishnu is associated with Snakes and his wife is Lakshmi
• He can control human desire

Trimurti Vishnu

• Vishnu has 9 Avatars including Matsya, Krishna, and Buddha
• The 10th Avatar, Kalki, will announce the end of the world
• These avatars are different forms that gods might take

Trimurti Shiva

• Shiva is the God of Destruction and embodies Rebirth and Transformation
• Shiva often Sits cross-legged and is the God of yoga
• Shiva is often androgynous
• Destruction is viewed more neutrally as part of life for renewal
• The Trident is used to destroy ignorance
• The cobra symbolizes victory over death
• The third eye in the forehead destroys anything with just a glance
• Dances are held to celebrate destruction and rebirth, creating a delicate balance
• Tandav is a dance of death

The Afterlife

• Samsara is reincarnation
• Atman is the soul or essence of the self
• Moksha is unification with Brahman, the ultimate reality
• Karma determines future lives
• Atman is brahman and is in every living entity, also being immortal
• Good and bad karma affects your next life

Key concepts in Hinduism

• Dharma represents social obligations
• Three Paths of Jnana (wisdom/knowledge), Karma (practice), and Bhakti (devotion)
• Four Goals are Artha (worldly success), Kama (pleasure), Dharma (morality), and Moksha

Vedas ("Knowledge")

• The oldest Hindu texts written in Sanskrit
• Authoritative to nearly all Hindus
• The four Vedas are Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, and Atharvaveda

Rig Veda: Hymn to Agni (Fire)

• Focuses on AGNI

Upanishads

• Philosophical teachings of Hinduism written in Sanskrit
• Over 100 Upanishads are known, with 13 of significant importance

Bhagavad Gita (“The Song of God")

• Written in Sanskrit as a dialogue between Krishna and Arjun
• Takes place about 3000 BCE - Kurukshetra War
• Krishna and Arjun are the main characters in the script
• Metaphor for internal struggles and focusing on yourself

Bhagavad Gita Excerpts

• Wise Karma-yogis renounce attachment to the fruits of work and attain a blissful divine state
• The desire for sensual pleasures fades away with abstinence, but the craving remains until one knows the Supreme
• Those without attachment, with minds fixed in knowledge, dissolve all Karma by serving the Lord
• Asceticism involves denying pleasures to reach Brahman

Afterlife

• Seeking something more spiritual is key
• Atman acquires different bodies (childhood, youth, old age) and another body after death
• The Atman is neither a slayer nor slain and is unborn, eternal, permanent, and primeval
• The Atman is not destroyed when the body is destroyed and energy transfers
• Reincarnation means there is another body after death

Path to God

• Surrender to God's will
• Renounce attachment to the fruits of work, accepting all results with equanimity
• Knowledge is better than ritualistic practice, and renunciation of the fruit of work leads to peace

Agamas

• There are over 200 known Agamas written in Devangari
• Each Agama has four parts of Jnana pada, Yoga pada, Kriya pada, and Charya pada

Hindu Worship Shrines

• Puja is worship, which involves Murtis (images) and Mantras (prayers)
• Offerings can be made to the gods

Hindu Worship Temples (Mandir)

• Vedas are read, festivals are celebrated, and community gathers

Hindu Festivals

• Diwali is the Festival of Lights
• Dussera is another festival
• Ganesha Chaturthi, Holi is the Festival of Colors, Krishna Janmashtami, Maha Shivratri, Navratri, and Raksha Bandhan are all major holidays

Food in Hinduism

• Cows are considered sacred leading to vegetarianism and fasting
• Agni punishes those who kill cows

Social Class (Varna)

• The classes are Brahmin (priestly), Vaishyas (farmers, merchants), Kshatriyas (rulers), Shudras (laborers), and Dalit (butchers, beggars)
• Last names may identify a person's caste

Hindu Leadership

• Priests (Brahmin class), Guru (teacher), Rishi (sage), and Atikranta-bhavaniya (yoga)

Week 5 - Buddhism

• Focuses on history, figures, beliefs, texts, leaders, practices, and rituals
• Does not have a founding figure, but emerged from practices and texts

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM LIFE OF THE BUDDHA

• Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha) was born in the Kingdom of Kosala (Nepal)
• He advised the King of Magadha (eastern India)
• His life events occurred in the 6th century BCE, they include birth, maturity, renunciation, search, awakening and liberation, and teaching

Death

• Oral traditions say that not much biographical information is known of Buddha
• Buddha's royal lineage lived a sheltered life
• When he leaves his shelter the first time, he is horrified when he sees suffering
• Gives away all material things and becomes an ascetic
• He has an ecstatic experience leading to his enlightenment under the bodhi tree at age 35

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM AFTER BUDDHA'S DEATH

• The First Buddhist Council took place around 400 BCE
• Distinct Buddhist Schools emerged
• They had the support of the Mauryan Empire
• Buddhism spread to the Hellenistic Mediterranean

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM EMERGENCE OF BUDDHIST SECTS

• Theravada (Hinayana) Buddhism is oriented toward Nirvana
• Mahayana Buddhism is oriented toward Bodhisattva
• Vajrayana Buddhism exists
• Theravada and mahayana are the most popular versions
• Theravada is more conservative and older version for buddhism, the goal is to become an arhat
• Mahayaana's beliefs of enlightenment is also the goal but they look to become a bodhisattva
• The difference between the two, is that bodhisattva chooses to be in the world to teach others the enlightenment, while Arhat believes to leave the earth is to reach enlightenment
• Varjayana is Tibetan Buddhism and Mongolia

History of Buddhism Pure Land Buddhism

• Begins around 147 CE
• The most widely practiced form of Buddhism happens within Mahayana Buddhism (I.E east asia)
• It is Focused on the buddha amitaba and his “pure land” called sukhavati
• All sentient beings can become buddhas
• There are many buddhas of different aspects; sometimes symbolic, other times literal beings

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM ZEN BUDDHISM

• Formed in the 5th century CE in China
• Grounded in Mahayana Buddhism (and the bodhisattva path)
• It is the prevailing form of Buddhism in Japan
• Emphasizes Zen (禪 – “Chan” in Chinese: a meditative state

Control of the mind

• Practiced through focus on breathing

BUDDHA IS NOT THE LAUGHING BUDDHA

• The Laughing Buddha is, instead, Budai
• Budai was a Chinese Buddhist Monk
• He lived in the 10th century CE
• He was poor
• Had very few possessions, very asectic, and was happy

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM TIBETAN BUDDHISM

• Buddhist texts were translated into Tibetan in 7th century
• Named the state religion of Tibet in the 8th century CE
• Gendun Drup was the First Dalai Lama (born 1391) - Avalokiteśvara
• Tenzin Gyatso is the 14th Dalai Lama (born 1935)
• A buddhist princess of china married a king from tibet

HISTORY OF BUDDHISM ENGAGED BUDDHISM

• Founded by Thích Nhất Hạnh in the 1950s
• Thích Nhất Hạnh lived from 1926-2022
• He was a Vietnamese Buddhist monk in the Zen tradition
• This tradition emerged and was popularized as a response to Vietnam War.
• Includes Non-Violence with "14 Precepts" and with emphasis on peace

WESTERN BUDDHISM

• Buddhism has spurred New Religious Movements, Tibetan Activism, and Peace Movements.
• A Secular “Mindfulness” tradition has also been drawn upon Zen

BUDDHISM IN CANADA

• Buddhism was Introduced by Chinese and Japanese Immigrants (1881)
• The First Buddhist temple was built in 1905
• Has had countercultural movements since the 1960s
• Prominent in Canadian multiculturalism

BIRTH AND REBIRTH

• A key term is Samsara (wandering of life)
• Involves Karma
• Involves Reincarnation
• You can reach Enlightenment
• Involves Nirvana (Theravada) or Buddhahood (Mahayana)
• There is no real concept of a soul or a self in buddhism
• Dying is a seeking liberation of rebirth

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS

• Dukkha (suffering), Birth, aging, illness, and death is all suffering
• Life at its core is suffering
• Samudaya says the cause of suffering is desire (greed, ignorance, hatred)
• Craving for becoming and the cause of suffering is because we want things
• Our desire is a cause of suffering
• Nirodha declares that the end of suffering is detachment
• Giving up those desire and the detachment is the best thing to do
• The only thing you can control is your desire
• Magga says the Eightfold path is how you can detach yourself from suffering and the desires

EIGHTFOLD PATH (fourth noble truth)

• Understanding: know the truth
• Intention: cultivating the right attitudes
• Speech: avoiding hate and
• Right action: not over indulge
• Right livelihood: living in a way that is not causing harm
• Right effort'
• Right concentration: developing the awareness of what your own mind is doing, think critically on your own thought process
• Right mindfulness

FOUR STAGES TO ENLIGHTENMENT

• Stream-enterer (Sotapanna): No longer believes that there is a self and has no doubts about the buddha
• One-More (Sakadagami): Getting very close and no longer has feelings of desire
• No-More (Anagami): Feels no desire and is around the final rebirth
• Arhat: Someone who has no more rebirths and has escaped the chains

THREE JEWELS

• The Buddha
• Dharma: Teachings of Buddha
• Sangha: Monastic Order/Buddhists in General
• To be spiritual you need u look to these 3

FIVE PRECEPTS

• Refrain from taking life
• Refrain from taking what is not given
• Refrain from the misuse of the senses or sexual misconduct
• Refrain from wrong speech
• Refrain from intoxicants that cloud the mind

GODS?

• No omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient creator god
• Divine beings are not venerated
• Devas are Demon kings who are opposed to the idea of rebirth and make people try to desire
• Hungry Ghosts are Untimely deaths, which become hungry ghosts for awhile before they can reincarnate
• Family may need to make sacrifices till they can rebirth and are Fused with local traditional practices

BUDDHAVACANA

• Refers to “Teachings of Buddha”
• Dharma and Bhuddava
• Theravada: Pali canon/Tripitaka
• Vinaya, Sutra, Abhidhamma
• Chinese Buddhist canon
• Tibetan Buddhism: Kangyu

PALI CANON TEACHING (SUTRA)

• Anxious things we attach on ourselves that dont actually matter

PALI CANON (NIKAYA)

• Anxieties that we want to be something
• It holds us back because we keep coming back to these worldly things
• Clinging towards things that are tangible will delay enlightenment
• The acceptance of this makes you to nirvana

KANGAYA

• Pre Jewels
• Holy dharma (teachings of buddha)

CHINESE BUDDHIST CANON

• Asks buddha how to pacify the mind

BUDDHIST MONKS (BHIKKU) AND NUNS (BHIKKUNI)

• Active seeking of release from samsara
• Enlist people at least 20 years old
• Vows of renunciation of wealth and pleasures
• Has Distinctive clothes
• 3 step process for monks
• Nuns are only in the mahayana tradition
• 5 additional precepts for monks and nuns are to refrain from taking food at inappropriate times
• Refrain from singing dancing or watching any entertaining programs
• Refrain from wearing perfume, makeup or any aesthetic, glamour
• Refrain from sitting on high chairs and luxurious beds
• Refrain from taking any money

TEACHERS

• Ajahn (Thai)
• Sayadaw (Burmese)
• Zen Master and Roshi (Japanese)
• Tulku and Lama (Tibetan)
• Sravaka (Pali)
• Lay orders - attendants
• Transmit knowledge and teachings

VEGETARIANISM

• Enforced by the First of the five precepts: “Do not take any life”
• Mahayana monks and nuns are strictly vegetarian
• Theravada: no meat slain solely for monks can accept dietary alms of others
• Is encouraged by some Vajrayana, including 14th Dalai Lama, and them being allowed to eat meat if it is given by someone else out of hospitality
• There is an understanding that if the meat was cut solely for them they cannot have it

Week 6 - RELIGIONS OF CHINA, KOREA, AND JAPAN

• Session Outline includes Confucianism, Taoism, Asian Shamanism

Confucius

• Confucius Lived from 551-479 BCE
• There were Bloody wars between Chinese dukes at this time
• Confucius was a Political advisor who was for 31 years
• He Returned home at age 68

Teachings of Confucius

• Negative “golden rule”: do not do to others what you would not want them to do to you
• Emphasis on maintenance of tradition and ritual
• Social obligations are important
• There should be Rule by wisdom, not force

Confucian Texts

• Four books guide religion
• Great learning
• Analects
• Mencius
• Doctrine of the mean

Analects

• Confucius said: "Study as if you have not reached your goal -as if you were afraid of losing what you have."
• Confucius said: “To study and not think is a waste; to think and not study is dangerous."
• Tseng Tzu said, “Each day I examine myself in three ways: in doing things for others, have I been disloyal? In my interactions with friends, have I been untrustworthy? Have not I practiced what I have preached?”
• Confucius said: “If you are virtuous, you will not be lonely. You will always have friends."
• Confucius said: “A young man should serve his parents at home and be respectful to elders outside his home. He should be earnest and truthful, loving all, but become intimate with humaneness. After doing this, if he has energy to spare, he can study literature and the arts.”

Confucian Texts

• Five Classics: Book of documents
• Book of odes
• Book of rites
• Book of changes
• Spring and autumn annals

Confucian Beliefs

• Tian is heaven as source of goodness, life and human dignity
• Authority - respect for and respect pf
• Mandate of heaven
• Right to revolt
• Knowing place in society

Five Constant Values of Humanity

• Jen (Humaneness)
• Li (Propriety or rites
• Yi (Righteousness or rightness)
• Chih (wisdom)
• Hsin (Faithfulness)

Taoism

• The Master Lao Tzu (“Old Master") Lived around Circa 500 BCE> > but might have been fictional
• From China
• The religion follows the way of Tao and Worshipped as a god within Daoism
• Has the Tao Te Ching, a collection of his teachings

Tao

• The Tao (The way) is Harmony with nature
• Emptiness is emphasized
• Avoids absolutism
• Emphasizes Wu-wei (non-action) and is Anti-authoritariansm

Tao Te Ching (The Book of the Way of Virtue)

• The Tao ["way"] that can be spoken is not the eternal Tao.
• The name that can be named is not the eternal name.
• The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth
• While naming is the origin of the myriad things.
• Ever desiring, you see the manifestations.
• These two are the same, but when they appear they are named differently
• Their sameness is the mystery, Mystery within mystery; The door to all marvels
• Therefore, Thirty spokes join together in the hub and Iit is because of what is not there that the cart is useful.
• Clay is formed into a vessel and it is because of its emptiness that the vessel is useful.
• Cut doors and windows to make a room, because it is because of its emptiness that the room is useful.
• Accomplish but don't boast
• Accomplish without show shows

Three Pure Ones

• "The Tao produces One; One produced Two; Two produced Three; Three produced all things

Three Treasures

• Jing (creative energy)
• Qi (life-force energy)
• Shen (spiritual energy)

Asian Shamanism

• Shamanism exists
• Shaman are "a person who experiences, absorbs, and communicates a special mode of sustaining, healing power.” – John Grim
• Is associated with Altered states of consciousness, Spirit possession, and Ecstatic experiences
• The religious specialists has a Local relationship between community and shaman and is More frequently found in remote areas

Divination Practices

• This offers ways of accessing the supernatural
• Some are available to all. Some are available only to trained/select individuals
• Practices: Jiaobei (moon blocks) and Is Used in temples or family shrines to Ascertain the will of ancestors

Session 7 - Sikhism

• Focuses on History and Important Figures, Beliefs and Worldview, Texts, Stories, and Their Use, and Leaders, Practices, and Rituals
• Sikhism is very pluralistic and believe in many gods
• There is No theological reason to discriminate based on gender, caste, etc

Sikhism Before Its Founding

• Punjab region
• 15th century CE

History of Sikhism: Guru Nanak Dev Ji

• Lived from 1469-1539 СЕ
• Born near Lahore, Pakistan, to a Hindu family
• Had Religious experience around age 30
• Journeys (Udasiya) in South Asia and the Middle East
• Settled in Punjab at age 55
• Appointed Guru Angad Dev as successor with his first words being, "There is no hindu there is no islam"
• He began of his teachings in islam

History of Sikhism: Ten Gurus

• 1469-1708 CE
• Guru Granth Sahib (Kartarpur Pothi)
• Khalsa - Sikh nation
• increasing conflict with the Mughal Empire and forced conversoin
• began with the torture and execution of Sikhs
• The gurus were rough being Rough being a guru, meaning that in early centuries they were being persecuted by Mughal Empire, as they were Tortured and executed
• The Mughal Empire threatened to ban sikhs off the planet, so They fled to the rainforest for safety with need for self defence throughout their identity
• There are 11 gurus in Sikhism

History of Sikhism: British Period

• Consisted of Sikh soldiers in the British Indian Army
• Included the Ghadar Party (1913-1948)
• The british heavily recruited sikhs into the army, as 22% of the british army in world war 1 were sikh

History of Sikhism: Independence from Britain

• Involved Continuing conflict in India and Pakistan, plus a Sikh-majority Punjab as Indian state (1966)
• Sikh Nationalism in India (Khalistan)
• Anti-Sikh violence (1984)
• Manmohan Singh (2004-2014) became the first Sikh head of state worldwide and brought Distinctness in light of Hindutva

History of Sikhism: Sikhism in Canada

• Early Sikhs arrived in Canada (1897) who were Railway workers and British soldiers
• Wilfrid Laurier bans Indian immigrants (1907)
• There was discussion of the Komagata Maru incident (1914) at this time
• Canadian multiculturalism occured
• Was made a 2 months held at bay and got sent back to india after, who were Then arrested for illegal immigration after it started a riot
• Jagmeet Singh (2017) – NDP leader

Sikhism: Belief in God (Waheguru)

• Monotheism/Monism
• Genderless, formless, eternal, creator
• Equality before God
• Direct access to God, exceding human understanding, and connecting to hinduism
• Everyone has access to God, with no need for priests

Sikhism: Afterlife

• Karma
• Atma
• Dharam Rai (The Righteous Judge)
• Reincarnation (samsara)
• Liberation (mukti)
• Sachkhand (Realm of Truth)
• Has Identical words to hinduism
• After your die dharam rai gets this report that lists everything you've done and all your thoughts, which then He offers a verdict, either reincarnation or suffering in hell
• Eventually when you live well you end at mukti aka liberation, beyond words, pen cannot write down what it is like and there is Mystical union with god

Sikhism: Duties and Vices

• Three Duties are to: Nam Japna to Pray and remember God's Name.
• Kirt Karna, to Engage in honest work and earn a living with integrity.
• Vand Chhakna - Share with others and give to those in need.

Five Vices

• Lust
• Covetousness and Greed
• Attachment to things of this world
• Anger
• Pride: Illusory pleasures but they lead you away

Sikhism 5 Ks

• Each of the 5 elements start with a K
• Mostly for men but many women do it as well
• Sikhs who have gone through sikh baptism
• Kesh - sikhs do not cut their hair because, God gave it to you as a gift
• Kara - wristband bangle, symbol of restraint and a link to the guru, infinite number of sides symbolizes a link to god
• Kanga - wooden comb symbolizes clean mind and body, keeping it tidy
• Kacha - they don't come below the knee
• Kirpan - The blade that they have, no single style, kept sheathed, soldier saints

Four Major Prohibitions

• Cutting hair
• Consumption of halal meat
• Non-marital intercourse
• Use of tobacco

Sikhism Humanity

• One goal is the "Oneness" of humanity with Equality of people
• there are No priests, but the only present “guru” is the text itself
• Men and women can take part in all parts of worship and the Atma (divine spark) as a gift from Waheguru
• All creatures are created by God and must be treated with respect
• God can be found via many paths, including other religions
• Gender and race are a social fact but God does not care about that.

Guru Granth Sahib

• Adi Granth
• The continuing teacher of Sikhs
• 11th Sikh guru

Guru Granth Sahib

• Hymns of Guru Nanak and other gurus
• Moral teachings
• Codification begins by Guru Arjan (5th guru) – 1601-1604
• Further hymns added
• Specific contents determined by Guru Gobind Singh, named as successor (1707; effective as Guru in 1708)

Dasam Granth (Book of the Tenth Guru)

• Disputed status in Sikhism
• Contains hymns (purportedly) by Guru Gobind Singh (10th guru)

Sakhi

• Moral tales
• Usually featuring one of the ten gurus or people around their time. Not art of Guru Granth Sahib, with tales about the gurus, Usually have a moral to learn along with them, Not quite scripture tho
• The book has an Initiation by Amrit Sanskar (Nectar ceremony) which Began in 1699

Sikhism Initiation

• Sikhs must have Amrit Sanskar (Nectar ceremony), which Began in 169
• Initiation into sikh nation, it doesn't mean ur not sikh if u havent done it

During the Ceremony (after > Amritdhari)

• 5 Sikhs, 1 narrator, and Guru Granth Sahib
• Has Hymns and prayers offered, with Amrit mixed
• the Initiate drinks amrit, sprinkled on eyes and hair, Initiates recite Mool Mantar (single most important passage), Initiate consumes kara parshad

After the Ceremony

• Sikhs partake in a Name change to Singh (male) or Kaur (female)
• Sikh Wear the 5 Ks
• Each Sikhs is a Member of Khalsa
• You can tell caste systems by looking at their last names, but if everyone has the same last name then everyone is equal

Sikhism Diet

• Focuses on Langar (community meal), whichis Ran by volunteers, and anyone can participate in it
• Everyone Is seen to be equal and can join
• Everyone Is seen to be something desirable Most Sikhs consumes meat if executed by jhatka, But Some sects do not eat meat or eggs
• There is Prohibition of halal and kosher meat (kutha). T
• TThe name if god should not be uttered when killing an animal

Sikh Holidays

• Maghi on January 14
• Hola Maholla on March 26
• Vaisakhi in April 14
• Martyrdom of Guru Arjan is in June 16
• Celebration of the Guru Granth Sahib in August or September
• Diwali in October
• Guru Nanak's Birthday is in November 15
• Martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur on November 24

Sikhism

• The Gurudwara (Temple) is where Gurudwara (Temple) can be found
• It Has the Guru Granth Sahib sitting above congregants and under a canopy
• Includes a Sikh flag flying on the building, but No priests
• Some Rituals include Langar, Amrit Sanskar, and Marriages and Funerals

Five Takhts

• Founded with the human gurus
• When something needs policy it kind of goes through here, it Is a Rough comparison like the vatican

Week 8 - Judaism

Terminology

• Judaism pertains solely to the religion of Jewish people
• Jewishness - Pertains to the ethnicity or culture of Jewish people
• Different groups within Judaism are called Denomination and Sect
• The term Jewish Bible = Hebrew Bible = Tanakh = Old Testament are called the sacred texts

Key Information

• “Torah” is NOT the same as “Tanakh”
• Torah refers specifically to the first five books of the Hebrew Bible
• Torah has multiple meanings: book of torah ( i.e genesis, deuteronomy,) the written torah (i.e, the instructions that God gave to moses,) the oral torah (i.e, jewish customs and teachings)

Key Figures

• Abraham (20th century BCE) is the Forefather of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
• Both Jews and Christians identify as the first hand of God in islam, whom he is seen as the avenue to promise land and is Agreed to be fictional by historians
• • Isaac is the Son of Abraham and Sarah, central to Jewish and Christian traditions
• • Ishmael is Recognized in Islam, is the son from Hagar

Key Figures

• Moses (16th century BCE)
• Led Exodus from Egypt to discover the Ten Commandments
• Set up a Law of and named a Land of Canaan – The Promised Land in Jewish tradition

Kingdoms of Israel and Judah

• A United Monarchy lasted around 1000 BCE, but Only lasted a few generations and Consisted of King Saul and King David and King Solomon who Creates the temple.
• Divided Monarchy around 922 BCE with divided power with in Israel and Judah (where Jerusalem is and the temple is)

Kingdoms of Israel and Judah Prophets

• The religion has Prophets who are "fore-tellers", such as Isaiah who tells people whether things are a good idea
• There are also Prophets as social critics such as Amos, who Criticizes how people are treating others and how god is gonna punish if u do things wrong
• Has Prophet as miracle worker, with examples such as Elijah and Elisha

Key information

• There are many Travelling of people around the countryside healing people within the religion

Foreign Conquest

• With the: Assyrian Crisis (722 BCE), Babylonian Exile (587 BCE), Destruction of the Jerusalem Temple
• • Persian Return (539 BCE) with the help of Second Temple that Built when persian money helpped rebuild the temple that babylonians destroyed because (the persians also wanted money, the the Persians became pretty well admired in the books)

Graeco-Roman Period

• Discuss Alexader the Great's Conquest, Hellenistic period (332 BCE), Hasmonaean Kingdom (163 BCE), Roman Conquest (63 BCE), Destruction of the Second Temple (70 CE), with relationship being Not on good terms with the roman empire. Also highlights Bar Kokhba War (130-135 CE) during this period

Rabbinic Period

• Important time period that Discusses the Mishnah (200 CE) + Gemara/Talmud (500 CE): Jerusalem Talmud, Babylonian Talmud, and Christianization of Roman and Byzantine Empires (330- 638 CE)

Medieval Judaism

• Focus on the Islamic Period (638 CE) and the time in Muslim Spain when there was--The Jewish Golden Age (8th-11th centuries CE) during which there was Guaranteed protections under the law and Tolerance for religious diversity
• The are allso the Crusades (1099-1260)

Denominations

• The topic covers the Hamburg Temple with it's Disupute + Orthodox Judaism (1819), Reform Judaism (1819), & Conservative Judaism (1854)
• Discusses Modern Anti-Semitism, and Yiddish culture
• Also covers Jewish Developments and Zionism

Key Terms

• There is a Ban in Quebec until 1760 with the - - - First Canadian Synagogue (Montreal 1768) + - Ezekiel Hart denied seat in Legislature of Lower Canada (1807) + Fleeing European pogroms with the religion, all which have a connection to jewish immigration in canada

Monotheism

Key concepts of the religion:

• One God, revealed in the Hebrew Bible, Is often described Omnipotent, Omniscient, the Creator Deity, Formless, & Moral Deity
• "Chosen People"
• Discuss Covenants between God and Jewish People/ the Commandments given to Moses when discussing this section

Afterlife

• Coming Messiah (“Anointed One") is often mentioned
• Believed to Descend from King David to Usher in a “Messianic Age” with Restoration of Promised Land
• Focuses on concepts of "Promised Land"12 Tribes of Israel/ & Zionism when explaining religion

Tanakh / Jewish Bible

Comprises: Torah (Law), Nevi'im (Prophets), Ketuvim (Writings) from Ancient Texts

Torah (Law)

Consists of Ancient Texts:

• Genesis
• Exodus
• Leviticus
• Numbers
• Deuteronomy
• There is a Narrative but also instruction based on religious customs

Nevi'im (Prophets)

Incorporates:

• Joshua
• Judges
• 1-2 Samuel
• 1-2 Kings which are Former Prophets
• Isaiah
• Jeremiah
• Ezekiel which are Latter Prophets
• Tweve minor prophets

Ketuvim (Writings)

Incorporates: Poetry with Book of Daniel or Book of Ezra

• Nehemiah

Torah Ten Commandments

• Consitsts of the