RS 1023E (570) Introduction to World Religions Mid-Term Review PDF (Fall 2024)

RS 1023E (570) Introduction to World Religions Mid-Term Exam Review (Fall 2024)  Dates & Times Our Midterm Exam will be 3 hours in length: Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Place: W 170  Mid-Term Exam Form...

RS 1023E (570) Introduction to World Religions Mid-Term Exam Review (Fall 2024)  Dates & Times Our Midterm Exam will be 3 hours in length: Date: Saturday, December 21, 2024 Time: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm Place: W 170  Mid-Term Exam Format The Midterm Exam has TWO parts: 40 Multiple Choice/True-or-False Questions 1 point each = 40 points 4 Written Answer Questions 15 points each = 60 points  Mid-Term Exam Format (Cont.) The multiple-choice questions will be in the same format as we used for the Indian Religions Quiz Your written answers are not meant to be formal essays, and will be graded more for content than style Each written-answer question is worth 15 points, so make sure to give detailed answers!  Resources (1) Course Reader in Asian Religions (OWL) (2) Lecture Notes ( incl. PP slides on OWL) (3) Mid-Term Exam Study Guide (OWL)  Four Broad Sections (1) Introduction to Religion, RS and Secular Humanism (2) Religions of India (Hinduism & Buddhism) (3) Religions of China (Confucianism & Daoism [Buddhism]) (4) Religions of Japan (Shinto [Buddhism])  Mental Maps I suggest that you start with a very broad map of each topic When that map has sunk in, you will have placeholders to insert details In the slides below, I have created a very broad map for:  Mental Maps (cont.) Secular Humanism Religions of India Religions of China The purpose here is merely to give you an idea of how you might go about map-making (maps come first, details second)  A Major Theme in the Course Religions change over time! We have taken a largely chronological tour through our religious traditions Be sure to know the centuries when various important developments took place  A Major Theme in the Course (cont.) You are not responsible for exact dates, but you should try to know the century when something big happened This will help to cement your sense of chronology  Secular Humanism What is Secular Humanism? Freud: Religion as a coping mechanism for the Terrors of Nature and the Repression of Civilization Maslow: Religion as a response to naturalistic Peak Experiences Dawkins: Religion as an evolutionary “By-Product” of slavishly-gullible child brains  Religions of India Hinduism (1400 BCE to present) = 3500 years Buddhism (500 BCE to 1300 CE) = 1800 years  Hinduism – Main Topics Introduction to India and Indian Religions VEDIC PERIOD The Origin of Hinduism and the Fire Sacrifice The Upanishads  Hinduism – Main Topics (cont.) POST-VEDIC PERIOD Hindu Dharma, The Laws of Manu, and Rites of Passage/Funerals Hindu Epic Mythology, the Epics in Brief, and the Bhagavad-Gita Explosion of Hindu Mythology (in the Puranas) and New Religious Practices  Hinduism – Vedic Period Early-Middle Vedic Period (1400-700 BCE) hymns (Rig Veda), fire sacrifices to pantheon of gods (e.g., Indra, Agni, Soma), texts of ritual theory focus: participation in society + heaven  Hinduism – Vedic Period (cont.) Late Vedic Period (700-500 BCE) Upanishads: reincarnation, law of karma, samsara, moksha (atman = brahman) focus: world renunciation + spiritual liberation  Hinduism - Dharma cosmic dharma vs. social dharma dharma as a solution to the inner tension between: (a) duty to participate in the world, and (b) renouncing the world for spiritual liberation  Hinduism – Dharma (cont.) Laws of Manu (1st c. BCE – 2nd c. CE): dharma according to social class & stage of life; includes theology of debts Bhagavad-Gita (1st c. CE): physical participation in society with mental renunciation (through yoga)  Hinduism – The Epics Epics Ramayana and Mahabharata (200 BCE–400 CE) cultural products (Valmiki and Vyasa as legendary authors) stories can be read as human-centered or read cosmically good (gods) triumphing over evil (demons) stories of Vishnu’s avataras as Rama and Krishna  Hinduism – The Epics (cont.) highlight the importance of dharma Ramayana tells the story of Rama’s killing the demon Ravana who had kidnapped Rama’s wife Sita Mahabharata tells the story of the righteous sons of Pandu (Pandavas) overcoming their evil cousins (Kauravas) to win the Kuru Kingdom  Hinduism – The Epics (cont.) The New Universe of the Epics rise of Vishnu & Shiva (and Brahma), demotion of Vedic gods Vishnu as god of society; Shiva as god of renunciation Vishnu as highest god in both epics Vishnu’s incarnations (avataras) on earth to support dharma  Hinduism – The Epics (cont.) devotion largely replaces food sacrifices institution of ‘pilgrimage to sacred sites’ entire universe moves through cycles of creation, existence, destruction, creation etc. existing world passes through repeated cosmic time-cycles (yugas)  Hinduism – Explosion of Mythology The Puranas, or Collections of Ancient Tales (300-1500 CE), were anthologies of mythology that continued the trends in the Epics stories of many new gods and goddesses sometimes Vishnu, sometimes Shiva is viewed as the highest god  Hinduism – Explosion of Mythology (cont.) Vishnu & Lakshmi Shiva & Parvati (+ Ganesha & Skanda) Brahma & Sarasvati 10 famous avataras of Vishnu; many more stories about Krishna manifestations of Parvati (Durga & Kali) form important cults  Hinduism – New Religious Practices Puja production of sacred images of the epic/puranic deities production of temples to house sacred images ritual worship (puja) of images largely replaces fire sacrifices  Hinduism – New Religious Practices (cont.) brahmin priests transformed from Vedic sacrificial experts to temple-based puja experts temples become a new sphere of public worship devotees visit temples for darshan  Hinduism – New Religious Practices (cont.) Pilgrimage a religious practice dating to the Mahabharata an expression of religious devotion India is rich with sacred places where divine activity took/takes place  Hinduism – New Religious Practices (cont.) Devotion (bhakti) Tamil bhakti-saints arise in South India (6th c. CE) composed hymns of extreme devotion to Vishnu or Shiva salvation through devotion alone: anti-ritual, anti-caste spirit of bhakti spreads northward to include all India  Sample Question 1 In the early Hindu tradition, performing the Vedic fire sacrifices was a person’s only way to escape samsara. True False  Sample Question 2 Which of the following statements about Vishnu is/are true? a) Vishnu was the king of the gods in the Rig Veda b) Vishnu was the highest god in both Hindu epics c) Vishnu is universally considered the highest Hindu god d) a) and b) e) none of the above  Buddhism – Main Topics (1) Life of the Buddha and Early Scriptures (2) Early Buddhist Teachings/Doctrines (3) Historical Development & Origins of Mahayana (4) Growth and Practice of Mahayana Buddhism  Buddhism – Life of Buddha three sources: early scriptures, later biographies, past-life stories born in 5th c. BCE northeast India in ruler/warrior family of Shakya clan named Siddhartha (of the) Gautama (lineage) a.k.a. Shakyamuni (sage of the Shakya clan) married and had son  Buddhism – Life of Buddha (cont.) renounced as a shramana around age 29-30 trained with two meditation teachers practiced harsh asceticism for years arrived at a MIDDLE PATH  Buddhism – Life of Buddha (cont.) achieved awakening (became the Buddha) around age of 35 preached for 45 years gathered community of monks, nuns, and laypeople died at the age of 80  Buddhism – Life of Buddha (cont.) cremated and remains distributed as relics enshrined in stupas scriptures collected at the First Buddhist Council: Monastic Code (Vinaya) Sermons/Conversations (Sutras)  Buddhism – Early Doctrines The Three Characteristics of Existence impermanence unsatisfactoriness lack of ‘self’  Buddhism – Early Doctrines (cont.) The Five Aggregates (skandhas) form feeling perception (including memories) karma formations (including personality traits) consciousness  Buddhism – Early Doctrines (cont.) 12-Link Chain of Dependent Origination traces the ultimate cause of duhkha (symbolized by old age, sickness and death) to IGNORANCE remove the cause (ignorance) and the effect (duhkha) vanishes  Buddhism – Early Doctrines (cont.) The Four Noble Truths duhkha cause of duhkha (craving) end to duhkha (nirvana) path to the end of duhkha (Eightfold Path)  Buddhism – Early Doctrines (cont.) The Eightfold Path Wisdom Right View Right Intention Morality Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Meditation Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration Buddhism – Becoming and Being a Buddhist Becoming a Buddhist: The Three Refuges “I take refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma, and the Sangha” The Five Precepts for all Buddhists (incl. laypeople): abstain from (1) killing, (2) stealing, (3) sexual misconduct, (4) lying, (5) taking intoxicants  Buddhism – Becoming and Being a Buddhist (cont.) Five extra precepts for novices Full Vinaya for monks (225 rules) and nuns (320 rules)  Buddhism – Historical Development Division of Buddhism into 18-20 schools (nikayas), beginning about a century or so after the Buddha died e.g., Theravada (Path of the Elders) with its Pali Canon  Buddhism – Historical Development (cont.) Emperor Ashoka (3rd c. BCE) converted to Buddhism and sent missionaries all over missionaries carried Theravada into Sri Lanka Theravada only early school of Buddhism to survive into modernity Addition of Abhidharma to Scriptural Canon after schools split off  Buddhism – Origins of Mahayana ‘Maha-yana’ (‘Great-Vehicle’) as a Reform Movement (1st c. BCE) Labelled current Buddhist practice ‘Hina-yana’ (‘Lesser- Vehicle’) Critiques of Hinayana: selfish Path of the Arhat wrong idea that Buddha had vanished from the world obsession with abhidharma study  Buddhism – Origins of Mahayana (cont.) New Proposals: Path of the Bodhisattva Buddha as supreme being beyond space and time Doctrine of Emptiness Presented their ideas in New MAHAYANA Buddhist Sutras  Buddhism – Mahayana Buddhism Why did the Buddha teach the Path of the Arhat if the Path of the Bodhisattva was the true Buddhist path? Why did the Buddha suggest he would leave the world behind forever if it wasn’t true? Lotus Sutra (2nd c. CE): Buddha’s Skillful Means (upaya) Buddha teaches to the level of his audience  Buddhism – Mahayana Buddhism (cont.) Path of the Bodhisattva was, is and always will be the True Buddhist Path based on Buddha’s own path outlined in past-life stories (Jatakas) cults of highly advanced celestial bodhisattvas who took vow ages ago E.g., cult of Avalokiteshvara (Lotus Sutra)  Buddhism – Mahayana Buddhism (cont.) Buddhas in millions of world systems (e.g., Amitabha Buddha) Amitabha brings faithful to his Pure Land (Sukhavati) rebirth in Pure Land guarantees nirvana Life as a Bodhisattva Six Perfections (charity, morality, patience, vigour, meditation, wisdom) Shantideva’s Essence of Enlightened Conduct  Buddhism – Fate in India Buddhism was effectively wiped out in India by the 13th c. CE Why? Stiff competition from Hinduism in the south, and persecution by Islamic rulers in the north But due to its earlier spread outside of India, Buddhism continued to live on in the world  Sample Question 1 According to the Buddha, people are trapped in samsara because their souls are bound by karma. True False  Sample Question 2 The Buddha: (a) lived in the 5th c. BCE (b) had his sermons recorded in the Buddhist Sutras (c) created his religious path after rejecting Hinduism (d) (a) & (b) (e) (a), (b) & (c)  Religions of China The “Three Teachings”: Confucianism (500 BCE – present) = 2500 years Daoism (500 BCE – present) = 2500 years Chinese Buddhism (1st c. CE – present) = 2000 years  Religions of China – Main Topics Introduction to China and Chinese Religions Confucianism (Philosophical) Daoism Coming of Chinese Buddhism (Religious) Daoism (Neo-)Confucianism Chinese Popular Religion  Intro to China and Chinese Religions Early Dynasties in China Xia (probably mythological) Shang (1600-1050 BCE) Zhou (1050-221 BCE) including Warring States Period  Intro to China and Chinese Religions (cont.) Features of Early Chinese Religion during Shang & Zhou animism (sacrifices to gods/spirits) incl. ancestor veneration Shangdi as High God practice of divination Shangdi (Shang) >> Tian (Zhou) ‘Mandate of Heaven’ (Zhou) Warring States Period (481-221 BCE)  Confucianism Confucius (551-479 BCE) born in ‘common gentleman’ class in State of Lu tried his hand in politics, failed, escaped Lu spent his 50s and 60s wandering with group of disciples studied the past (e.g., early Zhou Dynasty, Duke of Zhou) taught the Way (dao) of the Ancients  Confucianism (cont.) aimed at achieving Human Goodness (ren) goodness achieved through ‘ritualistic’ human interactions and by cultivating moral force (de) wished his disciples to become Gentlemen (junzi) wished the rulers of his day would listen to him best viewed as an early thinker of the Warring States Period  Confucianism (cont.) Disciples collected his ‘sayings’ (Analects) Disciples kept his teachings alive Mencius (372-289 BCE) defined human goodness as ‘sympathetic compassion’ believed goodness was innate in all humans needed to be developed through education  Confucianism (cont.) Xunzi (312-230 BCE) believed humans naturally wicked could be made good through education Xunzi-style Confucianism adopted by Han Dynasty  (Philosophical) Daoism Two kinds of Daoism: Philosophical Daoism (Warring States) Religious Daoism (late Han Dynasty) Texts of Philosophical Daoism Dao De Jing (Laozi) Zhuangzi (Zhuangzi) Best Viewed as response to Warring States  (Philosophical) Daoism (cont.) Principles of Philosophical Daoism: yin-yang (tend to be pro-yin) dao as natural force coursing through the world the dao guides the world as it should be wu wei (not acting against the dao) wei (acting against the dao – not wise)  (Philosophical) Daoism (cont.) distrust of words and book learning direct experiential learning better do nothing that causes contention freedom is preferable to wealth and status  Chinese Buddhism Enters China 1st c. CE (Han Dynasty) via Central Asia In 166 CE, Han Emperor makes sacrifice to Laozi/Buddha Initially confused with Daoism  Chinese Buddhism (cont.) 4 schools of Chinese Buddhism (all Mahayana): Tiantai (Lotus Sutra) Huayan (Avatamsaka Sutra) Jingtu (Pure Land Sutras) Chan (meditation) Influenced development of Religious Daoism & Neo- Confucianism  (Religious) Daoism 142 CE (late Han Dynasty), in Western China, Zhang Daoling receives revelation from god Laozi Forms first sect of RD called Way of the Celestial Masters Incorporated earlier Chinese practices including: internal and external alchemy fangshi (shamanistic) practices (incl. healing & exorcism) divination yin-yang based cosmologies  (Religious) Daoism (cont.) Added new practices including: communal scripture chanting, confession of sins, feasts, marriages, etc. pantheon of Daoist gods and immortals apocalyptic vision of coming Era of Great Peace  (Religious) Daoism (cont.) 4th c. CE, in South China, a new sect of RD arises known as Supreme Clarity: Claimed that its revelations came from a higher level of gods and immortals Less communal, focused on internal cultivation, opened monasteries  (Religious) Daoism (cont.) 5th c. CE, in South China, a third sect of RD arises known as Numinous Treasure: More communal again Had monasteries, accepted karma and reincarnation, incorporated Buddhist deities  (Neo-)Confucianism Established by Zhu Xi (1130-1200 CE) during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127-1279 CE) He trained in Chan/Zen Buddhism for 10 years, then turned back to ‘reform’ Confucianism  (Neo-)Confucianism (cont.) He reduced the 13 Confucian Classics down to the Four Books: The Great Learning (Confucius and disciple Zengzi) The Analects (Confucius) The Doctrine of the Mean (grandson Zisi) The Mencius (Mencius) The Four Books had an unimpeachable pedigree and spoke with one voice – the rest of the canon was corrupt  (Neo-)Confucianism (cont.) Basic suppositions of Neo-Confucianism: whole world as combination of ‘principle’ (li) and ‘vital force’ (qi), where ‘principle’ supplies the essence of a thing, and ‘vital force’ gives it a material form ‘vital force’ is obvious, but ‘principle’ is not the key is to discern the ‘principle’ of a thing  (Neo-)Confucianism (cont.) ultimately, there is only one ultimate ‘principle’ in the world which gives each thing its specific principle this is known as the ‘Supreme Ultimate’ or Dao, and discerning it results in Sagehood includes practice of ‘quiet sitting’; little or nothing to say about politics or public life  Chinese Popular Religion Having examined the Three Teachings as more-or-less separate traditions, we then considered how the Chinese people understood them The people felt free to pick and choose, mix and blend, any elements of one tradition with another This mixing process led to Popular Chinese Religion  Chinese Popular Religion (cont.) Common elements of Chinese Popular Religion: morality and behaviour in public life drawn from Confucianism gods and immortals drawn mainly from Religious Daoism understanding of the afterlife and some deities drawn from Buddhism understanding of the soul drawn from ancient ‘folk’ religion  Sample Question 1 Philosophical Daoism and Religious Daoism began at the same time but took different paths. True False  Sample Question 2 Which of the following statements regarding Confucianism is/are true? (a) Confucianism first arose during the Han Dynasty (b) Mencius believed people were naturally born wicked (c) Confucius rejected the teachings of Xunzi as erroneous (d) all of the above (e) none of the above The End – Good Luck!