INTRODUCTION TO WORLD

RELIGIONS AND BELIEF

SYSTEMS
HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES MODULE FOR WORLD RELIGIONS

SIGNAL VILLAGE NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL SY; 2018-2019

MRS. KAREN R. SUMANDAL

WHAT IS ITS CONTENT?

Unit I : Abrahamic Religions

JUDAISM

CHRISTIANITY

ISLAM

Unit II : Dharmic Religions

HINDUISM

BUDDHISM

Unit III : Daoic Religions

CONFUCIANISM

DAOISM

SHINTOISM

Unit IV : Indegenous Religions

JUDAISM
INTRODUCTION TO
JEWISH RELIGION AND
BELIEF SYSTEMS
Group 1 ITWR HUMSS - B

Capanan, Cloister Cruz, Hilary Dei Anne Javier, Diogie Lyn

Caribo, Joana Arenas, Glen Penacosas, Frixie
Abugan, Mia

SVNHS S.Y. 2018-2019 ; Introduction to World Religions ; Ms. Karen

This page left intentionally blank
 JUDAISM
ABRAHAMIC RELIGION

Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion that traces its origin as an organized belief system
during the Bronze Age in West Asia. The religion of the Jewish people, Judaism is one of three
Abrahamic religions that also include Christianity and Islam. It is the religion professed by the Jews
known as the “people of the Book” in reference to their sacred text written covering nearly a
thousand years and formalized as a canon of teaching by the end of the first century C.E. The
picture below is the Torah which is the most important text of the Jewish people. It contains the
“Five Books of Moses” and many sacred laws. The Jews consider themselves as the people
chosen by God to serve as an exemplar of devotion and purity to humankind. (Vibal Group, Inc.
and Jerome A. Ong and Mary Dorothy dL. Jose., ITWRBS,2015)

It is quite difficult to study the key events in the historical foundation of Judaism without discussing
the history of the Jewish people since Judaism is a religion with a rich history and culture. In fact,
we can not separate the rich culture and heritage of Judaism from the religion itself.

During the 20th century, the growth in their population has remained sluggish for quite a long time
as it grew to only 25% after the catastrophic event called Holocaust. According to a 2014 report,
there were around 14 million Jewish people representing 0.2% of the entire world population. The
largest concentration of Jews can be found in Israel, North America (United States and Canada),
and Central Europe. Other countries with sizable Jewish population include France, United
Kingdom, Russia, Argentina, Germany, and Australia

Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic religions in the world that originated in West Asia (Israel).
The Jewish people consider themselves as the chosen people of God as they must provide an example
to the world of their moral behavior.

The term Judaism is derived from the greek word

“Loudaismos” which means to side with Judeans.
Simply put, Judaism is the way of life of the Jewish people. In the English-speaking Western world,
“Judaism” is often considered a “religion," but there are no equivalent words for “Judaism” or for
“religion” in Hebrew; there are words for “faith,” “law,” or “custom” but not for “religion” if one thinks
of the term as meaning solely the beliefs and practices associated with a relationship with God or a
vision of transcendence. The Jewish tradition is much broader than this. As a way of life, it includes
the social, cultural, and religious history of a widespread and diverse community, including people
who do and do not think of themselves as “religious.” ( Pluralism Project, Harvard University )

Judaism embraces the intricate religious and cultural development of the Jewish people through
more than thirty centuries of history, stretching from Biblical times to medieval Spain to the
Enlightenment, and then to the Holocaust and the founding of the modern state of Israel. The result
is an experience that reflects the elliptical relationship between religious practice and peoplehood.
From a religious perspective Judaism is a theistic system, but from a peoplehood perspective, it is
also the group memory of the manifold communities and cultures formed by Jews through the ages.
It consists not only of Torah (divine revelation)and mitzvoth (divine commandments), but also the
diverse cultures of the Hebrew, Yiddish, and Ladino languages. It includes not only the visible
markers of religious observance, such as the kippah or the payot or the tzitzit, but also the
communal structures of the kehillah, the mellah, and the shtetl. It includes politics—whether in
Poland, America, or Israel. And it includes the whole range of Jewish education and family life, food
and festival, music and dance, and custom and humor.

Judaism is perhaps best conceptualized as a triad with three points of reference: God, Torah, and
the people of Israel (that is, the Jewish people). None is central; all are interdependent, with varying
degrees of emphasis at various times. God is the God of Israel, the God of all creation, the one
God. Torah embodies Judaism’s intellectual culture, focusing on the study, understanding, and
interpretation of sacred texts. Israel focuses on Judaism as a historical culture and the civilization of
a particular people; the “peoplehood” of the Jews includes customs and foods, arts and music,
dance and folkways that are part of a way of life. Judaism is critically concerned with the evolving
relationship between God, Torah, and the Jewish people, a relationship described as a covenant. In
the covenantal triad, God emphasizes the vertical relationship of the Jewish people to the Divine;
Israel emphasizes the horizontal relationship Jews bear to one another, and Torah is both vertical
and horizontal, for it defines the way of life of a whole people lived in relationship to God.

These three connotations of Judaism as a monotheistic system, as a literary tradition, and as a

historical culture are sometimes viewed separately. For example, there are Jews who see
themselves as culturally Jewish, but who are also non-religious or atheist, often identifying more
strongly with Jewish “peoplehood” than with traditional understandings of God and Torah. Even so,
all Jews would recognize that these three points of reference have shaped and guided Jewish
experience through the ages.

The great symbols of God, Torah, and Israel have assumed varying positions of prominence
throughout Jewish history, and these discussion of them necessarily unfolds within an ongoing
historical framework. Such a historical approach is critical for an understanding of contemporary
Judaism, for Judaism is a historical tradition—in which history is valued in and of itself. In many
ways, Judaism has always been the sum total of all the history of its God, texts, and people.

“Star of David” by SpiritualRayStaff

 WRITE DOWN YOUR ANSWERS
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
INSIDE THE BOX BELOW
_________________________
Challenge yourself by arranging the jumbled letter _________________________
words. _________________________
1. E N G S I E S 6. W E J S H I
_________________________
2. B H R A A M A 7. S O M E S _________________________
3. C N A N A A 8. I S I A N _________________________
4. T A N E P U E T C H 9. B W E R E H S _________________________
5. C O B A J 10. U D I S A M J
_________________________
_________________________
MOVIE REVIEW

Watch one of these films: Exodus: Gods and Kings, Ten Commandments, Prince of Egypt, and
Moses. Write a movie review based on your knowledge about the story of Moses. Was the film
biblically accurate? Discuss the movie and share your insights.

THE ROLE OF PATRIARCHS AND MOSES

It is quite difficult to separate the history of Judaism from the history of the Jews themselves
(Parrinder 1971). The ancestors of the Jews were groups of Semites called Hebrews whose origin
can be traced in the desert lands of Arabia (Brown 1975). The origin of the Jewish people and the
beginning of Judaism are recorded in the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Pentateuch. As a
religion and culture, Judaism has three notable founding figures or patriarchs, namely, Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. These biblical patriarchs are the physical and spiritual forebears of the Jewish
people and their narratives can be found in Genesis 12-50 of their scripture.

Judaism is anchored upon God’s revelation to Abraham that He is the creator and ruler of the
universe, and that He loves His creatures and demands righteousness from them (Losch 2001).
God chose Abraham and his family from all the people living on earth as recorded in Genesis 12.
After a series of tragic events involving humankind, God entered into a covenant with Abraham
promising him that he would become the father of a great nation and would possess vast tracts of
land. Abraham, in return, must remain devoted to the covenant. He would become the embodiment
of uprightness and holiness to the world. Later on, he was succeeded by his son Isaac, his
grandson Jacob, and Jacob’s twelve sons (Hopfe 1983).

“Moses leading the Jewish community during the exodus” by SpiritualRayStaff

These patriarchs are depicted as nomads in biblical stories. According to tradition, Abraham’s
original name was “Abram” who was born in the city of Ur of the Chaldeas around 1800 B.C.E.
Questioning the folly of idol worship, Abram left his home and family to heed the call of God en
route to Canaan situated on the western side of the Fertile Crescent. The Jewish people believe
that they descended from a tribe in Canaan located in the eastern Mediterranean presently
occupied by Israel, Jordan, and Syria (Bowker 1997).

A covenant has been established between God and Abram, and Abram must prove his worth to this
agreement by way of tests of faith throughout his lifetime. While Abram and his wife Sarai were
initially childless, Abram bore a son to Sarai’s Egyptian handmaid Hagar. He was named Ishmael
who is considered as the ancestor of the Arabs. However, Ishmael was not the heir to God’s
promise. God changed Sarai’s name to “Sarah,” meaning “princess” or “noblewoman.” Later in life,
the old Abram and Sarah had a son named Isaac, the heir to God’s covenant and the ancestor of
the Jewish people. Abram’s name was changed to “Abraham” or the “the father of many nations.”
Abraham’s story is narrated in Genesis 11-25 of the Hebrew Bible.

The most difficult trial given to Abraham came when God commanded that he sacrifice his own son
Isaac at an altar in Mount Moriah. Abraham obeyed by building a fire and tying up Isaac. With
Abraham’s obedience being put to the test, an angel stopped him and he was eventually reunited
with his son. A ram was instead sacrificed in place of Isaac.

Later on, Isaac married Rebecca who bore him twin sons, Jacob and Esau. Always in constant
strife, the younger Jacob bought Esau’s birthright and tricked his father Isaac into giving him Esau’s
blessing as the eldest son (Bowker 1997). Jacob fled to his uncle’s house to escape Esau’s fury.
Later on, Jacob returned home and reconciled with Esau. A close encounter with an angel merited
him a change of name from Jacob to “Israel” which means “the one who wrestled with God.” The
Jewish people are referred to as the “children of Israel.” Among four different women, Jacob
fathered twelve sons and one daughter. The twelve sons who became the ancestors of the tribes in
Israel were Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Zebulun, Issachar, Dan, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Joseph,
and Benjamin. After being sold to slavery by his jealous brothers, Joseph was brought to Egypt
where his ability to see and interpret visions earned him a place in the court as a vizier, a position
next only to the pharaoh. As famine struck Canaan, Jacob and his family were forced to settle in
Egypt.

While the book of Genesis ends with a great nation emerging from Abraham’s descendants, the
book of Exodus begins with them crying out for deliverance from Egyptian bondage (Hopfe 1983).
They were not in Canaan as initially promised but were under enslavement in Egypt. As centuries
passed and the descendants of Israel grew in number, the alarmed pharaoh decreed that all male
children be put to death by throwing them to the river. A woman from Levi’s tribe, Jochebed,
secretly placed her youngest child in a woven basket and sent him down the Nile River. The
pharaoh’s daughter, Bithia, found the child, rescued him, and reared him as her own. Jochebed
volunteered to nurse the child, now named Moses, who was raised within the Egyptian royal family.

At the age of forty, Moses killed an Egyptian in defense of a slave and fled to the Sinai desert
where he spent the next forty years as a shepherd (Hopfe 1983). On Mount Horeb, Abraham’s God
revealed himself to Moses as he spoke through a burning bush that was not consumed. Revealing
God’s name as “Yahweh,” he commanded Moses to return to Egypt and demand the release of
Israelites from slavery. After his initial refusal, the Egyptian pharaoh conceded after the ten
miraculous and horrific plagues were inflicted by God upon Egypt and its people, most especially
the plague on the firstborn. While the firstborn sons of every Egyptian household would die, sons of
Israelites would be saved if they marked their door posts with the blood of lamb killed in sacrifice. In
that fated night, the lamb must be cooked and eaten with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. This
is known as the Passover, an important Jewish festival.

The Israelites were banished from Egypt with Moses leading them across the Red Sea (Yam Suph
or “Sea of Reeds” in some accounts). When the pharaoh changed his mind and began to pursue
the fleeing Israelites, Moses parted the Red Sea that allowed them to cross the water and reach the
dry lands of Sinai. Meanwhile, the pursuing Egyptian chariots were drowned after the waters
receded. This event called Exodus became part of Jewish history that manifested Yahweh’s
intervention to deliver his chosen people (Hopfe 1983). Another significant event in Jewish history
was the giving of the Ten Commandments at Mount Sinai. These supreme laws, which are basic to
the Jewish people, were communicated to the Israelites through Moses during their time in the
wilderness. Moses eventually united the different tribes into one group and consecrated to the
worship of the one living god (Brown 1975). Forty years after the Exodus, Moses died in the desert
within reach of the “Promised Land.”

SACRED SCRIPTURES

​The importance of Judaism's sacred texts extends far beyond their religious significance. These
ancient documents embody not only Judaism's religious precepts, but also the historical, cultural
and social heritage of the Jewish people. In Israel, where attitudes towards tradition range from the
ultra-orthodox to the secular, sacred texts carry a variety of meanings - from a spiritual, moral and
practical guide to everyday life, to a historical and cultural wealth which is critically examined and
studied. The stories, ideas and philosophies of the sacred texts, encompassing millenia of Jewish
study and thought, are evident in much of Israel's modern culture, which draws on the legacies of
the past even as it gives voice to the issues and concerns of the present.

The Jewish people have been called the “people of the Book” in reference to the Hebrew Bible
(Tanakh or Mikra) that has been the authority, guide, and inspiration of the many forms of Judaism
that have evolved throughout the different periods of time and in various places (Parrinder 1971).
Composed over a period of almost a thousand years, collections within the Bible became
established in its full canonical form by the end of the first century C.E. (Parrinder 1971).

According to the Jewish tradition, the Hebrew Bible is divided into three principal sections, namely
the Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim. The foundational text Torah (“Teaching”) when it is printed and
not hand written it is sometimes called Chamisha Chumshei Torah (literally the “five five-sections of
the Torah”), and informally a Chumash. It covers the period from creation to 2288 (1273 BCE) and
is

“Talmud and a Star of David” by MyJewishLearning.com

composed of the first “Five Books” or the Pentateuch traditionally believed to have been
authored by Moses through divine instruction in Sinai. These include Genesis, Exodus,
Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The first book, Bereshit, comes from the opening words
of the text, “In the beginning.” A later Latin translation called it Genesis. This collection of texts
contains the story of God’s creation of the world, the story of human origins, and the patriarchal
narratives that comprise the story of Jewish origins. The subsequent four books are Shemot
(“Names” or Exodus), Vayikrah (“And God called” or Leviticus), Bamidbar (“In the desert” or
Numbers), and Devarim (“Words” or Deuteronomy). These books recount the story of the Jews'
enslavement in Egypt, their liberation from Egypt under Moses, their sojourn in the desert, and
their eventual return to the promised land, the land of Canaan.Apart from containing basic laws
for Jewish self-understanding, the Pentateuch also narrates the history, religious statues, and
moral regulations for individuals and society, ceremonial rites and creation stories by Yahweh,
and the origin and growth of mankind (Braswell 1994). Meanwhile, the Nevi’im (“Prophets”) is
subdivided into Earlier Prophets, Later Prophets, and twelve minor prophets. Prophets served as
spokespersons who criticize the hypocritical practices of Jewish rituals. They were specifically
chosen by God to preach his message to the people. Lastly, the Ketuvim (“Writings”) form the
third section of the Tanakh that contains works on poetry, temple ritual, private prayer,
philosophical explorations, and other canonical works.

In the strictest sense, Torah refers to the “Five Books of Moses.” However, it can also pertain to
the entire Hebrew Bible known as the Old Testament to non-Jews but Tanakh (or the “Written
Torah”) to the Jews. Broadly speaking, Torah could mean the whole body of Jewish laws and
teachings.

Another sacred writing of Judaism is the Talmud (or the “Oral Torah”) which means “study.” All
studies and interpretations done by Jewish rabbis or teachers of the Torah are contained in the
Talmud. In short, the Talmud is an authoritative collection of rabbinic interpretations of the
sacred scriptures. It contains materials of law and moral codes. Around the second century C.E.,
this oral law was compiled and written down as Mishnah or a restatement of the law by a
respected opinion. The next few centuries witnessed the writing of an additional strand of
commentaries in Jerusalem and Babylonia about the Mishnah. Known as Gemara, it includes
legends, folklores, and sayings (Brasswell 1994). The Mishnah and Gemara comprise the
Talmud that was completed in the 5th century C.E. Serving as the foundation for all Jewish laws
codes, the whole Talmud contains 63 tractates that is often printed over 6,200 pages long. Apart
from being a book of law, the Talmud is also a fountain of religious thought and inspiration
similar to the Pentateuch (Jurji 1946).

The Pentateuch is the single most important scripture for the Jewish people that became the
source of their inspiration and direction for centuries. It became the foundation of other essential
Jewish writings, such as the Talmud and Mishnah. With all these codified laws and legal
materials, Judaism has become a religion of the law and the Jews as the chosen people have
shown obedience to God’s covenant throughout their long and tumultuous history (Hopfe 1983).

“Torah Scroll” by SpiritualRayStaff

ACTIVITY : WORD SEARCH

Highlight the words that are connected to the Jewish Sacred Scriptures

J M I V U T E K D E U T E R E

D T Y A J O M I T Z V O T X T

U O A M D G E N E S I S O P A

M R W I A E X X R G I D N R N

L A H V I J O M O R U H O O A

A H E E S O E J N S P E H P K

T H A N H S I M U S U P J H H

DOCTRINES

The life of each and every Jewish person is governed by a set of rules, customs, and traditions, that
need to be followed in order to live as per the commandments of God. They believe that those who
follow God and His commandments are the ones who will be rewarded, and those who don't, will be
punished.

The Ten Commandments

The Ten Commandments are a set of absolute laws given by God to Moses at the biblical Mount
Sinai that shall govern the life of every Israelite. Most scholars consider this period as the official
beginning of Judaism as an organized and structured belief system. These laws are twice mentioned
in the Hebrew Bible, particularly, in Exodus and in Deuteronomy

Inscribed on two stone tablets, these commandments present God’s complete and enduring standard
for morality. These include instructions to venerate only one god, to honor one’s parents, and to
observe the Sabbath as a holy day. Meanwhile, some proscribed acts that are pointed out in the
commandments include idolatry, infidelity, murder, theft, and deceit. For more than three thousand
years, the Ten Commandments have been embraced by almost two thirds of the entire world
population.

Apart from the Ten Commandments that form the theological basis of other commandments, there
are also 613 mitzvot or laws found within the Torah (as identified by Rambam) that guide the Jewish
people in their daily living. Traditionally, there are 248 positive and 365 negative commandments
within the Torah (Parrinder 1971). These include laws about the family, personal hygiene, diet, as
well as duties and responsibilities to the community.
 The 10 Commandments in Exodus 20:2-17

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house
of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.
“You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in
heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you
shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the LORD your God, am a jealous
God, visiting the iniquity 54 Abrahamic Religions of the fathers upon the children to the
third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to
those who love Me and keep My commandments.
“You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold
him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your
work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no
work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female
servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the
LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the
seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.
“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which
the LORD your God is giving you.
“You shall not murder.
“You shall not commit adultery.
“You shall not steal.
“You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
“You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife,
nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything
that is your neighbor’s.”

“Ten Commandments tablet” by MyJewishLearning.com

As a general rule, Judaism rejects physical manifestations of spirituality, preferring instead to focus
on actions and beliefs. Today, Jews do not venerate any holy relics or man-made symbols. But in
the history of the Jewish people, there was one exception to this rule. One man-made object was
considered intrinsically holy - the Ark of the Covenant. Constructed during the Israelites'
wanderings in the desert and used until the destruction of the First Temple,the Ark was the most
important symbol of the Jewish faith, and served as the only physical manifestation of God on
earth. The legends associated with this object - and the harsh penalties ascribed for anyone who
misuses it - confirm the Ark's centrality to the Jewish faith of that period; the fact that Jews and
non-Jews alike continue to study and imitate it confirms its centrality even today.

“Ark of the Covenant” by SpiritualRayStaff

613 Rules(Mitzvot)

The Hebrew word mitzvot means "commandments" in its strictest sense it refers to the divine
commandments given by God in the Torah. As direct instructions from God, the mitzvot are far
more than rituals and customs.The mitzvot traditionally consist of 613 commandments (taryag
mitzvot). Many of these have to do with Temple ritual, which was central to Jewish life and
worship when the Torah was written. Others only apply in a theocratic state of Israel. It has been
estimated that only about 270 of them - less than 50 percent - are still applicable.

The number 613 was first given in the third century CE by Rabbi Simlai, who divided the 613
mitzvot into 248 positive commandments (what to do) and 365 negative commandments (what
not to do). Since this figure was first announced, many have undertaken to enumerate the 613
commandments. Easily the one with the most lasting significance is the 12th-century list by
Maimonides in his Book of the Commandments.

MAIMONIDES THIRTEEN PRINCIPLES OF FAITH

1. God exists.
2. God is one and unique.
3. God is incorporeal.
4. God is eternal.
5. Prayer is to be directed to God alone and to no other.
6. The words of the prophets are true.
7. Moses’ prophecies are true, and Moses was the greatest of the prophets.
8. The Written Torah and the Oral Torah were given to Moses.
9. There will be no other Torah.
10. God knows the thoughts and deeds of men.
11. God will reward the good and punish the wicked.
12. The Messiah will come.
13. The dead will be resurrected.

GOD AND ISRAEL

The vision of a universal, singular God is arguably one of the greatest religious innovations of
the Jewish tradition among the world’s historic religious systems. Between 1500 and 500 BCE,
the Israelite people of the ancient Near East began to articulate a radical new understanding of
divinity. The ancient Hebrews were most likely “polytheistic,” believing in numerous deities
representing different forces of nature and serving various tribes and nations. Eventually,
however, early Hebrew visionaries and prophets began to speak boldly of one God as the
creator of all existence, a view we have come to call “monotheism.” Expressing the multivalent
nature of divinity as well as an insistence upon the oneness of God,early Hebrew authors gave

“YHWH’ by JudaisminIsrael.com
God names such as Elohim (“gods”), Adonai (“my lord”), YHWH is a four consonant word known
and the unpronounceable YHWH, from the same root as as Tetragrammaton which is believed to
the verb "to be," the etymological source of the name have been revealed by Moses, meaning;
“Jehovah”. “I am who am”

Through the visions and the voices of prophets, the God the Hebrews encountered was
all-powerful and benevolent, merciful and just. Rejecting the anthropomorphic tendency of the
time, the Hebrews did not represent God in any human form or earthly likeness, but as a universal
God, engaged in a lasting relationship with humankind through the instruments of revelation,
Torah, and a covenantal people, Israel. This emerging understanding of God would have
profound implications for the history of Western religion.

Geographical context, of course, was essential to the development of ancient Israelite

monotheism. Living in the land of Canaan, situated midway between the civilizations of
Mesopotamia and Egypt at the heart of the Fertile Crescent, the ancient Hebrews were exposed
to the religious cultures of multiple world powers. While Mesopotamian deities, represented in the
form of images, were numerous, Mesopotamian society was ordered by a permanent set of
laws—the Code of Hammurabi—and not subject to the capriciousness of their many gods.
Meanwhile, Egyptian religion posited an unchanging set of nature deities represented on earth by
a divine ruler, the Pharaoh. The Hebrews, originating in Mesopotamia and enslaved for
generations in Egypt, adopted elements of both world views. They rejected the idol worship of
Mesopotamian religion while preserving the rational and just organization of its society, and
rejected the human deification of the Egyptian Pharaoh while preserving the singularity of his rule:
God alone is sovereign. Through negotiating the polytheism and idolatry of religious cultures at
the time, the Hebrew concept of God drew in large part from the Israelites’ Near Eastern
neighbors.

Despite these continuities, there was something quite new in the Hebrews’ understanding of God.
Unlike the Mesopotamians or the Egyptians, the ancient Hebrews affirmed that their laws came
directly from God. For example, God’s gift of the Torah on Mount Sinai became pivotal in the
Hebrew people’s self-understanding. God was not an abstract concept or principle, but actively
involved in history through revelation and covenant. Throughout Jewish history, the common
thread has been God’s relationship with humanity. Every Jewish theological concept of God has
implications for the nature of human existence: God’s creation of the universe, including the
possibilities of good and evil, implies the existence of human free will and leads ultimately to a
belief in human freedom and dignity. At the same time, God’s covenant with the Jewish people
and involvement in human history implies that individuals and societies exist for a reason,
unfolding along a purposeful plan.

These themes, initially developed through oral literature, were soon compiled into the written
record of the Hebrew Scriptures. Jews today continue to pride themselves on the fact that the
"ethical monotheism" of Judaism is the basic building block of Western religion. The idea of one
God unites broad human communities historically, religiously, and culturally to the present day.

Who is a Jew?

A Jew is any person whose mother was a Jew or any

person who has gone through the formal process of
conversion to Judaism. Also, a person born to a Jewish
mother who is an atheist and never practices the Jewish
religion is still a Jew.

Most Jews follow the Matrilineal Descent to consider

someone as a Jew if one of the parents is not a Jew.

“A Jewish boy performing a Sabbath” by MyJewishLearning.com

Chapter Test: Answe the ff. Questions
below;
1. How many commandments were given
to Moses?
2. Known as the “Tetragrammaton”.
Jacob is the first “Israelite” while his ancestors
are called “Hebrews”. The child of the twelve
tribes of Israel are called “Jews” after the tribes
in Israel are consumed by the Juhdites(Tribe of
Judah).

Activity 1:

If you were to draw an image of God, what would it be and why? ;Draw it on the given space
below (Students are not forced to draw an image if they are strictly following the rules of the
commandments and are religous but, they must explain why they did not draw something on
the provided space bellow).
JUDAISM AND ITS
SELECTED ISSUES

Judaism, being the oldest monotheistic

religon, were marginalized because of
political and economic disadvantages
throughout history. Its concept of one God is
something new thus, making the life of every
Jew struggle with hardships and desperate
acts to survive.

Diaspora Community

Galut is the Hebrew word for “exile,” and

refers to the repeated exile of the Jewish
people from their homeland in Israel. Some
Jews have chosen to live outside Israel for
centuries; in ancient times they formed
communities in the Near East and eventually A Rohingya refugee boy desperate for aid cries as he
around the Mediterranean. But the Jewish climbs on a truck distributing aid for a local NGO near the
Balukali refugee camp
community has also been driven into exile by
force, notably to Babylonia (first after the fall of Jerusalem in 586 BCE and, later, in a far more
devastating move after the Romans' near-total destruction of Judea in 135 CE).

Exile in Babylonia gave rise to the first permanent Jewish community outside of Israel. Even
after periods of restoration, most Jews chose to remain behind in Babylonia, having obeyed the
instructions of the prophet Jeremiah, who advised the exiled community to “build houses and
live in them, plant gardens and eat their fruit, take wives and beget sons and daughters... and
seek the welfare of the city to which I have exiled you and pray to the Lord on its behalf”
(Jeremiah 29:5). The Jews assimilated into the culture in which they found themselves, while
maintaining their separate identity as Jews and their adherence to Jewish tradition and culture.
This interwoven pattern of assimilation and separatism would persist throughout the history of
the Diaspora, a Greek term coined specifically for the dispersion of Jews throughout the
Hellenistic (or “Greek-speaking”) world.

Following the Hellenistic conquest of Palestine in 323 BCE, Jews flocked to Ptolemaic Egypt,
especially the city of Alexandria, where a flourishing community would later produce the
Septuagint (the Torah translated into Greek). The Alexandrian Jewish philosopher Philo (25
BCE-40 CE) famously brought together much of Hellenistic and Jewish thought, lending a good
deal of influence to Western theology and philosophy.

By 70 CE, following the Roman destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem, Jewish
communities could be found throughout the civilized world. It is estimated that they constituted
as much as 10 percent of the Roman Empire, and up to 20 percent of its eastern half. Major
Jewish communities existed in Rome, Antioch (Syria), Ephesus (Turkey), and Sardis (Asia
Minor). Living in such widespread locales, Jews entered numerous occupations, including
farming and horse breeding, crafts and manufacturing, business and trade, civil administration
and the military. After the final defeat of Israel at the hands of the Romans in 135 CE, the pace
of emigration from Israel quickened, and Jews continued to establish new communities even
farther afield.

The communal structure of the early Diaspora set the pattern for later Jewish communities
elsewhere in the world: within sovereign states, larger Jewish communities often had their own
internal administration. In Poland, for example, Jewish communities were governed by a
quasi-autonomous body called the kehillah (“community”). Within sovereign cities, the Jewish
community was often assigned a separate status and occupied a special quarter. Hence, the
Jews of North Africa developed the communal district called a mellah, whereas the Jews of
Central Europe were compelled to live in a confined area called a ghetto, so named after the first
of its kind in sixteenth century Venice. Still later, the Jews of Eastern Europe created a new form
of community, a predominantly Jewish town called a shtetl. Echoes of these diverse communal
forms may be seen today in Jewish socio-political organizations and in the local ethnic
neighborhoods found throughout the world.

The communal expansion of the Diaspora also served to fragment world Jewry. Living apart in
diverse regions over many centuries, Jews have taken on a multiplicity of cultural and even racial
characteristics. Today, the most critical distinction is that between Sephardic and Ashkenazic
Jews, representing the two most historically significant communities. During the Middle Ages, the
largest Jewish community in the world was in Spain under Muslim rule, arguably a Golden Age of
Jewish life and freedom. This flourishing Jewish community was referred to by the Hebrew name
for Spain, Sepharad. At the same time, the Jewish communities of France and Germany were
developing a distinctive culture of their own in a community known as the Hebrew name for
Germany, Ashkenaz.

Following the Christian reconquest of Spain and the ultimate expulsion of its Jews in 1492,
Sephardic exiles spread throughout the port cities of the Mediterranean, Palestine, and northern
Europe. In this new Sephardic Diaspora, Jews often came into contact with their Ashkenazi
counterparts, also victims of expulsions and other forms of persecution. Both groups maintained
their own communities, strengthening their separate communal identities. Language was a key
factor in creating the separation: Sephardic Jews preserved their culture in the Judeo-Spanish
language of Ladino, while Ashkenazic Jews remained loyal to Judeo-German, or Yiddish. The
split between Sephardic and Ashkenazic Jewry has only begun to be blended in the melting pot
of the modern state of Israel, where Jews of various cultural and linguistic groups have begun to
merge into one Israeli Jewish society. The establishment of modern Israel has ended nearly
2,000 years of Jewish exile and genocide, although not without controversy of its own regarding
tensions with Palestinian peoples who lived for centuries on land that is now designated as
belonging to Israel.

ANTI-SEMETISM AND THE HOLOCAUST

Though external to the Jewish tradition, the phenomenon of antiSemitism is central to the Jewish
experience. In the early Diaspora, Jews' unusual monotheism, iconoclastic approach, and
communal coherence often evoked social tensions with neighbors in the ancient world. With the
rise of Christianity—first an offshoot of Judaism, then a more formal competitor in the Roman
world—anti-Jewish hostility was given strength through some interpretations of New Testament
writings, including the Gospels of John and Matthew (in John 19:15, for instance, the chief priests
and the Jews cry out for Christ’s crucifixion and in Matthew 27:25 the crowd calls for Christ’s death
saying, “His blood be on us and our children!”). Such writings, although unique to their own
context, authorship, and socio-political perspective, would lay the foundation for centuries of
negative stereotyping.

[1]The Holocaust as The Supreme Icon of Human Suffering and The Jews as The Most Victimised People in
History[2]Jewish woman chased by men and youth armed with clubs during the Lviv pogroms, July 1941, then
occupied Poland, now Ukraine[3]Bodies being pulled out of a death train carrying Romanian Jews from the Iași
pogrom
 The synagogue in Siegen burning, 10
November 1938.[2] Antisemitic
Platform from Wikipedia

The image of the Jew as a traitorous sinner and killer of Christ was later embellished with
ethnocentric and racist accusations of Jewish economic exploitation, well-poisoning, child-killing,
sexual depredation, conspiring for world domination, and other heinous claims.

The equating of Jews with evil practices continued through the European Enlightenment and the
post-Emancipation period. In response to the civil equality granted the Jews, anti-Jewish
reactionaries questioned the wisdom of opening the doors of society to such a non-assimilated
community; they accused the Jews of disloyalty and of creating a state within the state. How to
incorporate the Jews into the modern state, or whether to do so at all, became the “Jewish
question” of nineteenth-century European politics. Toward the end of the century, a new political
movement gave an extreme answer: the Jews must be eliminated from society. This movement
was termed anti-Semitism, influenced in its most extreme form by pseudoscientific theories of race
and eugenics which labeled Jews the inferior “Semitic” race. The movement reached a climax at
the end of the nineteenth century with the Dreyfus Affair in France and the publication of The
Protocols of the Elders of Zion, a Russian forgery circulated as the minutes of a meeting in which
Jews conspired to take over the world. Though anti-Semitic fervor declined for a time at the
beginning of the twentieth century, anti-Semitism would soon return with greater force.

The defeat of Germany in World War I and resulting submission at Versailles created a degraded
German economy and struggling society. Anti-Semites in Germany soon began to lay the weight of
these plights at the feet of the German Jewish community. These accusations quickly built the
foundations of the anti-Semitic National Socialist German Workers’ Party, abbreviated in German
to “Nazi.” Led by Adolf Hitler and quickly rising to assert control over German politics and law, the
Nazis’ anti-Semitic bigotry and ultraconservative fascism raised the stakes of anti-Semitism higher
than ever before, producing the most horrifying results. Throughout their history, Jews had suffered
periodic persecutions, expulsions, and even massacres, but nothing could prepare them for the
Nazi onslaught.

During the 1930s the new German regime enacted a series of debilitating anti-Jewish laws,
essentially revoking the European emancipation of the previous century. On November 9-10, 1938,
hundreds of synagogues and Jewish stores were destroyed by German mobs in a rampage that
came to be called Kristallnacht, the “Night of Broken Glass.” Following their invasion of Poland, the
Nazis began the systematic destruction of European Jewry, first through imprisonment in ghettos
that led to widespread starvation and disease, then through mass shootings and gassings, and
finally through the construction of death camps throughout German territory in Europe. In the end,
over six million Jews were killed, roughly two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe or one out
of every three Jews in the world. In Poland and Lithuania, where centuries of Jewish life and
culture came to an abrupt end, 90 percent of the Jewish community was killed. The enormity of the
genocide is expressed in English as the Holocaust (from a Greek word meaning “all-burned”) and
in Hebrew as the Shoah (“catastrophe”). While many economic, social, and political factors
influenced the rise of the Nazi party and the widespread genocide of the Holocaust, European
anti-Semitism played a key role. Jews today continue to live with anti-Semitism and the Holocaust,
which has reached a central place in Jewish history and belief. To the biblical commandment “Thou
shalt have no other God before you” (Exodus 20:2), many Jews have added another: “Never
forget.” Jewish scholars have reevaluated the Jewish relationship to God, Torah, and Israel in light
of the modern experience. Historians of Judaism and European history have written countless
texts and arguments interpreting the Holocaust. Jewish community leaders and politicians are
vigilant in fighting contemporary manifestations of anti-Semitism, so that such a cataclysm will
never happen again. Even non-Jewish social activists apply the lessons of the Holocaust to other
cases of inhumanity in the world today. And countless Jewish homes and synagogues balance
remembrance of the Holocaust with the joy and celebration of building a renewed spiritual life
around the rich customs and traditions of the Jewish community.

The wounds of the Holocaust–known in Hebrew as Shoah, or catastrophe–were slow to heal.

Survivors of the camps found it nearly impossible to return home, as in many cases they had lost
their families and been denounced by their non-Jewish neighbors. As a result, the late 1940s saw
an unprecedented number of refugees, POWs and other displaced populations moving across
Europe. In an effort to punish the villains of the Holocaust, the Allies held the Nuremberg Trials of
1945-46, which brought Nazi atrocities to horrifying light. Increasing pressure on the Allied powers
to create a homeland for Jewish survivors of the Holocaust would lead to a mandate for the
creation of Israel in 1948.

Over the decades that followed, ordinary Germans struggled with the Holocaust’s bitter legacy, as
survivors and the families of victims sought restitution of wealth and property confiscated during
the Nazi years. Beginning in 1953, the German government made payments to individual Jews
and to the Jewish people as a way of acknowledging the German people’s responsibility for the
crimes committed in their name.

Adolf Hitler during the World War II forced the Jews to wear a yellow Star of David as a 'badge of
shame'. The star was yellow, as the color was associated with the supposedly negative and
stigmatizing way of the Jews. However, this yellow star of shame was later converted into a blue
star of honor, and is also seen fluttering on the Israeli national flag as a sign of hope and protection
for every Jew.

ISRAEL AND ZIONISM

The Jewish tradition of peoplehood, in combination with the age-old yearning to return to Zion,
have produced the modern ideological movement of Jewish nationalism: Zionism. Its great
achievement has been the establishment of a modern Jewish state in Israel. Zion (the ancient
Hebrew name for the holy mountain top in Jerusalem) came to symbolize the cherished homeland
of Israel, and Zionism became the modern coinage for the new politics of Jewish national revival.
Indeed, for many Jews the modern rebirth of Israel is the fulfillment of centuries of remembrance.
We see this remembrance expressed in Psalm 137:

“Independence Day in Israel” By SpiritualRayStaff

 By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when
we remembered Zion. On the willows there, we hung up our
lyres. For there our captors required of us songs, and our
tormentors, mirth, saying, 'sing us one of the songs of Zion!'

How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget

you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand wither! Let my tongue
cleave to the roof of my mouth if I do not remember you, if I do
not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!
“Image of Mt.Zion” by SpiritualRayStaff

Every year, the ritual Passover seder concludes with the acclamation, “Next year in Jerusalem!”
Throughout Jewish history, the overwhelming majority of the global Jewish community has lived in the
Diaspora, but Jews from around the world have made pilgrimages to Israel, and there has always been
some Jewish presence in the land of Israel. As a religious movement, Zionism emerged from traditional
Jewish commitments and religious passions. As a modern political ideology, Zionism can be described
as the secularization of the religious value of Jewish peoplehood.

The birth of “Political Zionism” is often dated to the 1896 publication of playwright and journalist
Theodore Herzl’s Der Judenstaat ("The Jewish State"). An assimilated Austrian Jew, Herzl was
shocked into recognizing the Jewish problem in Europe by the anti-Semitic Dreyfus Affair, which saw
French army captain Henry Dreyfus, a nominal Jew, tried and imprisoned in 1894 for selling French
military secrets to the Germans, even though it became clear he was convicted on “evidence” of a
forged document. Herzl’s timely manifesto motivated the convening of the First Zionist Congress in
Basel, Switzerland, in 1897. Subsequently, several waves of Jewish immigration to Palestine
succeeded in creating a societal infrastructure of settlements there. The youthful immigrants included
many pioneers of the Labor Zionist wing of the movement, who hoped to establish a new Jewish utopia
based on communitarian and socialist ideals. These founders of the state were the predecessors of
contemporary Israel’s Labor Party and other leftwing groups. Opposed to them were the more
nationalistic and militarist Revisionists, predecessors of the modern right-wing Likud party.

Britain’s Balfour Declaration of 1917 gave Jews the world over hope for a state of their own. The British
promise of statehood set off a renewed burst of Jewish immigration and political activity, arousing the
resentment and opposition of the native Arab population. Fearing greater hostility, the British
government began to restrict Jewish immigration. The cause of Zionism then became the fight to
subvert the British through illegal immigration and other underground activity. As anti-Semitism
escalated in Europe through the 1930s, the cause took on an ever greater sense of urgency.

In the years following the end of World War II, a series of dramatic political and military events led to the
establishment of Israel: the United Nations partition plan of November 1947, the outbreak of the first
Arab-Israeli war and Israel’s victory, the Declaration of Independence of the new state on May 14, 1948,
and the United Nations’ vote of recognition in 1949. Yet these were only the highlight acts of a much
greater Jewish moment.

The establishment of Israel was more than a political event; it was a cultural watershed. One of the
great achievements of the Zionist movement was the regeneration of the Hebrew language. For
centuries, Hebrew had been preserved only as the classical language of the scriptures and the liturgy
(siddur). Its revival as a modern, spoken language was a significant achievement. When the exiles
gathered in their newly established state, Jews from many nations found a common culture and a
common language in place to welcome them. The establishment of Israel had at long last created a
haven for Jews in danger. Holocaust survivors, Jews from Arab countries, Soviet Jews, Ethiopian Jews,
and many other refugees found both safety and unity in the new homeland. Moreover, the creation of a
modern Jewish state re-established the reciprocal relationship between the Diaspora and Israel that
had existed in ancient times.
 “Israel-Palestine War flag mock-up” by DevianArt.

ISRAEL-PALESTINE WAR

The establishment of Israel was more than a political event; it was a Cultural watershed. One of
the great achievements of the Zionist movement was the regeneration of the Hebrew language.
For centuries, Hebrew had been preserved only as the classical language of the scriptures and
the liturgy (siddur). Its revival as a modern, spoken language was a significant achievement.
When the exiles gathered in their newly established state, Jews from many nations found a
common culture and a common language in place to welcome them. The establishment of
Israel had at long last created a haven for Jews in danger. Holocaust survivors, Jews from Arab
countries, Soviet Jews, Ethiopian Jews, and many other refugees found both safety and unity in
the new homeland. Moreover, the creation of a modern Jewish state re-established the
reciprocal relationship between the Diaspora and Israel that had existed in ancient times.

The creation of the State of Israel on May 14, 1948, triggered an invasion by the neighbouring
Arab countries that was soundly defeated by the Israeli army. By the time armistice agreements
were signed in 1949, Israel held more land than had been allotted to it under the UN partition
plan. About 800,000 Arabs had also fled or been expelled from the area that became Israel.
Thus, 50 years after the first Zionist congress and 30 years after the Balfour Declaration,
Zionism achieved its aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, but at the same time, it
became an armed camp surrounded by hostile Arab nations, and Palestinian organizations
engaged in terrorism in and outside Israel.

Arabs and Palestinians generally oppose Zionism, as the explicitly Jewish character of the
Israeli state means that Jews have privileges that others don't. For instance, any Jew anywhere
in the world can become an Israeli citizen, a right not extended to any other class of person.
Arabs, then, often see Zionism as a species of colonialism and racism aimed at appropriating
Palestinian land and systematically disenfranchising the Palestinians that remain.Arabs who
already lived there and in neighbouring countries felt that was unfair and didn't accept the new
country.

“A boy carrying his unable sister” by GazaHeadlines. [2] An Israeli Soldier praying for peace” by IsraelWriter.com
A complicating factor in identifying contemporary
representations anti-Semitism, however, is that some
people (Jews and non-Jews alike) readily associate
criticism of Israel’s policies regarding Palestine with
anti-Semitism while other Jews and non-Jews
vigorously challenge that assessment and assert that
Israel (like other nation states) must be held
accountable for alleged human rights violations.
Sadly, what is beyond dispute is that the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict is exacerbating tensions
across the globe as communities, factions, and nation
states declare allegiances in this longstanding and
seemingly intractable struggle that cannot be
divorced from the long history of anti-Semitism and
the complex consequences of colonialism

WOMEN IN JUDAISM “Newspaper in Palestine during the establishment

of Israel” by BBCreligions.coma

Women’s role in the Jewish religion is determined by the Tanakh, the “Oral Torah,” and Jewish
customs. Mishnah instructs that women must follow nearly all the negative commandments
except trimming the beard and viewing a dead body. Women must also follow all positive
commandments not structured by time but are exempted from those that are restricted by time.
The reason here is quite simple, that is, to release women from laws that they find difficult or
impossible to perform given their traditional domestic roles, such as giving birth, taking care of
the family, and accomplishing household chores. In addition, women have the right to be
consulted on matters concerning marriage. Judaism offers tremendous respect to roles given to
women as wives and mothers. Even Jewishness or the question of Jewish self-identification is
passed down through the mother.

For Orthodox Judaism, there exist different roles for men and women in their religious lives. For
example, it is sufficient for any woman to understand the practical nature of the Torah, but she is
traditionally excused from furthering her education beyond that knowledge. In addition, she is
dissuaded from studying the Talmud and other complex Jewish writings up until the twentieth
century. However, provision for education for Jewish women has progressed rapidly in the past
century. One interesting phenomenon in Judaism is the concept of agunot or married women
who wish to divorce their husbands but whose husbands decline to do so. In Orthodox Judaism,
only the husbands are given this privilege.

Meanwhile, Conservative Judaism has acted upon several areas that enable women to actively
participate in Jewish rituals thereby minimizing legal disparity between men and women. For
example, women can now read the Torah in public and be counted as part of a minyan.

Lastly, Reform Judaism affirms that men and women should be equal in terms of performing their
duties within the Jewish community. Prayer books have been revised in order to avoid words and
pronouns that appear male in character. Jewish patriarchs and matriarchs must be

“Community of Jewish Women” by MyJewishLearning.com

placed side by side whenever they are mentioned in prayer books. While men and women generally
sit separately in most synagogues, Reform Judaism has allowed women to sit together with men.

It is also worth mentioning that in Judaism, God is neither male nor female. The Talmud likewise
mentions both positive and negative remarks about women. The presence of women in the Hebrew
Bible is also noticeable. For example, Miriam, the elder sister of Moses and Aaron, is considered
one of the liberators of the children of Israel. In addition, Deborah, being one of the judges, is the
only female judge mentioned in the Bible. Finally, seven out of the 55 prophets of the Bible were
women, namely, Sarah, Miriam, Deborah, Hannah, Abigail, Huldah, and Esther. Numerous feminist
leaders of the twentieth century are also Jewish, including the two American activists Gloria Marie
Steinem and Betty Friedan. Respect to women has always been part of the Jewish culture.

Chapter Test: True or False

Identify if the following statements wether it is TRUE or FALSE. If, the statement is false, right
the word/s that would make the statement correct.

1.____________ Adolf Hitler is a french president who initiated the Holocaust during the World
War II.

2.____________The establishment of the State of Israel in 1947 caused a turmoil in the

neighboring Arab countries.

3.____________ Germans where persecuted and gassed during the Holocaust.

4.____________Anti-semitism is the discrimination amongst Jews.

5.____________Jewish communities in Poland are governed by the Kabalah.

6.____________Zionism is Italy’s national ideology.

7.____________” Answer to the Jewish Question” is a movement that caused extreme

anti-semitic treatment amongst the members of the Jewish community.

8.___________Genocide is the mass onslaught of Jews in Europe.

9.___________ Adolf Hitler, during the Holocaust, forced Jews to wear a yellow of Star of David
which means the “Badge of Greatness”.

10.__________50 years after the first Zionist congress and 30 years after the Balfour
Declaration, Zionism achieved its aim of establishing a Jewish state in Palestine, but at the same
time, it became an armed camp surrounded by hostile Arab nations, and Palestinian
organizations engaged in terrorism in and outside Israel.
 “Concert in Israel” by James Eruelsson

SUBDIVISIONS

Religion in itself was founded to draw one closer to God. It is a faith that is instilled within us
since the time we are born. But the differences in human ideologies led to differences in
opinions, which also got reflected in the practice of religion. Thus, came up many branches of
religion, which we know as sects/ denominations.

Being one of the oldest religions in the world, Judaism has undergone various changes in
response to changing times and cultures brought about by key historical events or philosophical
upheavals. While there are certain beliefs shared by most adherents, differences and diversity in
faith also abound among Jewish denominations and sects. Within Judaism are three presentday
movements that emerged in response to the modern and secular culture of Europe and America.
These are Reform, Orthodox, and Conservative Judaism. Two other smaller sects, namely
Hasidism and Kabbalah, are mystical approaches to the Jewish religion that emphasize spiritual
experiences over rational knowledge.

Kabbalah and Hasidism

Kabbalah is the term for the mystical tradition within Judaism. Mysticism may be broadly defined
as an experiential, spiritual endeavor to encounter and invoke God in this world. Kabbalah also
has a more specific meaning in Jewish history: it is an esoteric Jewish subculture running within
and among the mainstream cultures of rabbinic Judaism, medieval Jewish philosophy, and
modern rationalism. Kabbalah is primarily a mystical method of reading Jewish texts and
practicing Jewish law, but Kabbalah also contains a messianic thread, incorporating the idea of a
salvific God and a messiah figure. Messianism has existed as a religious subculture from the
early rabbinic period and given rise to numerous messianic movements; messianic spirituality
has remained a stream of Jewish tradition ever
since.

Although Kabbalah’s mystic tradition reaches

back as far as the early rabbinic period,
Kabbalah’s central book, The Zohar, was
written by Moses de Leon of Castille, Spain in
1286. After the end of the Golden Age of
Spanish Jewry and the tragic expulsion of the
Jews from Spain in 1492, many Jews sought an
explanation for their suffering in The Zohar,
bringing Kabbalah to a new level of popularity.

The Shefa Tal or "Priestly Blessing," with references to

Kabbalah, Wikimedia Commons.
In the late eighteenth century, Hasidism was founded in Eastern Europe partially as a response
to earlier forms of Kabbalah. The founder of the movement, Israel Baal Shem Tov (“master of the
good name”), was an itinerant preacher and mystic who reinterpreted earlier, more radical
representations. The Baal Shem Tov and his disciples created a new Jewish religious culture in
which prayerful communion was exalted over talmudic study, spiritual intention over ritual detail,
and joy over melancholy. Hasidism, from the Hebrew word hasid (“pious follower”), was a
movement of the common folk, stressing populism and social welfare at a time when the official
Eastern European Jewish community, the kehillah, was corrupt and declining. The Hasidic
community was headed by a new type of rabbinic leader, the tzaddik or rebbe, who led by
personal example, storytelling, and moral authority. Certain Hasidic leaders, such as the late
Lubavitcher Rebbe (1902-1994), are claimed by some of their followers to be the messiah.

The mystical tendency in Judaism continues to resist the rationalist bias of modernity, with the
perseverance of Hasidism today and recent resurgences of Jewish spirituality. The messianic
aspect of the kabbalistic tradition has become part of modern Jewish life through the deep
conviction that history, exile, and personhood has meaning and direction. For example, for some,
contemporary Judaism’s relationship with Israel is viewed as representing a fulfillment of
messianic hope. Taken together, the kabbalistic idea of tikkun olam (repairing the broken
elements of holiness in the world) finds its modern voice in Jewish movements of political,
economic, and social change. Due in part to the influence of these mystical and messianic
traditions, Jews joined cultural revolutionary movements of the nineteenth century in force.
Today, many of the modern-day radicals who have attempted to fix the world have been Jews,
from Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky to Emma Goldman and Abby Hoffman.

Orthodox Judaism

The most traditional of modern Judaism that

adheres to the authority of the entire Torah as
given to Moses by God at Mount Sinai. The
Torah is the sole authority that must be strictly
followed until the present time. As it considers
itself the sole and genuine heir to the Jewish
tradition, it rejects all other Jewish movements
as undesirable deviations from the original
Jewish religion.

Orthodox Jews believe that they are the closest

to the first Jews, since they follow the legacy
thoroughly.

CONSERVATIVE JUDAISM
“Old Jewish men reading the Torah” by JudaismGallery.net

Largely developed in the 20th century, Conservative Judaism seeks to conserve the traditional
elements of Judaism while at the same time allowing for modernization that is less radical than
Reform Judaism. The application of new historical methods of study in the light of contemporary
knowledge but within the limits of Jewish law may be applied to safeguard Jewish traditions.
Gradual change in law and practice is allowed only if such occurrence is in harmony with Jewish
traditions. Because Conservative Judaism falls halfway between the two other major Jewish
denominations, it is sometimes described as traditional Judaism without fundamentalism.
 “Torah Scroll” by SpiritualRayStaff
REFORM JUDAISM

By the modern period, ideological syncretism became the norm for Jewish laity and scholars
Hence a new movement was born for the improvement of the Jews: the Haskalah (“the Jewish
Enlightenment”). Centered in Berlin and fathered by the German-Jewish philosopher Moses
Mendelssohn, the Haskalah was one of the first important movements of Jewish modernity. While
preserving the essentials of Judaism, it sought to change the public image of the Jew through
secular education. Its motto, “Be a Jew at home and a German in the street,” became the
underlying ethos of modern Jewish acculturation. Out of the Berlin Haskalah emerged the
academic group Wissenschaft des Judentums (“the science of Judaism”), which hoped to improve
the image of Judaism through scientific research and objective analysis of Jewish sources. The
Wissenschaft movement was the fountainhead of all contemporary academic Jewish studies. The
Haskalah and Wissenschaft movements soon altered the nature of Judaism itself, and a third
movement was born: Reform Judaism..

Reform Judaism originated in Germany in the early nineteenth century and has served as the
foundation for many subsequent Jewish responses to modernity. In Hamburg in 1818, a group of
reform-minded Jews started a synagogue which they called a temple, a name once reserved for
the Temple in Jerusalem in the expectation of return, but now applied to a place of worship in
Germany where Jews had put down roots as citizens. By mid-century, the Reform movement
gained the leadership of more radical German Jews like Rabbi Abraham Geiger and Rabbi Samuel
Holdheim.

It is considered the most liberal expression

of Judaism that subjects religious laws and
customs to human judgment. To a certain
extent, it developed due to internal changes
in Judaism as well as other factors
operating within society. Members of this
denomination sought to adhere to the
original teachings of Judaism while allowing
some changes in their traditions. For
example, services were permitted to be
conducted in mixed Hebrew and English, no
longer conducted solely in the Hebrew
language. Moreover, women were also
accorded equality in terms of sitting
together with men in synagogues and
allowing them to become rabbis unlike in
other denominations.
[1][2]“Jewish community” by MyJewishLearning
 Activity: Guess me!

Identify the terms that are being described in the statement.

_____________1. A branch of Judaism the observes Jewish tradition strictly.

_____________2. It is either a form of of Reform Judaism and Traditional ( Orthodox)

Judaism.

_____________3. A movement of the common folk, stressing populism and social welfare
at a time when the official Eastern European Jewish community, the kehillah, was corrupt
and declining.

WORSHIP AND OBSERVANCES

Jews were persecuted in the past centuries, even until now, Jewish practitioners are experiencing
the antisemitic treatment of the non-Jewish community. Which in return affects the growing
population of the Jews because, not all Jews admits that they are a Jew, only to escape the
continuing discrimination amongst Jews.

Perhaps it is because of the few followers of this faith today, that the Jews give a lot of importance
to their culture and customs, cherishing and preserving their heritage in all ways possible. Their
life is governed by the commandments of God that are inscribed in the Torah, a sacred scroll that
forms the primary basis of their religious teachings.

The Jewish community utilizes a lunar calendar with twelve months, each beginning at the new
moon of 29 or 30 days. Every festival and Sabbath commences and terminates at dusk (or
sunset) rather than midnight in adherence to the biblical pattern. The Jewish calendar is followed
in observance of festivities, holidays, and community and family celebrations (Brasswell 1994).
Jewish holidays are special days observed to commemorate key events in Jewish history and
other events that depict the special connections with the world, such as creation, revelation, and
redemption.

“Jewish boy reading the Torah” by SpiritualRayStaff

Shabbat (Day of Rest)

The most important day in the Jewish calendar is

the Sabbath (or Shabbat) which commemorates
God’s completion of the creation of the universe and
his rest after the six-day toil (Parrinder 1971). This is
the fourth law within the Ten Commandments. It is
observed from Friday evening till the appearance of
three stars on Saturday night, almost 25 hours to be
precise. At Friday sundown, Sabbath candles are
lighted and kiddush (“sanctification”) is recited over
wine or grape juice and two loaves of challah, a
braided Jewish bread. Children are then blessed by
their parents. Jews must abstain from work and
must study the Torah. Some work prohibitions
include lighting fires, using money, and writing. The
Sabbath ends through the symbolic ritual of
havdalah (“division”) done by dousing wine on
candles and smelling sweet spices.

The Days of Awe

Tishri is the seventh month in the ecclesiastical year of the Jewish calendar. The first ten days of
Tishri are called the “Days of Awe” (Yamim Noraim) wherein the first two days comprise the New
Year (Rosh Hashanah) and the tenth day as the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Rosh
Hashanah marks the start of the ten-day period of penitence leading to the Yom Kippur and is
distinguished from other days by blowing a ram’s horn trumpet (shofar) in the synagogue and
eating apples dipped in honey which is symbolic for a sweet new year. Using the shofar, a total of
one hundred notes are sounded 56 Abrahamic Religions each day. All Jews must undergo
self-reflection and make amends for all the sins they have committed. Rosh Hashanah is also a
day of judgement wherein God assesses one’s deeds and decides what lies ahead of him or her
in the following year. These deeds are recorded in the “Book of Life” and sealed on Yom Kippur.
Work is not permitted during the Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Rosh Hashanah’s biblical
name is Yom Teruah which means “ Day of Shouting”.

Yom Kippur is the most sacred and solemn day in the Jewish calendar that brings the period of
repentance to its conclusion. The eve of the day is called Kol Nidrei (“all vows”) which are the
opening words of a prayer. The words and music of the Kol Nidrei are said to be the most
powerful single item in the Jewish liturgy. A day of fasting and praying for absolution of one’s sins,
it provides every Jew an opportunity for both personal and communal repentance (Parrinder
1971). One must also refrain from eating and drinking, even water. Additional restrictions include
washing and bathing, using perfumes, wearing leather shoes, and engaging in sexual relations.
Symbolizing purity, it is customary for the Jews to wear white during the holiday. An entire day
must be spent in the synagogue while reciting prayers. Another blowing of the ram’s horn ends
the final prayer service.

“[1]ShabbathMeal[2]RoshHashanahMeal[3]RoshHashanahCelebration[4]BlowingofShofar[5]YomKippurMass” by SpiritualRayStaff
Pilgrimage Festivals

During the olden days, the Torah commanded the

ancient Israelites to go to Jerusalem on three
pilgrimage festivals and participate in the worship at
the Temple. Also called the Shalosh Regalim, these
are Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Weeks or
Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles). These festivals
spiritualize human life and merge nature and history in
a divine pattern (Jurji 1946).
Pesach sometimes called the festival of the unleavened bread, is celebrated to commemorate the
liberation of the Children of Israel who were led out of slavery in Egypt by Moses. A spring holiday
commemorating The Exodus, one of the most important in the history of Judaism and an important
foundation of all Jewish beliefs.

It is a major eight day festival. A highlight is the Seder meal held in each family's home at the
beginning of the festival, when the story of their deliverance is recounted as narrated in the
Haggadah (the Telling, the Story). Matzah (unleavened bread) is eaten throughout the festival, as
are other foods that contain no leaven. There is a great spring cleaning in the home before the
festival to ensure that no trace of leaven is left in the home during Pesach.

Shavuot is a two-day festival that was originally a celebration of the wheat harvest. Presently, it is
now being held to commemorate the revelation of the Torah to Moses at Mount Sinai.

Sukkot is a nine-day festival commemorating the autumn harvest and the forty years of the
Israelites’ stay in the desert wilderness subsisting solely on the bounty of God. Temporary booths or
structures (sukkah) are built in homes with a roof through which one can see the stars in the sky.
This is an attempt to recreate Israelite life in the desert.

Hanukkah ( The Festival of Lights )

is as an eight-day festival celebrated in memory

of the re-dedication of the second holy temple in
Jerusalem. It was first celebrated after the
Maccabean Revolt (167 - 160 B.C.) wherein the
Jews won against the three generals of
Alexander the Great(Seleucid Empire) who
reigned the land of the West and South west
Asia ( Middle East).

A single candle is lit on the first day, two on the

second, and so on till the eight day. A
nine-branched Menorah is lit on the eight day;
the ninth(Shamash) is used to light all other
candles.

Yom Hashoah

is a day set aside for Jews to remember the

Holocaust wherein over six million Jews were
died because of mass genocide led by Nazi’s
and German president, Adolf Hitler.

“[1]PesachMeal[2]LightingaMenorah[3]YomHasoahCommemoration” by MyJewishLearning.com”
 “JewishCuisine” by MyJewishLearning

DIETARY LAW

This is the law of Kahrut that conforms the Jewish Dietary law wherein those who keep Kosher
“proper” will have an opportunity to keep obidience from God and preserve Jewish identity and
unity.

Not all Jews obey the dietary laws, or "keep kosher"; sometimes their observance depends on
what denomination of Judaism they belong to. Most Reform Jews consider the laws of kashrut
to be an outdated ritual and ignore them completely. Others keep kosher at home, but not while
dining out or at someone else's home. Orthodox Jews fully obey the laws of kashrut, believing
that they are divine laws for all time and all places. Conservative Jews tend to keep kosher
consistently as well, although their rules of kashrut are slightly less strict than those of Orthodox
Jews.

According to the Law of Kashrut, all fruits, vegetables and grains are permissible, with the
exception of grape products. Due to laws against eating or drinking anything offered to idols,
and the fact that wine was often made for pagan offerings and celebrations, all wine and grape
juice that is not made under Jewish supervision is prohibited.

Only animals that chew their cud and have cloven hooves are kosher. Thus beef, sheep, lamb,
goats and deer may be eaten, while pork, camel and rabbits may not. These restrictions include
the flesh, organs, milk and any by-products. Thus gelatin, which is usually made from horse
hooves, is trayf (non-kosher), as are most hard cheeses, which are processed using an enzyme
from the stomach lining of non-kosher animals.

Only domesticated fowl such as chicken, turkey, quail and geese may be eaten. Birds of prey
and scavenger birds, such as eagles, hawks and vultures, are prohibited.

Only seafood with fins and scales are kosher. This rules out calimari and octopus and all
shellfish, such as crab, lobster, clams.

Meat and dairy products may not be combined or eaten at the same meal. Although the Torah
merely prohibits boiling a goat in its mother's milk the Talmud interprets this as forbidding meat
and dairy to be eaten together. However, fish with dairy or eggs with dairy are permitted.
Halakha

Because Judaism is also a comprehensive way of life, Jewish people follow a set of rules and
practices that govern their everyday living. Collectively called halakha which translates as “the
path that one walks,” these are Jewish religious laws derived from the “Written Torah” and “Oral
Torah” including the 613 mitzvot. Jewish laws contain directions on how to revere God and treat
other people and animals. Halakha instructs Jews what to do as they wake up in the morning,
what foods to eat, what clothes to wear, who to marry, and how to observe Sabbath and holy
days. When properly observed, halakha increases one’s spirituality as even mundane acts
become essential to his or her existence.

Synagogues

Synagogues are Jewish temples of worship,

instruction, and community fellowship that contain
separate rooms designed for specific activities, such
as praying and studying. In Orthodox Judaism, men
and women sit separately at the synagogues; in
Reform Judaism, they sit altogether in temples.

Similar to a Christian church, synagogues have seats facing an elevated platform with one or
two lecterns or chair. The central feature at the platform (bimah or tebah) and the holiest spot
inside a synagogue is the ark where the Torah scrolls are kept. Reminiscent of the original Ark
of the Covenant, an ark inside a temple is normally placed in a manner that when people face
the ark, they are facing in the direction of Jerusalem. An ornate curtain (parochet) veils the ark
while a lamp or lantern (ner tamid) burns before it symbolizing the constantly lit six-branched
lampstand (menorah) in the Temple of Jerusalem (Braswell 1994).

While a Jewish layman may lead a prayer service during Sabbath if there are 10 adult males
present (minyan), the religious leader is oftentimes a trained rabbi. He delivers sermon and
interprets the Torah. The rabbi serves as a pastor, administrator, and counselor.

The Temple

Around 1003 B.C.E., David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital. It was during his reign
that was considered the “Golden Age of Judaism”. Bringing with him the “Ark of the Covenant,”
David intended to build a temple to become the first and fixed place of worship for the Jews.
However, God told David that it would be one of his sons who will have the privilege of
accomplishing this task.

The Hebrew Bible acknowledged Solomon, David’s son, as the builder of the First Temple in
Jerusalem around 1000 B.C.E. which was also known as Solomon’s Temple. Within the temple,
the most important room was the “Holy of Holies” where the Ark of the Covenant was kept. The
ark contained the tablets of the Ten Commandments and the Pentateuch. The First Temple
became the focus of Jewish worship for four hundred years until Nebuchadnezzar II and the
Babylonians completely destroyed the structure in 587 B.C.E during the siege of Jerusalem.
Allegedly located in Temple Mount or Mount Zion, the remains of the First Temple have never
been found and the “Ark of the Covenant” has continually been shrouded in mystery.
In 353 B.C.E., the Jews began to rebuild
their temple under the Persian king
Darius who ratified their effort. The
Second Temple was completed in 349
B.C.E. and was substantially altered
under Herod around 20 B.C.E. (Douglas
2007). This Second Temple lasted for
about 420 years until the Romans razed
Jerusalem in 70 C.E. All but a portion in
the western section was completely
destroyed. Presently, this is the famous
“Western Wall” (“Wailing Wall” or Kotel)
that has been a popular site of prayer
and pilgrimage for the Jews throughout
many centuries.

For Orthodox and Conservative Judaism

a Third Temple will be established before the coming of the messiah. Prophesized in the Book of
Ezekiel, it will be known as “Ezekiel’s Temple” that will become a lasting structure and serve as
permanent abode of the God of Israel. The concept of messiah or mashiach (“anointed one”) in
Judaism pertains to a great political human leader descended from David who shall accomplish
prearranged things in the coming future, such as bringing of Jews to Israel, rebuilding a new temple
in Jerusalem, and establishing Jewish law as the law of the land (Jurji 1946).
[1] Synagogue[2]Inside the Synagogue[3]TheArk[4]JewishTemple by Wikipedia

ACTIVITY: ART is Fun.

Design your on Jewish place of worship and explain its significant design that could make
praying more peaceful and intricate.
JEWISH RITES OF PASSAGE
The lifetime of each Jew is marked by joyful or sad ceremonies marking moments of transition
from one status to another. Some of these ceremonies find an echo in the synagogue and the
wider community, but their primary focus is generally within the home.

The Jewish home is built upon the institution of marriage. It is considered a binding obligation
to ‘be fruitful and multiply’, which is said to be the first commandment uttered by God to
mankind ; but marriage is also praised as conferring joy, love and harmony.
Both the institution and its ceremonies have
evolved over the centuries. In the West, under
Christian influence, there is a certain tendency for
marriages to be performed in synagogue with a
rabbi officiating and delivering an address, and with
bridesmaids and a best man. Traditionally,
however, the couple marry each other with no need
of an officiant, and the ceremony may take place at
home or even in the open air. It is performed under
a canopy known as a huppah, and the term huppah
has come to be used of the marriage itself. There
are many variations in the details, but the following
account, based on the Orthodox marriage
ceremony, includes the most widely followed
practices
A marriage document or ketubah is first drawn up and witnessed, stating the date and place
and recording the husband’s acceptance of his obligations towards his wife, and the amount
that he will pay her if he divorces her. It includes these words: ‘I faithfully promise that I will be
a true husband to you, I will honour and cherish you, I will work for you, I will protect and
support you, and will provide everything that is necessary for your due sustenance, as it is
fitting for a Jewish husband to do.’ (Reform Judaism favours a reciprocal marriage ceremony
and an egalitarian ketubah.) This legal document, traditionally drawn up in Aramaic, is
sometimes richly illuminated. It is signed by two witnesses. Without a ketubah it is not strictly
legal for husband and wife to live together.

Marriage is an occasion for rejoicing, but it is also a solemn moment for the bride and
bridegroom, and they are supposed to fast from dawn until the end of the ceremony. Mindful of
the serious responsibilities they are undertaking, when they say their prayers they include a
confession of sins and some penitential passages. It used to be customary for the bridegroom
to wear for the first time during the ceremony the kittel, the death-robe which he would put on
each year at the Passover seder and the Day of Atonement, and in which he would be buried:
this shroud was a gift from his bride. ‘It is truly a unique wedding gift. It serves to remind us that
in the midst of life we are near death.

[1]BabyBoy by Pinterest [2] BabyGirl by Pinterest [3] Bat Mitzvah [4] Jewish Marriage by google.com
The bride and bridegroom are escorted to the huppah by their parents, who stand under the
huppah with them, the bride and groom facing towards the east. The ensuing ceremony is in two
parts, representing two stages which in ancient times were completely separate, the betrothal
(erusin or kiddushin) and the marriage proper (nisuin). After some opening songs and prayers,
the officiant says the blessing over wine and then recites the benediction for betrothal. The bride
and groom sip the wine,and the groom places a ring on the bride’s right forefinger, saying:
‘Behold, you are betrothed to me by this ring according to the law of Moses and Israel.’ (In
egalitarian marriages there is an exchange of rings.) The ketubah is then read out, and this
concludes the first stage, the betrothal ceremony. In the second stage seven benedictions are
recited, linking the marriage on the one hand to the creation of mankind and on the other to the
future redemption. The seventh blessing runs as follows:

Blessed are you, Lord our God, king of the universe, who created joy and gladness, bridegroom
and bride, mirth and song, jubilation and merriment, love and companionship, peace and
friendship. Soon, Lord our God, may there be heard in the cities of Judah and in the streets of
Jerusalem sounds of joy and gladness, the voices of bridegroom and bride, jubilant voices of
bridegrooms from their bridal canopy and of young people feasting and singing. Blessed are you,
Lord, who make the bridegroom rejoice with the bride.

After another sip of wine the bridegroom breaks a glass, an ancient custom whose significance
has been lost. It may have been intended originally to avert the forces of evil – or perhaps it is to
remind the couple and their guests of the fragility of all happiness. Technically the marriage is
incomplete without being consummated by sexual union, symbolised by the bride and
bridegroom spending some moments together after the ceremony. (This is known as yihud,
‘unification’.) The marriage is also incomplete without feasting and dancing. (In very traditional
circles the men and women dance separately.) The meal ends with a special grace, followed by
a repetition of the seven blessings.

A good marriage is a blessed ideal, but Jewish law recognises that sometimes it cannot be
achieved, and makes provision for divorce. The Jewish attitude to divorce is pragmatic: whatever
the attitude may have been in earlier times, today it is seen as a matter for regret and is only
practised as a last resort, when the marriage has irretrievably broken down. However, the
sources speak of it in a matter-of-fact way, and no particular stigma attaches to a divorcee. As
with the marriage, so with divorce: it is a matter for the couple themselves and not the state or
the court. A rabbinic court is, however, invoked to ensure that the instrument of divorce, a
document known as the get, is correctly drawn up and delivered, since any technical fault may
render the divorce invalid and prevent a subsequent remarriage. The get is written by a qualified
scribe, and is delivered by the husband to the wife in the presence of two witnesses, who sign
the document. Once the get has been duly delivered the parties are free to remarry, just as
widows or widowers are.

The birth of a child is a happy event. In fact, as we have seen, it is considered to be mandatory
to have children (defined minimally as a son and a daughter), and to have a large family has
traditionally been seen as a blessing. Even Orthodox authorities, however, do not rule out birth
control entirely, once the basic command to reproduce has been complied with, although they
tend to limit it to cases where the wife’s life might be endangered by a pregnancy. Conservative
and Reform rabbis are more lenient.
Traditional Judaism welcomes the birth of a boy the most than of birth of the girls since the Torah
says that a mother is ritually impure for seven days after giving birth to a son and for twice as
long for a daughter, and there is even a view, also rooted in the Torah, that the periods should be
forty and eighty days respectively. The Talmud records a statement: ‘Happy is the man who has
male children, and woe to the man who has female children.’ Naturally this kind of sexual
discrimination is inhumane to the more liberal wing of Judaism, and even within Orthodoxy some
feminists have rebelled against it and devised ceremonies to mark the birth of a girl.

In the 20th Century, a new tradition has been established which is called “Brit Bat or Simchat Bat
(Celebration of the Daughter) . A tradition of welcoming the birth of a girl with festivity and public
announcement of name.

Birth of a boy undergoes to a tradition known in Hebrew as “Brit Milah” or Covenant of

Circumcision, wherein a specialist circumciser termed as “Mohel” performs a minor surgical
operation involving the removal of the prepuc on the eight day of the child, though it could be
deferred for reasons of health. This religous traditon is a visible sign of the covenant between
God and the Jewish people. Practiced by ancient Jews including Patriarch Abraham who
Circumcised himself inorder to establish a connection with God. It is an occasion for rejoicing: it
is customary to assemble a gathering of family and friends, and to serve a festive meal
afterwards. It is therefore the first stage of a process that will be completed at the age of thirteen
when the child comes of age legally, and takes upon himself the obligations laid down in the
Torah. This being so, it is hardly surprising that both occasions are marked by festivity and
joyfulness. It used to be a custom to embroider the baby’s swaddling band with his name and the
date of the circumcision, and the hope that he may achieve Bar Mitsvah, marriage and good
deeds (a form of words taken from the blessings recited on this occasion). The band was
donated to the synagogue, where it was used to bind the scroll of the Torah.

Circumcision may be performed at home, in synagogue, or in any other place. (If the eighth day
falls on Yom Kippur it is performed in synagogue, since that is where the congregation is
assembled.) A couple, sometimes an engaged or childless couple, are designated as
godparents, and they hand the baby to the sandek, the person who will hold the child during the
proceedings. Before the circumcision the mohel recites a blessing, and afterwards the father and
the mohel both recite special blessings. The child is then given a Hebrew name, in the form of a
patronymic – N son of N. This is the name by which he will be named all through his life in
synagogue, and which will be inscribed on his ketubah and his tombstone. The baby is given a
drop or two of wine, and the father and mother drink some wine. (In traditional circles the mother
is not present in the room, and the goblet of wine is taken out to her.) After the festive meal which
follows there is a special form of grace, invoking blessings on the parents, the child, the mohel
and the sandek.

An ancient rite which is still observed by traditionalists is the ‘redemption of the first-born son’ or
pidyon ha-ben. It is performed when the child is thirty days old, since before that time the life of
the new-born child is not considered to be decisively established. In the Torah God gives this
instruction to Moses: ‘Dedicate to me every first-born, the first fruit of every womb among the
Israelites, whether of human or beast: it is mine’ (Exodus :). This instruction is understood to
apply only to male children: a daughter does not have the status of a first-born. The child is
ceremonially purchased back (the original meaning of ‘redemption’) from a priest (kohen) who is
invited to share in a festive meal. The priest asks the father whether he prefers to hand over his
son or five pieces of silver. The father hands over five coins, and various blessings are recited.
The period of childhood runs officially up to the age of twelve for a girl and thirteen for a boy.
Traditional Judaism imposes very few restrictions on children. They are not considered legally
responsible (their parents carrying the responsibility for their actions). Respectively both girl and
boy undergo from a tradition of reciting the Torah in a congregation thus are expected to be
responsible for the own actions and folllow the 613 rules of the Torah. This tradition is termed in
Hebrew as Bat Mitzvah for girls and Bar Mitvah for boys. From this age a girl is protected from
being alone with a male aged nine years or over, and a boy’s hair will now be cut short, with the
exception of the side-curls that are left hanging over the ears, in obedience to an instruction in the
Torah (Leviticus :). He will begin to wear a kippah, and a tallin under his shirt, and his education
will commence in the School of Pharisee ( a school for studying the Torah). These customs are not
observed by the majority of western Jews.

Traditionally it is true that Jewish education was largely confined to males. Nowadays a majority of
Jewish girls receive some form of education about Judaism, although at the more traditional end of
the spectrum it may not be strictly comparable to that dispensed to boys, either in quantity or in
content. In some respects traditionalist girls may receive a broader education than boys, who are
expected to concentrate on the study of the Talmud and the minutiae of the halakhah.

[1]“Dead body a Jew covered in tallin and lied on the floor.[2] Dead body in a casket and being buried. Source: SpiritualRayStaff

Death is part of life, and it is accepted in Judaism as an inevitable aspect of the human condition.
Everything possible must be done to promote health and save life, and killing is viewed with
abhorrence; but Jewish teachers have insisted that one should not be afraid to die or be angry
about it, but should accept one’s death, whatever the circumstances. On hearing news of a death
the Jew is supposed to respond with the words ‘Blessed be the true judge’, affirming one’s
confidence in the justice of God’s decrees, however hard it may be to accept the individual verdict.

A Jew who senses the approach of death and is able to do so recites a confession. The following
form of words is found in prayer books, and Nahmanides (1194- 1270) says that it was already old
in his day:

I acknowledge before you, Lord my God and God of my ancestors, that both my cure and my
death are in your hands. May it be your will to send me a perfect healing. Yet if my death is fully
determined by you, I will lovingly accept it from your hand. May my death be an atonement for all
the sins, iniquities and transgressions that I have committed before you. Grant me some of the
great happiness that is stored up for the righteous. Make known to me the path of life. In your
presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand bliss for evermore.

Other prayers may be said, and as the end approaches those present recite the following verses
aloud, concluding with the opening words of the Shma, the declaration of God’s unity that all pious
Jews long to say as they expire:

The Lord reigns, the Lord reigned, the Lord shall reign for ever and ever. Blessed be the name of
His glorious reign for ever and ever. The Lord, He is God. Hear, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord
is One.
A dying person should never be left alone, and those present have an obligation to treat him or her
with consideration and respect, and to avoid doing anything that might hasten death. Euthanasia is
considered to be murder, although some rabbis have argued that there is no obligation to keep
someone alive mechanically who is not capable of independent life, particularly if the patient is in
pain. It is also widely accepted that pain-killing drugs may be administered even if they have the
indirect effect of hastening death.

According to classical halakhic sources, the cessation of breathing marks the moment of death.
Since the concept of ‘brain death’ emerged in the late s there has been some rabbinic discussion of
the possible need to revise the old definition, particularly in relation to the vexed question of organ
transplantation.

Once death has been established, the eyes of the corpse are closed, preferably by a son, and it is
carefully placed on the floor. A dead body must be handled with the same respect as is due to a
living person. It is not stripped naked, but is always decently covered with clothing and tallin.
Candles a lit next to the body, and “watchers” or “shomerin”(guards of the dead) stay with body as it
is a tradition that, dead body must not be left alone until the burial.

Most communities have an organization to care for the dead, known as the “Chevra Kaddisha” (the
holy society). These people are volunteers. Their work is considered extremely meritorious,
because they are performing a service for someone who can never repay them. They are
responsible for washing the body and preparing for burial in accordance with Jewish custom.

Mourning is governed by very strict rules. Those who have observed them tend to agree that they
are a help rather than an intrusion. They provide reassurance, and a framework for conducting
oneself at what can otherwise be a time of aimlessness and uncertainty. The object of the rules is
not to stifle or contain grief, but rather to provide support to the mourners and to help them over
their time of trial and back into normal life.

The definition of a mourner is a father, mother, son, daughter, brother, sister, husband or wife of the
deceased. Children under Bar/Bat Mitsvah age do not observe mourning, and there is no mourning
or formal burial for an infant under thirty days old. (Informal rites of grieving for still-born babies and
for infants are now being devised, because of a recognition that the parents need some means of
channelling their grief.) Sons or daughters are distinguished from other mourners in a number of
ways. For example, mourners have their clothes torn as a mark of grief: for sons and daughters this
is done on the left, near the heart, while for other mourners it is done on the right side. (Nowadays,
since people tend to object to expensive clothes being torn, the tearing is often done on a tie or a
ribbon. Reform Judaism has abandoned the practice of tearing altogether.) The period of mourning
extends to a year for one’s parent; other mourners only mourn for a month.

Mourning proper only begins from the funeral. In the period between death and burial the mourner
is known as an onen, and is not subjected to many particular rules, but, on the contrary, is relieved
of religious obligations such as reciting prayers or saying the blessings before and after food. An
onen should not drink wine, eat meat, indulge in luxuries or pleasures, or conduct business or
professional activities. The main concern of the onen is to make arrangements for the funeral.
On returning home from the cemetery the mourner (who is now known as an avel) is offered a
plate of food, which generally includes hard-boiled eggs and other round foods. It is customary to
light a candle which will burn for the next seven days. Some people cover the mirrors in the
house of mourning, or turn them to face the wall.

Mourning comes in three stages. The first, and most intense, lasts for seven days, and is known
as Shivah (‘seven’). In fact, since the day of the funeral counts as the first day and Shivah ends
one hour into the seventh day, it actually lasts rather less than six days; moreover on the Sabbath
no outward signs of mourning are observed. If a festival falls during the period the Shivah ceases
and is not resumed. During Shivah the mourners remain at home and sit on low stools (whence
the popular expression ‘to sit Shivah’). They do not work or attend to their business affairs, have
sexual intercourse, bathe, use cosmetics or creams, shave or have their hair cut. It is customary
not to study Torah. After three days the rules are relaxed a little, and those who must go back to
work may do so. Prayers are held in the house of mourning, and friends gather, to offer
condolences, show solidarity, and provide a congregation so that the Kaddish may be said. The
mourners are not expected to act as hosts: friends often bring food, and take it on themselves to
serve it, and to underline this reversal of the norms there is a tradition, still observed by some,
that a mourner receives greetings but does not initiate them.

The next period, Shloshim (‘thirty’), continues until the morning of the thirtieth day after the
funeral. During this phase mourners continue to refrain from shaving and having their hair cut,
they do not listen to music and do not attend weddings or parties. (The restrictions on shaving
and hair-cutting are often ignored today, and even Orthodox Jews sometimes cease to observe
them after the Shivah.) At the end of the Shloshim mourning is at an end, except for children of
the deceased who continue until twelve months after the death.

The date of death is commemorated each year by lighting a memorial candle and reciting
Kaddish. This is known among Ashkenazim by the Yiddish name yortsait or yahrzeit (‘year-time’).
In Britain it is customary to say to mourners at this time, ‘I wish you long life’.

As the preceding pages show, there are ample opportunities not only on special occasions but in
daily life too for Jews to remind themselves of their distinctive heritage and destiny. The various
rituals have the power to bring Jews closer to God, and also closer to their family and friends, and
indeed to their ancestors too. In traditional Jewish life these reminders are ever-present. Boys
and men wear a head-covering and fringes all the time, and the very traditional wear distinctive
clothing. Women observe the rules of tseniut, ‘modesty’, keeping their bodies covered with the
exception of hands and faces. Married women have shaven heads, and many wear a wig known
as a sheitel. There are blessings to be said not only over different kinds of food and drink, but for
example on seeing an unusual sight, or on hearing good or bad news. The majority of Jews,
however, do not adhere to the whole of this rich and distinctive tradition. Many lead lives which
are almost indistinguishable from those of their gentile neighbours.

Open caskets are forbidden by Jewish law, as it would be disrespectful to allow any enemies
of the dead to view them in their helpless state. Bodies are buried in a simple linen shroud,
so that the poor will not receive less honor than the rich. The body is also wrapped in a tallit.

Jewish law requires that tombstones be erected on all graves, so the dead will be
remembered and the grave will not be desecrated.
 Chapter Test: Answer the following statements below and right your answer after the questions.

1. This practice means the “Son of the Commandment”.

2. Is the school where the Torah is studied.
3. When is the appropriate day for a baby boy to get circumcised?
4. It is a contract signed during a marriage ceremony.
5. They are the guards of the dead.

JUDAISM AND ITS SYMBOLS

Judaism being the oldest monotheistic religion provided the world with its rich history and tradition.
Thus, symbols associated with Judaism are part of its tradition that must be decoded to share its rich
cultural meaning and heritage of Jewish tradition and beliefs.

STAR OF DAVID

also known as "Magen David", meaning 'Shield of David'

in Hebrew. This six sided figure symbolizes that God rules
over the universe and protects us from all six directions:
north, south, east, west, up, and down with the middle -
the hexagram - providing the spiritual dimension.

In Kabbalah, the two interlocking triangles represent the

reciprocal relationship between man and God. Our good
deeds are represented by the triangle pointing up to God
“Star of David” Https:// SpiritualRay.com “Judaism and God reciprocates by allowing holiness and
Sybols and their meanings”. Copy right of 2018
beneficence to flow towards us.
The Star of David is believed to protect one from the evil eye. It represents rich religious history and
is considered as a symbol of pride among the Jews and others alike. You would also find a Red Star
of David on all the Israeli ambulances. It is believed to bring good health and protection.

Some people also consider the Star of David to be a pagan symbol - a symbol of witches and occult
practitioners - because there is no written evidence of the symbol being mentioned in any of the
religious doctrines.

Judaism. In the early Jewish Temple, it was a tradition to

“Menorah” Https:// SpiritualRay.com “Judaism
Sybols and their meanings”. Copy right of 2018
light the seven-branched Menorah (the candelabrum
with 7 stands) every evening and clean it every morning.
Fresh olive oil was filled in cups and wicks were
replaced. All this was done in accordance with the
Biblical instructions mentioned in Exodus 25:31-40.
However, after the destruction of the Temple, the
synagogues began using a six-branched menorah, as it
was forbidden to replicate the belongings of the Temple.
A nine-branched menorah is usually lit during Hanukkah,
which is an 8-day festival celebrated in memory of the
re-dedication of the

Second Holy Temple in Jerusalem. This festival commemorates the miracle where, after the
Seleucid desecration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, the Jews had sealed oil, which in quantity,
was only enough to light the Menorah for one night, but miraculously, the light lasted for
eight days. The ninth holder is known as the Shamash, which means the helper which lights up
the rest of the eight candles. Other symbolism of the Menorah is to represent the mission of
Israel mentioned in Isaiah 42:6, which is to be a light unto all nations.

MEZUZAH

The mezuzah is a small case which contains the handwritten scroll

withShema inscribed on it. Shema is referred to the passage wherein
God commands His people to remind themselves again and again about
His presence and commandments, mentioned in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. It
is He who states that His commandment should be written and placed
on the doorposts of every house. However, it is forbidden to place the
mezuzah on the doors of the closets and bathrooms.

“Mezuzah” Https://
SpiritualRay.com “JudaismThe mezuzah has two parts: (1) The container and (2) The parchment
known as Klaf, which has the Shema written on it. The container is
Sybols and their meanings”.
Copy right of 2018 inscribed with the letter Shin, which is the first letter of God's name. The
mezuzah is placed at the doorpost at a tilted angle, which is neither horizontal nor vertical. Unlike
the common belief, it is not a good luck charm, but it rather acts as a reminiscent that those who
dwell in the household are bound by God's command to obey the law of the Torah.

A shofar, as you can see in the picture, is a horn which is blown by the Jews during Rosh
Hashanah , the Jewish New Year. It is celebrated during the first two days of the seventh month of
the Hebrew calendar, known as the Tishrei. The Torah refers to these days as Yom Teruah ,
which means, "day [of] shouting/raising a noise." Yom Kippur is another important day when the
shofar is blown. The shofar should be a naturally hollow material which produces sound with the
human
, just like God breathes life into humans. It is usually
the horn of a kosher animal, mostly of a ram. The
natural curve of the horn represents the bending of
the human heart for repentance towards God. It also
symbolizes the eternal sacrifice of Abraham when he
was willing to sacrifice his only son, and when God
saw this, He allowed him to sacrifice a ram instead.
Another symbolism of blowing the shofar on New
Year is the call to repentance, and that each and
everyone should wake up to the call of the shofar and
repent. The blowing of the shofar is also mentioned
“Shofar” Https:// SpiritualRay.com “Judaism
Sybols and their meanings”. Copy right of 2018 in the Hebrew Bible, the Rabbinic literature, and the
Talmud.

The symbol 'Chai', is a combination of two Hebrew

letters, Chet (‫ )ח‬and Yod (‫)י‬. The word Chai means
"living" in Hebrew, and this term holds a very
important place in the life of each and every Jew, as
it represents the importance of life, life that is a gift
from the living God. You will usually see this symbol
in Jewish jewelry.

In addition to that, numerically, the letters of chai add

“Chai” Https:// SpiritualRay.com “Judaism Sybols and up to the number 18, which in Judaism is a spiritual
their meanings”. Copy right of 2018
 number that brings good luck. This is the reason why, when it comes to charity, the Jews always
offer gifts in the multiples of 18 (18, 36,54, and so on). Giving charity in the multiples of 18
represents the 'gift of life'.

HAMSA HAND
Also known as the Hamesh Hand, Khamsa, and Hand of Fatima,
in Judaism, this symbol represents the five books of Torah. The
number five is known as hamesh in Hebrew, and the Torah
consists of five books. The hamesh hand also reminds that a
believer should use all five senses to praise God.
This symbol also represents the Hebrew alphabet Heh, which is a
representation of one of God's holy names, thereby making this
hand, symbolic of God's hand itself. The hamsa hand can be
found in various religious jewelry, artifacts, and decoration items.
It consists of an eye in the middle, symbolizing protection against
the evil eye.

“HamsaHand” Https:// SpiritualRay.com

“Judaism Sybols and their meanings”.
Copy right of 2018

FOUR SPECIES

The Four Species play an integral part in the Jewish holiday of

Sukkot. During this seven-day holiday, the Jews take the Four
Species of plants as described in the Torah. Leviticus 23:40
states, "And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid
trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and
willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your
God seven days."

The Four species consist of etrog (the fruit of a citron tree), lulav
(a ripe, green, closed frond from a date palm tree), hadass
“FourSpecies” Https:// (boughs with leaves from the myrtle tree), and aravah (branches
SpiritualRay.com “Judaism Sybols with leaves from the willow tree). The symbolic meaning of these
and their meanings”. Copy right of
2018 four species is this: The lulav has a taste, but it possesses no
fragrance. This symbolizes those who
study the Torah but do not possess any goodness in them. The hadass, on the other hand, has a
good fragrance, but no taste. This is symbolic of those Jews who have goodness in them, but they
don't study the Torah. The aravahlacks both taste and smell, representing those who don't have
either goodness, nor do they study the Torah. And finally, the etrogpossesses both taste and
fragrance, symbolic of those who have both the knowledge of the Torah and good deeds. Binding all
these four species together symbolizes the unification of all kinds of Jews in the service of God. It is
customary to wave these four species in all directions and recite prayers while doing so, to ask God
for abundant rainfall and vegetation in the following year.
CLOTHING OF
JEWISH MEN

KIPPAH

Also known as Yarmulke , a kippah is a

small skullcap worn by the Jews;
however, in Orthodox synagogues, only
males wear it. The head is covered as
a sign of humility and the
acknowledgment of God as the
supreme power. It is a tradition to wear
the kippah at all times, especially
during prayer, as it 'honors the
presence of God'. Wearing yarmulke is
symbolic of being under the presence
of God and being bound to His
commandments at all times. A Jewish man wearing a kippah, tefillin (phylacteries), and a tallit (prayer
shawl) prays at the Western (Wailing) Wall using a siddur (prayer book).

TZITZIT

The Torah states that in order to be reminded of the mitzvot,one must wear tzitzit in the corner of
the garments. Also known as the Jewish Prayer Shawl, it is worn by Jewish men during prayers
and other religious ceremonies. In some Jewish denominations, women may wear it too. The tallit
should be long enough to be worn over the shoulders, and not just wrapped around as a scarf on
the neck. Also, the tzitzit should not touch the ground. Oftentimes, the words of blessings are
inscribed on the tallit, on the part that covers the neck. This is the reason why it is forbidden to
take the tallit inside the bathroom because of its holy symbolism and the sacred writings inscribed
on it.

TEFILLIN A study done by Jewish

acupuncturist, Steven
are a set of small leather cubic boxes with straps, that contain the Schram , concludes that
handwritten sacred verses of the Torah. The Jews tie up the tefillin to the tefillin is designed in
follow the commandment of the Torah mentioned in Deuteronomy such a manner that it
11:18 that says, "You shall put these words of mine on your heart stimulates the
and on your soul; and you shall tie them for a sign upon your arm, and acupuncture points that
they shall be as Totafot between your eyes." clear the mind and
harmonize the spirit
These are worn while praying to be reminded of God's presence and during prayers.
power, and are symbolic representation of serving God with one's Interesting, indeed!
body and mind.

Chapter Test: Guess Me!

1. It is a term used to refer a skull cap.

2. It is a term used to refer a Ram’s horn.
3. It is a term used to refer a seven or eight handed candlelabrum.
ACTIVITY

A. Divide the class into four groups and each of them would be asked to create an
overview outline focusing on 10-15 facts. Alternatively the groups could make a family
tree starting from the patriarchs and so on.

B. Debatable Activity: Justify: The core teaching of Judaism is the covenant of one God
with a chosen people vs. other people with many gods.

C. Individual Activity: Watch the movie “ Ben-Hur” and Identify a Jewish custom or tradition
demonstrated in a movie.

ASSESMENT

A. Write the letter of the correct answer on the blanks provided.

____1. Is the oldest monotheistic religion.

A. Moses
____2. It is reffered to as “the Jewish Enlightenment”. B. Tanak/TaNaCH
C. YHWH
____3. He is the founder of Judaism.
D. Pentateuch
____4. Is the term for the mystical tradition within Judaism. E. Zionism

____5. He recieved the “Ten Commandments of God”. F. Haskalah

G. Kabbalah
____6. Is the Hebrew Bible
H. Judaism
____7. It means “I am who am” I. Abraham
J. Bereshit
____8. It contains the “five books” of Moses.
K. Kashrut
____9. Modern ideological movement of Jewish nationalism.

____10. Is the Hebrew term of “Genesis”.

To the Jews we owe the idea of equality before the law, both divine and human; of
the sanctity of life and the dignity of the human person; of the individual conscience,
and so of personal redemption; of the collective conscience, and so of social
responsibility; of peace as an abstract ideal and love as the foundation of justice,
and many other items that constitute the basic moral furniture of the human mind.
Without the Jews it might have been a much emptier place. Above all, the Jews
taught us how to rationalise the unknown. The result was monotheism.
Summary
• The origin of the Jewish people and the beginning of Judaism are recorded in the first
five books of the Hebrew Bible, the Pentateuch.

• Judaism has three notable founding figures or patriarchs, namely, Abraham, Isaac, and
Jacob. These biblical patriarchs are the physical and spiritual forebears of the Jewish
people.

• Judaism is anchored upon God’s revelation to Abraham that he is the creator and ruler
of the universe, and that he loves his creatures and demands righteousness from them.

• The Jewish people have been called the “people of the Book” in reference to the
Hebrew Bible (Tanakh or Mikra) that is divided into three principal sections, namely the
Torah, Nevi’im, and Ketuvim.

• Jewish beliefs and doctrines are manifested in the Articles of Faith, in the Ten
Commandments, and in the 613 mitzvot or laws.

• At present, the three major denominations of Judaism are Reform, Orthodox, and
Conservative Judaism.

INTERNET SOURCES

“10 Commandments List,” Life Hope & Truth.

https://lifehopeandtruth.com/bible/10-commandments/the-tencommandments/10-comman
dments-list/

“Antisemitism,” Holocaust Encyclopedia.

http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005175

“Ashkenazic and Sephardic Jews,” Judaism 101. http://www.jewfaq.org/ashkseph.htm

“Babylonian Talmud,” Jewish Virtual Library.

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Talmud/talmudtoc.html

“Children and the Holocaust,” BBC.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/judaism/holocaust/children_1.shtml (accessed

“Intermarriage Q&A,” Jewish Outreach Institute. http://www.joi.org/qa/denom.shtml

(“Introduction to Holocaust,” Holocaust Encyclopedia.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10005143

“Jewish Concepts: Obligation of Women to Perform the Commandments,” Jewish Virtual

Library. http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/woman_commandments.html

“Jewish sects and dominations,” Religion Facts.

http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/branches
CHRISTIANITY
 CHRISTIANITY
(Abrahamic Religion)

Christianity is today the world's most widespread religion, with more than a billion
members, mainly divided between the Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Eastern Orthodox
Churches. It originated among the Jewish followers of Jesus of Nazareth, who believed that he
was the promised Messiah (or ‘Christ’), but the Christian Church soon became an independent
organization, largely through the missionary efforts of St Paul.

In 313 Constantine ended official persecution in the Roman Empire and in 380
Theodosius I recognized it as the state religion. Most Christians believe in one God in three
Persons (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) and that Jesus is the Son of God who rose
from the dead after being crucified; a Christian hopes to attain eternal life after death through
faith in Jesus Christ and tries to live by his teachings as recorded in the New Testament.

Source: ​https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/christianity

Christianity ​is an Abrahamic monotheistic religious group based on the life and
teachings of Jesus of Nazareth also known by Christians as the Christ.

Its adherents believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the Logos, and the savior of humanity,
whose coming as the Messiah (Christ) was prophesied in the Old Testamen​t​, as described in the
Bible. ​Christianity and its ethics has played a prominent role in the shaping of Christianity grew
Western civilization out of Judaism and began as a Second Temple Judaic sect in the mid-1st
century in the Roman province of Judea.
Jesus's Apostles, and their successors the Apostolic fathers, spread it around
Syria,Europe,Anatolia,Mesopotamia,Transcaucasia,Egypt,Ethiopia, and Asia, despite initial
persecution. After decriminalisation by the Edict of Milan(313), Emperor Constantine the great,
himself a conver​t​, convened the First Council of Nicaea(325) where Early Christianity was
consolidated into what would become the state religion of the roman empire (380).The First Council
of Nicaea formulated the Nicene Creed(325), and the Church Fathers supervised the development
of the Christian Biblical Canon(5th century).
This period during the initial stages of the first seven ecumenical councils is sometimes
referred to as the Great Church, when the ​Catholic Church​, the ​Eastern Orthodox Church​, and
Oriental Orthodoxy ​t​hrived in ​communion​. This lasted until Oriental Orthodoxy split after the ​Council
of Chalcedon (451) over ​d​ifferences in Christology​, and the Eastern Orthodox Church and Catholic
Church (representing the Great Church in the east and west, respectively) separating in the
East–West Schism (1054) especially over the ​authority of the Pope​. Similarly, ​Protestantism​, while
not a single but ​numerous denominations​, later ​split from the Catholic Church in the ​Protestant
Reformation​ (16th century) over ​theological​ and ​ecclesiological​ deviation.
Christianity was a significant influence on ​Western civilisation​, particularly in ​Europe during
the ​Middle Ages​. Following the ​Age of Discovery (15th–17th century), Christianity spread to ​the
Americas​, ​Oceania​, ​Sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world through ​missionary work and
colonization​.
Today, the ​four largest branches of Christianity remain the ​Catholic Church (1.3 billion),
Protestantism (920 million), the ​Eastern Orthodox Church (270 million) and ​Oriental Orthodoxy (86
million), while variously engaging in ​ecumenism​. Their ​theology and ​professions of faith, in addition
to the ​Bible​, generally hold in common that Jesus ​suffered​, ​died​, was ​buried​, ​descended into hell
and ​rose from the dead in order to grant ​eternal life to those who believe and trust in him for the
remission of their ​sins​. They further maintain that Jesus physically ​ascended into ​heaven​, where he
reigns with ​God the Father in the unity of the ​Holy Spirit and that he will ​return to ​judge the living and
the dead and grant eternal life to his followers. His ​incarnation​, earthly ministry, ​crucifixion and
resurrection are often referred to as "​the gospel​", meaning "good news".Generally accepted as the
Bible​, describing Jesus' life and teachings, are the four canonical ​gospels of ​Matthew​, ​Mark​, ​Luke
and ​John​, with the Jewish ​Old Testament as the Gospel's respected background. Christianity
remains multi faced culturally into ​Western Christianity and ​Eastern Christianity​, but points of actual
content broadly concerns ​ecclesiology (​church visible​/​church invisible​), ​ordination (​apostolic
succession​, ​papal primacy​), and ​Christology​ (​Chalcedonianism​/​Non- Chalcedonianism​)

Source: ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity
MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
Direction: Find the word that are related to christianity.Write many as you can.

X Z C H R I S T C O

A B R A H A M S R Y

U I U W I N E T E V

H B C K G Q H K E L

E L I O X O P T D M

A E F J D T L U C E

V G I O J E W S F C

E Z X G O S P E L C

N I S E L T S O P A

SACRED SCRIPTURES

Christianity, like other religions, has adherents

whose beliefs and biblical interpretations vary.
Christianity regards the ​biblical canon​, the ​Old Testament
and the ​New Testament​, as the ​inspired word of God.
The traditional view of inspiration is that God worked
through human authors so that what they produced was
what God wished to communicate. The Greek word
referring to inspiration in ​2 Timothy 3:16 is ​theopneustos,​
which literally means "God-breathed".
Some believe that divine inspiration makes our present Bibles ​inerrant​. Others claim inerrancy
for the Bible in its original manuscripts, although none of those are extant. Still others maintain
that only a particular translation is inerrant, such as the ​King James Version​. Another closely
related view is ​Biblical infallibility or limited inerrancy, which affirms that the Bible is free of error
as a guide to salvation, but may include errors on matters such as history, geography or
science.
The b​ ooks of the Bible accepted by the Orthodox, Catholic and Protestant churches vary
somewhat, with Jews accepting only the Hebrew Bible as canonical; there is however
substantial overlap. These variations are a reflection of the range of ​traditions​, and of the
councils that have convened on the subject. Every version of the Old Testament always
includes the books of the ​Tanakh​, the canon of the ​Hebrew Bible​. The Catholic and Orthodox
canons, in addition to the Tanakh, also include the ​Deuterocanonical Books as part of the Old
Testament. These books appear in the ​Septuagint​, but are regarded by Protestants to be
apocryphal​. However, they are considered to be important historical documents which help to
inform the understanding of words, grammar and syntax used in the historical period of their
conception. Some versions of the Bible include a separate Apocrypha section between the Old
Testament and the New Testament.The New Testament, originally written in ​Koine Greek​,
contains 27 books which are agreed upon by all churches.
Modern scholarship has raised many issues with the Bible. While the ​Authorized King
James Version is held to by many because of its striking English prose, in fact it was translated
from the Erasmus Greek Bible which in turn "was based on a single 12th Century manuscript
that is one of the worst manuscripts we have available to us". Much scholarship in the past
several hundred years has gone into comparing different manuscripts in order to reconstruct the
original text. Another issue is that several books are considered to be forgeries. The injunction
that women "be silent and submissive" in 1 Timothy 2 is thought by many to be a forgery by a
follower of Paul, a similar phrase in 1 Corinthians 14, ​which is thought to be by Paul, appears in
different places in different manuscripts and is thought to originally be a margin note by a
copyist. Other verses in 1 Corinthians, such as 1 Corinthians 11:2–16 where women are
instructed to wear a covering over their hair "when they pray or prophesies", contradict this
verse.
A final issue with the Bible is the way in which books were selected for inclusion in the
New Testament. ​Other Gospels have now been recovered, such as those found near ​Nag
Hammadi in 1945, and while some of these texts are quite different from what Christians have
been used to, it should be understood that some of this newly recovered Gospel material is
quite possibly contemporaneous with, or even earlier than, the New Testament Gospels. The
core of the ​Gospel of Thomas​, in particular, may date from as early as AD 50 (although some
major scholars contest this early dating), and if so would provide an insight into the earliest
gospel texts that underlie the canonical Gospels, texts that are mentioned in Luke 1:1–2. The
Gospel of Thomas contains much that is familiar from the canonical Gospels—verse 113, for
example ("The Father's Kingdom is spread out upon the earth, but people do not see it"), is
reminiscent of Luke 17:20–21—and the ​Gospel of John​, with a terminology and approach that is
suggestive of what was later termed ​Gnosticism​, has recently been seen as a possible
response to the Gospel of Thomas, a text that is commonly labelled ​proto-Gnostic.​ Scholarship,
then, is currently exploring the relationship in the ​Early Church between mystical speculation
and experience on the one hand and the search for church order on the other, by analyzing
new-found texts, by subjecting canonical texts to further scrutiny, and by an examination of the
passage of New Testament texts to canonical status.
Clarity of Scripture

Protestant Christians believe that the Bible is a self-sufficient revelation, the final
authority on all Christian doctrine, and ​revealed all truth​necessary for salvation. This concept is
known as ​sola ​scriptur​al Protestants characteristically believe that ordinary believers may reach
an adequate understanding of Scripture because Scripture itself is clear (or "perspicuous"),
because of the help of the Holy Spirit, or both. Martin Luther believed that without God's help
Scripture would be "enveloped in darkness". He advocated "one definite and simple
understanding of Scripture".​John Calvin wrote, "all who refuse not to follow the Holy Spirit as
their guide, find in the Scripture a clear light".The Second ​Helvetic Confession, composed by the
pastor of the Reformed church in Zürich (successor to Protestant reformer ​Zwingli​) was adopted
as a declaration of doctrine by most European Reformed churches.

Original intended meaning of Scripture

Protestants stress the meaning conveyed by the words of Scripture, the

historical-grammatical method​.The historical-grammatical method or grammatico-historical
method is an effort in ​Biblical hermeneutics to find the intended original meaning in the text. This
original intended meaning of the text is drawn out through examination of the passage in light of
the grammatical and syntactical aspects, the historical background, the literary genre as well as
theological (canonical) considerations. The historical-grammatical method distinguishes
between the one original meaning and the significance of the text. The significance of the text
includes the ensuing use of the text or application. The original passage is seen as having only
a single meaning or sense. As Milton S. Terry said: "A fundamental principle in
grammatico-historical exposition is that the words and sentences can have but one significance
in one and the same connection. The moment we neglect this principle we drift out upon a sea
of uncertainty and conjecture."Technically speaking, the grammatical-historical method of
interpretation is distinct from the determination of the passage's significance in light of that
interpretation. Taken together, both define the term (Biblical) hermeneutics.Some Protestant
interpreters make use of typology.
BELIEFS & DOCTRINES

The Christian doctrine of the Trinity teaches the

unity of ​Father​, ​Son​, and ​Holy Spirit as three persons in
one Godhead​. The doctrine states that ​God is the Triune
God, existing as three ​persons​, or in the ​Greek
hypostases​,but one being. Personhood in the Trinity
does not match the common Western understanding of
"person" as used in the English language—it does not
imply an "individual, self-actualized center of free will and conscious activity."​. To the ancients,
personhood "was in some sense individual, but always in community as well."Each ​person is
understood as having the one identical essence or nature, not merely similar natures. Since the
beginning of the ​3rd century the doctrine of the Trinity has been stated as "the one God exists in
three Persons and ​one substance​, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit."Trinitarianism, belief in the
Trinity, is a mark of ​Catholicism​, ​Eastern and ​Oriental Orthodoxy as well as other prominent
Christian sects arising from the ​Protestant Reformation​, such as ​Anglicanism​, ​Methodism​,
Lutheranism​, ​Baptist​, and ​Presbyterianism​. ​The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church
describes the Trinity as "the central dogma of Christian theology". This doctrine contrasts with
Nontrinitarian positions which include ​Unitarianism​, ​Oneness and ​Modalism​. A small minority of
Christians hold non-trinitarian views, largely coming under the heading of ​Unitarianism​.
Most, if not all, Christians believe that God is spirit, an uncreated, ​omnipotent​, and
eternal being, the creator and sustainer of all things, who works the redemption of the world
through his Son, Jesus Christ. With this background, belief in the ​divinity of Christ and the Holy
Spirit is expressed as the doctrine of the ​Trinity​,which describes the single divine ​ousia
(substance) existing as three distinct and inseparable ​hypostases(​ persons): the ​Father​, the Son
(​Jesus Christ the ​Logos​), and the ​Holy Spirit​.The Trinitarian doctrine is considered by most
Christians to be a core tenet of their faith. ​Non-trinitarians typically hold that God, the Father, is
supreme; that Jesus, although still divine Lord and Savior, is the ​Son of God​; and that the Holy
Spirit is a phenomenon akin to God's will on Earth. The holy three are separate, yet the Son and
the Holy Spirit are still seen as originating from God the Father.
The ​New Testament does not have the term "Trinity" and nowhere discusses the Trinity
as such. Some emphasize, however, that the New Testament does repeatedly speak of the
Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit to "compel a trinitarian understanding of God." The doctrine
developed from the biblical language used in New Testament passages such as the baptismal
formula in ​Matthew 28:19 and by the end of the ​4th century it was widely held in its present
form.

God the Father

In Christianity, God the Father's relationship with humanity is as a father to children—in

a previously unheard-of sense—and not just as the creator and nurturer of creation, and the
provider for his children, his people. Thus, humans, in general, are sometimes called ​children of
God​. To Christians, God the Father's relationship with humanity is that of Creator and created
beings, and in that respect he is the father of all. The New Testament says, in this sense, that
the very idea of family, wherever it appears, derives its name from God the Father​] and thus
God himself is the model of the family.

God as Son
 God the Son is the second person of the ​Trinity in Christian theology. The ​doctrine of the
​ ith
Trinity identifies ​Jesus of ​Nazareth as ​God the Son, ​united in essence but distinct in person w
regard to ​God the Father and God the ​Holy Spirit (the first and third persons of the Trinity). God
the Son is co-eternal with God the Father (and the Holy Spirit), both before Creation and after
the End (see ​Eschatology​). So Jesus was always "God the Son", though not ​revealed as such
until he also became ​the "Son of God" through ​incarnation​. "Son of God" draws attention to his
humanity, whereas "God the Son" refers more generally to his divinity, including his
pre-incarnate existence. So, in Christian theology, Jesus was always God the Son,though not
revealed​ as such until he also became the ​Son of God​ through ​incarnation​.

Source: ​https://​en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_theology

GOD the HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit is referred to as "the Lord, the Giver of Life" in the ​Nicene Creed​, which
summarises several key beliefs held by many Christian denominations. The participation of the
Holy Spirit in the tripartite nature of conversion is apparent in Jesus' final ​post-resurrection
instruction to his disciples at the ​end of the Gospel of Matthew (​28:19​): "make disciples of all the
nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit," and
"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."​[14]
Since the first century, Christians have also called upon God with the ​trinitarian formula "Father,
Son and Holy Spirit" in prayer, absolution and benediction. In the book of the ​Acts of the
Apostles the arrival of the Holy Spirit, happens fifty days after the resurrection of the Christ, and
is currently celebrated in Christendom with the feast of ​Pentecost​.In ​Christian theology​,
pneumatology​ refers to the study of the Holy Spirit.

BAPTISM
A ​sacrament of admission to ​Christianity​. The forms and
rituals of the various Christian churches vary, but baptism almost
invariably involves the use of water and the ​Trinitarian
invocation, “I baptize you: In the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” The candidate may be wholly or
partly immersed in water, the water may be poured over the
head, or a few drops may be sprinkled or placed on the head.
Baptism is the ritual act, with the use of water, by which a person is admitted to membership of
the ​Church​.Beliefs on baptism vary among denominations. Differences occur firstly on whether
the act has any spiritual significance. Some, such as the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox
churches, as well as Lutherans and Anglicans, hold to the doctrine of ​baptismal regeneration​,
which affirms that baptism creates or strengthens a person's faith, and is intimately linked to
salvation. Others view baptism as a purely symbolic act, an external public declaration of the
inward change which has taken place in the person, but not as spiritually efficacious. Secondly,
there are differences of opinion on the methodology of the act. These methods are: by
immersion;​ if immersion is total, by ​submersion;​ by ​affusion (pouring); and by ​aspersion
(sprinkling). Those who hold the first view may also adhere to the tradition of ​infant baptism​; the
Orthodox Churches all practice infant baptism and always baptize by total immersion repeated
three times in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. The Catholic Church also
practices infant baptism,usually by affusion, and utilizing the ​Trinitarian formula​.

Source: ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH
That through their belief in Jesus as the Son of God, and in his death and resurrection,
they can have a right relationship with God whose forgiveness was made once and for all
through the death of Jesus Christ. ​Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ; through whom also we have had our access by faith into this
grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God (Romans 5:1-2)

Source: ​https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1374-justified-by-faith

LIFE AFTER DEATH

Christians believe that there is a life after earthly death.

While the actual nature of this life is not known, Christians
believe that many spiritual experiences in this life help to give
them some idea of what eternal life will be like.I am the
resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he
may die, he shall live” (John 11:25). We will receive
immortality when Jesus comes again (see 1 Corinthians
15:51-54). The Bible says that all those who have died—both
righteous and wicked—will be raised to life in one of two
resurrections. The righteous will be raised to life at Jesus’ second coming. “For the Lord Himself
will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of
God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16, NKJV). According to this
verse, the righteous do not go to heaven when they die. They remain asleep in the grave until
Jesus returns and raises them to immortal life (see 1 Corinthians 15:50-57)

Source: ​https://www.britannica.com/topic/baptism
EUCHARIST

Is a Greek word for thanksgiving. Its celebration is to

commemorate the final meal that Jesus took with his
disciples before his death (the Last Supper). This rite comes
from the actions of Jesus who, at that meal, took bread and
wine and asked his disciples to consume them and continue
to do so in memory of him. At the meal, the wine represented
his blood and the bread his body.The Eucharist (also known
as a Communion meal in some churches) is central to the
Church and is recognised as a sign of unity amongst
Christians.Different Churches understand and practice the Eucharist in different ways. As a
result, the central ideas of the Eucharist can cause disharmony rather than unity.For example,
the idea that Christ is present in the bread and wine is interpreted literally by some churches
and metaphorically by others. This has given rise to substantial and often irreconcilable
disagreement.

PRAYER

Jesus teaching on prayer in the ​Sermon on the Mount

displays a distinct lack of interest in the external aspects of
prayer. A concern with the techniques of prayer is condemned
as 'pagan', and instead a simple trust in God's fatherly
goodness is encouraged.Elsewhere in the New Testament this
same freedom of access to God is also emphasized.This
confident position should be understood in light of Christian
belief in the unique relationship between the believer and
Christ through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

In subsequent Christian traditions, certain physical gestures are emphasized, including

medieval gestures such as ​genuflection or making the ​sign of the cross​. ​Kneeling​, bowing and
prostrations (see also ​poklon​) are often practiced in more traditional branches of Christianity.
Frequently in Western Christianity the hands are placed palms together and forward as in the
feudal ​commendation ceremony​. At other times the older ​orans posture may be used, with
palms up and elbows in.Intercessory prayer is prayer offered for the benefit of other people.
There are many intercessory prayers recorded in the Bible, including prayers of the ​Apostle
Peter on behalf of sick personsand by ​prophets of the Old Testament in favor of other people.In
the ​Epistle of James​, no distinction is made between the intercessory prayer offered by ordinary
believers and the prominent Old Testament prophet ​Elijah​.The effectiveness of prayer in
Christianity derives from the power of God rather than the status of the one praying. ​The ancient
church, in both ​Eastern Christianity and ​Western Christianity​, developed a tradition of asking for
the ​intercession of (deceased) saints​, and this remains the practice of most ​Eastern Orthodox​,
Oriental Orthodox​, ​Catholic​, and some ​Anglican churches. Churches of the Protestant
Reformation, however, rejected prayer to the saints, largely on the basis of the sole
mediatorship of Christ.​[137] The reformer ​Huldrych Zwingli admitted that he had offered prayers to
the saints until his reading of the Bible convinced him that this was ​idolatrous​.According to the
Catechism of the Catholic Church​: "Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the
requesting of good things from God."The ​Book of Common Prayer in the Anglican tradition is a
guide which provides a set order for church services, containing set prayers, scripture readings,
and hymns or sung Psalms.

Source: ​http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/beliefs/basics_1.shtml

THE MAJOR FESTIVALS OF CHRISTIANITY

ADVENT SEASON [mid-Nov/Dec] The Christian year begins with a period of preparation for
Christmas. It is time also for looking towards Jesus' second coming (Parousia). It is a season of
expectation.
CHRISTMAS [25 Dec - Jan 6] Celebration of Jesus' birth (Nativity); this festival emphasizes the
INCARNATION ["the Word/Logos was made flesh and lived amongst us."] The festival lasts
twelve days and ends with the EPIPHANY [Jan. 6], the manifestation of God in Jesus, which
celebrates Jesus' baptism, the visit of the Magi [symbolic of Gentiles] to the infant Jesus, and
Jesus' first miracle when he turned water into wine at a wedding feast in Cana.
LENT [March-April] Forty-day preparation for Easter. It corresponds to the 40 days Jesus spent
fasting before beginning his ministry. This penitential season ends with:*EASTER SUNDAY
[April] The greatest of Christian festivals celebrates the Resurrection. [Every Sunday is also a
commemoration of the Resurrection.]
ASCENSION THURSDAY [May] Forty days after Easter, this festival celebrates Jesus'
ascension to heaven.
HOLY WEEK begins with ​PALM SUNDAY​​, commemorating Jesus' entry into Jerusalem.
HOLY [MAUNDY] THURSDAY commemorates the Last Supper and the institution of the
Eucharist in Catholic, Orthodox and some Protestant churches. GOOD FRIDAY is the solemn
memorial of Jesus' death by crucifixion.

PENTECOST SUNDAY [WHITSUN] [May/June] Ten days after the Ascension [50 after Easter],
this festival celebrates the gift of the Holy Spirit to the apostles and other disciples. It marks the
birth of the Church.

Note​​: The dates of Easter and, therefore, of Lent, Holy Week, Ascension and Pentecost vary
each year. Easter's date is determined by the Passover Full Moon, its extreme limits being 21
 March and 25 April. There is variation among Christian communities in the method of
determining the date. In Western Christianity it is the first Sunday after the full moon (of
Nisan) that falls on or after 21 March.

Source:
A. ​Divide the class into four groups and make an artistic interpretation to those celebrations that
mentioned above​.
(Students will allow to do their own strategies to make their performance better)
B. ​Individual Activity: Watch the movie “THE BIBLE” and make an movie review should include
the following (Introduction, Body, Analysis, and Conclusion)

SYMBOL
CROSS and CRUCIFIX

​The shape of the cross, as represented by the letter ​T​, came to

be used as a "seal" or symbol of ​Early Christianity by the 2nd
century.At the end of the 2nd century, it is mentioned in the
Octavius of ​Minucius Felix​, rejecting the claim by detractors that
Christians worship the cross. The cross (crucifix, Greek ​stauros​) in
this period was represented by the letter ​T​. ​Clement of Alexandria
in the early 3rd century calls it τὸ κυριακὸν σημεῖον ("the Lord's
sign") he repeats the idea, current as early as the ​Epistle of
Barnabas​, that the number 318 (in ​Greek numerals​, ΤΙΗ) in
Genesis 14:14 was a foreshadowing (a "type") of the cross (T, an upright with crossbar,
standing for 300) and of Jesus (ΙΗ, the first two letters of his name ΙΗΣΟΥΣ, standing for 18).

ICHTHYS
An Ichthys from ancient ​Ephesus​. Among the symbols employed
by the early Christians, that of the fish seems to have ranked first in
importance. Its popularity among Christians was due principally to the
famous ​acrostic consisting of the initial letters of five ​Greek words
forming the word for fish (Ichthus), which words briefly but clearly
described the character of Christ and the claim to worship of
believers: "​Ἰησοῦς ​Χρ
​ ιστὸς ​Θε​ οῦ ​Υἱ​ ὸς ​Σ​ωτήρ", (Iēsous Christos Theou
Huios Sōtēr), meaning, ​Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour.​ ]​ This explanation is given among
 others by ​Augustine in his ​Civitate Dei​,where he also notes that the generating sentence
"Ίησοῦς Χρειστὸς ​[sic] Θεοῦ Υἱὸς Σωτήρ" has 27 letters, i.e. 3 x 3 x 3, which in that age
indicated power.

ALPHA and OMEGA

Jesus depicted with the alpha and omega letters in the catacombs
of Rome from the 4th century. The use since the earliest Christianity
of the first and the last letters of the ​Greek alphabet​, ​alpha (​α or ​Α​)
and ​omega (​ω or ​Ω​), derives from the statement said by Jesus (or
God) himself "I am Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, the
Beginning and the End" (​Revelation 22:13​, also 1:8 and 21:6).

CHI RHO

The ​Chi Rho is formed by superimposing the first two (capital)

letters ​chi and ​rho (​ΧΡ​​) of the Greek word "​ΧΡ​​ΙΣΤΟΣ" ​=​Christ in such
a way to produce the ​monogram​. Widespread in ancient Christianity,
it was the symbol used by the ​Roman emperor ​Constantine I as
vexillum​(named Labarum).

Source: ​http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/history/dfg/jesu/festxtn.htm

ACTIVITY:
In every group there are 4 symbols that given and your task is to explain what are those
symbols and importance of it.

Varieties / New Movements /Innovations

➤ What are the different varieties of christianity? What are the similarities and differences?
PROTESTANTISM (920 million)

A map of ​Protestantism​ (including ​Anglicanism​) by population percentage.

Protestantism is the second largest major group of Christians after the Catholic Church
by number of followers. Estimates vary considerably, from 400 million up to more than a
billion.One of the reasons is the lack of a common agreement among scholars about which
denominations constitute Protestantism. For instance, most of the sources but not all of them
include ​Anglicanism as part of Protestantism (see ​below​). Moreover, Protestant denominations
do not form a single communion, comparable to those of the Catholic Church and Eastern
Orthodoxy. Nevertheless, 900 million is the most accepted figure among various authors and
scholars, and thus is used in this article. Note that 900 million figure also includes ​Anglicanism​,
as well as ​Anabaptists​, ​Baptists and multiple other groups which have in their scope some
denominations that might disavow a common "Protestant" designation, and would rather prefer
to be called, simply, "Christian"

EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCH (270 million)

 A map of ​Eastern ​ ​Orthodoxy​ by population percentage

The most common estimate of the number of Eastern Orthodox Christians worldwide is
225–300 million, forming a single communion, making it the second largest, single Christian
denomination behind the Catholic Church. These are the adherents of the recognized Orthodox
jurisdictions (autocephalous and autonomous churches) that are in ​f​ull communion with each
other. In addition, there are some Orthodox splinter groups and non-universally recognized
churches.

Oriental Orthodoxy​​ – 86 million

A map of ​Oriental Orthodoxy​ by population percentage.

O riental Orthodox churches are the churches descended from those that rejected the
Council of Chalcedon in 451. Despite the similar name, they are therefore a different branch of
Christianity from the Eastern Orthodox.

Anglicanism​​ (85 million)

 A map of the ​Anglican Communion (blue), the P ​ orvoo Communion​(green), comprising
European Anglican and ​Lutheran churches, and the U​ nion of Utrecht (Old Catholic) (red), a
federation of ​Old Catholic Churches​.

Source: ​https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglicanism

ACTIVITY:
Determine the places that have an dinominations of christianity as much as you can.

Adherents of Anglicanism are called "Anglicans". The majority of Anglicans are members of
national or regional ​ecclesiastical provinces of the international ​Anglican Communion​,which
forms the third-largest Christian ​communion in the world, after the ​Roman Catholic Church and
the ​Eastern Orthodox Church​. They are in ​full communion with the ​See of Canterbury​, and thus
the ​Archbishop of Canterbury​, whom the communion refers to as its ​primus inter pares (Latin,
"first among equals"). He calls the decennial ​Lambeth Conference​, chairs the meeting of
primates​, and the ​Anglican Consultative Council​. Some churches that are not part of the
Anglican Communion also consider themselves Anglican, including those that are part of the
Continuing Anglican movement​ and A ​ nglican realignment​.

CHRISTIANITY and ITS SELECTED ISSUES

Early Christians expected suffering. Christ had died on the cross, so there was no higher
honor than to imitate that death through accepting martyrdom (witness by one’s blood). The
Jewish legacy portrayed, in writings such as the Fourth Book of the Maccabees, the glorious
nature of death rather than renunciation of Israel; even without this, Christianity would inevitably
have held the martyr’s death in high esteem. As the writer of 1 Peter expressed it, “If you suffer
as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name.” (4:16).
 Source​​: h
​ ttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity

GUIDE QUESTION
➤What issues you recently heard on Catholic Churches?
➤Does it affect your faith?
➤How does it change your beliefs?

ECUMENISM

This refers to the effort of the Catholic Church to sponsor

activities and initiatives to promote mutual understanding and
unity among all Christians. According to Brodd (2003), It can be
also described as the promotion of worldwide Christians unity
and will be anchored from Vaticants Decree on Ecumenism.
SEXUALITY

The issue of sexuality has always been controversial for

the Catholic Churh. Due to its conservative view of human
sexuality, it has often found itself in conflict with progressive
and liberal ideas with regard to certain issues connected to
sexuality such as artificial contraception, abortion and
homosexuality. In general dwells with sexal orientation, sexual
activity

FAMILY and DIVORCE

The Christian view on marriage is based on Mathew

19:-6. Thus Catholic Church does not allow divorce since it
believes in the sanctity of marriage which should be a lifetime
bond between a man and a woman and is considered a legal
bond on earth and spiritual bond in heaven. As of today, only
philippines don’t have a divorce law.
CAPITAL PUNISHMENT and EUTHANASIA

Capital punishment or Death Penalty wherein a person is

punished by death for his or her capital crime goes against the
Christian belief that life is given by God and should not
be taken away by any person. Since Christian advocates
the belief that life is given by God, euthanasia or mercy killing is
also considered immoral since it entails taking away what has
been given by God, and that human beings should never
interfere with the natural process of death.

Source: ​ttps://​www.slideshare.net/KentSaldaa/christianity-selected-issues

ACTIVITY:
In every group there are pictures of an issue in christianity that shown to your group.
Your task is to make a skit of it.
 ​ ISLAM  
ISLAM

C-Joshua Hehe-Medium_medium.com

DESCRIPTION:
The purpose of this module is to introduce learners to Islam as a religious, social, literary 
and historical phenomenon. The module will explore the historical foundations of Islam 
and some of its most important subsequent developments.
 ● What is the meaning of Islam?
● Who is the God?

ISLAM   
ISLAM
islam -​​ is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, meaning they believe in only one god named
Allah, and that Muhammad is the messenger. It is the second largest religion in the world. Like
Christianity, they have a sacred scripture which is the Quran. Quran is believed to be the
verbatim word of Allah.
Muslims believe that Islam is the complete version of the primordial faith. Islam also teaches final
judgement like the other Abrahamic Religion.

GOD   
GOD
Allah(God)​​ The word is thought to be derived by contraction from al-ilāh, which means "the god",
and is related to El and Elah, the Hebrew and Aramaic words for God.
He is the God of Islam. He is like Yahweh the God of Judaism.

● How does Islam defines?

Islam (​Arabic​: ‫​إﺳﻼم‬, ​IPA: ​[alʔɪsˈlaːm]​ ​ the word ‘Islam’ mean ‘submission or surrender’. In a
religious context it means "voluntary submission to God", ​Muslim​,however means "submitter" or
"one who surrenders". The word sometimes has distinct connotations in its various occurrences
in the ​Quran​. In some verses, there is stress on the quality of Islam as an internal spiritual state:
"Whomsoever God desires to guide, He opens his heart to Islam." Other verses connect Islam
and religion (​dīn​) together: "Today, I have perfected your religion (​dīn)​ for you; I have completed
My blessing upon you; I have approved Islam for your religion." Still others describe Islam as an
action of returning to God—more than just a verbal affirmation of faith. In the ​Hadith of Gabriel​,
islām​ is presented as one part of a triad that also includes ​imān​ (faith), and ​ihsān​ (excellence).
 Who is the founder?

Muhammad Ibn Abdullah 

Muhammad was the founder of ​Islam​. According to ​Islamic doctrine​, he was a ​prophet​ and God's
messenger, sent to present and confirm the ​monotheistic​ teachings preached previously by ​Adam​,
Abraham​, ​Moses​, ​Jesus​, and other ​prophets​. He is viewed as the ​final prophet​ of ​God​ in all the main
branches of Islam​, though some modern denominations diverge from this belief.Muhammad united
Arabia​ into a single Muslim ​polity​, with the Q
​ uran​ as well as his teachings and practices forming the
basis of Islamic religious belief.
He was born in approximately 570 CE, in the city of ​Mecca​. Muhammad was orphaned at an early
age; he was raised under the care of his paternal uncle ​Abu Talib​ and Abu Talib's wife ​Fatimah bint
Asad​. Periodically, he would seclude himself in a mountain cave named ​Hira​ for several nights of
prayer; later, at age 40, he reported being visited by ​Gabriel​ in the cave, where he stated he received
his first revelation​ from God. Three years later, in 610, Muhammad started ​preaching​ these
revelations publicly, proclaiming that "​God is One​", that complete "submission" (​islām​) to God is the
right course of action (​dīn)​ , and that he was a prophet and messenger of God, similar to the other
prophets in Islam​.
Muhammad gained few early ​followers​, and experienced h ​ ostility from Meccan​ polytheists. To escape
ongoing persecution, he ​sent some followers​ to ​Abyssinia​ in 615, before he and his followers migrated
from Mecca to ​Medina​ (then known as Yathrib) later in 622. This event, the ​Hijra​, marks the beginning
of the ​Islamic calendar​, also known as the Hijri Calendar. In Medina, Muhammad united the tribes
under the ​Constitution of Medina​. In December 629, after eight years of intermittent wars with Meccan
tribes, Muhammad gathered an army of 10,000 Muslim converts and ​marched on the city of Mecca​.
The conquest went largely uncontested and Muhammad seized the city with little bloodshed. In 632, a
few months after returning from the ​Farewell Pilgrimage​, he fell ill and died. By his death, most of the
Arabian Peninsula​ had ​converted to Islam​.
The revelations (each known as ​Ayah,​ lit. "Sign [of God]"), which Muhammad reported receiving until
his death, form the verses of the Quran, regarded by Muslims as the verbatim "Word of God" and
around which the religion is based. Besides the Quran, Muhammad's teachings and practices
(​sunnah​), found in the ​Hadith​ and ​sira​ (biography) literature, are also upheld and used as ​sources​ of
Islamic law
The ​name ​Muhammad​ (​/mʊˈhæməd, -ˈhɑːməd/​) means "praiseworthy" and appears four times in the
Quran.​[19]​ The Quran addresses Muhammad in the second person by various ​appellations​; ​prophet​,
messenger​, servant of God ('​abd)​ , announcer (​bashir​),​[​Quran​ ​2:119​]​witness (​shahid​),​[​Quran​ ​33:45​]​ bearer of
good tidings (​mubashshir)​ , warner (​nathir​),​[​Quran​ ​11:2​]​ reminder (​mudhakkir​),​[​Quran​ ​88:21​]​ one who calls [unto
God] (​dā'ī)​ ,​[​Quran​ ​12:108​]​ light personified (​noor)​ ,​[​Quran​ ​05:15​]​ and the light-giving lamp (​siraj munir​).​[​Quran​ ​33:46​]
Muhammad is sometimes addressed by designations deriving from his state at the time of the
address: thus he is referred to as the enwrapped (​Al-Muzzammil)​ in Quran ​73:1​ and the shrouded
(​al-muddaththir)​ in Quran ​74:1​. In Sura Al-Ahzab ​33:40​ God singles out Muhammad as the "​Seal of
the prophets​", or the last of the prophets.​[21]​ The Quran also refers to Muhammad as A ​ ḥmad "more
praiseworthy" (​Arabic​: ‫​أﺣﻤﺪ‬, Sura ​As-Saff​ ​61:6​).
The name Abū al-Qāsim Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Muṭṭalib ibn Hāshim, begins with the
kunya​ Abū, which corresponds to the English, ​father of​.
He was like Jesus Christ from the other Abrahamic Religion Christianity.
Source: iajuc.org

● Why is it concerns the political, social, economic and cultural developments of the
Islamic civilization?

HISTORY   
HISTORY
Islam concerns about the political, social, economic and cultural developments of the Islamic
civilization. Despite concerns about the reliability of early sources, most historians believe that
Islam originated in Mecca and Medina at the start of the 7th century. Muslims however believe
that it did not start with Muhammad, but that it was the original faith of others whom they regard
as Prophets, such as Jesus, David, Moses, Abraham, Noah and Adam. In 610 CE, Muhammad
began receiving what Muslims consider to be divine revelations.
Muhammad's message won over a handful of followers and was met with increasing opposition
from notables of Mecca. In 618, after he lost protection with the death of his influential uncle Abu
Talib, Muhammad migrated to the city of Yathrib (now known as Medina). With Muhammad's
death in 632, disagreement broke out over who would succeed him as leader of the Muslim
community which was eventually resurrected leading to the First Fitna.
 ● How many muslims in the world?

POPULATION   
POPULATION
According to a study in 2015, Islam has 1.8 billion adherents, making up about 24% of the world
population. Most Muslims are either of two denominations: Sunni (80-90%, roughly 1.5 billion
people)or Shia (10–20%, roughly 170-340 million people). Islam is the dominant religion in the
Central Asia, Indonesia, Middle East, South Asia, North Africa, the Sahel and some other parts of
Asia. The diverse Asia-Pacific region contains the highest number of Muslims in the world, easily
surpassing the Middle East and North Africa.
About 31% of all Muslims are of South Asian origin, therefore South Asia contains the largest
population of Muslims in the world. Within this region, however, Muslims are second in numbers
to Hindus, as Muslims are a majority in Pakistan and Bangladesh, but not India.
The various Hamito-Semitic (including Arab, Berber), Turkic, and Iranic countries of the greater
Middle East-North Africa (MENA) region] where Islam is the dominant religion in all countries
other than Israel,[5] hosts 23% of world Muslims.
The country with the single largest population of Muslims is Indonesia in Southeast Asia, which
on its own hosts 13% of the world's Muslims. Together, the Muslims in the countries of Southeast
Asia constitute the world's third largest population of Muslims. In the countries of the Malay
Archipelago Muslims are majorities in each country other than Singapore, the Philippines, and
East Timor.
About 15% of Muslims reside in Sub-Saharan Africa, and sizeable Muslim communities are also
found in the Americas, the Caucasus, China, Europe, the Philippines and Russia.
Western Europe hosts many Muslim immigrant communities where Islam is the second largest
religion after Christianity, where it represents 6% of the total population or 24 million
people.Converts and immigrant communities are found in almost every part of the world.

Source:Pew Research Center

Source:Pew Research Center
 ● What are the arts and cultures of Islam?

Arts and Cultures 

Cultures  
Islamic culture is a term primarily used in secular academia to describe the cultural practices
common to historically Islamic people -- i.e., the culture of the Islamicate. The early forms of
Muslim culture were predominantly Arab. With the rapid expansion of the Islamic empires,
Muslim culture has influenced and assimilated much from the Persian, Caucasian, Bangladeshi,
Turkic, Mongol, Indian, Malay, Somali, Berber, Egyptian, Indonesian, and Moro cultures
Islamic culture generally includes all the practices which have developed around the religion of
Islam, including Qur'anic ones such as prayer (salat) and non-Qur'anic such as divisions of the
world in Islam. It includes the Baul tradition of Bengal. There are variations in the application of
Islamic beliefs in different cultures and traditions.

ISLAMIC ART 
ART 

Islamic art traditionally non-representational, except for the widespread use of plant forms,
usually in varieties of the spiralling arabesque. These are often combined with Islamic
calligraphy, geometric patterns in styles that are typically found in a wide variety of media, from
small objects in ceramic or metal work to large decorative schemes in tiling on the outside and
inside of large buildings, including mosques. However, there is a long tradition in Islamic art of
the depiction of human and animal figures, especially in painting and small anonymous relief
figures as part of a decorative scheme.
Source:googleimages.com
 
 
 
 
 
 
CALLIGRAPHY  
CALLIGRAPHY
Forbidden to paint living things and taught to revere the Qur'an, Islamic artists developed Arabic
calligraphy into an art form. Calligraphers have long drawn from the Qur'an or proverbs as art,
using the flowing Arabic language to express the beauty they perceive in the verses of Qur'an.
Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of handwriting and calligraphy based on the Arabic
alphabet. It is known in Arabic as khatt (Arabic: ‫)​ﺧﻂ‬, derived from the word 'line', 'design', or
'construction'.Kufic is the oldest form of the Arabic script.
Arabic language is a Central Semitic language that first emerged in Iron Age northwestern
Arabia and is now the lingua franca of the Arab world. It is named after the Arabs, a term initially
used to describe people living from Mesopotamia in the east to the Anti-Lebanon mountains in
the west, in northwestern Arabia, and in the Sinai peninsula. Arabic is classified as a
macrolanguage comprising 30 modern varieties, including its standard form, Modern Standard
Arabic,which is derived from Classical Arabic.

​ ​(Source:googleimages.com)
 
 
 
ARCHITECTURE   
ARCHITECTURE

● Islamic architecture may be identified with the following design elements, which were
inherited from the first mosque built by Muhammad in Medina, as well as from other
pre-Islamic features adapted from churches and synagogues
● Large courtyards often merged with a central prayer hall (originally a feature of the Masjid
al-Nabawi).
● Minarets or towers (which were originally used as torch-lit watchtowers for example in the
Great Mosque of Damascus; hence the derivation of the word from the Arabic nur, meaning
"light"). The oldest standing minaret in the world is the minaret of the Great Mosque of
Kairouan (in Tunisia);[9][10] erected between the 2nd and the 3rd century, it is a majestic
square tower consisting of three superimposed tiers of gradual size and decor.
● A mihrab or niche on an inside wall indicating the direction to Mecca. This may have been
derived from previous uses of niches for the setting of the torah scrolls in Jewish
synagogues or Mehrab (Persian: ‫)ﻣﻬﺮاب‬ ِ of Persian Mitraism culture or the wikt:haikal of
Coptic churches.
● Domes (the earliest Islamic use of which was in the 8th-century mosque of Medina).
● Use of iwans to intermediate between different sections.
● Use of geometric shapes and repetitive art (arabesque).
● Use of decorative Arabic calligraphy.
● Use of symmetry.
● Ablution fountains.
● Use of bright colour.
● Focus on the interior space of a building rather than the exterior.

THEATER   
THEATER
● Whilst theatre is permitted by Islam,Islam does not allow for any performances to
depict Allah, Muhammad, his companions, the angels or matters detailed in the
religion that are unseen.
● The most popular forms of theatre in the medieval Islamic world were puppet
theatre (which included hand puppets, shadow plays and marionette productions)
and live passion plays known as ta'ziya, where actors re-enact episodes from
Muslim history. In particular, Shia Islamic plays revolved around the shaheed
(martyrdom) of Ali's sons Hasan ibn Ali and Husayn ibn Ali. Live secular plays were
known as akhraja, recorded in medieval adab literature, though they were less
common than puppetry and ta'zieh theatre.
 PUPPET SHADOW PLAY MARIONETTE
(Source: googleimages.com)

● One of the oldest, and most enduring, forms of puppet theatre is the Wayang of
Indonesia. Although it narrates primarily pre-Islamic legends, it is also an
important stage for Islamic epics such as the adventures of Amir Hamzah
(pictured). Islamic Wayang is known as Wayang Sadat or Wayang Menak.

Source: googleimages.com
THE BRANCHES OF ISLAM 
ISLAM 
-Sunni
-Shia

 
Sunni  
Sunni

● Sunni Islam is the largest denomination of Islam. Its name comes from the word Sunnah,
referring to the exemplary behaviour of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The differences
between Sunni and Shia Muslims arose from a disagreement over the choice of
Muhammad's successor and subsequently acquired broader political significance, as well
as theological and juridical dimensions.
● According to Sunni traditions, Muhammad did not clearly designate a successor and the
Muslim community acted according to his sunnah in electing his father-in-law Abu Bakr as
the first caliph. This contrasts with the Shi'a view, which holds that Muhammad announced
at the event of Ghadir Khumm his son-in-law and cousin Ali ibn Abi Talib as his
successor.Unlike the first three caliphs, Ali was from the same clan as Muhammad, Banu
Hashim, and Shia Muslims consider him legitimate, inter alia, by favour of his blood ties to
Muhammad, too. Political tensions between Sunnis and Shias continued with varying
intensity throughout Islamic history and they have been exacerbated in recent times by
ethnic conflicts and the rise of Wahhabism.
● As of 2009, Sunni Muslims constituted 87–90% of the world's Muslim population.Sunni
Islam is the world's largest religious denomination, followed by Catholicism.Its adherents
are referred to in Arabic as ahl as-sunnah wa l-jamāʻah ("the people of the sunnah and the
community") or ahl as-sunnah for short. In English, its doctrines and practices are
sometimes called Sunnism,while adherents are known as Sunni Muslims, Sunnis, Sunnites
and Ahlus Sunnah. Sunni Islam is sometimes referred to as "orthodox Islam".However,
other scholars of Islam, such as John Burton believe that there's no such thing as
"orthodox Islam".
● •The Quran, together with hadith (especially those collected in Kutub al-Sittah) and binding
juristic consensus form the basis of all traditional jurisprudence within Sunni Islam. Sharia
rulings are derived from these basic sources, in conjunction with analogical reasoning,
consideration of public welfare and juristic discretion, using the principles of jurisprudence
developed by the traditional legal schools.

​ (Source:googleimages.com)
Shia  
Shia

● ˈʃiːːə/; Arabic: ‫ ​​ﺷﯿﻌﺔ‬Shīʿʿah, from Shīʻʻatu ʻAlī, "followers of Ali") is a branch of

Shia (/ˈʃ
Islam which holds that the Islamic prophet Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib
as his successor (Imam), most notably at the event of Ghadir Khumm. Shia Islam
primarily contrasts with Sunni Islam, whose adherents believe that Muhammad did
not appoint a successor and consider Abu Bakr (who was appointed Caliph through
a Shura, i.e. community consensus) to be the correct first Caliph.Unlike the first
three Rashidun caliphs, Ali was from the same clan as Muhammad, Banu Hashim.
● Shia Islam is based on the Quran and the message of Muhammad attested in hadith,
and on hadith taught by their Imams. Shia consider Ali to have been divinely
appointed as the successor to Muhammad, and as the first Imam. The Shia also
extend this Imammah doctrine to Muhammad's family, the Ahl al-Bayt ("the
people/family of the House", and some individuals among his descendants, known
as Imams, who they believe possess special spiritual and political authority over the
community, infallibility and other divinely ordained traits. Although there are many
Shia subsects, modern Shia Islam has been divided into three main groupings:
Twelvers, Ismailis and Zaidis, with Twelver Shia being the largest and most
influential group among Shia.
● Adherents of Shia Islam are called Shias of Ali, Shias or the Shi'a as a collective or
Shi'i individually. Shia Islam is the second largest branch of Islam: in 2009, Shia
Muslims constituted 10-13% of the world's Muslim population. Twelver Shia is the
largest branch of Shia Islam,with 2012 estimates saying that 85% of Shias were
Twelvers.

(Source:googleimages.com)
SYMBOLS  
SYMBOLS

Islam is a religion that began in Arabia and was revealed to humanity by the Prophet
Muhammad. There are no official religious Islam symbols, but several symbols have a
special place in Islam.

The Star and Crescent 

Crescent 
The star and crescent is the best-known symbol used to represent Islam. The symbol is not Muslim in
origin, it was a polytheistic icon adopted during the spread of Islam, and its use today is sometimes
controversial in the Muslim world. The crescent and star are often said to be Islamic symbols, but
historians say that they were the insignia of the Ottoman Empire, not of Islam as a whole.

Source: Religious Symbols

“ALLAH” in Arabic 
Arabic 
The words "Allah" in Arabic script or characters can be regarded as visually representing Islam as a
symbol.

(Source: Religious Symbols)

 
ISLAMIC DIETARY LAW

● This is derived from commandments found in the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam, as well as
the Hadith and Sunnah, libraries cataloging things the Islamic prophet Muhammad is
reported to have said and done. Extensions of these rulings are issued, as fatwas, by
mujtahids, with varying degrees of strictness, but they are not always widely held to be
authoritative.
● According to the Quran, the only foods explicitly forbidden are meat from animals that die
of themselves, blood, the meat of pigs, and any food dedicated to other than God.
● However, a person would not be guilty of sin in a situation where the lack of any alternative
creates an undesired necessity to consume that which is otherwise unlawful. (Quran 2:173)
This is the "law of necessity" in Islamic jurisprudence: "That which is necessary makes the
forbidden permissible."

PROBIHITED LAW 
LAW 
 
● A variety of substances are considered as unlawful (haraam) for humans to consume and,
therefore, forbidden as per various Qurʼanic verses:
● Intoxicants and alcoholic beverages
● Carrion (carcasses of dead animals which weren't killed by men or pets trained for purpose,
like dogs or falcons)
● Blood
● Pork
● Any food blasphemously dedicated to other than God
● An animal that has been strangled, beaten (to death), killed by a fall, gored (to death), or
savaged by a beast of prey
● Quranic verses which have information regarding halal foods include: 2:173, 5:5, and
6:118–119, 121.

INTOXITANTS  
INTOXITANTS

● In Islam, consumption of any intoxicants (khamr, specifically, alcoholic beverages) is

generally forbidden in the Qur'an through several separate verses revealed at different
times over a period of years. At first, it was forbidden for Muslims to attend prayers while
intoxicated.
● In addition to this, most observant Muslims refrain from consuming food products that
contain pure vanilla extract or soy sauce if these food products contain alcohol; there is
 some debate about whether the prohibition extends to dishes in which the alcohol would be
cooked off or if it would be practically impossible to consume enough of the food to become
intoxicated.
● Substances which are intoxicants are not prohibited as such, although their consumption is.
For example, alcohol can be used as a disinfectant[8][9] or for cleaning, but not as a
beverage.
● The Alevi Muslims of Turkey permit alcohol, unlike many other denominations.Ismaili
Muslims are also noted for discouraging, rather than prohibiting, alcohol. The Zaidi and
Mutazili sects believe that the use of alcohol has always been forbidden and refer to the
Qur'an Ayah (4:43) as feeling of sleepiness and not to be awake

(Source:googleimages.com)

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CARRION  
CARRION

● Animal who dies of itself i.e., carrion

● Forbidden to you is that which dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that on
which any other name than that of Allah has been invoked, and the strangled (animal) and
that beaten to death, and that killed by a fall and that killed by being smitten with the horn,
and that which wild beasts have eaten, except what you slaughter, and what is sacrificed
on stones set up (for idols) and that you divide by the arrows; that is a transgression. This
day have those who disbelieve despaired of your religion, so fear them not, and fear Me.
This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen
for you Islam as a religion; but whoever is compelled by hunger, not inclining willfully to sin,
then surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
● — Qurʼan, Surah 5 (al-Maʼidah), ayah

(Source: googleimages.com)

ANIMALS DEDICATED TO OTHER THAN GOD 

GOD 
● Animal dedicated to or slaughtered at the name of a human being or saint is prohibited.
● He has only forbidden you what dies of itself, and blood, and flesh of swine, and that over
which any other (name) than (that of) God has been invoked; but whoever is driven to
necessity, not desiring, nor exceeding the limit, no sin shall be upon him; surely Allah is
Forgiving, Merciful.
● — Qurʼan, Sura 2 (Al-Baqara), ayat 173

 
PROBIHITED ANIMAL SLAUGHTERING 
SLAUGHTERING 
 
● An animal slaughtered by following methods is prohibited.
● strangled to death
● beaten to death
● died due to falling
● killed by being smitten by horn
 ● eaten by wild beast

ISLAMIC HOLIDAYS 
HOLIDAYS 
There are two official holidays in Islam: Eid Al-Fitr and Eid Al-Adha. Eid Al-Fitr is celebrated at the end
of Ramadan (a month of fasting during daylight hours), and Muslims usually give zakat (charity) on
the occasion. Eid Al-Adha is celebrated on the tenth day of Dhu al-Hijjah and lasts for four days,
during which Muslims usually slaughter a sheep and distribute its meat in 3 parts: among family,
friends, and the poor.

EID AL-FITR 
AL-FITR 
● an important religious holiday celebrated by Muslims worldwide that marks the end of
Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting (sawm). This religious Eid (Muslim religious
festival) is the first and only day in the month of Shawwal during which Muslims are not
permitted to fast. The holiday celebrates the conclusion of the 29 or 30 days of
dawn-to-sunset fasting during the entire month of Ramadan. The day of Eid, therefore, falls
on the first day of the month of Shawwal. The date for the start of any lunar Hijri month
varies based on when the new moon is sighted by local religious authorities, so the exact
day of celebration varies by locality.
● celebrated at the end of Ramadan (a month of fasting during daylight hours), and Muslims
usually give zakat (charity) on the occasion.

EID AL-ADHA 
AL-ADHA 
 
● (​Arabic​: ‫​ﻋﯿﺪ اﻷﺿﺤﻰ‬, ​translit.​ ʿ​ īd al-ʾaḍḥā, ​lit.​ 'Feast of the Sacrifice', ​[ʕiːd ælˈʔɑdˤħæː]​), also
called the "Festival of Sacrifice", is the second of two ​Islamic holidays​celebrated worldwide
each year (the other being ​Eid al-Fitr​), and considered the holier of the two. It honors the
willingness of ​Ibrahim (Abraham)​ to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to ​God’s
command. But, before Abraham could sacrifice his son, God provided a lamb to sacrifice
instead. In commemoration of this, an animal is sacrificed and divided into three parts: one
third of the share is given to the poor and needy; another third is given to relatives.
● In the ​Islamic lunar calendar​, ​Eid al-Adha​ falls on the 10th day of ​Dhu al-Hijjah​. In the
international ​(Gregorian) calendar​, the dates vary from year to year drifting approximately
11 days earlier each year.

 
 
 
 
 RAMADAN  
RAMADAN
 
•also known as Ramazan, romanized as Ramzan, Ramadhan, or Ramathan) is the ninth month of
the Islamic calendar, and is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting (Sawm) to
commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief.This
annual observance is regarded as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. The month lasts 29–30 days
based on the visual sightings of the crescent moon, according to numerous biographical accounts
compiled in the hadiths.

 
ISLAMIC MARRIAGE 
 
● In Islam, marriage is a legal contract between a man and a woman. Both the groom and
the bride are to consent to the marriage of their own free wills. A formal, binding contract is
considered integral to a religiously valid Islamic marriage, and outlines the rights and
responsibilities of the groom and bride. There must be two Muslim witnesses of the
marriage contract. Divorce in Islam can take a variety of forms, some initiated by the
husband and some initiated by the wife.
● In addition to the usual marriage until death or divorce, there is a different fixed-term
marriage known as zawāj al-mutʻah ("pleasure marriage")(p1045) permitted only by the
Twelver branch of Shia Islam for a pre-fixed period.(p242) There is also Nikah Misyar, a
non-temporary marriage with the removal of some conditions such as living together,
permitted by Sunni Muslims. Sunnis also allow Nikah urfi and some sects[which?] of Sunni
allow Nikah halala.

 
The 5 Pillars 
● Shahadah- declaring in one’s belief
● Salat- praying in 5 times(dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset and
evening)
● Zakat- to give charity
● Sawm- fast form food, water and other pleasures of the flesh in
Ramadan
● Hajj- pilgrimage to Mecca

LANGUAGE: Arabic
 
ACTIVITY: Think Please! 
Group yourself in 5 members to make a 5 groups. Give an idea 
about The 5 pillars of Islam 
 
Group1: Shahadah 
Group2: Salat 
Group3: Zakat 
Group4: Sawm 
Group5: Hajj 
 
 
 
 
Quiz: Tell me the truth! 
Directions: Write T if the word of a statement is true, and if the 
word of a statement is wrong, write the correct word.  
1.Islam is an abrahamic monotheistic religion.
2.Muslims are eating pork.
3.They believe in many gods.
4.There are 3 pillars in Islam.
5. Eid-Al Fitr is celebrated at the end of Ramadan.
6. Muslim considered Muhammad as the last messenger of Allah.
7.Historians believe that Islam originated at Mecca and Medina.
8. Islam means ‘submitter to God or Allah’
9. The language of Islam is Latin.
10. Quran is the sacred text in Islam.
 HINDUISM
An Introduction

​ ​ ​GROUP 4 ITWR
DOMINGO JACKYLYN B ACLAN PRINCESS JOY
ILUMBA ERICKA LINGAYO GAENGAN
MANAHAN MICO DE LEON SOPHIA
MANDANE PRINCE
 Image from pinterest.com
MOTIVATION:
TRY THIS PER GROUP!
Create a dance that is related to the dance of hinduism and using the given songs
by the reporters. The reporters will give you an ample time to prepare and to
practice using the given song.

Hinduism is an Indian religion and dharma, or a way of life, ​widely practised in the
Indian subcontinent
and parts of Southeast Asia. Hinduism has been called the oldest religion in the
world,and some practitioners and scholars refer to it as Sanatana dharma, "the eternal
tradition", or the "eternal way", beyond human history.Scholars regard Hinduism as a
fusionor synthesis ​of various Indian cultures and traditions,with diverse roots and no
founder. This "Hindu synthesis" started to develop between 500 BCE and 300 CE,
following the Vedic period (1500 BCE to 500 BCE).
Although Hinduism contains a broad range of philosophies, it is linked by shared
concepts, recognisable rituals, cosmology, shared textual resources, and pilgrimage to
sacred sites. Hindu texts are classified into Śruti ("heard") and Smṛti ("remembered").
These texts discuss theology, philosophy, mythology, Vedic yajna, Yoga, agamic rituals,
and temple building, among other topics. Some Hindus leave their social world and
material possessions, then engage in lifelong Sannyasa (monastic practices) to achieve
Moksha. Hinduism prescribes the eternal duties, such as honesty, refraining from
injuring living beings (ahimsa), patience, forbearance, self-restraint, and compassion,
among others.​] The four largest denominations of Hinduism are the Vaishnavism,
Shaivism, Shaktism and Smartism.
Hinduism is the world's third largest religion; its followers, known as Hindus, constitute
about 1.15 billion, or 15–16% of the global population. Hindus form the majority of the
population in India, Nepal and Mauritius. Significant Hindu communities are also found
in the Caribbean, Africa, North America, and other countries.

Hinduism​​, unlike other religions, does not dogmatically assert that the final
emancipation is possible only through its means and not through any other. It is only
means to an end and all means which will ultimately lead to the end are equally
approved. Hinduism allows absolute freedom to the rational mind of man. Hinduism
never demands any undue restraint upon the freedom of human reason, the freedom of
thought, feeling and will of man. It allows the widest freedom in matters of faith and
worship. Hinduism is a religion of freedom. It allows absolute freedom to the human
reason and heart with regard to questions such as nature of God, soul, creation, form of
worship and the goal of life. Hinduism does not lie in the acceptance of any particular
doctrine, nor in the observance of some particular rituals or form of worship. It does not
force anybody to accept particular dogmas or forms of worship. It allows everybody to
reflect, investigate, enquire and cogitate. Hence, all sorts of religious faiths, various
forms of worship or Sadhana, and diverse kinds of rituals and customs, have found their
honourable places side by side within Hinduism and are cultured and developed in
harmonious relationship with one another. There are considerable numbers of the
followers of other religions in India. And yet, the Hindus live in perfect harmony, peace
and friendship with all of them. Their tolerance and fellow-feeling towards the followers
of other religions is remarkable. Despite all the differences of metaphysical doctrines,
modes of religious discipline and forms of ritualistic practices and social habits prevalent
in the Hindu society, there is an essential uniformity in the conception of religion and in
the outlook on life and the world, among all sections of Hindus.
www.quora.com
 Image from reddiff.com

Hinduism spread and distribution

Hindu Population - 2008

# Country Hindus % of
millions total

1 India 811 80.5

2 Banglades 24.6 16.0

h

3 Nepal 23.8 80.6

4 Indonesia 10.0 4.2

 5 Pakistan 3.03 1.0

6 Sri Lanka 3.00 15.0

7 Malaysia 1.59 6.3

8 USA 1.22 0.4

9 UK 1.09 1.8

10 Mauritius 0.61 48.0

11 Fiji 0.32 34.0

12 Guyana 0.22 28.4

13 Suriname 0.13 27.4

In the first period of Indian history the Indo-Aryans settled on the Indus and its
tributaries. In the second period they had colonised the whole of the Gangetic valley as
far as North Behar, and had founded great and flourishing kingdoms all over Northern
India. In the third period, the Hindus spread themselves all over India, and all the
peoples and nations of the land, except wild hill tribes, accepted Brahmin religion,
learning and laws, manners and civilisation.In the third Age (600 BC to 400 BC ) the
Brahmin kingdoms in Eastern and Southern India had risen to a higher political power,
and the scenes of the greatest intellectual and religious movements of this age were
laid in Eastern and Southern India.
The Vaishnavas represented the deified heroes of India as successive incarnations of
their god, thus utilising the doctrine of transmigration. The Saivas, on the other hand,
took up the deities worshipped by the various tribes, and represented them as being
manifestations or servants of Siva The whole object of the Saivas was to assimilate,
not to eradicate, ancient usages. They seem to have been as compliant with regard to
the moral practices of those whom they proselytised.
Amid the general anarchy in Northern India caused by the rise of the Rajputs the
kingdom of Kanauj managed to survive. Through the influence of Kanauj the new
Hinduism spread to the four corners of India, and caste divisions grew and multiplied
everywhere exceedingly.
Although almost all the world's Hindus live in India or Nepal, there are also overseas
communities of Hindus. The first movement of Hinduism from India was to nearby areas
of Southeast Asia. Hinduism spread over Burma, Siam, and Java. Great cities were
erected with splendid temples and huge idols, the ruins of which still remain, though
their magnificence has gone and they are covered to-day with the growth of the jungle.
This powerful civilization of the Hindus, established thus in Malaysia, greatly affected
the Malayan people on these islands, as well as those who came to the Philippines.
By the end of the 20th Century Hinduism was the majority religion in India, Nepal,
Mauritius, Guyana and Suriname. In a several other countries, including Malaysia,
Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Fiji the USA and UK, Hindus constitute a significant
minority. Of the world's 200 countries, Hindus are found in measurable numbers in 114
countries. This wide distribution - notably to Guyana and Suriname - is attributable to
the Indian diaspora that was initially a product of British imperialism and the of voluntary
migration of Indians in search of
better economic prospects. This
movement of Hindus continues
to this day as Indian
professionals are sought after
in various industries like
engineering and information
technology in countries around
the world.
Hinduism, as an institution,
offers very little to the poor and
underprivileged within its fold.
This is one of the prime
reasons for voluntary
conversion of Hindus from
among its members. The
erstwhile followers of Hinduism
pose a major question mark to traditional Hinduism even today, and are its greatest
critics, besides nursing strong resentment and seething anger against atrocities
committed by upper caste Hindus in the past, which continues in certain areas of India
even today. Hinduism has little to offer to the poor and the underprivileged from among
its fold. That is why hordes of the poor and underprivileged left it earlier, when they did
so voluntarily (of course there also was a considerable condemnable forcible
conversion, which is not at issue here). And those who realize this fault from among the
upper caste and/or the privileged class also leave it, or do not at least practice it beyond
following some rituals.
What did the Christian missions offer the ordinary Hindu convert? They just tapped the
basic needs of the Hindus from the deprived sections. They offered education through
their wide network of Mission schools, and they offered medical help through their
equally wide network of Mission hospitals.

FOUNDER OF HINDUISM

For hundreds of years, many people have searched for some evidence of the founder of
Hinduism. The religion, which is open to interpretation, is a collection of paths to wisdom
that is based on human reasoning rather than a divine authority and a finger cannot be
pointed at a specific founder.
The earliest indications of the term Hindu come from the Punjab and the Indus Valley in
India. The culture that was established in the third millennium BC is evidenced in the
excavations of two cities. If you lived in that region, no matter what religion you
believed, you became known as a Hindu or Hindu Muslim.

Located by rivers, the culture used water for irrigating the fertile plains. The people not
only used the river for bathing but also for ritual cleansings. The waters became known
as 'rivers of life' and therefore presumed to be sacred. Hindus believe that 'religion' is
just another aspect of their bodies as is breathing.

The temples that have been found have no indication of a primary deity. There are
many 'gods' and 'goddesses' as symbols of creativity and the ongoing flow of life. Each
village had its own unique statue to worship. The aspect of politics mixed with religion
models ancient Babylonia, where the ruler was seen as a 'son' of the mother-goddess.

Thus, this religion was subject to new philosophies that changed with time. Hinduism
consists of a wide range of beliefs that are not related to the other at all. There is no
known founder of Hinduism, no creed, no single source of authority. All related Hindu
philosophies share just a resemblance to each other. There is no defined beginning as
with other religions.

With over 750 million believers, the majority of Hindus live in India. Much smaller
numbers are reported in most countries worldwide.
​Important Hindu Gods and Goddesses
There are many Hindu gods and goddess below is the brief of only major ones:

The 3 supreme Gods are Brahma, Vishnu and SHIVA

Brahma
Brahma is the Hindu god of creation. Statues of
Brahma, paintings and other artwork normally
represent him as having four heads- this is
symbolic of him watching over the whole world.
He
sometimes is shown with a beard, usually white-
this is to symbolise that he is eternal and to show
that he is old and wise. He is usually also shown
as having four arms and unlike most Hindu
Gods- he carries no weapons.
He sometimes is pictured riding on a swan called
Hamsa. The swan is Brahma’s vehicle and
symbolises- grace.
He often carries all or some of the following items:
-A lotus flower- to symbolise nature and the living essence of all things and beings in
the Universe.
-Books- to symbolise knowledge- the books are usually the Hindu Vedas- these are
very ancient
Hindu holy books.
-A spoon/ladle- which is associated with the pouring of holy ghee or oil onto a sacrificial
pyresignifying
Brahma as the lord of sacrifices.
-A jar known as a 'kamandalu'- this is a jar made of metal or even coconut shell,
containing water.
The water in this jar is holy
-A string of prayer beads called the 'akshamala' (literally "garland of eyes") which He
uses to keep track of the Universe's time.
 Vishnu is the Hindu god of preservation. He is the
maintainer, preserver and protector of all in the
universe.
Of all the Gods- Vishnu has many incarnations. An
incarnation is a human or animal that
represents or ‘embodies’ the God on earth. The
reason Vishnu has more incarnations of himself
appear on Earth is because his role is to preserve
and maintain the universe- so he appears on
Earth in different forms to put right problems.
In Hindu stories and mythologies, the best known
characters said to be incarnations of Vishnu are:
1-Matsya, the fish- who saved Manu – (the man
whom all humans descend from -in Hinduism)
from the great deluge and rescued the Vedic scriptures by killing a demon.
2-Kurma, the turtle- who helped with the churning of the ocean by bearing the entire
weight of a mountain on his back.
3-Varaha, the boar who rescued the earth from the ocean, by killing a demon
4- Narasimha, the half man-half lion - who killed the tyrant demon-king to rescue the
demon's son Prahlada, who was a Vishnu-devotee
5- Vamana, the dwarf, who subdued the king Maha Bali
6- Parashurama, sage with the axe who killed the thousand-armed king Kartavirya
Arjuna
7- Rama, the king of Ayodhya and the hero of the Hindu epic Ramayana
8-Balarama- the older brother of Krishna
9- Krishna, the king of Dwarka, a central character in the Bhagavata Purana and the
Mahabharata and reciter of Bhagavad Gita
10- Buddha- The thinker
11- Kalki ("Eternity", or "time", or "The Destroyer of foulness"). This incarnation has not
yet appeared on Earth but it is expected to appear at the end of one of the Hindu time
cycles- the cycle of Kali Yuga- which the world is currently in.
In paintings Vishnu is often coloured Blue- this is to symbolise the divine colour of water
filled clouds and the infinite expanse of sky and ocean.
He sometimes is pictured riding on an Eagle called Garruda- the Eagle is Vishnu’s
vehicle and is symbolises courage and the speed to spread knowledge.
Sometimes Vishnu is also pictured with a many headed serpent- this is due to a famous
image of
Vishnu in the Mahabharata story where he rests on a many headed serpent drifting on
the milky ocean. The image symbolises the ocean of the universe.
In statues/paintings Vishnu often has 4 arms. He carries:
-A conch: the sound this produces is 'Om', which in Hinduism- represents the primeval
sound of
creation
-A chakra/or discus - this is a wheel shaped object and symbolises the mind/cycle of
time- the
wheel sometimes appears as though it is spinning on his finger.
-A lotus flower- this an example of glorious existence and liberation
A mace/club- this represents mental and physical strength

Shiva
Shiva is the Hindu god of destruction. Shiva's role is
to destroy the universe in order for things to
be re-created. Or another way of looking at it is that
he is part of Hinduism in order to destroy the
illusions, imperfections and old ideas of the world to
make way for positive changes.
Shiva is often shown to be in deep meditation or to
be dancing the eternal dance of creation and
destruction. When shown dancing, he is referred to
as ‘Nataraja’- the ‘lord of the dance’ and is
usually dancing on top of the body of a small demon
figure- called ‘Apasmara’. In Hindu
mythology, Apasmara represents ignorance- the enemy of enlightenment.
Shiva is often shown with a bull called Nandi. Nandi is Shiva’s vehicle and symbolises
strength
and faith.
He often is shown with a snake coiled around his neck- this is said to be symbolic of
many things mastering
fear, self control and even the different coils of the snake represent past, present and
future.
Shiva is usually shown with four arms and carries:
-A trident (called a Trishula)- this is to fight enemies with as the three prongs of the
trident represent the 3 primary qualities of nature- Rajas, Sattya and Tamas. (Rajas
symbolises creation,
Sattya symbolises preservation and Tamas symbolises destruction).
-A drum (called a damaru) – this represents the sound of creation and development.
-Fire- Shiva sometimes is shown holding or surrounded by the fire of creation (Agni)
ACTIVITY:
DIRECTIONS: Find the given word in the box below.
S K J L M D G H J L W B H R T

A H R G D H Q O E I Y K H A A

T A I E G H J E H W D E B J M

T C F V H E G D T J H D G A A

Y V B R A H M A H G D J U S S

A F G J K L U Z X B S U T R A

T R A M A Y A N A E R T J H W

R V S F G Y E F D G D F N B K

G Y G E J R F U G G E K H B J

R R D I L S H H B C W F H D T

F R H R V I S H N U V H K T R

SATTYA SHIVA BRAHMA RAJAS TAMAS SUTRA RAMAYANA

There are 4 Major Beliefs in Hinduism

T​​here are many beliefs that the practitioners of Hinduism follows.

​Many Hindus hold vastly different beliefs and practices. Because the religion has many
practitioners there’s also many beliefs but the following is the main belief:

Atman, Karma and Samsara

​ he concept of atman refers to an eternal self everyone possesses, which is similar to

T
other religions' ideas of the soul or spirit. Hindus believe the atman is immortal, but
resides in various temporary bodies. When the temporary body dies, the self will go
through a process of rebirth known as samsara, in which the atman moves to a plane of
heaven or hell. Karma, derived from a Sanskrit word meaning "action," suggests every
action a human engages in has an equal reaction, which occurs either immediately or in
the next life. Karma determines how the atman will be reborn in the next life. A Hindu's
ultimate goal is to transcend the constant death and rebirth cycle, and reach moksha, or
liberation.
( Peckinpaugh,2017)

​Dharma
​Dharma r​​efers to righteous way of living.It refers to the idea of every human’s duties
and responsibilities.
it also refers to how the universe works. What makes the world and universe function
directly relates to how humans fulfill their responsibilities in it. Duties vary by station and
gender; children have different dharmas than adults, males different than females and
people in different social classes have different responsibilities. The idea is known as
sva-dharma. (Peckinpaugh,2017)

THE VEDAS
Vedas ​are the sacred scriptures to many Hindus.Although not all Hindus recognize
them such as.Vedas is the sequence hymn that is believed to be God’s words.The
vedas is the most ancient religion text of hindus and began as an oral tradition .

Brahman and God

Hindus believe in Brahman, which refers to a power throughout the universe. The power
upholds all parts of the universe, but Hindus do not worship the concept.

BELIEFS AND TRADITION

This are some core beliefs of Hindus:

Truth is eternal.
Hindu people believe that there’s no end in time​.​It is their very essence of the universe
and the only Reality.

Brahman is Truth and Reality.

Brahman is the main God of the Hindus people.Brahman is not an abstract concept.
The Vedas are the ultimate authority.
The Vedas is their main book which contains the words that must be followed by Hindus
people.

Everyone should strive to achieve dharma.

Dharma helps you to understand the Hindu Faith​.​Dharma can be described as right
conduct, righteousness, moral law, and duty.

Individual souls are immortal.

A Hindu believes that the individual soul ​(atman) is neither created nor destroyed; it has
been, it is, and it will be. Actions of the soul while residing in a body require that it reap
the consequences of those actions in the next life — the same soul in a different body.

The goal of the individual soul is moksha.

Moksha is their god that helps someone or something from another’s control​.​the soul’s
release from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Core tradition of Hindus:

Ayurveda Practice:
This practice is about health and disease practice with the use of herbal compounds.

Yoga:
a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple
meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health
and relaxation.

Namaste Greeting​​:

It is used both for salutation and valediction. Namaste is usually spoken with a slight
bow and hands pressed together.

Puja:

This is an act of worship in Hindu.

ACTIVITY

Directions: Fix the jumbled words

Ajup

Goya

Etnamas

Vedaayur

CASTE SYSTEM OF HINDUS

Society is divided into four main groups.

B​​rahmin​​:The Philosophers, The Layman and The reflective ones.

The Brahmin section are the leaders or a person who has the authority to lead
or perform ceremonies.

Kshatriyas: ​the born administrators (formerly nobles, king or prince and warriors)
Kshatriyas are the protectors of the society.

Vaisyas: ​The producers, the craftsmen, artificer, farmers.

Vaisyas are the skillful primary producers of material things.

Shudras: ​The unskilled laborers or laboring class.

Shudras are the followers or the maintenance people.

THE MAIN CONFLICTS THAT THE HINDUS FACED:

Critics to Hinduism are commonly questioning the religion in relation with the Caste
System, Gender Inequality, and Poverty.
1. A ​caste system is a class structure that is determined by birth. It is the system which
divides ​Hindus into rigid hierarchical groups based on their karma (work) and dharma
(the Hindi word for religion, but here it means duty).
Caste dictates almost every aspect of Hindu religious and social life, with each group
occupying a specific place in this complex hierarchy.
Rural communities were long arranged on the basis of castes - the upper and lower
castes almost always lived in segregated colonies
· The water wells were not shared
· Brahmins would not accept food or drink from the Sutras
· One could marry only within one's caste.
Traditionally, the system bestowed many privileges on the upper castes while
sanctioning repression of the lower castes by privileged groups.
Often criticized for being ​unjust and ​regressive​, it remained virtually unchanged for
centuries, trapping people into fixed social orders from which it was impossible to
escape.

2. Gender Bias
· ​Women duty is only to serve, assist and enable.
· A man lives through his sons, but women do not live through their daughters.

3. Poverty
The root cause of ​poverty in Hinduism is the continuation of a cruel class system based
on the idea that some are more worthy to live than others... it is their place in life to keep
the rich, while unfortunately the poor remains poor.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
​HINDUISM QUIZ  
1.) what does sañatana Dharma means? 
 
2.) an indian religion or Dharma 
 
3.) 3 persona of hinduism is called? 
 
4.) Gods of God in this religion? 
 
5.) high people or priest in this religion are called? 
 
6.) supreme deity who is called “Preserver” 
 
7.) supreme Diety that is called “Cosmic Dancer” 
 
8.) Book of Ancestor Hinduism is? 
 
9.)sacred sound and a spiritual symbol in Hinduism, 
 
10.) what does “AUM” stands for? 
  
 
ACTIVITY : 
Objective: To know more about the rich culture of hinduism 
  
Making dance moves via “thousand Hands dance” using pop Song as a plot twist. 
 
Introduction to
World Religions
Module

Discovering Buddhism
Introduction
What is Buddhism?

Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true nature
of reality. Buddhism is counted as a religion because of its ritual practices in honoring Buddha
and Buddhism is one of the Vedic Religion (including Hinduism and Jainism). It is the fourth
largest religions in the world (Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism)

Buddhism is considered as a nontheistic religion, meaning they believe in Gods (devas) but
they don‘t worshipped. According to the Buddhist teachings, that the condition of humans has
the combination of pain and pleasure which it is said that it is the best training ground for virtue
and achieving liberation from suffering.

Buddhism is classified as a religion nor a philosophical system for some debates. Because for
some reasons Buddhism is not worshipping any God including Buddha, some people tells that
Buddhism is a philosophical system because it offers an coherent and integrated discussion of
the nature of human mind. Furthermore, Buddhism does not to be considered as religion
because it does not place any faith in divine being. In the other hand, Buddhism is considered
as a religion because of their practices and the way in honoring Buddha, the importance of
belief in Buddha‘s teachings.
Origin of Buddhism
According to Buddhist tradition, Shakyamuni (a name meaning ―Sage of the Shakya Clan‖) is
the founder of Buddhism (he is also sometimes referred to as ―Siddhartha Gautama‖). Because
of King Shuddhodana and Queen Maya‘s love, Shakyamuni was born around 490 B.C.E. to a
royal family who lived in a palace in the foothills of the Himalayas. From the moment he was
born, The queen died when Shakyamuni was born 7 days ago and raised by her aunt Prajapati
who is Queen Maya‘s sister. Shakyamuni did not lead a typical life. For example, legend states
that Shakyamuni was born from his mother‘s hip while she remained standing in a grove of
trees.

In his youth,
Shakyamuni‘s father
provided him with
everything he wanted and
encouraged him to excel in
his studies. However, he
would not permit
Shakyamuni to leave the
palace grounds.
Shakyamuni grew up with
many luxuries and married
a beautiful princess named
Yashodhara, They had a
son named Rahula but he
still was not happy. He longed to see what was beyond the palace gates, thinking that a clue to
his search for the meaning of life lay beyond the safety and luxury of the palace.

At the age of 29, Shakyamuni left the palace on four separate occasions to explore. He was
deeply affected by what he saw. During his first trip outside the palace, he saw a very old man
who was bent over and had trouble walking. As Shakyamuni passed by in his carriage, the old
man peered up at him, his eyes squinting from his severely wrinkled face. In his second outing,
Shakyamuni observed a sick man, wailing in pain. During his third excursion, Shakyamuni came
upon the still and lifeless body of a dead man. Shakyamuni was shocked and saddened by the
sights of old age, sickness, and death. During his fourth outing, he saw a wandering monk, a
seeker of religious truth. These four outings and what Shakyamuni saw (old age, sickness,
death, and a seeker of religious truth) are called the ―Four Sights.‖ Meeting the monk inspired
Shakyamuni to leave the palace, his wife, and his newborn son. He wanted to understand more
about life, why human beings suffered, and how one could help relieve suffering in the world.
Thus, he began his religious quest.
Shakyamuni began his search for enlightenment. According to Buddhist belief, enlightenment is
the experience of true reality, an ―awakening‖ through which one could comprehend the true
nature of things.

Shakyamuni thought he could reach enlightenment by practicing asceticism, a lifestyle of

severe discipline. Sometimes he
would not eat or drink for long periods
of time. After six years of enduring
many hardships, Shakyamuni realized
that he had not come to a deeper
understanding of life. He realized that
neither luxury nor starvation would
lead to enlightenment and instead
decided to follow a moderate path or
the Middle Way. He went to a village
called Bodh Gaya where he became
awakened to a true understanding of
life. The moment of his enlightenment
took place while he was seated in
meditation under a tree (The Bodhi tree). In his enlightenment, he gained the power to see his
former lives, the power to see death and rebirth of all types, and finally the realization that he
had eliminated all desires and ignorance within himself. He had become a Buddha, a title
meaning ―awakened one.‖ The Buddha gave his first sermon, known as the ―First Discourse,‖
explaining his realization to the group of ascetics with whom he used to practice. These men
became his first disciples. He continued to spread his knowledge throughout towns in India for
45 years thereafter, gaining increasing numbers of followers until his death at the age of 80 after
his last meal, which he had received as an offering from a blacksmith named Cunda.
Mettanando and von Hinüber argue that the Buddha died of mesenteric infarction, a symptom of
old age, rather than food poisoning.

Shakyamuni (Siddhartha Gautama) known as the Buddha meaning ― The Enlighten one ― ―The
awaken one‖ and ―The one who knows‖. Buddhism was founded as a way to end suffering. The
Buddha began his search in response to suffering; he wanted to find a way to live a life of
happiness, wisdom, compassion, joy and equanimity.
Activity 1

Directions: Answer the following questions

1. What is nontheistic religion?

2. What is the fourth largest religion?

3. Who is the founder of Buddhism?

4. What does Buddha mean?

5. What is the purpose of Buddhism?

6. Who is the Siddhartha’s wife?

7. In what age Buddha died?

8. What is the reason of his death?

9. In what age Siddhartha left his father’s place to seek to

understand the causes of suffering?

10. How many years do Buddha taught monks, disciples,

and lay people throughout India?

11. What do you call the tree where the Buddha meditate?

12. What do you call the four outing of the Buddha?

13. Who raised Shakyamuni after his mother’s death?

14. What did the Buddha saw on his first trip out of the
palace?

15. The Buddha’s last meal came from who?

God/s
The Buddha is not a god or deity, nor is he worshipped by Buddhists as a god or embodiment of
God. The Buddha himself emphasized that he was not a god, but was simply a human being
who was ―fully awake,‖ attentive and aware of the here and now. He did not ask to be
worshipped but rather encouraged others to look deeply into themselves to answer fundamental
questions about life and death. A common confusion stems from the fact that Buddhists often
have statues of the Buddha in their homes and places of worship. This is done to serve as a
reminder of our own true nature of wisdom and compassion. Therefore, bowing before such
figures is neither idolatry nor worship of the figure itself, but rather a sign of gratitude, respect
and recognition.

This practice has its roots in Asian culture, where bowing was not construed in the same way as
it was and is in the Western world. Within Buddhism there is no conception of God as one who
judges, sets an immutable fate, creates, or destroys. However, in the sense that some
understand God as a ―divine light‖ expressed within all people, a very similar idea exists within
Buddhism (True Mind). Buddhism by no means rejects the idea of divinity or the divine.
Buddhists believe that every moment and every person is an embodiment of this divinity.
However, no single word exists within Buddhism to express this concept, because it defies
reason and intellect. How can any one word truly describe what is so vast and infinite, all-
encompassing, and timeless, in all places and at all times? Once we assign it a word we will
limit it, try to judge and rationalize and define. Rather than providing a single word or definition,
there is an emphasis on each individual striving to understand this true nature, or Mind. For
these reasons, Buddhism does not speak of a God.
Sacred Texts
While Buddhism does not have one single sacred book like the Bible, there are many sacred
texts that we refer to. These texts, called sutras, are the spoken word of the Buddha; there are
thousands of sutras. The Buddha‘s disciples originally maintained his teachings through the
oral tradition until they were recorded after his death. The Tripitaka (literally ―Three Baskets‖) is
a substantial collection of the Buddha‘s teachings, and is one of the central sacred texts for
Buddhists. Included in the Tripitaka is the Dhammapada, a commonly referenced source of the
Buddha‘s teachings. Sutras and all sacred Buddhist texts should generally be treated with
extreme respect.

After the death of Buddha, there was no one to take his place or to lead the new religion.
Different schools of Buddhism formed, each with their own unique characteristics. Over the
centuries, Buddhism has spread and changed. However, there are Buddhist works such as the
Pali Canon, the ―First Discourse‖ (Buddha‘s first speech after gaining enlightenment), as well as
many sutras such as the Lotus Sutra, popular in China and Japan, that have provided important
continuity to the religion.

• Suttas (Sutras in Sanscript) – Spoken word by Buddha

Theravada School:

• Tripitaka (Three Baskets) – is a substantial collection of the Buddha‘s teachings, and is

one of the central sacred texts for Buddhists. (Pali Canon)

• Dhammapada – (Included in Tripitaka) a commonly referenced source of the Buddha‘s

teachings.

Mahayana School:

• Chinese Canon (Ta-ts‘ang-ching) – was produces in the province of Szechuan.

Mahayana Canon it is divided into:

• Agamas – Similar to Pali canon‘s nikayas

• Vinayas – rules for monastic conduct

• Abidhamma – the last pitaka

Vajrayana School:

• Tibetan Canon is divided into two:

• bKangjur (Kanjur) – is believed to be the words of Buddha himself.

• bStan‘gyur (Tanjur) – is believed to elaborations of the Buddha‘s teachings.

The Tripitaka is divided into three the Vanaya- pitaka, Sutta-pitaka and Abhidhamma-pitaka. In
Vinaya-pitaka there are 5 books these are sutta-vibhanga, khandhaka, parvara, Maha-vibhanga
and Bhikkhuni-vibhanga. The Khandhaka is divided to two: Mahavagga and Cullavagga.

The Sutta-pitaka have 5 collection these are the Digha-nikaya, Majjhima-nikaya, Samyulta-
nikaya, Angultara-nikaya and Khuddaka-nikaya with 15 books

The Abhidhamma-pitaka have 7 books; Dhamma-sarigeni, Vibhanga, Dhatu-katha, Puggala-

pannatti, Katha-vatthu, Yamaka and Patthana.
Activity 2

Directions: Fill in the blanks

1. The Buddha is not a god or___________, nor is he worshipped by

Buddhists as a god or embodiment of God.
2. After the death of Buddha, there was ______ one to take his place or
to lead the new religion.
3. The Sutta-pitaka have ___________ these are the Digha-nikaya,
Majjhima-nikaya, Samyulta-nikaya, Angultara-nikaya and
Khuddaka-nikaya with _____________.
4. The Abhidhamma-pitaka have 7 _____________.
5. This practice has its roots in _____________ culture, where bowing
was not construed in the same way as it was and is in the Western
world.
6. In the sense that some understand God as a ‚____________‛
expressed within all people, a very similar idea exists within
Buddhism (___________).
7. Sutras and all sacred Buddhist texts should generally be treated with
extreme __________.
8. The Tripitaka (literally ‚_____________‛) is a substantial collection of
the Buddha’s teachings, and is one of the central sacred texts for
Buddhists.
9. ___________ are the spoken word of the Buddha; there are thousands
of sutras.
10. Once we assign it a word we will limit it, try to judge and
______________ and define.
Beliefs and Practices
Buddhist practice includes meditation and chanting, which is a form of prayer. Most
fundamentally, Buddhist observance is practiced through striving to embody the precepts in
daily life (see below). This, however, is a difficult task; chanting and meditation help along the
way. There is no one holy day in Buddhism, every day is as sacred as the next and as good an
opportunity for the practice of compassion. While there is no formal stipulation for how often
one should meditate or chant, a daily practice is essential. Dawn and dusk are considered
especially good times for meditation, but really the best time is whenever you can.

Meditation: Silent meditation is practiced

to cultivate mindfulness and
attentiveness to the present moment.
Zazen (Zen meditation) focuses on
following the breath, counting exhalations
from 1 to 10 and then resuming at 1
again; zazen literally means ―one-pointed
concentration.‖ A typical round of
―sitting‖ (meditation) ranges from 25-30
minutes, followed by walking meditation.
Posture (sitting with the back and
shoulders straight) is important to
maintain concentration. Meditation is ideally practiced at all times—it is not just in a quiet room
free from distractions, but while working, washing dishes, running, walking, cleaning, etc.
However, regular silent meditation helps to calm and focus the mind and gives strength to apply
to daily life.

Chanting: Sutras (the teachings of the Buddha) are

recited by chanting; chants are done in different
languages depending on the country. In America we
chant in English and also in Sanskrit and, for Zen
Buddhists, in Japanese. Chants are commonly
translated so that people know what they are saying.
Often, chanting services are dedicated to those who
are suffering, sick, hungry, or otherwise experiencing
pain. Metta: Another Buddhist practice is metta
meditation: loving-kindness meditation, in which loving
thoughts are directed first to one‘s self, then to a
benefactor, then to a friend, a neutral person, and
finally to an ―enemy‖ (someone we have difficulty with)
and then to all living beings.

PLACE OF WORSHIP:
Buddhist places of worship are usually called temples or centers. In American Zen, places of
worship are commonly referred to as Zen Centers. The zendo is the meditation hall, the heart
of a Zen center. Stupas are Buddhist holy shrines.

WHERE ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR COMMUNITIES OF FOLLOWERS TODAY?

Today, practicing Buddhists are found throughout the eastern and western hemispheres. As
mentioned above, Mahayana Buddhism is generally practiced in China, Korea, and Japan; while
Theravada Buddhism is practiced in Southeast Asian countries like Thailand, Cambodia,
Burma, and Sri Lanka. The Dalai Lama is currently living in exile in India with a community of
Tibetan Buddhist followers. There is also a substantial Buddhist population in Europe and the
Americas, where both Mahayana and Theravada branches are practiced. Estimates of the total
number of Buddhists in the world vary from 250-500 million; most estimates suggest about 350
million— the fourth largest religion after Christianity, Islam and Hinduism (see Sources for
website).

HOLY SITES:

While there is no single holy place, there are several holy Buddhist sites in India that are visited
on pilgrimages; these sites correspond with the place of the Buddha‘s birth, enlightenment, first
sermon, and death:

Lumbini, the place of the Buddha‘s birth, near the city of Kapilavastu (in present-day Nepal)
The Tree of Enlightenment at Bodhgaya: the site where the Buddha attained Enlightenment
while sitting beneath the Bodhi tree. Descendants of this original tree have been cared for, and
it is possible for visitors to pay their respects to a descendant of the original Bodhi tree today.
Varanasi: where the Buddha gave his first sermon in Deer Park (near present-day Sarnath)
Kushinara: the place of the Buddha‘s death

In all Buddhist countries, there are pilgrimage sites and stupas where relics of the Buddha are
said to have been preserved.
A FEW IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS:

Buddhists celebrate several ceremonies and holidays throughout the year. While these may
vary according to different lineages or traditions and the dates may change, here are the
essential holidays:

Vesak: The Buddha‘s birth, generally recognized as April 8 (Vesak at many US Zen Centers is
celebrated in May when the weather is warm, and is essentially a big birthday party) The

Buddha‘s Enlightenment: December 8. A seven-day rohatsu sesshin, or intensive meditation

retreat, is usually held around this date to commemorate the Buddha‘s Enlightenment after
seven days of meditation beneath the Bodhi tree

Parinirvana, the Buddha‘s Death: February 13 (again, dates may vary according to tradition)
The Buddha‘s Paranirvana is an extremely important ceremony, and is not regarded as a
negative day in Buddhism but rather, was a time of great serenity and joy for the Buddha. Jukai:

Jukai is the formal ceremony of entering the Buddha‘s Way, or becoming a Buddhist. Jukai
consists of a repentance ceremony, chanting, taking the three refuges (in Buddha, Dharma and
Sangha), three general resolutions (to avoid evil, to do good and to liberate all sentient beings),
and the ten cardinal precepts, stated below. It is encouraged for Buddhists to take Jukai as
often as possible (in center it is given twice a year) as an opportunity to renew one‘s vows and
resolve to do better.

They also have ceremonies for the New Year, a Hungry Ghost Ceremony (for those beings
who, due to their greed, cannot eat food or drink unless it is offered to them), and Ceremonies
of Aid (for ending world hunger, for world peace, and other causes).

WHO PRACTICES BUDDHISM TODAY?

Anyone of any race, nationality, sexuality, or gender can practice Buddhism; there are no
restrictions. It is not only a monastic religion; it can be practiced by lay people as well as
monks. Especially in the west, many practitioners of Buddhism were not born into the religion
but come to it later in life—this is perfectly acceptable. As described above, Jukai is the formal
ceremony to enter the Buddha‘s Way or formally become a Buddhist, when one resolves to live
ones life according to Buddhist guidelines.

• Many practicing Buddhists are vegetarians (and some are vegans) out of respect for the
first precept, not to kill but to cherish all life. This is an important religious commitment.
Activity 3

Directions: Answer the following questions

1. What is the practiced to cultivate mindfulness and attentiveness to

the present moment?
2. What kind of meditation that focuses on following breath, counting
exhalations from 1 to 10 and then resuming at 1 again?
3. What does zazen literally mean?
4. What is the ideally practice at all times?
5. What Buddhism practice that the sutras are recited?
6. Chanting are dedicated whom?
7. What is the place where Buddhist worship?
8. What do you call the meditation hall?
9. What do you call the holy shrine?
10. What do you call the heart of the Zen center?
11. Where is Buddha’s place of birth?
12. Where is the site where the Buddha attained Enlightenment?
13. Where the Buddha gave his first sermon in Deer Park?
14. Where did Buddha died?
15. What is the event that they celebrate the Buddha’s birth?
16. When does Parinirvana celebrated?
17. What is the formal ceremony of entering the Buddha’s Way or
becoming a Buddhist?
18. Where does Jukai celebrated?
19. When does Vesak celebrated?
20. When do they celebrate the Buddha’s Enlightenment?
Doctrines

The Three Jewels or Treasures

The three jewels or treasures are the Buddha itself which means the true nature, Dharma
which is the teachings of Buddha and Sangha or the community.

The Basic Tents of Buddhism

• Dharma – Teaching of Buddha

• Reincarnation - the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact, most individuals
go through many cycles of birth, living, death and rebirth.

• Karma - It is believed that all positive thoughts and actions cause good (Vise versa)
Three Universal Truths
• Nothing is lost in the universe

• Everything changes

• The Law of Cause and Effect (Karma)

In Buddhism, the law of karma, says "for every

event that occurs, there will follow another
event whose existence was caused by the first,
and this second event will be pleasant or
unpleasant according as its cause was skillful
or unskillful." Therefore, the law of Karma
teaches that the responsibility for unskillful
actions is borne by the person who commits
them.

After his enlightenment, the Buddha went to the Deer Park near the holy city of Benares and
shared his new understanding with five holy men. They understood immediately and
became his disciples. This marked the beginning of the Buddhist community. For the next
forty-five years, the Buddha and his disciples went from place to place in India spreading the
Dharma, his teachings. Their compassion knew no bounds; they helped everyone along the
way, beggars, kings and slave girls. At night, they would sleep where they were; when
hungry they would ask for a little food.

Wherever the Buddha went, he won the hearts

of the people because he dealt with their true
feelings. He advised them not to accept his
words on blind faith, but to decide for
themselves whether his teachings are right or
wrong, then follow them. He encouraged
everyone to have compassion for each other
and develop their own virtue: "You should do
your own work, for I can teach only the way."

Once, the Buddha and his disciple Ananda visited a monastery where a monk was suffering
from a contagious disease. The poor man lay in a mess with no one looking after him. The
Buddha himself washed the sick monk and placed him on a new bed. Afterwards, he
admonished the other monks: "Monks, you have neither mother nor father to look after you.
 If you do not look after each other, who will look after you? Whoever serves the sick and
suffering, serves me."

After many such cycles, if a person releases their attachment to desire and the self, they
can attain Nirvana. This is a state of liberation and freedom from suffering.

The Ten Cardinal Precepts

1. Not to kill, but to cherish all life.

2. Not to take what is not given, but to respect the things of others.

3. Not to misuse sexuality, but to be caring and responsible.

4. Not to lie, but to speak the truth.

5. Not to cause others to use substances that confuse the mind, nor to do so oneself, but to
keep the mind clear.

6. Not to speak of the misdeeds of others, but to be understanding and sympathetic.

7. Not to praise myself nor disparage others, but to overcome my own shortcomings

. 8. Not to withhold spiritual or material aid, but to give them freely where needed.

9. Not to indulge in anger, but to exercise control.

10. Not to revile the Three Treasures—Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha—but to cherish and
uphold them.

The precepts are taken in a formal ceremony, again and again, because we continue to
make mistakes—they are not easy. The precepts describe the life and actions of a fully
enlightened Buddha. In many Buddhist traditions, the Ten Cardinal Precepts stated here
are compressed into five precepts (the first five). The precepts 6-10, in essence, are all
encompassed within the fundamental principles expressed in the first five precepts.

A note on the tenth precept: not to revile the Three Treasures, Buddha, Dharma, and
Sangha, means to respect our true nature (Buddha), the teachings (Dharma) and the
community (Sangha); it means to regard all living beings equally, recognizing that all are
inherently equal and worthy of respect. Cherishing yourself is equally important to
cherishing and upholding the Sangha, supporting the people you practice with and all those
around you.

The Eightfold Path

The Eightfold path is divided into three the Panna, Sila and Samadhi:

Panna: Discern, wisdom

1. Samma ditthi – Right Understanding or view

2. Samma sankappa – Right thinking or thought

Sila: Virtue of morality

3.Samma Vaca – Right speech

4. Samma kammanta – Right conduct or action

5. Samma Ajiva – Right livelihood

• Samadhi: Concentration, meditation

6. Samma Vayama – Right Effort

7. Samma Sati – Right mindfulness

8. Samma samadhi – Right concentration

The Four Nobles of Truth

• Life is suffering (Dukkha)

• Suffering caused by craving (Samudaya)

• Suffering can have an end (Nirodha)

• There is a path which leads to the end of suffering (Magga)

Unenlightened life is dukkha—full of suffering, pain, and difficulty. This pain and suffering is
caused by our ego-based desires and attachments. These desires can be overcome and we
can lead lives of wisdom, compassion, joy and equanimity. The way that leads to the cessation
of pain is the Eightfold Path—right views, right thought or intention, right speech, right action,
right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration.
Activity 4

Directions: Fill in the Blanks

1. The three jewels or treasures are the ___________ itself which means
the true nature, _____________ which is the teachings of Buddha and
__________ or the community.
2. Dharma – Teaching of ____________

_____________ the concept that people are reborn after dying. In fact,
most individuals go through many cycles of birth, living, death and
rebirth.

Karma - It is believed that all _________ and actions cause good (Vise
versa)

3. Nothing is ____________ in the universe

Everything __________

The Law of Cause and Effect (_________)

4. The _______________ are taken in a formal ceremony, again and

again, because we continue to make mistakes—they are not
___________. The precepts describe the life and actions of a fully
enlightened Buddha. In many Buddhist __________, the Ten
Cardinal Precepts stated here are compressed into five precepts
(___________). The precepts 6-10, in essence, are all _____________
within the fundamental principles expressed in the first five precepts.
5. The way that leads to the ___________ of pain is the Eightfold Path
Divisions of Buddhism
Buddhism spread from India to China and also to other countries in Asia, such as Korea,
Japan, Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Prince
Shotoku of Japan, for example, wished to learn more about Buddhism to help Japan
become stronger like the larger and more advanced China. During the Tang Dynasty, Japan
embraced Chinese Buddhism. This was just the beginning of Japan‘s adoption of many
things Chinese, including China‘s system of government and bureaucracy.15

Over the years, Buddhism has gained followers and has spread to other countries. China
and other countries have adapted Buddhism to fit their own societies. Undoubtedly, this
flexibility has contributed to its influence and longevity in the world.

Buddhism in China
When Laozi (the man credited as the founder of Daoism) left China to travel westward,
some Chinese legends state that he traveled to India and became known as the Buddha.
Although Buddhism was a religion that began outside of China, many countries, including
China, adapted it and made it their own.9

Merchants, traders, and Buddhist pilgrims helped spread Buddhist ideas to China by the
second century C.E. Buddhism offered the Chinese new ideas such as karma,
reincarnation, hell, monks, and

monasteries. Buddhism encountered opposition in China, especially from Confucians, but

was able to grow and thrive.

The Han Dynasty (202 B.C.E–220 C.E.), which had established Confucianism as their state
doctrine, had collapsed by 220 C.E. The disorder caused by the collapse of the Han
Dynasty made it easier for a religion such as Buddhism to be accepted because people,
including the defeated Chinese aristocracy, became freer to choose their religious practices.
Buddhism and its ideas also provided comfort to many during this troubled and tumultuous
time. By the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (317–589 C.E.), Buddhism had
become established at all levels of Chinese society.

For a long period during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 C.E.) , Buddhism was not only
accepted in China, but it also flourished. Buddhist temples owned large amounts of land and
did not have to pay taxes. Many Buddhist monasteries became very wealthy. When the
Tang Dynasty fell on hard times, however, many Daoist and Confucian bureaucrats
resented the wealth of the Buddhists. As a result, in 844–45 C.E., the government took
Buddhist lands and profits away from them and destroyed their temples. This persecution
ended with the death of the emperor who had begun it.10 Once again, Buddhism became
accepted even though the temples did not regain their wealth. In the following years,
Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism adopted aspects of each other‘s religious ideas and
thoughts.
During the Cultural Revolution, Buddhism was once again suppressed. However, Buddhism
and its influences still remain woven into Chinese culture.

Mahayana Buddhism
• Mahayana Buddhism which includes Zen, emphasizes the need to practice for self
actualization and then ultimately, to liberate all beings from suffering. Mahayana
Buddhism (The Greater Vehicle)is mainly practiced in northern Asia: China, Korea,
Tibet, and Japan.

• Mahayana uses Sanskrit as its main language, and monastic and lay followers work for
the liberation of all sentient beings, making compassion and insight (wisdom) its central
doctrines.

Mahayana is one of two main existing branches of Buddhism (the other being Therevada)
and a term for classification of Buddhist philosophies and practice. This movement added a
further set of discourses, and although it was initially small in India, it had long-term
historical significance. The Buddhist tradition of Vajrayana is sometimes classified as a part
of Mahayana Buddhism, but some scholars consider it as a different branch altogether.

According to the teachings of Mahāyāna traditions, "Mahāyāna" also refers to the path of the
Bodhisattva seeking complete enlightenment for the benefit of all sentient beings, also
called "Bodhisattvayāna", or the "Bodhisattva Vehicle". A bodhisattva who has
accomplished this goal is called a samyaksaṃbuddha, or "fully enlightened Buddha". A
samyaksaṃbuddha can establish the Dharma and lead disciples to enlightenment.
Mahayana Buddhists teach that enlightenment can be attained in a single lifetime, and this
can be accomplished even by a layperson.

The Mahāyāna tradition is the largest major tradition of Buddhism existing today, with 53.2%
of practitioners, compared to 35.8% for Theravada and 5.7% for Vajrayana in 2010.
In the course of its history, Mahāyāna Buddhism spread from India to various other South,
East and Southeast Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, China, Taiwan,
Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. Mahayana
Buddhism also spread to other South and Southeast Asian countries, such as Afghanistan,
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, the Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Burma, Iran and other Central
Asian countries before being replaced by Theravada Buddhism or other religions. Large
Mahāyāna scholastic centers thrived during the latter period of Buddhism in India, between
the seventh and twelfth centuries. Major traditions of Mahāyāna Buddhism today include
Chan Buddhism, Korean Seon, Japanese Zen, Pure Land Buddhism, Nichiren Buddhism
and Vietnamese Buddhism. It may also include the Vajrayana traditions of Tiantai, Tendai,
Shingon Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism, which add esoteric teachings to the Mahāyāna
tradition.

Mahayana Buddhism (or the Mahayanas) can be defined as a major movement in the
history of Buddhism which has its origins in northern India. It is made up of many schools
and reinterpretations of fundamental human beliefs, values and ideals not only those of the
Buddhist teachings. The recorded starting point for Mahayana, also known as the 'Great
Vehicle' because it embraces so much, is the 2nd century CE, but it is assumed that this
tidal wave of shifts began to grow before that date, building on existing schools and
systems, and it continues today. Its exact origins are still not completely understood, but in
contrast to previous Buddhist aspirations, great emphasis was placed equally on the
doctrines of compassion (Skt: karunã) and insight (Skt: prajñã). In addition, the Bodhisattva,
the human being who devotes him or herself to the service of others, became the new
model for religious practice as opposed to the Arhat (Hīnayãna-Hearer or Seeker) who is
concerned only with the self-interested pursuit of liberation.

This age also represents a massive social change in the way Buddhists practised because
householders, lay practitioners, ie. those who have not renounced life to become monks or
nuns, became equally as important as the clergy, ie. monastic practitioners devoting their
whole lives to Buddha. Also, a new body of literature is associated with this movement
known as the Perfection of Insight texts (Prajñã-pãramitã Sutras) in which Buddha
Sakyamuni (the historical Buddha) is seen in a new light as a supernatural being (later
formalized as the trikaya - three bodies) and the concept and doctrine of emptiness (Skt:
sunyata) became of major importance. Today, Mahayana Buddhism is predominant in north
Aisa and has been strongly influenced culturally and by existing religions there such as
Taoism and Confucianism.
Mahayana and Pure land Buddhism
The idea of "buddha-kşetra-pariśuddhi", which appears in Mahayana Buddhism, tends to be
received as a view which has been consistent since the days of Early Buddhism. However, it
appears neither in the Early Buddhism, nor in the Abhidharma Buddhism."Buddha-kşetra-
pariśuddhi" means Pure Land. It means ‗to make pure the Land of the Buddha,‘ or it means
‗Pure Land of the Buddha.‘ Although we find the usage of the word 'Buddha-kşetra' in Early
Buddhism, it denotes only the Śākyamuni's Buddha-land. And there is no idea of ‗purifying‘
it. However, when Mahāyāna Buddhism comes to accept the idea of Buddhas in Ten
Directions of the present, the idea of purifying the Buddha-land emerged. Why the Buddha-
kşetras has to be purified? According to Larger Prajňāpāramita Sūtra , it is mentioned that
Boddhisattva way of life is to purify all beings in the Buddha-kşetra and to purify the dirt of
desires of all creatures there.9 Same idea can also be seen in Akşobya Buddha Kşetra
Sūtra (Ashuku Bukkoku Kyō) and Daśa Bhūmi Sūtra . In Mahāyāna Buddhism, concrete
depiction of Pure Land came to be described clearly. In the famous Sukhāvatī-vyūha, the
Pure Land Sukhāvatī is depicted as a vast land that never changes and perishes. It is
delicately beautiful and it is said that the ground there is composed of natural seven
precious metals. The land is totally flat. We can find neither mountains nor seas there. There
are no worlds of hells, of pretas, and of beats. There are no seasons like spring, summer,
fall and winter. It is neither hot nor cold. The temperature is always stable, and cheerful
breeze blows. Lotus Flowers of Jewel bloom all over. Although there are wonderful meals
there, no one eats them, as people get satisfaction in their mind, on wishing to eat.
Moreover, it is said that a wonderful music is played, and that women do not exist there. The
idea that there is no woman in the Pure Land is not denying womanhood as such. The
Mahāyānists elaborated the same idea as is observed in the Early Buddhism when it says,
"When the mind is stabilized and the wisdom has arisen, to be women does not cause any
hindrance at all for those who observe the right truth.‖ Saddharmapuņdarīka Sūtra
recommends the positive conversion of this Sahāworld into the Pure Land, while desiring
less and knowing contentment just like a "flower of Lotus in the water, not being tainted by
mundane thoughts.‖ The Saddharmapuņdarīka Sūtra also suggests that ‗while people of the
world consider this world is burning or
when they are in illusions, we should
consider our Pure Land is peaceful and
filled with heavenly people and men. There
are mountains of treasures and beautiful
trees which bear flowers and fruits in the
gardens, and the temple buildings, and
there are many ways of enjoying them.
High up in the sky, gods play musical
instruments. Rain of flowers of Mandara is
being sprinkled over those who wish to
attain the Bodhi.‘12 Thus, ideal Buddha
Kşetra is depicted. The teaching of the
 Lotus Sūtra encourages putting our efforts to convert our Sahā-world filled with pains into
the ideal Buddha-Kşetra, not escaping from it. That is to say that the Pure Land does not
exist in the place where we escape ourselves from our reality. It is this very Sahā-world that
we have to convert into the Pure Land through our efforts.

Theravada Buddhism
• Theravada Buddhism (Teaching of the elders)is mainly practiced in southeastern Asia—
Sri Lanka, Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.

• The emphasis of Theravada Buddhism is practice for the spiritual attainment and
liberation of the individual.

Theravada (also known as Hinayana, the vehicle of the Hearers), Mahayana, and
Vajrayana. These are recognised by practitioners as the three main routes to enlightenment
(Skt: bodhi, meaning awakening), the state that marks the culmination of all the Buddhist
religious paths. The differences between them are as follows:

Theravada is the only remaining school from the Early Buddhist period, its central texts are
in Pali (Pãli Canon), the spoken language of the Buddha; and its exclusively monastic
devotees strive to become enlightened for their own liberation.

Theravada Buddhism, the "Doctrine of the Elders," is one of the three major sects of
Buddhism. It emerged out of a series of schisms that began in the 4th century B.C.E. in the
Buddhist communities of India and became prominent in Sri Lanka and southeast Asia
including Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, which has led some to call it Southern
Buddhism. Pejoratively labeled the "Hinayana" (the "Lesser Vehicle") by Mahayana
Buddhism, Theravada schools claim to adhere most accurately to the original practices and
doctrines taught by Buddha. The Theravada claims to trace their lineage back to the the
original followers of the Buddha, to those who literally heard his sermons. The Theravada
canonical writings, a collection of the Buddha's teachings written in the Pali language, are
divided into the Buddha's sermons (the sutta pitaka), the monastic rules (the vinaya pitaka),
and philosophical enumeration of the Buddha's teachings (the abhidamma pitaka).
Theravada doctrine is founded on the distinction between samsara (the cyclic realm of
suffering) and nirvana (or nibbana, release). The ultimate goal of the Theravada is to escape
samsara and enter nirvana. This is accomplished by achieving the status of an arhat, a
perfect saint who has been released from the cycle of samsara and will never be reborn
again. The Theravada is typically understood to be a rigorous monastic tradition; however,
laypeople actively participate in the religion by providing material support to the monks
(which produces positive karma, or merit), meditating, and following the basic ethical
principles of the Buddha's teachings.

Theravada Comes West

Until the late 19th century, the teachings of Theravada were little known outside of southern
Asia, where they had flourished for some two and one-half millennia. In the past century,
however, the West has begun to take notice of Theravada's unique spiritual legacy in its
teachings of Awakening. In recent decades this interest has swelled, with the monastic
Sangha from various schools within Theravada establishing dozens of monasteries across
Europe and North America. Increasing numbers of lay meditation centers, founded and
operated independently of the monastic Sangha, strain to meet the demands of lay men and
women — Buddhist and otherwise — seeking to learn selected aspects of the Buddha's
teachings.

The turn of the 21st century presents both opportunities and dangers for Theravada in the
West: Will the Buddha's teachings be patiently studied and put into practice, and allowed to
establish deep roots in Western soil, for the benefit of many generations to come? Will the
current popular Western climate of "openness" and cross-fertilization between spiritual
traditions lead to the emergence of a strong new form of Buddhist practice unique to the
modern era, or will it simply lead to confusion and the dilution of these priceless teachings?
These are open questions; only time will tell.

Spiritual teachings of every description inundate the media and the marketplace today.
Many of today's popular spiritual teachings borrow liberally from the Buddha, though only
rarely do they place the Buddha's words in their true context. Earnest seekers of truth are
therefore often faced with the unsavory task of wading through fragmentary teachings of
dubious accuracy. How are we to make sense of it all?

Fortunately the Buddha left us with some simple guidelines to help us navigate through this
bewildering flood. Whenever you find yourself questioning the authenticity of a particular
teaching, heed well the Buddha's advice to his stepmother:

The teachings that promote the qualities of which you may know, 'These qualities lead to
passion, not to dispassion; to being fettered, not to being unfettered; to accumulating, not to
shedding; to self-aggrandizement, not to modesty; to discontent, not to contentment; to
entanglement, not to seclusion; to laziness, not to aroused persistence; to being
burdensome, not to being unburdensome': You may categorically hold, 'This is not the
Dhamma, this is not the Vinaya, this is not the Teacher's instruction.'

Vajrayana Buddhism
• Vajrayana, (Sanskrit: ―Thunderbolt Vehicle‖ or ―Diamond Vehicle‖) form of Tantic
Buddhism that developed in India and neighbouring countries, notably Tibet. Vajrayana,
in the history of Buddhism, marks the transition from Mahayana speculative thought to
the enactment of Buddhist ideas in individual life

• The term vajra (Sanskrit: ―thunderbolt,‖ or ―diamond‖) is used to signify the absolutely
real and indestructible in a Human being, as opposed to the fictions an individual
entertains about himself and his nature; yana is the spiritual pursuit of the ultimately
valuable and indestructible.
 • Vajrayana, the Diamond School, originally exclusive to Tibet (in 20th century CE the
Chinese occupation of Tibet forced it out of the country), emphasizes the permanence of
the Buddha's teachings as symbolized by the vajra (thunderbolt), a ritual implement used
for ceremonies, employs Tantra (techniques to reach enlightenment quickly) and
focuses mainly on lay practitioners.

vajrayana is the various Buddhist traditions of Tantra and "Secret Mantra", which developed in
medieval India and spread to Tibet, Bhutan, and East Asia. In Tibet, Buddhist Tantra is termed
Vajrayāna, while in China it is generally known as Tángmì ( "Chinese Tantrayāna") or Mìzōng (
"church of Tantrayāna"), in Pali it is known as Pyitsayãna , and in Japan it is known as Mikkyō (
"secret teachings").

Vajrayāna is usually translated as Diamond Vehicle or Thunderbolt Vehicle, referring to the

Vajra, a mythical weapon which is also used as a ritual implement.

Founded by medieval Indian Mahāsiddhas, Vajrayāna subscribes to the literature known as the
Buddhist Tantras. It includes practices that make use of mantras, dharanis, mudras, mandalas
and the visualization of deities and Buddhas. According to Vajrayāna scriptures, the term
Vajrayāna refers to one of three vehicles or routes to enlightenment, the other two being the
Śrāvakayāna (also known as the Hīnayāna) and Mahāyāna.

Vajrayana, (Sanskrit: ―Thunderbolt Vehicle‖ or ―Diamond Vehicle‖) form of Tantric Buddhism that
developed in India and neighbouring countries, notably Tibet. Vajrayana, in the history of
Buddhism, marks the transition from Mahayana speculative thought to the enactment of
Buddhist ideas in individual life. The term vajra (Sanskrit: ―thunderbolt,‖ or ―diamond‖) is used to
signify the absolutely real and indestructible in a human being, as opposed to the fictions an
individual entertains about himself and his nature; yana is the spiritual pursuit of the ultimately
valuable and indestructible.
Pure land and Chan Buddhism
Pure Land and Chan Buddhism

Buddhism in China was undoubtedly quite different from Buddhism as it was originally practiced
in India. Two major schools of Buddhism that originated in China are Pure Land Buddhism and
Chan Buddhism.

Pure Land Buddhism is based on the idea that the Buddha or advanced bodhisattvas can create
blissful paradises known as ―Pure Lands.‖ These pure lands can be reached through successful
rebirths and devotion to the Buddha of the pure land. According to tradition, there once was a
king named Amitabha who became a monk after learning about Buddhism. When he became a
Buddha, he came into possession of the pure land called the Western Paradise. Individuals can
supposedly reach the Western Paradise through devotion
to the Amitabha Buddha. Calling the name of Amitabha,
especially at the hour of one‘s death, is supposedly enough
for an individual to ensure a rebirth in the Western
Paradise.12

Chan Buddhism developed in China in the sixth and

seventh centuries. According to legend, the monk Bodhi
dharma was the first patriarch of Chan Buddhism. He is
said to have meditated for nine years, cutting off his eyelids
to stay awake. Chan Buddhism emphasized the
importance of meditation in achieving

enlightenment. Meditation, to the Chan Buddhists, was

more important than sutra chanting, religious rituals, or
worship of Buddha images.

Tibetan Buddhism

Buddhism in Tibet is quite different from traditional Chinese

Buddhism. Tibet adopted Buddhism centuries after China
and did not model itself on Chinese Buddhism. Rather, in
the seventh century, Tibet actively studied and imported
aspects of Indian, rather than Chinese, civilization.13 As a
result, Tibetan Buddhism is closer to Indian Buddhism than
Chinese Buddhism. Ti b e t a n Buddhism also adopted many rituals of Bon, Tibet‘s native
religion. Another unique characteristic of Tibetan Buddhism is how some lamas, including the
Dalai Lama, are identified through reincarnation. Advanced lamas supposedly can know the
identity of their rebirths. Many reincarnations of lamas have been found among the children of
wealthy or influential patrons. These children are then trained and guided until they are ready to
take on the responsibilities of a lama.14 The Dalai Lamas are considered to be the
manifestations of the Bodhisattva of Compassion, choosing to reincarnate and delay final
nirvana to help humankind.

Spread of Buddhism
Buddhism spread from India to China and also to other countries in Asia, such as Korea, Japan,
Thailand, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Prince Shotoku of
Japan, for example, wished to learn more about Buddhism to help Japan become stronger like
the larger and more advanced China. During the Tang Dynasty, Japan embraced Chinese
Buddhism. This was just the beginning of Japan‘s adoption of many things Chinese, including
China‘s system of government and bureaucracy.15

Over the years, Buddhism has gained followers and has spread to other countries. China and
other countries have adapted Buddhism to fit their own societies. Undoubtedly, this flexibility
has co ntributed to its influence and longevity in the world.
Issues of Buddhism
• The main social issue with Buddhists is
their being parochial and isolate
themselves by out of fear of being ‗wiped
out‘ if they do not resort to pre-emptive
strike getting non-Buddhists out of their
‗Buddhist‘ territory, as in Myanmar with the
Moslem Rohinga. But to the credit of the
Buddhists they are not proselytizing. They
do not want to convert others to Buddhism.
One has to come at one‘s own volition.

Other Information
• Buddhists differ from Brahmanism by adhering to the practice of nonviolence (ahimsa)
that prohibited the killing of animals. Buddhism believes that a human being is made of
up of aggregates (called Khandhas) of functions: matter, sensation, perception, mental
formations, and consciousness. (unchanging self). Buddhism also rejects the caste
system, a religious and social hierarchy in Hinduism that allocates to each person their
place in the larger social structure. The Buddha‘s teachings specifically state that the
caste system is unjust in imprisoning a person to a specific caste.

• The Buddha teaches that people are rewarded or punished solely on the basis of their
deeds and the karma attached to them; there is no need to segregate people according
to privilege.

• Many practicing Buddhists are vegetarians (and some are vegans) out of respect for the
first precept, not to kill but to cherish all life. This is an important religious commitment.
Activity 5

Directions: Fill in the blanks

• Buddhism spread from India to China and also to other countries

in Asia, such as _____, ______, Thailand, Myanmar (_______), Sri
Lanka, Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. Prince Shotoku of Japan, for
example, wished to learn more about Buddhism to help Japan
become stronger like the larger and more advanced China. During
the ________, Japan embraced _________. This was just the
beginning of Japan’s adoption of many things Chinese, including
China’s system of government and bureaucracy.
• Over the years, Buddhism has gained followers and has spread to
other countries. China and other countries have adapted
Buddhism to fit their own __________. Undoubtedly, this
flexibility has contributed to its influence and longevity in the
world.
• • The main social issue with Buddhists is their being parochial
and isolate themselves by out of fear of being ‘wiped out’ if they
do not resort to pre-emptive strike getting non-Buddhists out of
their ‘Buddhist’ territory, as in Myanmar with the Moslem
__________.
• Many practicing Buddhists are ____________ (and some are vegans)
out of respect for the first precept, not to kill but to cherish all life.
This is an important religious commitment.
Summary
Buddhism
• Buddhism is a path of practice and spiritual development leading to Insight into the true
nature of reality.
• Buddhism is counted as a religion because of its ritual practices in honoring Buddha.
• One of the Vedic Religion (including Hinduism and Jainism)
• Fourth largest religions in the world (Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism)
• It is considered as nontheistic religion
Siddharta Gautama
• Known as the Buddha meaning ―The Enlighten one‖ ―The Awaken One‖ ― The One who
knows‖
Origin - India
God/s
• The Buddha himself made it clear that he is not a god and that individual is solely
responsible for his/her own enlightenment.
• They believe in Gods (devas) exist and encourages respect toward them, it adheres that
they are not to be worshipped. In fact, human beings are slightly more privileged than
gods
Sacred Texts
• Sutras
• Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
• Dhammapada
• Suttas
sacred texts in different schools
Theravada School:
• Tripitaka (Three Baskets)
• Dhammapada
Mahayana School:
• Agamas , Vinayas ,Abidhamma
Vajrayana School:
• bKangjur (Kanjur), bStan‘gyur (Tanjur)
Basic Religion Observance:
Meditation
• Zazen (Zen meditation),Metta,
Chanting
Place of Worship:
• Temples or Centers
• Zendo
• Stupas
Holidays:
• Vesak
• The Buddha‘s Enlightenment
• Parinirvana
The Three Jewels or treasures
• Buddha – True nature
• Dharma – Teaching of Buddha
• Sangha – the community
The Basic Tents of Buddhism
• Dharma
 • Reincarnation
• Karma
The Basic Teaching of Buddha
The three universal truths
• Nothing is lost in the universe
• Everything changes
• The Law of Cause and Effect (Karma)
The Eightfold path
• Panna: Discern, wisdom
1. Samma ditthi – Right Understanding
2. Samma sankappa – Right thinking
• Sila: Virtue of morality
3.Samma Vaca – Right speech
4. Samma kammanta – Right conduct
5. Samma Ajiva – Right livelihood
• Samadhi: Concentration, meditation
6. Samma Vayama – Right Effort
7. Samma Sati – Right mindfulness
8. Samma samadhi – Right concentration
The four nobles of truth
• Life is suffering (Dukkha)
• Suffering caused by craving (Samudaya)
• Suffering can have an end (Nirodha)
• There is a path which leads to the end of suffering (Magga)
Divisions of Buddhism
Theravada
• (Teaching of the elders)
Mahayana
• (The Greater Vehicle)
vajrayana
• (Sanskrit: ―Thunderbolt Vehicle‖ or ―Diamond Vehicle‖)
Issues
• The main social issue with Buddhists is their being parochial and isolate themselves by
out of fear of being ‗wiped out‘ if they do not resort to pre-emptive strike getting non-
Buddhists out of their ‗Buddhist‘ territory, as in Myanmar with the Moslem Rohinga. But
to the credit of the Buddhists they are not proselytizing. They do not want to convert
others to Buddhism. One has to come at one‘s own volition.
Conclusion
Now, if we observe modern society, religion is often regarded as a suspicious thing by which
people earn money, while talking about other worldly things that do not exist. Especially, in
Japan, when some religious organization cause problem and when it is criticized as anti-social
organization, like the case of Aum Shinri Kyō which attempted massacre in order to achieve his
purpose in Japan, people tends to consider religion as a dangerous thing. The world ‗religion‘
itself provokes suspicion.

Moreover, in the racial war involving religion as observed in Serbia in the former Yugoslavia,
religions, which ought to provide rescue and relief to human beings regardless of race, have
become the targets of hatred, distinguishing
the difference of religions and races. The
Buddha or Jesus Christ never considered the
past or the dead as the target of relief and
rescue. It is needless to say that religions try
to provide shelters for those who live in the
present. As religions aspire for the
construction of their Ideal Lands or the Ideal
Nations, the Ideal Lands have to be built
while making the most of the each of the
religious thought. However, it may lead to the
denial of other religions. An idea of State
Religion certainly rests on the very view.
However, history also shows that it also
brought about dormancy and degeneration in
religious persons.

The wisdom of knowing fulfillment and

desiring less, as mentioned in Buddhism, is
the very basic principle for maintaining health
of oneself and for making others happy. And we have to teach and practice the Five Sīlas of
"not to kill" (the very important Sīla in Buddhism which voluntarily admits not to attack others or
not to torment others), "not to steal", "not to commit adultery", "not to tell lies", and "not taking
psycho-destructing stimulants like drugs." It can be said that the corruptions and injustices in
developing countries are caused due to the realistic pursuit of profits by the people. Buddhism
explains the retribution covering the three periods of the past, the present and the future. The
idea of retribution that teaches us that we have to take responsibilities of our deeds eventually,
though they may not appear immediately after the action. It is an important law that should be
taught in the society where corruptions and injustices prevail. Against the Buddhist Causal
Theory, those other theories which regards all are the decision of God's Will regardless of the
efforts and progresses of human beings, are considered to be wrong.

Ethics and morality are worldly things. If no one finds the action, or if immoral deeds are not
discovered, you may not be punished. However, the Buddhist view of Retribution for three
generations of the past, the present and the future, teaches that we cannot avoid our
responsibilities even if our bad deeds are not discovered.

Transcending our opinions, religions and principles; respecting each other and considering the
well-being of others, just like we feel dear to our body and family; we should refrain from
harming and making sad the families of other races and creatures. With our neighbors, we
should actively attempt to embody a society that can guarantee freedom and happiness to all.
Answer Keys:
Activity 1

1. They believe in God (devas) but they don’t worshipped

2. Buddhism
3. Siddhartha Gautama
4. The Awaken one, The Enlighten one or the One who knows
5. A way to end suffering
6. Princess Yashodhara
7. 80
8. Sign of old age
9. 29
10. 45
11. Bodhi tree
12. Four sights
13. Prajapati (his aunt)
14. Old man
15. Cunda

Activity 2

1. Deity
2. No one
3. 5 collections, 15 books
4. Books
5. Asian Culture
6. Divine light; true mind
7. Respect
8. Three baskets
9. Sutras/suttas
 10. Rationalize

Activity 3

1. Meditation
2. Zen Meditation
3. One pointed concentration
4. Meditation
5. Chanting
6. Suffering, sick, hungry, or experiencing pain
7. Temples or centers
8. Zendo
9. Stupas
10. Zendo
11. Lumbini
12. Bodhgaya
13. Varanasi
14. Kushinara
15. Vesak
16. Feb. 13
17. Jukai
18. Center
19. April 8
20. December 8

Activity 4

1. Buddha, Dharma, Sangha

2. Buddha, Reincarnation, thoughts
3. Lost, changes, karma
4. Percepts, easy, traditions, the first five
5. Cessation
 Activity 5

1. Japan, Korea, Burma, Tang Dynasty, Chinese Buddhism

2. Societies
3. Rohinga
4. Vegetarians

References
1.Bhikkhu Bodhi, "The Noble Eightfold Path. The Way to the End of
Suffering," Buddhist Information. http://www.buddhistinformation.com

2. Buddhist Prayer
http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/buddhistprayer/index.html

3. Dhammajak.net http://www.dhammajak.net

4. Dhammapada, a collection of 423 verses; being one of the canonical

books on Buddhism http://www.maithri.com/dhammapada

5. Essentials of Buddhism http://www.buddhaweb.org

6. Guy Newland, Untitled essay http://www.chsbs.cmich.edu

7. Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University http://www.mcu.ac.th/En

8. Pāḷi Tipiṭaka http://www.tipitaka.org

9. Thomas Knierim, "The Precepts" http://www.thebigview.com

10. Website 8400.org http://www.84000.org

11. www.priceton.edu

12. www.wikipedia.com
 CONFUCIANISM
INTRODUCTION TO
CONFUCIAN RELIGION
AND BELIEF SYSTEMS
Group 2 ITWR HUMSS - B

Capanan, Cloister Cortez, Florence Abugan, Mia

SVNHS S.Y. 2018-2019 ; Introduction to World Religions ; Ms. Karen

This page left intentionally blank
 CONFUCIANISM
Daoic Religion of the East

During the period of Spring and Autumn, and the Warring states, chaos was all over China and
several schools of thought emerged, known as the “Hundred Schools of Thought” which tried to
impose and bring back the social order and harmonous society in China by disseminating
philosophical teachings of great Chinese thinkers. Four most influential teachings which flourised in
China were Confucianism, Taoism, Mohism, and Legalism; with the elements of Mahayanna
Buddhism, these religions focused on the Chinese philosopy of the Dao (or “the Way”), which refers
to the nameless order of things or the moral order that permeates the universe. One of the goals of
these religion is to live in harmony with the Dao.

Confucianism as a religion has always been misunderstood as a philosophy. In fact, there has
always been a debate whether Confucianism must be considered an institutionalized religion or is it
just a philosopy. Those who argue that Confucianism is a philosophy assert that when Kung Fuzi
founded Confucianism, he never meant to establish a new religion; he merely wanted to interpret
and revive the ancient religion of Zhou dynasty. Since Confucianism emphasizes the ethical
dimension of the world, it gives primary attention to human relationship, thus advocating social
values and ideals which should serve as the foundation of Chinese society. Advocates of
Confucianism as a philosophy further argue that Kung Fuzi seldom touched on religious matters,
thus branding him as a humanist advancing practical and ethical wisdom.

On the other hand, Confucianism is considered a religion because its ideals were inspirational, not
in the supernatural sense but in the sense of aiming for excellence in one’s relationships with others.
For Confucius, what happens in everyday life should not be trivialized but should be considered as
the realm of moral and spiritual fulfillment. Focus on relationships should be emphasized, for it is
often taken for granted that these relationships which we encounter everyday should be the easiest
to perfect, but in reality they are the hardest to attain. Moreover, Confucius stressed the importance
of rituals which would lead them back to the ideal society of their ancestors when there was
harmony between heaven and earth. Confucianism has often been as one of the world’s major
religions, and has greatly influenced the political and spirutual views of the members of East Asia.

The core teaching of Confucianism is how to be a “gentleman.” To be a gentleman, according to

Confucianism, a person should follow the moral way, consisting of the virtues of love, righteousness,
wisdom, propriety, and loyalty. Becoming a gentleman promotes harmony in society.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, there are six million adherents of Cofucianism as of 2010.
However, this figure might be misleading since people from East Asia may profess themselves to
be Buddhists, Taoists, Christians, Muslims, or Shintoists, but rarely do they stop being
Confucians. Because of this, the actual figure can rise up to more or less 300 million.

MOTIVATIONAL ACTIVITY
In the given space below, list down at least three relationships you are involved in right now and
identify the power relations in these relationships by stating if you are a subordinate, superior, or
equal position in each relationship. Explain the pros and cons of the said relationships.

Practitioners of Confucianism are called Confucians or Confucianists.Religions in East Asia are

not mutually exclusive, hence one can still be a Confucian/Confucianist while at the same time
being a Taoist, Buddhist, Christian or Muslim. This is because, as mentioned earlier,
Confucianism has often been debated if it is a religion or philosophy/ethical tradition. It is
characterized as having a lot of ritual practice but with little formal worship or meditation. Hence,
one can blend belief in the religious elements of Budhhism, Taoism, Shinto, and other religions
with the ethical elements of Confucianism.
Confucius is one of the names that comes to mind immediately when one thinks about the
Chinese philosophy of life. Confucius, the Master of thought, was a Chinese philosopher and
teacher. He was not a man of flair, he concerned himself with learning a better way of life and
teaching what he learned. And what he taught, years after his death, was accumulated and
called 'Confucianism'.

Confucianism is an amalgamation of the thoughts and system of philosophy propounded by

Confucius, the Chinese social philosopher and thinker. It is rife with governmental morality,
ethics in social relationships, social justice and the value of sincerity in all human activities. This
philosophy co-existed and shadowed doctrines such as Taoism and Legalism in ancient China,
especially during the reign of the Han Dynasty between 206 BC and 220 AD.

LIFE OF CONFUCIUS

Confucius is the Latinized version of

Kongzi and the honorific Kong Fuzi both
meaning “Master Kong.” He was born
on September 28 on 551 B.C.E. Hence,
it is considered a day of celebration in
East Asia—an official holiday in Taiwan
(Teacher’s Day), and a day of cultural
celebration in mainland China, Hong
Kong, and Singapore. Confucius was
born in a small feudal state of Lu (now
Shantung province) in Qufu. His
personal name was Qiu and his family
name was Kong. He came from a noble
family, but by the time of his birth, they
had already lost much of their wealth.
His first teacher was his mother, and at
the age of 15 he set his heart upon
learning, thus love of learning became
one of the highest virtues in Confucian
ethics. He married at the age of 19 and
had a son at the age of 20. At this point
“Statue of Confucius. https:// Spiritualray.com copy right of
in his life he had already served in minor 2018”
government posts and had already
gained a reputation as an
all-around scholar. When he was in his 30s he had already started a brilliant teaching career
because of his mastery of the arts of ritual, music, archery, charioteering, calligraphy, and
arithmetic. He was also familiar with classical tradition, particularly in poetry and history. He is
often considered as the first person to devote his whole life to learning and teaching for the
purpose of social transformation and improvement. He held several government positions
including as arbiter, assistant minister of public works, and minister of justice in the state of Lu.
Frustrated that his ideals and policies were brushed off by his superiors, he soon left Lu. For 13
years, he wandered from state to state, trying to put his theories to practice. At 67, he returned
home to teach (where he gained more disciples) and to preserve his classical traditions by
writing and editing. He died in 479 B.C.E at the age of 73 and he left around 3,000 followers
who preserved and put his other teachings to writing. ( Ong 2016)

Confucius married Qi Guan when he was 19

and became a father to Kong Li a year later.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The proliferation of Chinese classical thought happened within the reign of the Zhou dynasty,
the second historical dynasty in China. It was the result of several factors such as technological
and economic advancement, stronger political units, political and social improvement, and even
military development. Advances in the said realms led to the emergence of competing dynasties
who wanted to establish supremacy over other dynasties, hence the period was marked by
social upheaval and chaos. This led to the search for political and social stability through the
birth of philosophies and religions which attempted to restore social harmony in China. The
Zhou period was divided into Western Zhou (1122-770 B.C.E.) and Eastern Zhou (770-221
B.C.E.). The Eastern Zhou was further subdivided into the Spring and Autumn period ((722-481
B.C.E.) and the Warring States period (403-221 B.C.E.). It was during the period of Eastern
Zhou, a period of great economic growth, social change, and political development that
philosophies would emerge and the Classics would be written. During the Zhou period,
technological growth led to trading development, which led to a remarkable increase in wealth.
Iron became common in China in the fifth century B.C.E. and had replaced bronze as material
for weapons, as well as agricultural tools such as the ox-drawn plow, which in turn led to
agricultural revolution in China. This growth of production coincided with a rapid growth in trade,
and, as a consequence, a new class of wealthy merchants emerged. Accordingly, this became a
threat to the nobility, which led them to propagate a theory that society is composed of four (4)
classes in this order: the warrior-administrator, the peasants, the artisans, and the
merchants.Alongside technological and economic growth was the development of stronger
political units, which led to the emergence of four vassal states that competed against each
other for political supremacy. These vassal states were Qin in the west, Jin in the north, Yan in

“Portrait of Ancient China” by

SpiritualRayStaff

the northeast, and Qi in the east. The struggle for supremacy among these vassal states
characterized the Warring States period in Chinese history. Their political stability was enhanced
by military development. The use of chariots, iron weapons, and the use of cavalry all
contributed to the newfound power of the vassal states who tried to overpower each other
through the use of warfare. Amidst the development and chaos, China was faced with a
dilemma: the failure of old authority made it necessary for new guiding values to restore social
order. It was in this very crucial time that philosophers would try to find solutions to the social
problems being faced by society. Incidentally, interest was focused primarily on society and not
on the individual. Because of this, these philosophers have often been classified as practical
politicians because they were products of the proliferation of literacy and part of the new
bureaucracy. They went to different states to offer their services whenever needed. One of them
was Confucius. Among the four rival states which competed for supremacy, the Qin dynasty
would emerge as the victor and would establish the first empire of China in the 3rd century
B.C.E. The name China would come from the Ch’in, the first to create an imperial Chinese
identity. ( Ong 2016)
Western Zhou dynasty was the first half of the Zhou
dynasty of ancient China. The dynasty was successful
for about seventy-five years and then slowly lost power.
CONFUCIANISM AND
THE RU TRADITION

Ru jia, ru jiao or ru xue may be

translated roughly as ‘the
doctrine, or tradition, of
scholars’. To understand the
nature of this doctrine or
tradition, we have first to explore
its root in ru. A prominent
scholar of the Han Dynasty (206
bce–220 ce), Liu Xin (?–23 ce),
located the formation of ru as a
profession in the early years of
the Zhou Dynasty (1100?–256
bce) and asserted that ru was
characteristic of its devotion to “Confucian scholars” image by Patheos.com copyright of 2018
the ‘ six classics’
(the Book of Poetry, the Book of History, the Book of Rites, the Book of Music, the Book of
Changes, and the Spring and Autumn Annals), and that as a social group and a distinctive
school, ru emphasised the virtues of humaneness (ren) and righteousness (yi), followed the
ancient sage–kings, and took Confucius as their master (Hanshu, 1997: 1728). However, the
identification of ru with Confucian scholars was not recognised until a much later time, when
Confucianism had been recognised as a prominent school with its scholars engaging with the
classics and the Way of ancient Sages. What then is the original meaning of the ru?

Among ancient texts, the character ru first occurs in the Analects, where Confucius taught his
disciples to be a ru of virtuous gentlemen (junzi ru), and not a morally deficient man or a vulgar
ru (xiaoren ru) (Lunyu, 6: 13). Some scholars, both Chinese and Western, argue that although
groups of men professionally skilled in ceremonial practice existed prior to Confucius’ time, the
character ru post-dated Confucius’ time and was in fact coined as a name for the followers of
Confucius (Eno, 1993: 192). While we cannot engage in this debate, suAce it now to say that
there is no reason for us to disregard what is implied by the reference to the two kinds of ru in
the Analects, and we have grounds for believing that as a profession or distinctive group in
society, ru must have predated the time of Confucius. (Yao 2000)

The original meaning and the origin of the word ru itself was further discussed and debated by
many Chinese scholars, saying that the word ru came from a zhou civil government;
distinguished for intellectuals or gentleman; a classification of those who mastered the six arts
(rites, music, archery, carriage driving, history and mathematics); an official title for those who
assisted the ruler to follow the way of yin-yang ; adherents of Shang dynasty; and many more.
Not long after that, the tradition of ru was totally identified with the doctrines clarified, elaborated
and propagated by Confucius, and ‘the rituals of the ru’ and ‘the Way of Confucius’ became
interchangeable in a collection of the Former Han Dynasty (Huainanzi Yizhu, 1990: 501). One
way or another, Confucius’ transmission and interpretation of the ancient culture and his
practices of education played a major part in shaping and reshaping the ru tradition. The
process involved in this transformation must be taken into account when we discuss the
relationship between Confucius and ru (Yao 2000). Therefore, whatever method one may
employ in tracing the origin of Confucianism, one must take into account both the cultural
heritage on which Confucius worked and the transformation Confucius made to the ru tradition.
In this sense it is misleading to simply ‘characterize Confucius and his followers through their
role as masters of dance’. As we have pointed out above, by the time of Confucius, the ru had
fundamentally changed their social and cultural functions, and therefore, should not be treated
in the same way as the earlier masters of dance and music.
Chapter Test;

State whether the statement is True or False. If the statement is False, correct the word that makes
the statement wrong.

____________1. China is the founding place of Buddhism.

____________2. Master Kong is the founder of Confucianism.

____________3. Confucianism was established in the midst of social harmony in China.

____________4. Confucius was born in the State of Mu.

____________5. Confucius mastered archery and geometry.

SACRED SCRIPTURES
The Five Classics (wujing) and Four Books (si shu) collectively create the foundation of
Confucianism. The Five Classics and Four Books were the basis of the civil examination in imperial
China and can be considered the Confucian canon. The Five Classics consists of the Book of Odes,
Book of Documents, Book of Changes, Book of Rites, and the Spring and Autumn Annals. The Four
Books are comprised of the Doctrine of the Mean, the Great Learning, Mencius, and the Analects.
From the Han to the early Song, the Five Classics grew into thirteen classics. In the early Song,
however, scholars focused on the original Five Classics again. By the mid-Song, however, the
Analects, Mencius, Great Learning, and Doctrine of the Mean began gaining importance and by the
early fourteenth century, the Four Book were the texts for the civil examinations.

FIVE CLASSICS

The ‘Five Classics’ are the basic component, and have been treated as the faithful records of
ancient culture, touching on its every aspect: politics, philosophy, legend, history, poetry and
religion, and as the primary source of the Confucian Learning which unfolds interrelated visions for
human life: poetic, historic, politic, metaphysical and ethical.

Book of Changes ( Yi Jing)

The Book of Changes contains a system of divination, which is centered largely around the
principles of yin and yang. The Book of Changes has also been translated as I Ching or Classic of
Changes. Some of the divination practices such as cleromancy wherein six random numbers are
picked and arranged under sixty-four hexagrams. Later on, commentaries were added to the
predictions, the longest of which was the Hsi-tz’u or Appended Remarks, which discusses early
cosmological and metaphysical assumptions in an obscure language. are still used today. (Wilson
2010)

The hexagrams are composed of six broken lines and/or unbroken lines, which are well known
today as yin and yang lines. Recent studies of ancient Shang–Zhou oracle bones and bronze
inscriptions have caused much conjecture about curious groupings of recurring six-part symbols.
Modern scholarship has shown that the current form of yin and yang lines was not used in the
oracles until a later period.
Book of Odes (Shi Jing)

The Book of Odes is also translated as the Book of Songs or Book of Poetry. The Book of Odes is
comprised of 305 poems dealing with a range of issues, including love and marriage, agricultural
concerns, daily lives, and war. The Book of Odes contains different categories of poems, including
folk songs and hymns used in sacrifice. Kongzi is believed to have selected the 305 poems in this
collection from a much wider collection. (Wilson 2010)

Book of Documents (Shu Jing)

Book of Documents or Book of History, translated from the original Chinese title Shang Shu, or Shu
Jing, or simply Shu. Shang means ‘above’ or ‘ancient’ and shu means a book, which together reveal
the literary meaning of the title: the venerated ancient book, or the book about the ancients. It is the
earliest book of history and has served for more than two thousand years as the foundation of
Confucian historiography, politics and philosophy. The contents of the book mainly concern historic
and political events of the Three Dynasties (sandai, the Xia, the Shang and the Zhou), in the form of
addresses and conversations of the kings and their ministers. The central part of the book can be
conveniently divided into five types: consultations (mo), namely, dialogues between a king and his
ministers; instructions (xun), ministers’ advice for a king; announcements (gao) by a king to the
people at large; declarations (shi), battlefield speeches made by a king; and commands (ming),
entitlements of royal responsibilities and privileges for a single individual. (Yao 2000)

Book of Rites (Li Ji)

The Book of Rites described the social norms, governmental organization, and the ritual conduct
during the Zhou dynasty. Believed to have been compiled by Kongzi, the Book of Rites is the
foundation of many ritual principles that arise in later imperial China. According to the Book of Rites,
proper ritual conduct would maintain harmony in the empire, as well as emphasize the virtue of piety.
(Wilson 2010)

Spring and Autumn Annals ( Chiun Qiu)

As the longest of the Five Classics, the Spring and Autumn Annals is a historical chronicle of the
State of Lu. Unlike the Book of Documents, the Spring and Autumn Annals appear to have been
created specifically for annalistic purposes. The Spring and Autumn Annals was traditionally
understood as being written by Confucius, but modern scholars believe the text was actually written
by various chroniclers from the State of Lu. ( Wilson 2010)
THE FOUR BOOKS

From the Han to the Tang Dynasty, the Five Classics were the key textbooks for Confucian
Learning and for state examination. Of other Confucian writings, only the Analects of Confucius
was occasionally accepted as one of the oAcial textbooks. However, this situation changed during
the Song Dynasty, when great Neo-Confucians, especially Zhu Xi (1130–1200), paid more
attention to the Analects of Confucius, the two chapters from the Book of Rites, the Great
Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean, and the Book of Mengzi. Zhu’s annotations and
commentaries on them were published as a book entitled Sishu Jizhu, the Collected Annotations
on the Four Books.

THE GREAT LEARNING

The Great Learning is a translation of Da Xue, literally meaning the learning for adults or the
learning for those who wish to be great, which is in contrast and yet related to ‘small learning’
(Xiao Xue), the textbook for primary schools. The Great Learning is believed to be a work of one
of Confucius’ disciples, Zengzi (Zeng Shen, 505–432 bce). It purports to teach people how to
learn and practise ‘the Great Way’. In this book, the author explains what a person should do if he
wants to govern the whole world well. The goal cannot be achieved by arms, nor by power or law,
but only by moral strength and moral virtues. The core of the book is thus concerned with how to
cultivate moral virtues within and how to exert moral influence without: manifesting the illustrious
virtues, loving the people and abiding in the highest good. To this end, the book provides the
so-called Eight Items or Steps for the beginner to follow, namely, investigating things, extending
knowledge, making the will sincere, rectifying the heart/mind, cultivating the character, regulating
the family, governing the state, and bringing peace to the world.

DOCTRINE OF THE MEAN

The Doctrine of the Mean (Zhong Yong) is believed to have been composed around the fifth
century bce, and re-edited during the time of the Qin and Han Dynasties. It is probably the first
Confucian writing that introduces the idea of the Five Elements into Confucianism and extends it
to explain moral and social aCairs. If the Great Learning is a search for the Way of governing the
world, the Doctrine of the Mean is an exploration of the Way of cultivating one’s character and
becoming a sage. This Way is called the Middle Way, the way of centrality and harmony. The
Middle Way does not mean simply pursuing a middle course. It is said to be a course following
the harmonious process of the universe. In order to follow the ‘Way of the Mean’, one has to keep
one’s mind sincere. Sincerity (cheng) enables people to extend and develop their nature: those
who possess sincerity achieve what is right without eCort, understand without thinking, and can
naturally and easily embody the Way. Sages are those who, by their sincerity, stand between
Heaven and Earth and with them form a triad. This theory was later accepted as orthodox
Confucianism, and the goal of the ‘triad’ became the supreme ideal for many Confucians.

ANALECTS

The Analects, which is a translation from the Chinese title lun yu, literally meaning ‘discussion or
conversations and sayings’, and implying ‘a compilation of the words’ by Confucius and his
students. It is believed to have been written during the Warring States period (475 B.C.E.-221
B.C.E.) and finalized during the middle of the Han dynasty.

The Lun Yu contains the replies made by Master Kong to his disciples and contemporaries, and
the discussions between the disciples or the words that they heard from the Master. At that time
each disciple held his own records, so that when the Master died, his followers put their notes
together to make a compilation, thus called the Lun Yu.
BOOK OF MENCIUS

Mengzi or the Book of Mengzi, possibly edited by his disciples. Mengzi (Meng Ke, 371–289 bce) was
a great Confucian thinker during the Warring States period. But from the fact that his writings are
listed in the part of philosophical writings (zi bu) in the History of the Former Han Dynasty, we can
assume that he was not particularly prominent in the Confucian tradition in the Qin–Han period. The
Book of Mengzi was probably not a key textbook in classical learning throughout the Han Dynasty.
Although Zhao Qi (108?–201, the author of the earliest existent commentary on the Book of Mengzi)
mentioned about a Han oAcial post of academicians on the learning of the book, and this might
indicate that the book had been listed among the Confucian classics, his reference has not been
verified in other sources. As a matter of fact, the book bearing his name was not listed among the
Confucian classics until the Song Dynasty. Only then was Mengzi himself regarded as the second
sage in Confucianism next to Confucius himself. The book comprises seven sections, each of which
has two parts. In this book, Mengzi, by arguing with representatives of other schools, expounds his
own theories, such as the original goodness of human nature, the unity of humans with Heaven, the
possibility for everybody to become a sage, the humane government and so on. (Yao 2000)

A HISTORY OF THE ORIGIN

THE THIRTEEN CLASSICS

In the Confucian tradition, there are two kinds of sacred writing: one is called jing, referring to ancient
scriptures or classics, which, it was believed, had the same function for society as did the warp for
fabrics, since the Chinese character jing originally means the warp of cloth, from which it is extended
to mean the constant principles that guide life and history. The other is called shu, meaning the
‘records of sayings’ and thus refers to ‘books’. There used to be a diCerence between a jing and a
shu, a jing being earlier and more fundamental than a shu. Indeed, with only one exception (Xiao
Jing or the Book of Filial Piety), all those that are known as jing have their origins in the ages before
Confucius. However, in their later usage in a Confucian context, the meaning of these two characters
fused, both referring to the sacred writings. (Yao 2000)

Historically, Confucian classics and books were combined in variously sized groups. The earliest
known number of Confucian classics is six: the Book of Poetry, the Book of History, the Book of
Rites, the Book of Music, the Book of Changes and the Spring and Autumn Annals, which are named
variously as the ‘Six Classics’ (liu jing), ‘the Six Arts’ (liu yi), and ‘the Six Forms of Learning’ (liu xue).
One of them, the Book of Music, was completely lost probably in the ‘burning of books’, and so the
Six Classics became the Five. When Emperor Wu (r. 156–87 bce) of the Former Han Dynasty (206
bce–8 ce) proscribed all non-Confucian schools of thought and espoused Confucianism as the
orthodox state ideology, the Five Classics became the oAcial learning and the standard for selecting
civil servants. To the Five Classics were added the Analects of Confucius, and the Book of Filial
Piety in the Later Han Dynasty and thus the Seven Classics came into being. Taken as the textbooks
in the Tang Dynasty (618–906 ce), the ‘Nine Classics’ were inscribed on stone tablets, namely, the
Book of Changes, the Book of History, the Book of Poetry, the three commentaries on the Spring and
Autumn Annals, the Rites of the Zhou, the Rites of Etiquette and Ceremonial, and the Book of Rites.
The Nine Classics later became the Twelve Classics by taking in three more books, namely, the
Book of Filial Piety, the Analects of Confucius and Er Ya (The earliest Chinese dictionary, the
meaning of the title is something like ‘approaching “what is correct, proper and refined” ’). In the Song
Dynasty (960–1279 ce), the Book of Mengzi was added to the Twelve Classics so that the ‘Thirteen
Classics’ was finally established, which has been used as the standard collection of the Confucian
Classics ever since.
Besides the Five Classics and the Four Books, there are other writings which also hold an
important position in the Confucian canon and have exerted a great influence on Confucian
doctrines and on the Confucian spiritual practice. Among them, two are of particular
significance, namely, the Book of Music and the Classic of Filial Piety, although for one reason
or another they were not listed among the major Confucian classics.

The Confucian classics played four primary roles in the transmission of the Confucian
tradition. First, they were the key textbooks for students. Second, the classics were
considered to be the source of the Confucian way of life. Third, the classics were the root
from which numerous Confucian branches developed.And fourth, the Confucian classics
were appreciated primarily for their political functions and applications.

ACTIVITY: PUZZLED

Find and highlight the words that are connected with the sacred scriptures of Confucianism.

G R U G N O Y G N O H Z C O R

F H L K A F L O W E R I N G H

K I E F E R U F I N S B O E A

O R V X V E N J O S N R X M S

M R N E F I Y U A U E A E E M

A E E V J T U L N R R D N N I

R T R I M I C I A O E B E G A

G S L G A E O E L M R A O Z U

A I L I V E R T E E O I L O P

X O C I S A B I C O L M A S K

E L F E F I F A T F O K A Y

H C L A S S I C S B O O K D E
 Chapter Test: Identification

1. Believed to have existed at the time of Confucius and is the oldest of the Classics.

2. Chronological accounts of imperial achievements and rules of government.

3. Oldest existing compilation of Chinese poetry.

4. A compilation of ceremonial rituals, administration. and social forms of the Zhou

Dynasty.

5. Character and influence of a noble person

DOCTRINES AND BELIEFS

Confucius is widely known for his Golden Rule; “Do not do unto others what you would not have
them do unto you.” Found in the alnalects, this saying requires people to treat other equal to
themselves and in equality to the manner they would have wanted to be treated, since this
Confucian doctrine teaches ethics and reciprocity.

BELIEF IN TIAN

“When you have offended against

Heaven, there is nowhere you can turn to
in your prayers.” (Analects 3.13) This is
one of the passages in the Analects which
shows Kung Fuzi’s idea of Tian or heaven.
Although Confucius is wellknown to be a
practical philosopher who was not much
interested in the superhuman realm, he
believed in Tian or “heaven,” an
all-encompassing god. Tian may also refer
to that which is beyond human control. He
believed that Tian is analogous with moral
order but dependent upon human
intervention to bring its will into action. For
him, the li or ritual propriety is the way
through which the family, the state, and
the world may become parallel with Tian’s
moral order. He believed that only by
performing the ancient rituals, which was
done by earlier kings, could harmony
between heaven and earth be revived. “Picture of the Sky above” by Paul Heindfield
Rectification of Names

Confucius believed that to return to the ancient Dao, people must play their assigned roles in
society. This was later called the rectification of names, or zhengming, The Five Relationships
include: 1) ruler-subject; 2) father-son; 3) husband-wife; 4) elder and younger brother; and 5)
friend and friend. The responsibilities originating from these relationships are shared and
reciprocal. For example, a minister owes loyalty to his ruler, and a child owes filial respect to the
parent. In return, rulers must care for their subjects, and parents must care for their children. The
Five Relationships emphasize the upright sense of hierarchy. Among friends, for example,
seniority of age requires a certain deference. Zhengming helps bring social order for it advocates
the idea that every person has a particular role at a particular time in life, and that by abiding to
this particular role, one is able to fulfil one’s social duties and responsibilities, thus creating social
harmony.

Human Nature as Originally Good or Evil

Confucius himself was silent on the concept of human nature, but there were two philosophers
who had different interpretations on the subject of human nature based on the Analects. They
were Mengzi and Xunzi (Hsun tzu). Their views on human nature were opposed to one another.
For Mencius, renxing or human nature is naturally disposed toward ren, or virtue of the superior
man. Mengzi believed that all human beings are born with innate goodness which, on one hand,
can be cultivated through proper education and self-discipline (li); or be thrown away through
neglect and bad influence, on the other. However, it needs cultivation through li (ritual propriety)
as well as obedience to one’s qi (vital energy). Human nature may be impeded through
negligence or an unfavourable environment naturally organized toward ren. On the other hand,
Xunzi believed that human nature is basically evil but can be improved through self-cultivation.
Like Mencius, Xunzi considers the li as the key to the cultivation of human nature.

The Five Constants

The Five Constants, also known as the Five Classical Virtues, or Wuchang, are the five most
important Confucian ethics mentioned in the Analects and the Book of Mencius. These include
the following: ren or benevolence; yi or righteousness; li or propriety; zhi or knowledge/wisdom;
and xin or fidelity. Ren, or benevolence, can be achieved by returning to li, or the traditional
Chinese rituals. It means following the social hierarchy patterned after family relationships. Ren
can also be achieved by extending one’s filial love for parents and siblings to fellow human
beings. It can also be achieved by avoiding envy or harm. Yi, or righteousness, can be achieved
by having the moral disposition to do good, which can only be possible after recognizing what is
right and good. It can also be achieved through the ability to feel what is the right thing to do. Li,
or propriety, which is considered as the concrete guide to human action and social order, can be
achieved by following the guide to human relationships (rectification of names, doctrine of the
mean, The Five Relationships); it can also be achieved by following the norms of ren, or
righteousness. Zhi, or knowledge/wisdom, can be achieved by knowing what is right and what is
wrong, which is innate in people who are basically good according to Mencius. Lastly, xin, or
fidelity can be achieved by keeping one’s word and being faithful, for Kung Fuzi believed that
only people who are faithful can be trusted with important tasks. Fidelity is also seen as the key
to nation-building.

“An evil act in Chinese History” by BritanicaEncyclopedia.com

Filial Piety as an Important Virtue

For Confucius, family relations provide a model for social behaviour. Respect for elders, whether
your own or others, is emphasized, as well as kindness to your own children and juniors, including
those of others. Thus Filial Piety or Hsiao, advocates a person to love his family and the society.

Mandate of Heaven

Concept of Rulers power wherein it is

believed that an Emperor is an apointed
leader by the Heaven whose purpose is to
bring prosperity, peace, and order in a
society.

Rulers concept of Mandate of Heaven is

an authorization by the Heavens to make
a kingdom prosperous, but if an emperor
fails to gain the guidance and favor of the
heavens, he might be a candidate for
dethroonement or his seat might be
threatended by those who claim that they
have the Mandate given by the Heavens.

An emperor is expected to be benevolent

and trustworthy; great thinker and a
leader that could act fast during social
calamities such as war, starvation and
nature or weather related tragedies.

Though the concept of the Mandate of

Heaven requires a ruler to be accepted by
the Heaven and its people, this belief is
“Authentic portrait of Confucius” by NationalGalleryofChina
one of the reasons why China,
throughourt history has experienced
feudal wars.

As a religious humanism, Confucianism is characterised by its faith in Heaven (tian) and the
Mandate of Heaven (tian ming), and by its belief that humanity can achieve perfection and live
up to heavenly principles. It insists that humans have their mission in the world. But it also
insists that this mission cannot be fulfilled unless men and women have done their best to fulfill
their ethical and moral duties, from which there develops a unique understanding of the moral
as the transcendental and the secular as the sacred. Confucianism stresses the importance of
self-consciousness and self-cultivation as the pathway leading to ‘transcendence’.
Self-transformation is never meant to be a matter of isolation of the self from others and from
society. Rather, it is closely related to human and natural orders, conscientiously exercised in
the form of social and political action, and optimistically aimed at harmonising the world through
changes. It is in this sense that Tu Wei-ming points out that ‘The question of being religious is
crucial for our appreciation of the inner dimension of the Neo-Confucian project’, and that the
religiousness of Neo-Confucianism should be defined in terms of the individuals’ efforts in
engaging in ‘ultimate self-transformation as a communal act
 “Statue of Great Confucian thinkers” by
LearnChina.com

DEVELOPMENT OF CONFUCIANISM

Mozi’s Mohism

The school of Mozi was considered as Confucianism’s primary early competitor. Mozi was
believed to have been born around or soon after the death of Confucius. His teachings can be
found in a work entitled Mozi which, like the Analects, contains essays and dialogues compiled
by his students. His attacks on Confucianism can be seen in a more extreme stand on matters
discussed by Confucius. For example, Mozi believed that hereditary princes should surrender
their thrones to their obvious superiors. His belief in utilitarianism was reflected in his advocacy
to enrich the country, increase the population, bring order to the state, and it made him attack
anything that did not contribute to these goals. He advocated that people should only be given
bare necessities in terms of food, clothing, and housing, and did not concern himself with any
artistic expression and advocated that all emotions be stifled. He also frowned upon the detailed
rituals of Confucianism and considered warfare to be useless. But he did favor sacrifices to the
spirits which would bring worldly blessings. Central to his ideas was his belief in universal love,
that “everyone would love every other person as much as he loves himself.” Condemning the
violence and aggression in society during the Warring States period, Mozi’s goal was to remove
the bad elements or factors in society in order to achieve peace and harmony.

Mohism opted for a utilitarian way to improve people’s material welfare, to install the social
order of justice and to reform political structure. The Moists maintained that a good government
was one that could bring benefits to the people, order to the society and an increase in
population to the state. Confucians treasured ritual/propriety (li) and music for their value in
cultivating virtues, while the Moists dismissed ritual and music as useless. Instead, Moism
proposed a shamanistic belief in spirits and sought a solution for social and spiritual problems
by making oCerings to Heaven (tian) and faithfully carrying out the Mandate or Will of Heaven
(tianming). As regard to how to attain peace and harmony, the major differences between
Confucianism and Moism were manifest when the Moists emphasised utilitarian love and
universal equality, while Confucianism stressed the supreme importance of personal character
and the extension of family affection.
Mengzi

Mengzi (Mencius) was more successful than Mozi in passing on his teachings to later
generations. Mencius lived around 370-290 B.C..E. in an area near Lu. Like Kung Fuzi, he went
to different states to seek high government office but failed. A self-proclaimed Confucian, he
added other important teachings to Confucianism as seen in his book Mengzi. One was his claim
that human nature is basically good, and this innate goodness can be further developed through
self-cultivation and education. He also believed that people should extend their love to those
beyond the family circle. He was also of the opinion that the government was primarily an
application of ethics and argued that the guiding principle of the government should be
righteousness. For him, the right way to rule was when a ruler showed himself to be a fully moral
man, for all of his subjects would move toward him. A true king provides for the well-being of his
people, thus his concept of “Mandate of Heaven” asserts that the basic justification of a ruler’s
power is when he is accepted by his people. Thus, the “Mandate of Heaven” is synonymous with
the mandate of the people.

Xunzi

Xunzi was a Chinese philosopher who lived around 300-237 B.C.E. and, like Mengzi, left a
profound legacy on Chinese civilization. He became successful as a politician and teacher, and
had an anthology of essays entitled Xunzi. Some sections of this book were incorporated into the
Record of Rituals. Central to Xunzi’s teachings was the belief that human nature is inherently evil
because it is derived from a distant, unethical heaven. Human nature can be improved, however,
through education; hence the teacher has a very significant role and must be considered sacred.
For Xunzi, learning “begins with reciting the Classics and ends in learning the li,” which he
viewed as the repository of all vital wisdom. Xunzi’s emphasis on education, rituals, hierarchy,
and strict rule contributed to the authoritarian pattern in government. His negative view of human
nature together with his emphasis on authoritarianism were further developed into a philosophy
known as Legalism, which advocated the idea that strict laws and retributions are the only means
to bring harmony and security in society. The ruler has the right to become tyrannical if it is for
the good of the people. This type of philosophy was closely associated with the state of Qin and
was later adopted by Qin Shi Huang as the state philosophy. People act based on the the norms
prescribed by the terms used to name their roles. This doctrine is called zhengmi, or rectification
of names, which was also articulated by Xunzi. The doctrine of zhengmi emphasized role-terms,
which advocates the idea that bearing of particular names in society compels a person to act
according to the norms associated with his or her name.

HAN CONFUCIANSIM

In adapting Confucianism to the new culture of the Han and in the transition of Confucianism
from a moralistic system to ‘a universalistic and holistic view providing inescapable sanctions for
the deeds of men and the ordering of society, and a place in the cosmos for the imperial system’
Dong Zhongshu took a leading role and developed a comprehensive Confucian doctrine based
on the conception of mutual responsiveness between Heaven and humans.

This system starts with a cosmology in which the unity of heaven, earth and humans forms the
foundation of peace and harmony, while the interaction between yin and yang is the motive force,
and the right orders among the Five Elements represent the laws of change.
Neo-Confucianism

After the 8th century, a revival of Confucianism gradually emerged. The movement of “ancient
style essay” writing, which drew inspiration from the Confucian classics and writings of Qin and
Han times, rekindled literati interest in classical teachings and eventually led to the rise of
Neo-Confucianism in the 11th century. That sought to promote a unified vision of self-cultivation
that would end up with a person becoming a sage, or a wise person.

The term Neo-Confucianism is a Western coinage, while in China this was known as the
‘Metaphysical Thought,” for advocates of this philosophy looked for the spiritual legacy of
Confucianism itself, which emphasizes the relationship between the universe and human reason;
of being humane while being rational. It also emphasizes on the “Li” or propriety, which refers to
the rational principle or law governing the natural order of things. Neo-Confucianism believes in
the basic pattern of the universe, similar to the Dao in Daoism and the Dharma in Hinduism.
Neo-Confucian philosophers reformulated Confucian philosophy on the basis of a smaller body of
work which includes the Four Books: the Analects of Confucius; the Book of Mencius; the Great
Learning (taken from the Book of Rites); and the Doctrine of the Mean (also taken from the Book
of Rites). Neo-Confucianism became an international movement and spread to Korea, Japan, and
Vietnam. It has become the official philosophy for China.

Neo-Confucianism opts for the Confucian rites of passage in which tradition, human relations,
social responsibilities and personal commitment replace ‘superstitious’ (Pure Land) Buddhist
worship of their ‘messiah’ the Buddha, Bodhisattvas and gods. As a fully developed humanistic
and rational doctrine, NeoConfucianism greatly contributed to the absolute dominance of
Confucianism in the politics, ethics, literature and culture of China for the next eight hundred years.
By reshaping and redefining Confucian Learning, it also encouraged the adoption of Confucianism
by other East Asian countries.

Five Masters of Early Neo-Confucianism

The establishment of the Song Dynasty ended the disunity that followed the collapse of the
Tang Dynasty and created a favourable environment for Confucian Learning. A critical spirit
was cultivated among the scholars, in which the entire development of the tradition since the
Han Dynasty was re-examined. The focus moved from exegetical studies typical of the Han
Learning to the study of the classical themes of body–mind and nature–destiny (shenxin
xingming), and thus gave Confucianism a new direction.

This move was pioneered by the early Neo-Confucian masters, especially Zhou Dunyi
(1017–73), Shao Yong (1011–77), Zhang Zai (1020– 77), Cheng Hao (1032–85) and Cheng
Yi (1033–1107), who are together alternatively called the Five Masters of the early Song
period.

SELECTED ISSUES IN CONFUCIANISM

With trying to reconsider Confucianism,certain issues arise. One characteristic of the Confucian
social order is the fixed and strict hierarchy, with the higher partners being composed of
men—fathers, husbands, and rulers exercising more right and privilege over women who are
placed in a subordinate position. Another issue related to hierarchy would be authoritarianism,
which was an influence of the philosophy of Legalism and which became the guiding principle of
the Chinese government during the Qin dynasty. Still, the issue of Confucianism’s incompatibility
with environmentalism is another aspect being analyzed by scholars.
FEMALE SUBORDINATION

A woman’s life in Confucianism can be summed up

into three parts, known as the “ Three Obediences”
wherein a woman must be obident to her fasther; to
her husband, when married; and to her son, when
widowed. Women has always been at the bottom in
the Confucian hierarchy; expected to display
obiedience at all time before other virtues.

Women lived separately from men by custom. Women

were also assigned the role of providing a male heir to
ensure the continuation of the tradition that male
children should perform the ancestral rites. This also
excuses the husband to take on secondary wives if the
first wife failed to provide him with a son, while women
were not allowed to see other men other than their
husbands and close male relatives. In the “Five
Relationships,” it is very clear that the relationship
between husband and wife should be based on male “Women in Confucianism, a portrait” by
EncyclopediaBritannica
supremacy. In the Book of Changes, the male-female
relationship is represented in terms of the superiority of heaven over inferior earth. ( Ong 2016)

TRADITIONAL WOMEN'S ROLES IN CHINA

Tang Empress Wu Zetian

According to the Encyclopedia of Sexuality: “In its

earliest history, China was a matriarchal society,
until Confucius and Mencius defined the
superior-inferior relationship between men and
women as heaven-ordained more than two
thousand years ago. In traditional Chinese society,
women should observe the Three Obediences and
the Four Virtues. Women were to be obedient to the
father and elder brothers when young, to the
husband when married, and to the sons when
widowed. Thus the Chinese women were controlled
and dominated by men from cradle to grave.
“Empress Wu” by ChinaNationalArtGallery
“The ideal of feminine behavior created a dependent being, at once inferior, passive, and
obedient. Thus for more than 2,000 years, for the vast majority of Chinese women, belonging to
a home was the only means to economic survival, but they had no right to select a husband, let
alone the right to divorce or to remarry if widowed. They had no right to their physical bodies.
Those who defied such institutionalized oppression were persecuted, ostracized, and
sometimes driven to suicide. (Yao 2000)

“The functional importance of all women in traditional China lay in their reproductive role. In a
patriarchal and authoritarian society, this reproductive function took the form of reproducing
male descendents. Since descent was patrilineal, a woman's position within her natal family
was temporary and of no great importance. The predominant patrilineal household model, in
combination with early marriage, meant that a young girl often left home before she was of
significant labor value to her natal family. Hence, education or development of publicly useful
skills for a girl was not encouraged in any way. Marriage was arranged by the parents with the
family interests of continuity by bearing male children and running an efficient household in mind.
Her position and security within her husband's family remained ambiguous until she produced
male heirs. [Then she might become manipulative and exploitive. (Lau)] In addition to the wife's
reproductive duties, the strict sexual division of labor demanded that she undertake total
responsibility for child care, cooking, cleaning, and other domestic tasks. Women were like slaves
or merchandize." (Yao 2000)

The Analects, the main Confucian text that dates back to the Classical Period, has relatively little
to say about women. One passage on “On Women and Servants” says: “Women and servants are
most difficult to nurture. If one is close to them, they lose their reserve, while if one is distant, they
feel resentful." (17:25)

In a traditional male'dominated Confucian family, the eldest son is held in the highest esteem and
is responsible for carrying on the family name and lineage, keeping property in the family and
presiding over ancestral rites.

The preference for boy babies over girls in Asian society is tied up in part in the Confucian belief
that a male heir is necessary to carry on the family name, provide leadership for the family, and
take care of the family ancestors. Chinese parents worry that if they don't produce a male heir no
one will take care of them in their old age and no one will keep them company or look after them
in the afterlife.

Confucius famously said that a good woman is an illiterate one. Women often suffered under the
Confucian system. Not only are they ordered around by men, they are often ordered around by
each other in very vicious or mean ways. Older sisters have traditionally pushed their younger
sisters around with impunity, and mothers of sons are notorious for treating their daughters-in-law
like servants.

Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is an issue that is stressed in Confucian belief because of the hierarchy between
social relationships - causing a top-down social hierachy systems which encourages deference to
one’s superior.

This idea of Confucian hierarchy tolerates the wrongdoings of one’s superior since it is expected
for a son and/or a daughter to pay respect and be obiedient at all times.

Environmental Ethics

While it is true that Confucianism advocates respect for the environment, its acceptance of
people’s dominance of nature poses a threat to the issue. Thus an issue of environmentalism
arises as the confucian belief focuses on social harmony and neglecting environmental issues.
There comes a passage in the analects where in:

“There was a fire in the stables. When the Master returned from court, he asked: ‘Was anybody
hurt?’ He didn’t ask about the horses.” (Analects 10:12)

Confucian ecological ethics can direct people in correctly understanding and handling relations
between one person and another, one generation and another, an individual and society, people
and nature, partial interests and overall interests, immediate interests and long-term interests. The
crossroads of two centuries presents a fitting occasion to pause and reconsider the eternal theme
of how to achieve harmony between human civilisation and nature. The time is opportune to
realise ecological harmony through Confucian ethics in this ‘greening’ century.
 CHAPTER TEST: IDENTIFY ME!

Identify the terms that are being described or asked on the statements below.

1. A school of philosophy that opts on the utilitariansim of love.

2. A school that revives the Confucian classices and writings.
3. He is the founder of Han Confucianism.
4. He said that human nature is basically evil.
5. Known in China as “Metaphysical Thoughts” .
6. Basic Justification of a Ruler’s power of being accept by his people.
7. Confucianism believed in the Heavens which in Chinese term is called?
8. A belief of having social roles, thus returns its believers to the ancient Dao.
9. It advocates a person to love his family and the society.
10. Contains the most important confucian ethics.

Activity: Arrange me! _____________________________

_____________________________
Arrange the following scribbled words below and _____________________________
right your answers on the given space beside the _____________________________
questionnaire. _____________________________
_____________________________
SUSISE IROUESPR _____________________________
_____________________________
INORDSBUIAONT IENOSIDBEC _____________________________
_____________________________
ICTHSE TATORYIHU _____________________________
_____________________________
YHARCIERH TNNMEVRNOI _____________________________
_____________________________
____________________________

Activity: Claim me!

What issue concerned with Confucianism do you think is the worst? And why?
SYMBOLS AND SELECTED CONFUCIAN OBSERVANCES
Two symbols which are important to Confucianism are the symbols for
scholar and water.

The scholar, as represented by the Chinese symbol above (the ru), is an

important symbol in Confucianism. It contains the symbol of a person, as
well as the character for need or desire. The foremost need of people is
nourishment, then education. When combined, it means “the need of a
human being.”

Water is one of the five important elements in Chinese philosophy,

alongside wood, fire, earth, and metal. Water is considered as the source of
life, valued for its significance in the natural world and for sustaining life.
The figure below is the Chinese symbol for water.

CAPPING AND HAIR PINNING

The capping and hair-pinning ceremonies were coming of age rites held for young people by
clan elders according to traditions. The ceremonies originated in the Zhou Dynasty over 2,000
years ago. The ceremony for men was called "the capping ceremony", which means doing hair
in a bun or coil and wearing a cap; while the ceremony for women was called "the hair-pinning
ceremony", meaning gathering hair into a knot and using a hairpin to hold it.

Generally, a man of 20 or a woman of 16 was regarded as an adult. These two coming of age
ceremonies were held to indicate that the young person had reached the marriageable age and
could participate in various activities of the clan as an adult. The ceremonies were aimed at
enhancing young people's sense of responsibility.

The capping and hair-pinning ceremonies were a key component of Confucian rites, forming
the "four rites" along with marriage ceremonies, mourning rites, and sacrificial rituals. The
ceremonies have long been valued by Confucians. At the same time, they are part of important
humanistic heritage of the Han people and played a critical role in inspiring and encouraging
the healthy growth of individuals. Apart from the capping and hair-pinning ceremonies of the
Han people there were lots of coming of age ceremonies of various forms among other ethnic
groups such as wearing a particular type of pants, changing into a certain style of skirt, wearing
tattoos and coloring the teeth etc. All types of coming of age ceremonies of modern society are
derived from their ancient counterparts.

“The Capping and Hair-Pinning Ceremonies Were Coming of Age Rites Held for Young People” Https//: MadeinChina.com
MARRIAGE CEREMONIES

Marriage ceremonies are an important

aspect of Chinese culture since
marriage is considered as a central
feature of society; through marriage,
patience and love are cultivated to
promote the right virtue. Traditionally,
a marriage is decided by the parents
of the couple, with wealth and social
status as the primary considerations.
Monogamy is preferred, which means
married couples should be loyal to
their partners for the rest of their lives.
Marriage rituals include giving of gifts
and following the necessary
etiquettes, from marriage proposal to “Couple under a traditional marriage ceremony” https//: www.quora.com

the wedding ceremony itself, in which the groom and his family meet the bride at her home, after
the bride sent the dowry to the groom’s house; on the wedding day, rites include carrying the
bride to the sedan and the couple leading the festivity at the bridal chamber; on the wedding
night, friends, and relatives are supposed to banter the couple; and on the third day, the couple
would go back to the bride’s parents’ home to pay respect.

MOURNING RITES

Mourning rites often involve intricate practices, which include the following steps: First, there
should be public announcement of grief through weeping, and the wearing of white funeral clothes
by the family of the deceased. Mourning also constitutes the offering of symbolic goods like
money and food from the living to the dead, preparation and setting up of a spirit tablet, payment
of ritual experts, the playing of music and chanting of scriptures to accompany the corpse and to
pacify the spirit, the sealing of the corpse in a coffin, and the removal of the coffin from the
community.

There is also a tradition of exerting effort to recover the deceased, which is being practiced to
avoid false death. They do this by trying to call or shout over the wandering soul through the
person’s clothes, in case the soul just lost its way back to the body of the person

“ Confucian passage for the dead” https//: www.quora .com

 “Offerings for the Spirits” by MoreAboutChina.com

ANCESTRAL WORSHIP

Ancestor worship is a manifestation of filial piety, or respect for one’s parents, which is directed
toward older relatives and ancestors. The idea of ancestor worship is based on the key Confucian
idea that it is expected of children to respect and obey their parents in life, and to continue
remembering them after they have died through the proper observance of rituals. One way to
remember them is by worshipping ancestral tablets which can be kept at home. These ancestral
tablets contain the information regarding the place where the family originated and the names of the
ancestors. Another way to remember ancestors is to worship them in their graves. People
occasionally visit the graves of their loved ones, clean the graves, offer food and wine. The
ancestors were believed to have tasted the food before the whole family eat the meal being offered.
Ancestor worship is an expression of a union between the living and the loved one, clearly a
manifestation of filial piety.

The concept of hun-po or soul is important in Chinese cosmology and early concept of dualism.
Accordingly, the human being is made up of two souls: an upper or intellectual soul (hun) which
becomes the spirit (shen) and climbs to the world above; and a lower soul (po), which becomes the
ghost and goes down with the body into the grave. Thus, ancestor worship is important because of
the belief that even the bodies of the dead ancestors possess souls which need to be worshipped
and revered. According to the Confucian scholar Zhun Xi:

“Consciousness and movement are due to yang, while physical form and body are due to yin. The clear
breath (qi) belongs to the heavenly aspect of the soul (hun) and the body is governed by the earthly aspect of
the soul (po). A person is born as a result of integration of essence and material force. One possesses this
material force only in a certain amount, which in time necessarily becomes exhausted. This is what is meant
by physicians when they say that yin or yang no longer rises or falls. When exhaustion takes place, the
heavenly aspect of the soul (hun) and the clear breath (qi) return to Heaven, and the earthly aspect of the
soul (po) and the body return to the Earth, and the person dies. When a person is about to die, the warm
material force leaves the body and rises. This is called the hun rising. The lower part of the body gradually
becomes cold. This is called the po falling. Thus as there is life, there is necessarily death, and as there is
beginning, there must be an end.”
The main concern of Confucius was with humans and with the fundamental principles of
humanity. Confucius believed that these principles were the root of social relationships, the
foundation of the stability, peace and prosperity of the state, the family and individuals. He
developed his ethics around two central theses; that goodness can be taught and learned, and
that society can only be in harmony and at peace under the guidance of wisdom. He further
developed a system of concepts to expound the central theses. Of these concepts four
became the underlying ideas of the Confucian tradition, namely, the Way (dao), ritual/propriety
(li), humaneness (ren) and virtue (de), and later the backbone of the ideological structure of a
Confucian state. Devoting himself wholeheartedly to solving human problems, Confucius
propagated the value of education, virtue and self-cultivation. On the one hand Confucius kept
a distance from religious matters such as serving ‘spirits and ghosts’, and would rather talk
about this life than the life after (Lunyu, 11: 12); on the other hand, he held a deep faith in
Heaven and destiny (ming), and preserved religious ritual strictly. Although he believed in his
mission that was endowed by Heaven, he never saw himself as the leader or founder of a
religious tradition; what he did was merely to transmit the ancient culture, which in his mind
was the model for the present and the guarantee for the future. However, in the transmission
he ‘innovated’ the old tradition, as asserted by Schwarts that ‘in his focus on the concept of jen
[humaneness] Confucius is an innovator rather than a transmitter’ (Schwarts, 1985: 76).
According to Fung Yu-lan, ‘in transmitting, he originated something new’ (Fung, 1961: 41),
while in the words of Jaspers, ‘in the philosophy of Confucius, the new expressed itself in the
form of the old’ (Jaspers, 1962: 54).

ACTIVITY: Art is Fun

Make your imagination work as you design your very own Confucian temple on the given
space below and improve your communication skills by explaining why did you come up with
the design you made.
Assessment
A. Identification. Write the letter of the correct answer.

a. Tian f. Syncretism
b. Five Classics g. Remonstrate
c. Confucianism h. Shintoism
d. Mandate of Heaven i. Eastern Zhou
e. Taoism j. Tao

______1. the Way

______2. amalgamation of different religious beliefs
______3. virtue is needed to promote harmony in society
______4. becoming one with the Tao is the way to promote harmony in society
______5. importance of ancestor and nature worship to achieve harmony in all dimensions
______6. period of great economic growth, social change, and political development
______7. refers to heaven
______8. make a forcefully reproachful protest
______9. a group of books which was regarded as early Confucianism’s special texts
______10. the basic justification of a ruler’s power is when he is accepted by his people

B. Matching Type. Write the letter of the

correct answer.
Column B
Column A

a. Mohism
____1. Confucius
b. Book of Rites
____2. Mencius
c. Meng-tzi
____3. Hsun-tzu
d. Master Kung
____4. Mo-tzu
e. Legalism
____5. Zu Xhi
f. Neo-Confucianism
____6. I Ching
g. Book of History
____7. Ch’un-ch’iu
h. Book of Poetry
____8. Shang-su
i. Spring and Autumn Annals
____9. Shih-ching
j. Book of Changes
____10. Li-chi

If you have ever wondered why Chinese people attach so much significance to
their family, to the elderly, to the role of teachers in education and to polite and
correct behaviour in public, then these are just some of many examples as to how
Confucius’s cultural legacy lives on. Despite the changes we see in modern China
today, his teachings continue to indirectly influence the way Chinese think and
feel about the world.
INTERNET SOURCES

Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, http://www.iep.utm.edu/confuciu

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1731588/Religion-Year-In-Review-2010/298437/Worldwi
de-Adherentsof-All-Religions

http://www.religionfacts.com/confucianism/chinese_symbols_for_scholar_.png)

http://images.yangtzeriver.org/attraction/nanjing/confucius-temple/confucian-temple8.jpg
 A Philosophy and Religion:
Daoism
Group 2 11-HUMSS B
De Leon, Sophia Dulay, Thrisha Mae Tilos, Romagin

SVNHS S.Y. 2018-2019; Introduction to World Religions; Mrs. Karen Sumandal

Daoism (also known as Taoism) is a Chinese philosophy that was
contributed to the folk religion of the people (primarily to those who live
Daoism is one of
in the rural area) and became their official religion under the Tang the Daoic religion.
Dynasty. Daoism is both a religion and a philosophy. This religion
emphasizes on what is natural in accordance with the Dao.

This religion or philosophy grew from an observance to the natural world, and was developed out
of a belief in the cosmic balance that was regulated by the Dao (the way).

It greatly influenced the Tang Dynasty (618-907 C.E) and the late emperor Xuanzong (reigned
712756 C.E) declared it as a state religion and requires the people to keep Daoist writings in their
homes. It was replaced by Confucianism and Buddhism when the Tang Dynasty declined and it
fell out of favour, but Daoism is still practiced throughout China and other countries.

The roots of Daoism dates back to at least 4 century B.C.E. Daoism drew its notions from the
th

School YinYang (naturalist). I Ching, one of the oldest texts of Chinese culture greatly influenced
the Daoism. The Dao De Jing a book that contains the teachings of Lao Tzu, is considered as the
keystone work of the Daoist religion together with the writings of Zhuangzi.

Daoist were thought as hermits, because they did not participate in the political life. Zhuangzi was
best known for this, and is significant that he lives in the south, where he was a part of a local
shamanic religion.

Daoism is a nature-based religion

Before you proceed, try to do this activity:
MOTIVATION: ARRANGE ME!
All groups will be given jigsaw like puzzle pictures to be arranged, after they
completed the puzzle they must state what or who is in the puzzle. This must be
done or finished at the given time the reporters will give, whoever finishes fast
wins. GOOD LUCK!

Adherents
According to a survey in the year 2010,950 million or 70% of the Chinese population, practices
some form of Chinese folk religion and 173 million or 13% claim an affiliation with the Daoist
practices. Also 12 million claims that they are Daoist, a term that is used for initiates, priests, and
experts in the Daoist rituals and methods. Most of the Chinese people have been influenced by the
Daoist traditions. The government have been encouraging for the revival of Daoist traditions since
the creation of the People’s Republic of China.

The arts and literature of Korea, Japan, and Vietnam has been influenced by Daoist. About 7.5
million or 33% of the Taiwanese population consider themselves as Daoist, and the data that was
collected in 2010 shows that in Hong Kong and Singapore 14% and 11% of the people identify
themselves as Taoist.

A picture showing the

percentage of Daoism in
every country
Origin
Lao Tzu, a curator in the Royal Library is a natural philosopher in the state of Chu. He believed in
the harmony of all things and that people could easily live together if we just consider each other’s
feelings. Lao Tzu grew tired and impatient with the people and in the corruption he saw in the
government, which caused people to go through so much pain and misery. He’s so frustrated at
himself, because he can’t do anything, so he decided to leave.

As he was leaving China through the western pass, the guard, Yin His stopped him because he
recognized him as a philosopher. He asked Lao Tzu to write a book for him before he left, Lao
Tzu agreed. He sat down beside Yin Hsi and wrote the Dao De Jing (the book of the way). He
stopped writing because he felt that he was finished.

Founder
Lao Tzu (Laozi) meaning “Old Master”, is believed to have authored or
the one who wrote the Dao De Jing dating back around 3rd century
B.C.E. According to the myth, Lao Tzu was conceived by a shooting
star and born from a virgin mother, who kept him in her womb for
about 82 years; it is also said that he was born with a flowing hair which
signifies being wise. Also considered as the first important Daoist who
is believed to be Kong Fuzi’s contemporary (it is also believed that he
was the adviser of the latter. Sima Qian wrote a biography about Lao
Tzu in the historical records or Shi Chi in the late 2nd century B.C.E.

According to him Lao Tzu’s family name was Li, given name was Erh,
and was also known as Tan. It is also said that Lao Tzu is a government archivist, but became
frustrated with the government corruption, detained at the Han-ku Pass by a gatekeeper named Yin
His, who requested him to write a book for him before leaving. He wrote two chapters namely; the
Dao and the De which was named as the Dao De Jing.

An illustration showing the

birth of Lao Tzu.
Zhuangzi (Chuang Tzu) was believed to have lived from 369 to 286
B.C.E. According to his biography in the Historical Records, his last
name was Chuang, given name was Chou, and the Tzu means
“master”, so his name means “Master Chuang”. He was born in the
small state of Sung in the town of Meng, near the border of the present
day Hunan and Shandong Province. He is also considered as a great
philosopher and a writer, also he wrote a book with his followers which
was now known as Zhuangzi.

Sacred Texts
Dao De Jing (The Book of the Way and its Power)
The foundational text of Daoism. It is a mysterious collection which
many or some of us find hard to understand. The opening line is
often translated as “The name that can be named is not the eternal
name”, it implies the difficulty to put truth into words. The Dao De
Jing expounds the meaning of the Dao and the concept of the De, it
is also said that this book contains claims that were rather illogical and
contradictory but have deeper meaning to it through rational thinking.

Book of Chuang Tzu/Zhuangzi

The book of Zhuangzi is another important scripture. This book contains parables, metaphors, and
poetic passages. It is divided into three sections namely: the Inner Chapters, Outer Chapters, and
the Miscellaneous Chapters. Zhuangzi believes that freedom can only be attained by living
according to the will of the Dao. The central theme of Zhuangzi is the balance of the yinyang.

Concepts/Beliefs and Doctrines

Dao and De (Tao and Te)
Dao or “the way”, can only be interpreted as the path or the channel. At once the beginning of all
things. It has been denoted as the “flow of the universe” or demonstration of nature.

According to Laozi, the Dao, which is the essential concept and creative principle in Daoism,
existed before the world. It is undetectable, indistinct, shapeless, and indefinable, it is the
foundation of all being, and the way in which nature and the universe exist. All things come from
it, and are nourished by it, that is why sometimes the Dao is called “Mother.” Dao is the origin of
heaven and earth and it is also the way in which heaven and earth now
live. Its meaning differ across religions and philosophies: for Dao means
Confucians, it refers to the basic principles of moral philosophy while “the path” or
for the Legalists, it is the way of power (Brown 1987).
“the way”
The Dao is distinct from God. It is not a being for it is the origin of all
beings, and its great virtue is that, it does everything but desires nothing.
It is “emptiness”, which does not compete with other forces but is
content with itself. This contentment, when practiced by people, will enable them to lead good lives
(Ching 1993).

The De, which means virtue or the proper adherence to Dao, is another basic concept in Daoism.
It encourages inaction in nature and advocates the quiet and passive nature of a person so that the
Dao, or the creative principle in the universe, may act through them without interference. People
should simply follow the Dao and must do nothing on their own. In this regard, Laozi professed a
distaste for culture and civilization for they are products of human activity and proof of humanity’s
tampering with nature. In line with this, he preferred the use of inaction in ruling the people
(Brown 1987). “Non-competition in Emptiness” is said to be the other side of the principle of
“inaction in nature.” For Daoists, inaction means a person’s outward actions, and emptiness is the
corresponding inner state, which also means “absence of desire.” Daoists believe that when a person
becomes peaceful, that person acquires power to overcome all things without having to compete
with others. In line with this, humility and avoiding competition with others are two virtues which
Daoists value most. Lastly, “contentment with what is” is another expression of inaction in nature
and of non-competition in emptiness. By following the way of nature, a person can attain
contentment. For Laozi, the way of happiness is contentment. “There is no greater sin than the
desire for possession, no greater curse than the lack of contentment.” (Brown 1987)

Wu-wei
Wu-wei means “no action” or “doing nothing”, it also means “to do without doing” (wei-wu-wei).
Refers to the cancellation of any human activities. Lao Tzu believes that the passiveness or wu-wei
can lead to harmonious and peaceful living in the society. In Daoism, it is considered as the highest
virtue.

Wu-wei is associated with water according to the ancient Daoists texts. Its philosophy, in accordance
with the I Ching, proposes that the universe works harmoniously according in its own ways. When
someone exerts their will against the world, they may disrupt the harmony and the unintended
consequences are more likely to result than the willed outcome.

Yin Yang
As stated earlier, the concept of yin yang was articulated by the
Daoist philosopher Zhuangzi who stated that “yin in its highest
form is freezing while yang in its highest form is boiling. The
chilliness comes from heaven while the warmness comes from the
earth. The interaction of these two establishes the (harmony), so
it gives birth to things. Perhaps this is ‘the law of everything’ yet
there is no form being seen.” (Zhuangzi Chapter 21) Yin yang is
an important concept in Daoism which explains Laozi’s
methodology that everything contains opposite sides, and each YinYang constitutes
to balance
side depends on the other, which emphasizes the concept of
dualism, of two halves forming a whole. Yin yang emphasizes
complementarity, interconnectedness, and interdependence of both sides seeking a new balance
with each other. When something is whole, it is fixed and imperfect, but when it is split into halves,
it disturbs the balance of completeness, thus initiating change. The theory that opposite sides always
transform into each other serves as the philosophical foundation of Laozi’s methodology. There
are about 70 concepts of things in pair which are listed in Laozi, and some of them are: good and
evil, long and short, bright and dark, full and empty, lead and follow, strong and weak, beauty and
ugliness, difficult and easy, favor and disgrace, superior and inferior, glory and humility, masculine
and feminine, increase and decrease, offensive and defensive, and being and nonbeing, among
others. The yin and yang symbolize the integration of the polarities mentioned by Laozi. He
stressed the need for balance and harmony, which is achieved only when one is fully grounded in
the Dao. Here we can deduce that masculinity refers to all forms of behaviors that are forceful and
aggressive while femininity represents all gentle, nurturing, and flexible attributes. The goal is to
embody both these polarities in a balanced and harmonious manner (Hodge 2002).

Naturalness
Describes the “primordial state” of all things and the characters of the Dao. To attain naturalness,
one must free himself from selfishness and desire. Pu is the often cited metaphor which means
“uncarved block” which represents the original nature.

Three Treasures
The Taoist Three Treasures comprises the basic virtues of ci (compassion), jian (moderation), and
bugan wei tianxia xian (humility). Arthur Waley translated them as “abstention from aggressive war
and the capital punishment”.
 EXPLAIN THE FOLLOWING:

Three Treasures, Dao and De, YinYang, Naturalness, Wu-wei

RITUALS
The rituals of the Daoist understanding must have been influenced by Buddhist and Confucian
practices. Every prayer must be spoken precisely and every step of the ritual must be observed
perfectly. The religious festivals are presided over by a Grand Master (a kind of High Priest) who
officiates the rituals or the celebrations, it can also last a day or over a week. The Grand Master and
his assistants must perform every action according in its tradition or else their efforts are wasted.

The altar still plays an important role in the. Every Daoist households have their own private altars
where people honors and prays for their ancestors and the spirits of their village. It encourages
individual worship in the home.

Gods/Deities
Unlike the Abrahamic religions, Daoism doesn’t have a main god.
Instead, they worship deities, and they also worship Lao Tzu not only Daoism is a
as the first god of Daoism but also as the representation of the pantheistic religion
Tao/Dao.

Listed below are some gods or deities that Daoists worships namely:
Laozi
Lao Tzu was the incarnation of the Supreme Purity
according to Daoism.
Three Purities
Were the supreme Taoist deities, they are
emanations of Dao, omnipresent and supreme.

Jade Emperor
Believed to be the highest deity ruling the universe,
lower only to the Three Purities, parallel to the
emperor in the Human world.

Queen Mother of the West

Believed to be the highest goddess in Daoism.

The Four Heavenly Emperors

Are Gouchen, a celestial emperor
representing the constellation
surrounding the Polar Star; Ziwei,
emperor of the North Polar Star; The
Great Emperor of Longevity of the
South Polar Star; and Houtu, the
Earth goddess. They assist the Jade
Emperor.
The Three Divine Officials
Are the Official Of Heaven, Earth, And the Water.
It is said that the Heaven bestows blessings, Earth
pardon sins, and the Water eliminates disasters.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE:

Now you have learned about the Gods/Deities of Daoism, refresh your memories
by answering this questions:

1. In Daoism, it is believed that Lao Tzu is the incarnation of what?

2. Why do you think that Daoism doesn’t have a main God?
3. Daoist worship Lao Tzu as their first God, but akso the representation
of_______.

Issues
We all know that every religion have some issues that constitutes to them,
even if they just want the greater good for their people, just like the saying
goes “nothing is perfect”.
Below are list of some selected issues of Daoism:
Fatalism
The Daoist have been criticize for propagating laziness, because they just let nature take its course
just like the saying “Go with the Flow”.

Urban Development
The Daoist cares about the nature. They advocate the idea that we should not control nature instead
we follow it.

Superstition
A misconception that Daoist uses sorcery that led to the belief that they promote superstitious act.
Divisions
Daoism have two main divisions; Southern and Northern Daoism
Southern Daoism
o it is the only liturgical tradition that still survives today. They still perform healing rituals
and exorcisms in public.

Northern Daoism
o Founded by Wang Chu’ung-yang in the 12 century. This emphasizes moral,
th

spiritual discipline, and self- preservation.

Other Groups:
Chin tan (Golden Elixir) Daoism - strong on meditation, and much of this practice
was absorbed by the Ch’uan chen tradition.

Ch’ing wei (Clarified Tenuity) Daoism- a complex ritual traditions that was traced
back to young woman named, Tsu Shu.

T’ien hsin (Heart of Heaven) Taoism- a ritual healing based tradition that was based
on the healing scriptures discovered by Jao Tung-t’ien.

Shen hsiao (Divine Empyrean) Daoism- is a liturgical tradition that was established
by Lin Ling-su.

T’ung-ch’u (Youthful Incipience) Daoism- obscure tradition of therapeutic rituals.

T’ai I (Supreme Union) Daoism- it stressed about healing and social responsibility.
Chen ta (Perfected Greatness) or Ta-tao (Great Way) Daoism- combines the
basic teachings of Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism.

Congratulations, you now have finished reading the module. To refresh

your memory, there are some activities that you must answer. GOOD
LUCK!
ACTIVITY: Write and Present Me!

Write a summary of your own understanding about the religion

that was discussed earlier. After you have finished, present it in
front of your class and discuss, share or your insights about
Daoism. GOOD LUCK!
After you finished reading the module, try to answer this to test your
knowledge about Daoism.
I.
Answer the following questions. Pick your answers inside the box below and
write your answers on the space provided.
_______1. He was the gatekeeper who ask Lao Tzu to write something before he leave.

_______2. What is the foundational text of Daoism?

_______3. It means “the way”?

_______4.They are the emanations of the Dao?

_______5. Lao Tzu means?

_______6. An issue where the Daoist just let’s nature take its course.

_______7. It refers to the cancellation of any human activity?

_______8. This contains parables, metaphors, and poetic passages?

_______9. _______ constitutes to balance?

_______10. It is a religion that grew from the observance of the natural world?

DAOISM OLD MASTER

YINYANG BOOK OF ZHUANGZI

WU-WEI DAO

YIN HSI FATALISM

THREE PURITIES DAO DE JING

 References: Websites
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/taoism/history/history.shtml
http://www.patheos.com/library/taoism

https://www.google.com.ph/amp/s/www.ancient.eu/amp/1-14406

Book/s:
Introduction to World Religions & Belief Systems (textbook/pdf)
SHINTOISM
神道
 SHINTOISM
Shintoism is considered as the very
essence of Japanese devotion to unseen
spiritual beings and powers. It is very local
kind of religion in in that it is focused on the
land of Japan , hence an “ethnic religion that
is not interested in missionary activities so
as to spread it outside Japan.

Itsukushima Shrine is a Shinto shrine on the island of Itsukushima (popularly

known as Miyajima), best known for its "floating" torii gate. It is in the city
of Hatsukaichi in Hiroshima Prefecturein Japan. The shrine complex is listed as
a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the Japanese government has designated several
buildings and possessions as National Treasures.

The picture below shows the entrance to Itsukushinna shrine,

This is because Shintoism has become a way of life
for the Japanese people instead of considering it as
a religion; it does not exist independently of other
religions. Hence, syncretism is a common practice,
with Shintos fundamental folk believe incorporated to
Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. Followers of
Shintoism are called Shintoists.
Shintoism is considered the ethnic
religion in Japan and practiced by less
than 40% of the population according
to the 2006 and 2008 surveys. Around
50% to 80% worships spirits or kami at
Shinto shrines while not identifying
themselves as Shintoists.

Motivation Activity

List atleast three examples of Filipino practices that show belief in unseen spirits. Compare it
with the Japanese belief of erecting shrines the spirit-worship. Do you think this aspect of
aminism (belief in nature as the abode of spirits ) still persists despite the fact that most Filipinos
now practice Christianity? Can you say the name for Japan ? Explain your answer.

Concept map

Shintoism

Sacred
Text:________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________

Workship and Observance: ____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Beliefs and Doctrines:________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

Subdivision:__________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
 Symbol

The Torii Gate is the

most common symbol for
Shintoism. It is a sacred
gateway supposed to
represent a gate upon which a
cock crew on the occasion
when Amaterasu emerged
from the rock cave and
relighted the world. It marks
the entrance to a sacred space
which is the Shinto shrine. It represents the transitions between the world of humans and the
world of gods and goddesses. It is believed to help to prepare the visitor for their interactions
with the spirits by signifying the sacredness of the location. It is traditionally made of wood or
stone, but now most torii are made of concrete and steel.

Historical Background

The development of Shintoism in Japan has a long history. During the prehistoric
period in Japan, animism was evident in the agricultural affairs of the people.
Agricultural rites were celebrated seasonally and communal religious activities were
focused on objects or places believed to be inhabited by the kami or spirits. Later on,
adherents formulated rituals and stories for them to make sense their universe, such as creation
stories regarding Japan and its natural elements, thereby creating their own sense of cultural
and spiritual worlds.

One such story is the “Story

of Creation”, which narrates
that in the beginning there
were two kami, Izagani-no-
Mikoto (male) and Izanami-
no-Mikoto (female).
 was said that Izagani‟s creative work on earth, he went up to heaven while Izanami was left
permanently on earth as the queen of the lower world. According to the myth, Amaterasu-o-mi-kami,
the goddess of the sun, came out of Izagani‟s left eye while Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto came out of his right
eyes, and Susa-no-Wo-no-Mikotocame from his nostrils. The Nihongi narrates the following account of
the creation of the three great kami of the upper air. “When Izagani-no-Mikoto had returned (from the
Lower World), he was seized with regret, and said, „Having gone to Nay ! A hideous and filthy place, it
is meet that I should cleanse my body from its pollutions.” He accordingly went to the plain of Ahagi at
Tachibana in Wodo in Hiuga of Tsukushi, and purified himself… thereafter the Deity was produced by
his washing his left eye, which was called Amaterasu-no-Oho-Kami. Then he washed his right eye,
producing thereby a Deity who was called Tsikuyomi-no-Mikoto. Then he washed his nose producing
thereby a God who was called Susa-n-Wo-no-Mikoto. In all, there were three Deities. Then Izagani-no-
Mikoto gave charge to his three children, saying, “Do thon, Amaterasu-no-Oho-Mikoto, rule the plain
High Heaven; do thou, Tsukiyomi-no-Mikoto, rule the eight-hundred-fold tides of the ocean plain; do thou,
Susa-no-Wo-no-Mikoto, rule the world.” (Holton 1965)

After the prehistoric period, the kami living in some places were gradually associated with the
local ruling clans, also known as uji, thus taking name ujigami. A clan from the Yamato region
claimed that they have descended from Amaterasu, and that family was then recognized as the
imperial household of Japan and cornerstone of Japanese nationhood. From then on, the
indigenous festivals and ceremonies become inseparable from the government affairs
especially with the emergence of the unified nation-state. These festivities become known as
matsurigoto (affairs of religion festivals) but retained its meaning to refer “government” today.

The term “Shinto” came from “ Shentao/Shendao”, shen means divine being or kami and dao
means “the way”, hence Shintoism means „the way of the kami.” The term first appeared in the
Nihongi and kojiki (or probably much earlier). It was used in order to help distinguish kami-no-
michi (the Japanese Way of the God), from butsudo (Buddha-Tao)

. This took place during the 6th century, with the introduction of Buddhism. It was period when
there was coexistence of the interest in foreign bodhisattva with indigenous family of kami.
 Activity #1

Quizbee

1. The most famous sun goddess in Shintoism

a. Amaterasu b. Ra c. Apollo

2. After all foreign elements are removed from Japan what religion begins to prosper

a. Taoism b. Shintoism c. Buddhism

3. For centuries which major religion did not hold a strong influence on the Japanese

a. Taoism b. Shintoism c. Buddhism

4. The 2 classes of gods in Shintoism

a. sky and hell b. Earth and heaven c. sky and soil

5.This term that refers to cleanliness is next to godliness

a. Misogi b. Matsuric.Amaterasu

Sacred Text

The Nihongi and

Kojiki are considered as
sacred scriptures on Shinto,
although they are not
exclusively about Shinto;
they also contain extensive
information on Buddhism
and Confucianism. These
books, which are compilation
of ancient myths and
traditions teachings, are
considered to have a dual
purpose: a political as well a
moral purpose. Its political
purpose is to establish the
supremacy of Japan overall
countries in the world by
 legitimizing the divine authority of the ruling families and to establish political supremacy of the
Yamato. Its moral purpose it to explain the relationship of kami and human beings by
establishing that the Japanese are a special people chosen by the kami, who many human-like
characteristics. It also emphasizes purification as both a creative and cleansing act. Death is
considered as the ultimate impurity.

Kojiki

As one of the most important text in Shintoism, Kojiki

the Kojiki is divided into three parts:
is composed of three books: the first is the age of kami.
the Kamitsumaki ("first volume"),
Which narrates the mythology, while the second and the third
the Nakatsumaki
books discuss the imperial lineage, narrating the events
("middle volume") and the
concerning the imperial family up to the death of the thirty-
Shimotsumaki (, "lower volume").
third ruler,EmpressSuiko. The third book is concerned mainly
revolts and love stories of successive rulers intertwined in a
song-story format.

After providing rich information about transpired up to the reign of Emperor Kenzo, genealogy of
each imperial family was discussed. The establishment of the three orders reflected in the three
books: the establishment order of the universe, the establishment of the order of humanity, and
the establishment of the history.

Nihon shioki/Nihongi

Meanwhile, the Nihon shoki/Nihongirecord the descent of the Yamato rulers of Japan from the
gods. It represents the combination of a political purpose with folklore and myths. It is believed
to have been completed around 720 C.E. and have become significant in the restructuring of
Japan by the Yamato rulers, even the naming of the country as
Nippon.

It is composed of 30 books,the first
two which discuss the “age of the
kami” while the remaining books
chronicle of events pertaining to the
rulers up to the 41st emperor.
It was presented to the court during the reign of Emperor
Gensho and is considered as Japan‟s first history which was
completed after 39 years and compiled by JimmuTenno‟s third
son, Prince Toneri along numerous bureaucrats and historians
The stories in kojiki and Nihongi provide the Japanese
people with a sense of pride, for these scriptures narrate how
their rulers were descended from the god, and how their race
was descended from the gods as well.
 Activity #2

True or False

1.TheKojiki and Nihongi are considered as sacred text on Shinto.________________

2.Kojiki is composed of 2 books.______________

3.The third book is concerned mainly with revolts and love stories.______________

4.TheKojiki is based on the eternal and cyclical world of fantasy.______________

5.Nihongi is composed of 30 books._____________

Worship and Observances

Unlike other religions,

Shintoism has no daily service;
instead, people visit shrines at their
own convenience. Proper performance
of rites and ceremonies are important
aspect of Shintoism. They hold most
their rituals at shrines, which they
believe are the adobe of the kami or
spirits, at first, shrines were normal
things that can be found in nature such
as mountains, rivers, trees, rocks, etc.,
but later on they built shrines
dedicated to their deities. Such shrine are often wooden structures that feature natural beauty of
surroundings, which basically expresses Shintoism‟s profound veneration of the environment
(for example, woods used in shrines are often left unpainted). For Shintoists, the performance of
rituals will give them the blessings they expect from the kami.

Activity #3

Fill in the blanks

Unlike other religion,_________ has no weekly service,instead,_________ visit shrines at their

own convenience. Proper performances of__________and___________are an important
aspect of__________

Choices

-Shintoism -rites -people -ceremonies

Ritual Purification

(Meditative Period)

The Japanese observed

the misogi, or ablutions
(the act of washing one‟s
body part or part of it,
usually for religious
purposes) which are
considered a very ancient
ceremonies performed
after funeral ceremonies,
when all members of the
family go into the water
Today, this can be done privately with water and salt or with water
together to cleanse
alone. Its puepose is to cleanse the body of minor contaminations associated with the dead.
themselves in a
Another form of purification rites is the harai or exorcism (the expulsion of the evil spirit from a
purification bath.
person or place), performed usually by a priest swinging a purification wand over the people and
the objects to be exorcised. Another is the Imi or abstentions (the act of retraining oneself from
indulging in something), which are practices performed against impurity. (Brown 1994)

Activity #4

Identify the following

1.English term of Misogi______________

2.Ablutions means________________

3.The purification now a day can be done privately with____________

4.English term of Harai__________________

5.English term of imi____________________

Types of Worship

There are various ways by which Shintoists worship kami. They may worship at home, at
Shinto shrines, and during seasonal festivals. Let us take a look at each of these categories.

AT HOME (KAMIDANA)

Shintoists often place at small altar. (“kami shelf”) inside their house and this is where there
preform the following rituals: purification: offertory: clapping theirs hands to the kami ( who, they
believe, could see and hear what they are doing); and offering perayers.

AT SHINTO SHRINE

Also called ceremonial worship, this includes to visit to a Shinto which detaches the worshipper
from his or her ordinary environment. In this types of worship, trees in Shinto shrines,
particularly the oldest and the most revered ones, have ropes tied to them to signify reverence
to the presence of kami.

Shrines visits usually take the following steps: first, one is advised to behave respectfully and
calmly. Take the ladle at the purification fountain, rinse the both handsthen transfer some water
to rinse one‟s mouth, then spit the water beside the fountain. Then throw a coin at the offering
box upon entering the offering hall, bow deeply twice, then clap hands twice, bow deeply again,
use the gong, and pray for a while. It is believed that sing the gong before praying attracts
the attention of kami.

Magical Charms and Amulets

Aside from worshipping the kami at the shrines,

one of the main attractions at the shrines is the sale
and distributions of charms and amulets. They often
carry personal amulets and their homes guarded by
magical charms in the form of lintel
cards or different talismanic
symbols placed on altars for their . TheShintoists
deities. The most common believe that
Japanese designation for these amulets
charms is mamori, provide
protection and
. Charms may be made of can even be a
wood, paper and other materials. Most of the charms have specific uses, source of magic
such as lover‟s charm which aims to fulfil a lover‟s wish; the easy-birth
charm; and the charm for the expurgation of intestinal worms. Meanwhile,
domestic charms are larger and also vary in size and form.

Shintoists believe that that these charms are blessed by the kami and serve as material
manifestation of the guidance, blessings, and protection of the deities. (Holton 1965)
SEASONAL FESTIVALS

Japan celebrates numerous

festivals (calledmatsuri) since
almost every shrines has its
own festival. Festival are
usually held once a year to
celebrate The shrine’s or a
seasonal shrines/historical
events.

Activity #5

True or False

__________1.Japan celebrates numerous festivals called matsumoto.

__________2.The local kami carried through dashi or non-decorated floats.

__________3.On January 8, an enormous banquet is held and this signifies the start of new
year.

__________4.One example of an important festival in Japan is the new year festival.

__________5.Another example is the new year festival considered the most extravagant festival
in Japan.

Beliefs and Doctrines

Kami Worship

Shintoism is a religion which revolves around

the belief in and worship of kami or spirits.
 In Shintoism, people are regarded
Scholars agree that the concept of kami is difficult to explain, as a superior beings and everyone
and that even the Japanese themselves who are Shinto s considered a potential kami
believers cannot provide a definite of kami. According to the whose life on earth is destined to
Japanese scholar, MotooriNorinaga: be filled with blessings. In that
sense, Shintoism can be
Shintoism has a concept of yaoyoruzu bi kami, or eight considered to have an optimistic
hundred myriads of kami. Some of them are tutelary deities of view of human nature (“people are
clans who were later elevated the tutelary deities of basically good and have no
thierrepectivecommunuties while some have no direct concept of original sin”), hence in
connection with the Shinto faith. motivates people to accept life as
it is and expect that life will be
Concept of Pure and Impure filled with blessings if only they will
practices necessary rituals and
Shintoism, unlike other religious,
process the right attitude.
does not have clear distinction
In general, the practice
between what is right and what is
of purification in
wrong. However, since it most important concept is impurity, there are
Shintoism mainly aimed
acts or things which are considered as evil since they cause or
at the removal physical
signigy impurity. It is very important in Shintoism to maintain physical,
or external pollution,
external, and naterialimpuity.
and had nothing to do
with spiritual purification. In fact, even illnesses are seen are caused by natural powers and
Hence, the concept of are listed as "sins" since they cause unpleasant feeling with other
"sin" was simply of a people (e.g. leprosy), which made the kami to also dislike them.
physical or external Being struck by a thunderbolt is also regarded as a sin, as well as
nature which can easily being bitten by an insect. Having sexual relations with one's parent
be puried with the or one's child is also regarded as a "sin", as well as having sexual
necessary rituals. relations with animams. To compensate for committing the sins
mentioned above, they are required to make offerings to the deities.
(Kato 1973)

Concept of Death

Death is considered as the worst form of impurity is Shintoism. When a person die, his
or her body considered as the most impure thing. That is why they perform ritual bathing after
the funeral ceremony wherein all family members do a ritual bathing in the river. Also, it is
believed that the Shinto kami greatly dislike death, that those who have been in contact with the
dead are prohibited from participating in the rites performed in the shrines. That are considered
as impure and cannot participate in the rites for 30 days after contact with a death body; seven
days after given-birth; and five days after contact with a death body of certain domestic animals;
However, the dead live in the world of darkness while the living live in the world of light. But they
believe that even dead are allowed to visit the world of the living and this happens during Shinto
Festivals.
 De/Virtue

The way to appease the kami or the spirits, according to Shinto, is through purification.
Proper observance of rituals is necessary in order to purify oneself and be deserving of the
blessings from the deities. Living in harmony with nature, which is inhabited by the kami or the
spirits, is encouraged. In line with this, Shintoists value the virtues of beauty, truth, goodness,
and morality. Sincerity in everything that we do is also valued, for its implies a pure heart. To
achieved this, purity rituals often involve cleansing with water, such as rinsing mouth, washing
the hands, taking a bath, standing under waterfalls, and it is better if these activities are
performed at the shrines. Hence, cleanliness is also valued by the Shintoists for it is through
cleansing that purity can be achieved.

Subdivisions

The Shrine Shinto is considered as the

There are three main types of
Shintoism: The Shrine (Jinja)
Shinto, th Sect (kyoha) Shinto,
and the folk/Popular (Minzuko)
Shinto.
purified/traditional type under which the State and Imperial
Shinto belong.
The Sect Shinto refers to the 13 government organized
independent sects formed during the 19th century, focusing
on human welfare in this earthly life.

Folk or Popular Shinto is the type of Shintoism practices on

local shrines and considered to be more ingrained to people's
rite passage. It is considered as Japanese Folk religion. Let u take a look to each main type of
Shintoism.

Shintoism Shrine

Shintoism shrine, or Jinja, was officially coined by the Japanese government in the 19th
century when Shintoism gained state support and was recognized as a state religion. Prior to
this, at the advent of Buddhism in Japan in the 7th century. Buddhism was intertwined with
Shintoism, when buddha and the budhisattwas were regarded as kami. Later on, the imperial
government started to purify Shinto from all Buddhist elements. In the 19th century during the
Meiji Restoration, Japan was transformed to a modern nation, and the said transformation
covered the political, economic, social, and religion aspect. It was then when the Shrines Shinto
became the state religion. As a result, Shintoism became a vehicle for patriotism. Japan's divine
origin was also emphasized on Japanese children.

Sect Shintoism (Kyoha)

This type if Shintoism was recognized by the Imperial

. These 13 Sect Shinto were
government in the late 19th century, referring to the 133 designated by the government as
organized Shintoism. It develop in response to historical "religious" along with other faiths
reality, as an administrative way if dealing with the such as Buddhism and
crystallization of Shinto traditions into organized religious Confucianism. Their place of
worship were called "churches" to
distinguish them from the shrines
which are under imperial control.
groupsIncidentally, many of the sects were founded and led by women, which is reflection of
women's prominent role in Japanese religion in ancient times. Sect Shinto can be classified into
five groups (Bahn 1964)

1. Pure Shinto Sects

2. Confucian Sects

3. Mountain Sects

4. Purification Sects

5. Faith-healing Sects

Folk/Popular Shintoism (Minzuko)

This type of Shinto is of the associated with the superstition, magic, and common
practices of the Japanese people. It includes traditional practices, often best understood as
Japanese folk religion. It is form of Shinto worship which does not require a priest or a formal
shrines, hence it is also known as Shinto which people practice in their daily lives. It
emphasized on purification rituals and regarded as more personal or local. It is often practiced
in connection with growing of crops, major blessings, and at major stages of life, such as birth
and marriage.

Activity #6

Fill in the blanks

1.There are_________main types of Shintoism.

2.The Shrine Shinto is considered as the___________________

3.Shintoism Shrine or________ was officially coined by the Japanese government.

4.This type of Shintoism was recognized by the___________government in the late 19th

century.

5.This type of Shinto is often associated with superstition,_____and common practices of the
Japanese people.

SELECTED ISSUES As mentioned before,

Shintoism is a religion Japan
The Japanese people have always been seen as very that was able to co-exist with
nationalistic, and this has always attributed to the myths other religions such as
provided by Shintoism, such as tracing back their ancestry to Confucianism and Buddhism.
the deities, particularly Amaterasu. It has served as a vehicle Shintoism got from
for patriotism, as taking care of Japanese people‟s need in this Confucianism its system of
ethics and values of ancestor
worship,
present world, and its promotes high veneration and conservation of nature. Shrines visit of the
Prime Ministers of Japan is also another aspect of Shintoism, which was declared the state
religion of japan in 1868, with the accession of Emperor Meiji to the throne as a descendant of
Amaterasu, although after the defeat of Japan in World War II it was abolished by the Allied
Powers as the state religion of Japan.

VEHICLE OF PATRIOISM

Aside from Shintoism providing the Japanese people with the pride of believing that they
came from the deities and that theirs rules have descended from the heavens, there are some
aspects of Japanese history that they interpret has having divine intervention and therefore
have also become a source of fervent patriotism .

The Japanese government, even in recent times, have played a very crucial role in instilling a
sense of patriotism to its people, for example, the Japanese government, through its ministry of
education, has an important role in approving the topics to be taught in high school students in
Japan.

It has also allegedly purposively omitted the atrocities committed by the Japanese soldiers to
the other nationalities such as the Filipinos and the Chinese in their history textbooks so that the
youth win continue to look up to them and still be proud of their country.

SHINTOISM
ANSWER KEYS:

QUIZBEE(act#1)

1.A
2.B
3.B
4.C
5.A

TRUE OR FALSE(act#2)

1.TRUE
2.FALSE
3.TRUE
4.FALSE
5.TRUE

FILL IN THE BLANKS(act#3)

1.SHINTOISM
2.PEOPLE
3.RITES
4.CEREMONIES
5.SHINTOISM

IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING(act#4)

1.ABLUTIONS

2.THE ACT OF WASHING BODY PART BY PART

3.WATER AND SALT

4.EXORCISM

5.ABSTENTIONS
TRUE OR FALSE(act#5)

1.FALSE
2.FALSE
3.FALSE
4.FALSE
5.FALSE

FILL IN THE BLANKS(act#6)

1.Three/3
2.TRADITIONAL TYPE

3.JINJA
4.GOVERNMENT
5.MAGIC
INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS IN THE WORLD
A GLIMPSE ON INDIGENOUS
BELIEFS AND SYSTEMS IN
WORLD RELIGION
Group IV - Grade 11 HUMSS B

Hilary Dei Anne Cruz Angeline Garduque Frixie Penascosas

Lingayo Gaengan Erieca Ilumba Lesabel Rivera

SVNHS S.Y. 2018-2019 Mrs. Karen Sumandal

I T W R

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REFRESHENING YOUR MIND!
Are you ready for an activity for this session? As this lesson begins, let us be
familiarized first with some words that will be relevant in this chapter.
Shown below are disarrayed words intended for correct word
arrangements. Let’s start!

1. D TAITINOIR
2. TAURLI
3. LUCTUER
4. T I E N A V – NATIVE
5. MNOLIAEERC ATGIGERNH
6. NACTH
7. TREUAN

Well, if you are done with answering, let us check if you have gotten the
correct words given above. Following are the answers for the word
arrangements in the previous activity.

1. TRADITION
2. RITUAL
3. CULTURE
4. NATIVE
5. CEREMONIAL GATHERING
6. CHANT
7. NATURE

After passing the challenge, prepare your minds now as we take a look for the
beginning parts of the chapter. Keep up!

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 Indigenous Religions
in The World
In od on P in f Cha r
The variety “indigenous religions” of the world virtues an index all its
own. For as many tribal people as there are in the world today, each has
its own set of beliefs and rites that relate humans and all other living
beings to the ultimate sources of life. This chapter will present the diverse
traditions, rituals, culture, nature, ceremonial gatherings, and chants that
are particularly present in every region of the world. Like the other
religions, indigenous religions deserve to be recognized as well with their
own rich faith and doctrines in natural phenomenon. Yet, indigenous
religions have a unique vision of how the universe came into being, are
structured, shape people's’ behaviors in life, and can undergo periods of
total collapse followed by regeneration. Those visions are communicated
and transmitted mainly through oral narratives or performative
remembering of primordial acts in collective ceremonies. Above all,
indigenous people have traditionally sought to forge their ways of life in
consonance with all other forms of life in their natural surroundings. It has
profound consequences for understanding their spiritualities.

At the end of the chapter, students will be able to:

• Define the concept of indigenous religion
• Enumerate the different major indigenous religions present in the
various regions of the world
• Identify the themes in every indigenous religion
• Evaluate the present status of the native people nowadays
• Explain the main points of the indigenous religion

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EXPLORE!

Six percent of the world’s population practice indigenous religions,

which include “African traditional religions, Chinese folk religions, Native
American religions, and Australian aboriginal religions” (Pew Research
Center 2012, 9). To this list can also be added such other indigenous
practices such as witchcraft, healing rituals, shamanism, ancestor worship,
and spirit possession. (Harvey 2000a). Due to their minority status associated
among indigenous communities, folk religions are perceived to be “simple”,
“primitive”, or “less complex” compares to the established “World Religions”
that typically dominate textbooks in the religious studies (Harvey 2006b,3). It
is therefore important to consider indigenous religions to contest these
stereotypes.

Indigenous beliefs of folk religions are often associated with specific

groups of people typically based on ethnicity (Pew Research Center 2012).
These are typically the indigenous people whose identities have been kept
preserved against foreigners. There are many definitions of indigenous
people but a common denominator is that they are persons and their
descendants “who lived on their lands before settlers came from elsewhere.
The new arrivals later became dominant through means that they have
included conquest, occupation, and settlement” (Bahr 2005, 3).

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Indigenous Beliefs
Some examples of the
indigenous religions around the world
include shamanism and witchcraft.
Shamanism, possibly the “world’s
oldest form of religion” involves a
central figure in a community whose
soul can travel out the body during
trance and visit other dimensions
(Vitebsky 2000, 55).
The Innuit (Eskimo) people are known for their shamanic rituals and beliefs
but elements of shamanism are also present among various indigenous
communities in Asia and Siberia. Witchcraft is also present among various
indigenous people around the world. But witchcraft is not simply a dangerous
feat involving evil forces. For some communities such as the Bangwa in
Cameroon, witchcraft, like eating, is part of everyday life to ensure power and
success. The belief is that each one has a spirit animal that can be activated
to enter the spirit world in which activities could have real manifestation in the
physical dimension (Bowie 2000).

As local phenomena,
indigenous religions around the
world may not have direct
contact with one another
especially when one factor is in
historical, cultural, and
geographic distance between
traditional religions in Africa
and in the Pacific Islands, for example (Tajford, 2013). However, we suggest
that common denominators exist because their local experiences tie them to
fundamental settings such as the environment, livelihood, and kinship, which
all inform their spiritualities (Bahr, 2005).

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 An important shared experience too is marginalization brought about by
other colonization, modernization, and militarization (Department of
Economics and Social Affairs, 2009). The following themes are derived from
the rich discussion of the scholarship on indigenous religion around the world
by the anthropologist James Cox (2009):

• For many indigenous religions, nature is sacred entity, which the

Creator for divine beings has entrusted the people. Stewardship of nature is
therefore a religious duty.

• The indigenous worldview is kinship-based. This means that the spirits

of the ancestors figure in religious practice and worship. They are believed to
be active in the life of the community. To Cox (2007), this facet is definitive for
indigenous religions.
• Apart from ancestors, indigenous religion religions may also relate to
spirits of the nature, deities, and life-forces access to which is a “preserve of
particular religious officials or ceremonies” (Harvey 2000b, 6).

• Rituals occupy a prominent role among indigenous religions. Given that

religious life follows a community’s genealogy or ancestry, to convert other
people is not a mission.

• Many indigenous communities rely on the oral transmission of beliefs

and practices. Cosmologies may therefore not be fully coherent.
• Followers of indigenous religions receive divine revelation through
direct communication in the form of visions, dreams, and spirit possession.
• Indigenous religions are primarily inner-worldly in terms of their
worldview concerning salvation. Physical and material gains, usually tied to
their economic activities, are central to their religious activities.

BRAINSTORMING!
1. What are the importance of Shamanism and Witchcraft
in playing their roles in indigenous religions?

2. What do the themes of indigenous religions convey in

understanding the situations of indigenous people?

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MAJOR INDIGENOUS RELIGIONS IN THE DIFFERENT
REGIONS OF THE WORLD
NATIVE AMERICAN RELIGION
Native American religions are the spiritual
practices of the indigenous peoples of the
Americas. Traditional Native American ceremonial
ways can vary widely and are based on the
differing histories and beliefs of individual tribes,
clans, and bands. Early European explorers
describe individual Native American tribes and
even small bands as each having their own
religious practices. Theology may be monotheistic,
polytheistic, henotheistic, animistic, or some
combination thereof. Traditional beliefs are usually
passed down in the forms of oral histories, stories,
allegories, and principles, and rely on face to face
teaching in one's family and community.
Tenskwatawa, by George Catlin.

Native American Religions include the Earth Lodge, Ghost Dances, Indian
Shaker, Longhouse, Mexicayoti, Peyoti, and Waashat.

Religious Leaders

From time to time important religious leaders organized revivals. In

Indiana in 1805, Tenskwatawa (called the Shawnee Prophet by Americans) led
a religious revival following a smallpox epidemic and a series of witch-hunts.
His beliefs were based on the earlier teachings of the Lenape prophets,
Scattamek and Neolin, who predicted a coming apocalypse that would destroy
the European-American settlers. Tenskwatawa urged the tribes to reject the
ways of the Americans: to give up firearms, liquor, American style clothing, to
pay traders only half the value of their debts, and to refrain from ceding any
more lands to the United States. The revival led to warfare led by his brother
Tecumseh against the white settlers.

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TRADITIONAL AFRICAN RELIGIONS
The traditional African religions (or traditional beliefs and practices of
African people) are a set of highly diverse beliefs that include various ethnic
religions. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural, include
belief in a supreme creator, belief in spirits, veneration of the dead, use of
magic and traditional medicine.The role of humanity is generally seen as one
of harmonising nature with the supernatural.

Since Africa is a large

continent with many ethnic groups
and cultures, there is not one single
technique of casting divination. The
practice of casting may be done with
small objects, such as bones, cowrie
shells, stones, strips of leather, or
flat pieces of wood.Some castings
are done using sacred divination
plates made of wood or performed
Bakongo mask from the Kongo
on the ground (often within a circle).
Central

There are more similarities than differences in all traditional African

religions. Often, the Supreme Deity is worshiped through consultation or
communion with lesser deities and ancestral spirits. The deities and spirits are
honored through libation, sacrifice (of animals, vegetables, cooked food,
flowers, semi-precious stones and precious metals). The will of the Supreme
Deity is sought by the believer also through consultation of divinities or
divination. In many traditional African religions, there is a belief in a cyclical
nature of reality. The living stand between their ancestors and the unborn.
Traditional African religions embrace natural phenomena – ebb and tide,
waxing and waning moon, rain and drought – and the rhythmic pattern of
agriculture.

The environment and nature are infused in every aspect of traditional

African religions and culture. This is largely because cosmology and beliefs are
intricately intertwined with the natural phenomena and environment. All
aspects of weather, thunder, lightning, rain, day, moon, sun, stars, and so on
may become amenable to control through the cosmology of African people.
Natural phenomena are responsible for providing people with their daily needs.

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CHINESE FOLK RELIGIONS
Chinese folk religion (Chinese popular religion) or Han folk religion is the
religious tradition of the Han Chinese, including veneration of forces of nature
and ancestors, exorcism of harmful forces, and a belief in the rational order of
nature which can be influenced by human beings and their rulers as well as
spirits and gods. Worship is devoted to a multiplicity of gods and immortals (神
shén), who can be deities of phenomena, of human behaviour, or progenitors
of lineages. Stories regarding some of these gods are collected into the body
of Chinese mythology. By the 11th century (Song period), these practices had
been blended with Buddhist ideas of karma (one's own doing) and rebirth, and
Taoist teachings about hierarchies of gods, to form the popular religious
system which has lasted in many ways until the present day.
Chinese religions have a variety of sources, local forms, founder
backgrounds, and ritual and philosophical traditions. Despite this diversity,
there is a common core that can be summarised as four theological,
cosmological, and moral concepts: Tian (天), Heaven, the transcendent
source of moral meaning; qi (氣), the breath or energy that animates the
universe; jingzu (敬祖), the veneration of ancestors; and bao ying (報應),
moral reciprocity; together with two traditional concepts of fate and meaning:
ming yun (命運), the personal destiny or burgeoning; and yuan fen (緣分),
"fateful coincidence", good and bad chances and potential relationships.

Both the present day government of China and the imperial dynasties of
the Ming and Qing tolerated village popular religious cults if they bolstered
social stability but suppressed or persecuted those that they feared would
undermine it. After the fall of the empire in 1911, governments and elites
opposed or attempted to eradicate folk religion in order to promote "modern"
values, and many condemned "feudal superstition". These conceptions of folk
religion began to change in Taiwan in the late 20th century and in mainland
China in the 21st. Many scholars now view folk religion in a positive light. In
recent times Chinese folk religions are experiencing a revival in both mainland
China and Taiwan. Some forms have received official understanding or
recognition as a preservation of traditional Chinese culture, such as Mazuism
and the Sanyi teaching in Fujian, Huangdi worship and other forms of local
worship, for example the Longwang, Pangu or Caishen worship.

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 AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL INDIGENOUS RELIGION

Australian Aboriginal religion and

mythology (also known as Dreamtime or
Dreaming stories, songlines, or
Aboriginal oral literature) are the stories
traditionally performed by Aboriginal
peoples within each of the language
groups across Australia.

All such myths variously "tell significant truths within each Aboriginal group's
local landscape. They effectively layer the whole of the Australian continent
topography with cultural nuance and deeper meaning, and empower
selected audiences with the accumulated wisdom and knowledge of
Australian Aboriginal ancestors back to time immemorial".

An Aboriginal Generalization

Aboriginal specialists willing to generalise believe all Aboriginal myths across

Australia, in combination, represent a kind of unwritten (oral) library within
which Aboriginal peoples learn about the world and perceive a peculiarly
Aboriginal 'reality' dictated by concepts and values vastly different from those
of western societies:

"Aboriginal people learned from their stories that a society must not be
human-centred but rather land centred, otherwise they forget their source and
purpose ... humans are prone to exploitative behaviour if not constantly
reminded they are interconnected with the rest of creation, that they as
individuals are only temporal in time, and past and future generations must be
included in their perception of their purpose in life."

"People come and go but the Land, and stories about the Land, stay. This is a
wisdom that takes lifetimes of listening, observing and experiencing ... There
is a deep understanding of human nature and the environment... sites hold
'feelings' which cannot be described in physical terms... subtle feelings that
resonate through the bodies of these people... It is only when talking and
being with these people that these 'feelings' can truly be appreciated. This is...
the intangible reality of these people..."

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Philippine Indigenous Religions
In the Philippines, the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 is
one of the first laws in Asia enacted to promote and protect the rights of
indigenous communities. Its definition is decidedly more elaborate but
nevertheless also recognizes their long history and marginality. For IPRA<
indigenous people refer to a group of people or homogenous societies
identified by self-ascription and ascription by others, who have continuously
lived as an organized community on community bounded and defined territory,
and who have, under claims of ownership since time immemorial, occupied,
possessed, and other distinctive cultural traits, or who have, through resistance
to political, social, and cultural inroads of colonization, non-indigenous religions
and cultures, became historically differentiated from the majority of Filipinos.

Cultural Survival (n.d), an advocacy group, estimates that these are 370
million indigenous people who constitute 5% of the world’s population.
Collectively, they speak 4,000 languages and constitute 5,000 different groups
in 90 countries, and 90% of them are found in Asia. Some of these indigenous
people include the Aborigines in Australia, the Inuit in Canada, the Saarni in
Finland, and the Maori in New Zealand.

In the Philippines, the United Nations Development Programme (2013)

estimates that ther are about 14-17 million indigenous people who constitute
110 ethnolinguistic groups. They are in various islands of the Philippines but
61% are in Mindanao and 33% are in Cordillera Administrative Region. These
communities may be categorized according to different major groups (Carino
2012):

• Igorot. Based in the Cordillera, the Igorot refers to various ethnic groups
such as the Kankanaey, Bontoc, Ifugao, Kalinga, Ibaloy, Isneg, amnd
Tingguian. Igorot means “from the mountains” (Carino 2012, 4).

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• Lumad. Lumad is a “residual category” that reflects the indigenous
communities’ “secondary status” in Mindanao as those who “did not convert
to Islam and become Moros” (Paredes 2015, 168). Lumad which in Visayas
means “ born from the earth”, is an appropriate term to recognize, among
others, the similarities and shared histories of the different ethnic groups in
Mindanao before contact with the Spaniads (Paredes 2013, 24). There are 18
major Lumad groups, which include the Subanen, B’laan, T’boli, Manobo,
Talaandig, Mamanwa, and Manguangan (Carino 2012).

• Mangyan. These are the indigenous people in Mindoro, Sibuyan, and

some islands of Palawan. Some ethnic groups include the Tadyawan,
Hanunuo, Tabanua, and Palaw-an.

• Negrito. They are found in different parts of the Philippines but are
distinguishable because of their physical features such as dark skin and curly
hair. Some Negrito groups include the Agta in Cagayan, the Dumagat in the
Sierra Madre, the Aeta in Zambales, and the Ati in the Visayas.

Apart from their respective ethnicities, dialects, and geographies, each

of these self-identifying indigenous communities have its own history,
ancestry, migration, patterns, and engagements with the environment. In this
light, we must be careful in nuancing differences across them when referring
to indigenous people with a collective category such as the Lumad for those
in Mindanao or Igorot in Cordillera may be limiting (APCEC 2012). The Moro,
as noticed also, is a collective term to refer to Mindanao-based Muslims, and
is not typically included in the list or recognized indigenous people in the
Philippines. The indigenous character is often taken to refer to the fact that
some some groups did not convert to either Christianity or Islam when these
foreign religions arrived in the archipelago. Nevertheless, Moro ethnic groups
such as Maranaw, Maguindanao, Tausug, Yakan, and Samal are indigenous
communities. Their status and historical suffering as Moro people have been
recognized the Philippine Constitution, which explains the creation of
Bangsamoro.

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 Philippine Indigenous Insights

L D : T’
D W
On April 30, 2015, the world lost Lang Dulay, the recipient of the 1998
Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan for her textile weaving using a traditional
backstrap loom. She was 91. Lang Dulay was one of the few remaining T’boli
who kept her indigenous community’s art of weaving t’nalak using abaca fiber,
which, given its hairlike quality, necessitates delicate handling. She was 12
years old when she began to weave and for a long time had dreamt of
establishing one day a school where she would train women in the art of
t’nalak weaving (Locsin and Macas 2015). So it was to her a moving day when
she found out that she would be conferred the Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan, an
award which came with a grant. She used this grant to build the Manlilikha ng
Bayan Center in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato, a place that must be visited in
order to understand the powerful legacy she has left behind for the T’boli (Del
Mundo 2013).
In keeping with the spiritual aspect of her craft, Lang Dulay relied on
divine inspiration for her woven designs, which she could access only through
dream. Thus the tradition of t’nalak weaving is in fact, both a crafty and
spiritual exercise of dream weaving. The production begins with a ritual
offering to Fu Dalu, the recognized god of abaca who grants the dreams to the
weaver. In this manner, the t’nalak effectively becomes a divine artifact.
Lang Dulay’s inspired designs reflect the richness of her environment from the
clouds to the butterfly and the crocodile. The choice of traditional colors is also
very meaningful. Red symbolizes the bravery of T’boli warriors while black
depicts the soil as source of life. Light brown is the natural color of abaca,
which stands for “purity and a strong belief in the spirit of abaca” (Del Mundo
2013).
Lang Dulay’s dedication to the craft of t’nalak weaving is a fascinating
reminder of how in the indigenous worldview, labor, the environment, and
divine beings are metaphorically woven together.

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 T L B
There are many definitions of the indigenous people that primarily
recognize their marginalization (Department of Economic and Social Affairs
2009). Indigenous communities have been sidelined around world because of
their diminishing presence, a result without a doubt of colonial enterprises and
modernization projects. As they are not fully integrated the activities of the
state and the majority of population, they are generally impoverished, less
educated, and vulnerable to military conflict and evictions by powerful
industries and government agencies (Padilla, Villarate, and Trono 2013). This
state of marginalization is then reinforced by stereotypes that they are
uneducated, unemployed, and backward with their lifestyles. Some activists
have expressed concern that the Bangsamoro,
because its government is Muslim-led, will
exacerbate the already marginalized condition
of indigenous people (Lumad) in Mindanao.
Under such an autonomous government, the
interests of indigenous communities may be
compromised in favor of private investments or
development projects. Such arrangements may
then justify the eviction of indigenous people
from land they consider sacred (Padilla,
Villarante, and Trono 2013). Fears have been
expressed too that they will be forced to
convert to Islam or conform to Moro norms
(Paredes 2015).

EVALUATION TIME!
1. How do traditional beliefs succeed their passage through
generations? Do the proofs show strong evidences about the
existence of each religion?
2. What are the commonalities that each indigenous religions
practice all throughout the world? Do these similarities have
connection with other religions?
3. How do the indigenous religions affect the situations of the
indigenous people in the Philippines?

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 WORLD FOLK RELIGIONIST POPULATION BY REGION
REGIONS ESTIMATED ESTIMATED PERCENTAGE
2010 FOLK 2010 TOTAL OF
RELIGIONIST POPULATION POPULATION
POPULATION THAT BELONGS
TO FOLK
RELIGIONS

Asia-Pacific 365,120,000 4,054,990,000 9%

Sub-Saharan 26,600,000 822,720,000 3.3

Africa

Latin-America 10,040,000 590,080,000 1.7

Caribbean

Middle East- 1,060,000 341,020,000 0.3

North Africa

North America 1,020.000 344,530,000 0.3

Europe 1,020,000 742,550,000 0.1

World Total 405,120,000 6,895,890,000 5.9

This includes followers of African traditional religions, Chinese folk religions,

Native American religions, and Australian aboriginal religions.

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 10 COUNTRIES WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF
FOLK RELIGIONIST
Names of Estimated 2010 Percentage of Percentage of
Countries Folk Religionist Population World Folk
Population That Belongs to Religion
Folk Religions Population

China 294,320,000 21.9% 72.6 %

Vietnam 39.750,000 45.3 9.8

Taiwan 10,260,000 44.2 2.5

India 5,840,000 0.5 1.4

Brazil 5,540,000 2.8 1.4

South Sudan 3,270,000 32.9 0.8

North Korea 3,010,000 12.3 0.7

Burma 2,760,000 5.8 0.7

(Myanmar)

Burkina Faso 2,530,000 15.4 0.6

Nigeria 2,290,000 1.4 0.6

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Subtotal for 369,570,000 11.8 91.2
the 10
Countries

Subtotal for 35,550,000 0.9 8.8

Rest of the
World

World Total 406,120,000 8.9 100

This includes followers of African traditional religions, Chinese folk religions,

Native American religions, and Australian aboriginal religions.

Native Americans performing cultural ritual

Native Indonesian women with their indigenous

attires

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 ENGAGE!
You may notice that the fluid and oral characters of indigenous
religions seem to stand in contrast to the rigid tendency of institutional
religions. Followers of Christianity and Islam, for example, may teach that
theirs Is the only way to salvation and that their doctrines are
uncontestable.

The difference must indeed be glaring.

STUDENT TASK!
Form into groups and discuss whether the
other world religions discussed in the past weeks
have similarities with these indigenous beliefs,
Discuss, too, whether these indigenous beliefs are
relevant to your own life.

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 CHAPTER TEST
I. MODIFIED TRUE OR FALSE. Read carefully the statement for each
number then identify whether it is true or not. Write TRUE if the
statement is true, and FALSE if the statement is false.

1. Mangyans are the indigenous people in Mindoro, Sibuyan, and some

islands of Palawan. Some ethnic groups include the Tadyawan,
Hanunuo, Tabanua, and Palaw-an.
2. On April 30, 2015, the world lost Lang Dulay, the recipient of the 1998
Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan for her textile weaving using a traditional
backstrap loom. She was 88.
3. There are 18 major Lumad groups, which include the Subanen, B’laan,
T’boli, Manobo, Talaandig, Mamanwa, and Manguangan.
4. Chinese religions have a variety of sources, local forms, founder
backgrounds, and ritual and philosophical traditions.
5. The Lumad, as noticed also, is a collective term to refer to
Mindanao-based Muslims, and is not typically included in the list or
recognized indigenous people in the Philippines.

II. FILL IN THE BLANKS. Fill in the blanks with the correct words that
rightfully agree with the statement on each number.

1. The production begins with a ritual offering to _________________, the

recognized god of abaca who grants the dreams to the weaver.
2. Early European explorers describe individual __________________
and even small bands as each having their own religious practices.
3. Igorot means _________________.
4. Cultural Survival, an advocacy group, estimates that these are 370
million indigenous people who constitute 5% of the world’s population.
Collectively, they speak 4,000 languages and constitute 5,000 different
groups in 90 countries, and 90% of them are found in Asia. Some of
these indigenous people include the Aborigines in Australia, the Inuit in
Canada, the _____________in Finland, and the___________ in New
Zealand.
5. ____________ is the breath or energy that animates the universe in
Chinese Folk religion.
6. For many indigenous religions, nature is sacred entity, which the
Creator for divine beings has entrusted the people. ______________ of
nature is therefore a religious duty.
7. Traditional African religions embrace natural phenomena – ebb and
tide, ___________ and ____________ moon, rain and drought – and
the rhythmic pattern of agriculture.

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 REFERENCES

https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-a
nd-maps/indigenous-religions

https://search.handy-tab.com/?type=web&q=indigenous+religions+in+the+w
orld+pdf

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/257947420_Indigenous_Religious_
Traditions_of_the_World_Chapter_1_In_Lawrence_E_Sullivan_ed_Religions
_of_the_World_A_Cultural_Introduction_to_the_Making_of_Meaning_Fortre
ss_Press_2013_pp_31-60

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Native_American_religion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_African_religions

https://www.valdosta.edu/academics/international-programs/asia-council/doc
uments/se-asian-cultures.pdf

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_Aboriginal_religion_and_mythology

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#/media/File:Worship_at_t
he_Great_Temple_of_Shennong-Yandi_in_Suizhou,_Hubei.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_African_religions#/media/File:Masqu
es_BaKongo.JPG

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INDIGENOUS PHILIPPINES VS OTHER COUNTRIES
Basis Comparison
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
Philippines Other Countries
-Negrito ♦ Kung San of the Kalahari
-Mangyan Desert (Botswana, Angola,
-Lumad Namibia)
-Igorot ♦ Berbers of Morocco
♦ Hadzabe People of Tanzania
♦ Mbuti (Pygmies) of Zaire
♦ Maasai in East Africa
♦ Bantu and other ethnic
minorities in Somalia
♦ Ogoni in Nigeria
♦ Tuareg people of Algeria, Libya,
Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso
♦ Sahrawi of the Western Sahara
♦ Maori of New Zealand
♦ Aborigines and Torres Strait
Islanders of Australia
♦ Ainu people of Japan
♦ Assyrians of the Middle East
(Aramaic speaking Christians)
♦ The Kazakhs, Mongols, Tajik,
Tibetans, Ugyur, and Eurasian
Nomads of Kazakhstan, eastern
Russia, and China
♦ The Miao and Hmong of
southern China, Laos and
Thailand
♦ The Shan and Karen peoples of
Burma /Myanmar
♦ The Chakma of Pakistan
♦ The Kurds of Iraq, Iran, Syria,
Turkey and parts of the former
Soviet Union
♦ Saami of Sweden, Norway,
Finland, Denmark
♦ Inuit and Aleutians of Canada
and circumpolar Europe
♦ American Indians of the U.S.
♦ First Nations and Métis of
Canada
 ♦ Mayans of Guatemala and
Mexico
♦ Aymaras of Bolivia and other
Indians of South America
Beliefs Animist Animists
Burial Creation Myths
Anito and Diwata Spiritual Beliefs
Babaylan
Pasiyam
Tibaw
Balata
Likha or Kawayan
Rituals and Practices Shamanism Shamanism
Sacrificing (Blood)

Buildings Simbahan(Tagalog) Church,Shrines,etc.

Tenin(Tirurai)
Buwis(Bagobo