Chinese Religion
tt is not authoritarian patriarchalism that stands at the centre of the teaching of Confucius, but what is truly human.
Humanity (ren) in the sense of loving care, goodness, benevolence, is the ethical term that is used most frequently of aii in the Analects of Confucius.
Humanity cculd very well also be the basis today for a fundamental ethic - not only in China, but in humankind as a whole. According to Confucius, humanity is to be understood as mutuality (shu), as mutual respect, as he explains it in the Golden Rule: What you do not wish for yourself, do not do to others.
Good and evil can be distinguished by the basic norm of true humanity
in a quite elementary way, one that is valid for ail. For the Chinese there is nothing beyond good and evil. Confucius is said to have remarked that there are only two ways: humanity or inhumanity.
So the Chinese in particular greatly approve of the statement that the universal basic criterion for a giobai ethic is that what helps human beings to be truly human is what is in principle good for them. That means that: t Human beings, whether Individuals or societies, should not behave in an inhuman, antihuman, bestial way, as so often happens, * Rather, human beings, as individuals or in community, should behave in a truly human way, a humane way: towards their fellow men and women, society, and nature.
Confucius
Taoist priestess
The foundations of Confucian ethics are FIVE BASIC RELATIONSHIPS
Superior        - subordinate Father - son
Older brother -   younger brother Husband        - wife Friend - friend
Confucian VIRTUES
Proper behaviour (7/) Humanity (ren) Doing one's duty (yi) Knowing what is right (shi) Reciprocal care oi others (shu) Respect, fulfilling the obligations of a child (xtao)
The MASTER SAID:
At fifteen, I bent my mind on learning;
at thirty, 1 was established;
at forty, i was free from delusion;
at fifty, i knew the mandate of Heaven;
at sixty, my ears became subtly perceptive:
at seventy, 1 was able to follow my hearts
desire without oversteppmg the rules
of propriety.
(Confucius, Analects 7.4}
'Temple of heaven', Beijing
To apply oneself to the duties of men and, while revering the spirits and gods, to keep away from them - this may be called wisdom.
(Confucius, Analects 6.*V;
A benevolent man extends his love for those he loves to those he does not love.
("/I'ericii/s 7B.!)
Liang Qichao
Treat the aged of your own family in a manner befitting their venerable age and extend this treatment to the aged of other families. Treat your own young in a manner befitting their tender age and extend this to the young of other families, (M&Kiui, IA: 7)
If one has sinned against Heaven, there is no one to pray to.
(Confucius, Anofetis J. fS)
if a man is not humane, what can he do with the rituals? If a man is not humane, what can he do with music?
(Confucius, Anafcas $3)
Foretelling from the hand
Early Chinese culture, around 5,000 years old, is ň shamantstic culture with a strong religious stamp, at the centre of which stands the veneration of ancestors and rrtes.
The era of Chinese humanism begins in China in the sixth century BC with the emergence cf wisdom teachers ■- the most famous of them ;s Confucius. There is a transition from magical religion to a rationality centred on human beings and their ethical decisions.
To some degree as a counter-movement to that at this time Taoism arose It is a return to nature and its harmony, inspired by the wisdom writing Tao te Ching, which is attributed to ttie legendary wise man Lao-tsu. This is a philosophical-mystical doctrine ol Ihe Tao, the way, the primal law and prima! foundation oi all being, in which human □eings are to be embedded and with which they are to live in harmony.
Later this became a separate religious movement which adopted many elements of the old Chinese religion.
There are about 1 3 billion Chinese, some of whom - in so la* as they are religious at all - are Confucians or Taoists; others are Buddhists. Christians or Muslims.
Morning t'ai-chi meditation in Beijing
BUDDHISM
1) Is Buddhism a religion?
2) What do Buddhists believe in?
3) Are there any gods in Buddhism?
4) What do you think when you see the image of Buddha?
5) What is the difference between Zen Buddhism and others such as Tibetan or Theravada (Thai) Buddhism'
6) How important is the Dalai Lama?
7) Are there any Buddhist holy books?
8) How important is meditation in Buddhism5
9) What do you know about Buddha?
10) What is Karma?
1) Do you believe in reincarnation?
2) What is Nirvana?
3) What are the important Buddhist days, ceremonies or festivals?
4) Do you think Buddhists are less violent than followers of other religions?
5) Who do Buddhists pray to and what do they pray for?
6) Why do Buddhists chant?
7) Why do Buddhists bow?
8) How has Buddhism affected the world?
9) Why are most Buddhists vegetarian?
10) Why is the Buddha fat?
The Story of the Buddha1 s Enlightenment
The name 'Buddha' means 'the_one'. Buddhists follow the teachings
of the Buddha, but do not believe him to be a god.
The Buddha was born_Gotama in around 580BC in the village of
Lumbini in_. He was a prince born into a rich family. When he was young he
had an_life as he was protected from the harsh_of sickness,
suffering and death.
The years passed. Siddhattha married and had a child, but found he was worried by many issues. He went outside the royal enclosure where he lived and went to
_areas. For the first time he saw__, sickness and_.
He also saw a holy man. He made the decision to leave his wife, his baby son and his
privileged life and began to search the world to find a higher truth or_.
Siddhattha searched for a truth which would release him from the cycle of dying and
_after death. He studied with wise teachers, practised_
and lived a life of extreme self-denial and discipline, but still he did not find the answers he needed. The search took him six years, but Siddhattha found enlightenment whilst
meditating under a_tree. Following this he became known as the Buddha
and dedicated his life to spreading his message.
The Buddha came to understand that the answer lay in the '__':
living a life which is not luxurious or deprived. Buddhists believe they can escape the cycle of life and death and reach Nirvana by following the Middle Way through the Noble Truths and the Path.
poor easy Middle Way Nirvana
Siddhattha realities rebirth
Eightfold old age enlightened Bodhi
Four Nepal death meditation
Judaism
Judaism
the religion of the Jewish people Jewish
of or relating to Jews or their culture or religion: ex. a Jewish holiday, a Jewish food Jew
a follower of Judaism Semitic
Anything that originated in the Middle East
monotheism
the belief in one god
polytheism
the belief in many gods
Hebrew
language of Judaism Old Testament
the first part of the Bible: tells the history and rules of the Jews New Testament
the second part of the Bible: tells about the life of Jesus and his teachings: Jews do not believe in this part prophets
people who receive messages from God and tell the messages to others patriach
A "founding father"; a man who starts something and leads the people Yahweh
Hebrew name for God covenant
an agreement between God and Abraham (and his family); God will protect them and make them a great nation and Abraham (and the Jews) will obey God and believe in only him
synogogue/temple
a building for worship for Jews
Chosen People
the people that God chose to be his special followers: The Jews rabbi
Jewish religious leader sabbath
a day of rest and worship: Saturday for most Jews kosher
Jewish dietary laws: laws about what foods Jews can eat Holocaust
the Nazi program of killing Jews under Hitler during World War II Bar Mitzvah
When a Jewish boy reads from the Torah and becomes a man: ceremony at age 13 Bat Mitzvah
When a Jewish girl reads from the Torah and becomes a woman: ceremony at age 13
Orthodox
branch of Judaism: traditional, most rules, follow kosher rules; only men can be rabbis and only bar mitzvahs; speak Hebrew
Reform
branch of Judaism: more modern, less rules, women can be rabbis and allow bat mitzvahs; many do not follow kosher rules
Conservative
branch of Judaism in between orthodox and reform Torah
holy book of Judaism first 5 books of the Old Testament Star of David
a six pointed star symbolizing Judaism