Hinduism Overview

Hinduism

• Belief in many gods
• Belief in reincarnation
• Belief in karma
• Belief in samsara
• Belief in moksha
• Originated from the Indian subcontinent
• No known founder
• Does not have a standard concept of God
• Important deities include: Varuna (God of rain), Mitra (God of sun), Vishnu (preserver of the universe), Indra (God of thunder), Vayu (God of wind), Parjanya (God of rain cloud), Maruts (troop of storm gods), and Rudra (God of violence)
• Female divinities include: Surya (sun goddess), Dishana (fertility goddess), and Sarasvati (goddess of knowledge)
• The Trimurti are Brahma (creator), Vishnu (preserver), and Shiva (destroyer)
• Brahma is the least worshipped of the three
• Vishnu is the preserver of the universe, known for love and benevolence.

Jainism

• (No information on Jainism is present in the provided text)

Buddhism

• Founder: Siddhartha Gautama (later known as Buddha)
• Title: Enlightened one
• Four passing sights: old age, sickness, death, and an ascetic monk
• First sermon: Setting in motion the wheel of truth
• Avoid two extremes: self-indulgence and self-mortification
• Enlightenment achieved through the Middle Way
• Middle Way leads to Nirvana
• Non-theistic religion
• Siddhartha Gautama was an enlightened teacher, not a god
• Scripture (Tripitaka) consists of the Vinaya Pitaka (rules of the Buddhist order), Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka (metaphysical instruction)
• Doctrines & Creeds: Triratna – Buddha (the teacher and goal to be attained), Dharma (teachings and path to be realized), and Sangha (faithful community of practitioners)
• Four Noble Truths: 1) Suffering exists; 2) Suffering arises from attachment; 3) Suffering ceases; 4) The path leading to the cessation of suffering exists.
• Noble Eightfold Path: Right understanding, thought, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, and concentration
• The Ten Precepts
• Denominations: Theravada (small vehicle), Mahayana (great vehicle), and Tibetan/Diamond vehicle

Sikhism

• Belief in one God (Sat Nam)
• Belief in ten gurus
• Belief in the Guru Granth Sahib
• Belief in the teachings of the Sikh gurus
• Theology: Belief in one God, Sat Nam, which is unborn, uncreated, and created all things
• Salvation (Mukti): Achieved by detaching from worldly life and devotion to God
• Sahaj: State of mental and spiritual balance, detachment from material possessions and desires, participation in the world with compassion
• Scripture: Guru Granth Sahib, a compilation of hymns from the first five gurus and Hindu and Muslim saints
• Ten Gurus: Nanak, Angad, Amar Das, Ram Das, Arjan Dev, Har Gobind, Har Rai, Har Kishan, Tegh Bahadur, Gobind Singh
• Gurdwara: Houses of worship for Sikhs, teaching and practice of Sikh spirituality, sanctuary for women, and Sikh service to humanity

Confucianism

• Originated in China around the 6th century BCE
• Founding figure: Confucius (Kong Fuzi)
• Sacred texts: Analects, Five Classics, and Four Books
• Core beliefs: Morality, social harmony, and importance of relationships (especially filial piety)
• Main teachings: Positive and Negative Golden Rules (Treat others as you would want to be treated)
• Doctrines: Moral code for social and political behaviour, focused on cultivation of humanness rather than birth
• Goals: Cultivate humanness, proper behaviour in five relationships
• Five Constants: Ren (humaneness), Yi (justice), Li (proper rite), Zhi (knowledge), and Xin (integrity)
• Sizi: Loyalty, filial piety, propriety, and righteousness
• Concept of God: Confucianism is a philosophy, not a religion, and doesn't emphasize a concept of God focusing instead on ethical principles
• Rituals: Maintaining social order and respecting ancestors are key
• Ultimate goal: Create a harmonious society
• Ethics of reciprocity: Empathy with others, perceiving neighbours, understanding relationships between groups

Islam

• (No specific details on Islam are provided in the text)