World Religions

Social Studies
Building Relationships
Grade 6

Hinduism
Buddhism
Christianity
 Hinduism
• “O God, lead us from untruth to truth. Lead
us from darkness to light and lead us from
death to immortality.” – The Upanishads
 Hinduism
• One of the oldest religions of
humanity
• The religion of the Indian people
• Gave birth to Buddhism
• A philosophy and a way of life –
focused both on this world and
beyond
 Hinduism
• One impersonal Ultimate Reality – Brahman
• Manifest as many personal “gods”
• Reincarnation – man is continually born into
this world lifetime after lifetime ( Samsara)
• Karma – spiritual impurity due to actions keeps
us bound to this world (good and bad)
• Ultimate goal of life – to release Atman and
reunite with the divine, becoming as one with
Brahman (Moksha)
 Hinduism
• Bhakti Yoga is seeking union with the divine
through loving devotion to manifest deities
• In the home (household shrines)
• In the Temples (priests officiate)
– Puja – making offerings to and decorating the
deity images
– Darsan – “seeing” the deity (not idol worship)
– Prasad – taking the divine within your own
being through eating of food shared with the
deity
 Buddhism
• „Not to consider “I am
this,” that is freedom.”
 Buddhism
• Buddhism is a major world religion, or
in a better sense, philosophy.
• It is the 4th largest religion of the world,
and has about 300,000,000 people
living by it.
• It explains the purpose of life, injustices
and inequality around the world.
• It also helps people by providing a way
of life that will lead to true happiness.
 Buddhism
• It was all started by Buddha, who was a prince in
Lumbini, 2500 years ago.
• He was very unhappy in his royal life, so he set
off on a 6 year journey, exploring other
religions.
• After his long journey and much meditation he
was finally “enlightened”.
• He found the middle path, the key to human
happiness. For the rest of his life he wandered
Asia, preaching his new religion.
 Buddhism
• Buddhist teachings may be difficult to
understand, but because they are based
on the insights of a human being, they
are potentially understandable to
anyone.
• Buddhism emphasizes the development
of wisdom rather than faith.
 Christianity
• „For God so loved the
world that he gave
his one and only
Son, that whoever
believes in him shall
not perish but have
eternal life.‟
 Christianity
• A system of beliefs and practices based
on the teachings of Jesus as savior.
• Christianity is a faith based upon the
Christ believed to be Jesus of Nazareth.
• Christians believe that he was god and
man at the same time, a sublime unity
of heaven and earth.
 Christianity
• Christians believe in the Trinity;
The Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit yet their God symbolizes all
three parts. (for example: H2O is
represented in three forms as well:
water (liquid), ice (solid), and
vapor (gas).
 Christianity
• It is represented through the twelve
apostles who were Jesus’ followers.
• They spread the word of the Lord
which is now expressed through the
church and within the Bible.
• Their priests, deacons, and pope
represent the teachers of
Christianity.
Any Questions?
Michelle Mauck

Get into your groups and develop

questions on your assigned
religion. Discuss the relationships
you have discovered and be
prepared to share with the class.