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The indus valley civilization essay
Social studies indus valley civilization
Social studies indus valley civilization
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Buddhism had its beginnings in one of the world’s earliest civilizations, the Indus valley culture known as the Harappan. This area would later become India. Outsiders known as the Indo Aryans, who had migrated from the Russian steppes, would later assimilate the indigenous peoples there. (Reat, 1994:3)
These nomadic pastoralists brought with them sacred texts known as the Vedas. Each Veda contained a section called the Upanishad. While the rest of the Vedas contained poems and hymns or practical instructions for rituals and sacrifices, the Upanishads focused more on meditation. They spoke of Moksha (salvation) from Samsara (the never ending cycle of life, death and rebirth). It is these Upanishads that would lay the foundation for Hinduism and Buddhism. (Reat, 1994:5)
Hinduism in India required regular sacrifice. This favored the rich and higher castes as only they could afford to do this consistently. The underclass was ready for something new, something more inclusive. An alternate way would come with a young Indian prince named Siddhartha Gautama (560-480 BCE). Siddhartha’s father had been given a prophecy that his son would either become a great ruler or a great holy man. If he were to witness suffering, he would become a holy man. His father, wishing for Siddhartha to be a King, kept him inside the palace walls, in an idyllic life, away from any possible sight of suffering. (Reat, 1994:8) One day the prince’s curiosity about the outside world would provoke him to sneak out of the palace. On the outside he encountered scenes of old age, sickness and death. Troubled by this he began a search for spiritual enlightenment.(Reat, 1994:9)
At age thirty-five he achieved enlightenment meditating under a Bodhi tree. After which, Sid...
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...ion for Japanese Buddhism. (Reat, 1994:193) In modern Japan there are many, many Buddhist sects and eighty percent of its people practice Buddhism of some sort. (Reat, 1994:219)
From its origins in India, Buddhism was able to spread to East Asia through a variety of ways. Missionaries, merchants and migrants would provide an initial, generalized exposure. Much later the ruling class would adopt Buddhism mostly out of political reasons. Once the ruling class adopted the idea, it would then trickle on down to the general populace either by influence or by law.
Bibliography
Chong,Pyong-jo. History of Korean Buddhism. Seoul: Jimoondang, 2007.
Flower, Kathy. China: Culture Smart. New York: Random House, 2012.
Haicheng, Ling. Buddhism in China. Beijing: China Intercontinental Press, 2005.
Reat, N Ross. Buddhism: A History. Berkely: Asian Humanities Press, 1994.
-Nara’s Buddhist temples were another result of cultural diffusion, Buddhist began in India in 500s B.C.E. about 1,000 years later, it came to Japan from China by way of Korea.
Yu, Han. “Memorial on Buddhism”. Making of the Modern World 12: Classical & Medieval Tradition. Trans. Richard F. Burton. Ed. Janet Smarr. La Jolla: University Readers, 2012. 111-112. Print.
History started with God’s creation, redemption, humanity rebellion against God, ultimate plan for divine intervention and restoration. God is the only source of meaning in history and in life. Most historians agree that Siddhartha Gautama started Buddhism in 5th century BCE who was born in Lumbini. He watched suffering in the world and decided for solution. Through meditation and analysis he achieved enlightenment. Buddhism has spread from India to every corner of the world. Many people embraced philosophical and practical aspects of Buddhism and integrated them into their religious and social
...m were started from nothing but grew into two of the largest religions in the world. The reasons why Buddhism succeeded in spreading to other countries and people are different from the reasons Christianity spread. Buddhism spread because it adapted to what the people wanted and needed. When the numbers began to dwindle, a new form of Buddhism was there, adapted into what would attract new people, and succeeding at it.
Like Hinduism, Buddhism also started in India. It is based on the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama, who is called the Buddha or the Enlightened One. Buddhism started a monastic movement in the Brahman tradition.
Into the world, many religions were born; out of all of them Buddhism and Hinduism are both one of the oldest surviving religion. Hinduism is very polytheistic, it is believed to have been established around 1500 B.C but it has no founder or an origin, while Buddhism on the other hand was founded by Siddhartha Gautama, who ordinarily allotted as the Buddha, which implies the “Awakened or “illuminated one”. Both religions come from the Indian roots.
Although Siddhartha Gotama spread the religion of Buddhism in India, his teaching had a great impact on other countries. Buddhist first made their way to China via the silk route; this was a network of caravan tracts that linked China to the rest of central Asia to the Mediterranean region. Buddhist monks also made their way into China with Buddhist scriptures and Buddhist art in their possession. This is the first time that Buddhism made a substantial impact on the Chinese. Quickly many Chinese began to convert to the new religion that was brought into china.
Buddhism is quickly growing in popularity in the western world particularly with the younger generations. This is because it is the only religion that can be practiced not from a religious stand point. Buddhism can be embraced as spiritual adventure where the person focus’s mostly on nature. Buddhism is full interesting concepts and has the easiest religious text to read. Out of all the religions I have learned about throughout life. Buddhism is the best so far.
Buddhism is one of the oldest religions in the world, which began in India. The origin of Buddhism is traced back to the experience of single man, Siddhartha Gautama, later known as the Buddha. Born around 563 B.C.E., legend follows that Siddhartha was the son of a prince in a kingdom near the border of what is now India and Nepal. As such, he was sheltered from the world and lived a life of luxury and comfort. (Molloy 124) However, at age 29 Siddhartha left the royal grounds and witnessed the suffering of ordinary life for the first time. What he saw deeply affected him and caused him to question everything in his materialistic life. Siddhartha made the decision to give up his possessions and embark on a search for enlightenment, an event known as the Great Going Forth. (Molloy 125)
Buddhism was originated in India in the fifth century B.C.E by Siddhartha Gautama. In today estimation there are about three
Buddhism prevailed as a religion indigenous to west India and comprises of varieties of traditions, beliefs and practices based on the teachings of Buddha. There are many reasons why Buddhism became so popular and entered into many civilizations. Buddhism began to be popular throughout Asia alongside India. Buddhism has blossomed in the contemporary world, especially in the West. It is an issue to wonder what Buddhism offers that other religions cannot and has become so significant worldwide. Buddhism has become an idea that is widespread and the teachings of Buddha have made a real difference in many civilizations like India, China, Japan, Vietnam, Korea and surprisingly Buddhism has come to make a significant difference in American culture.
Japan and the development of Zen Buddhism went hand in hand towards the beginning of the sixth century. Buddhism was in full bloom in India and the Chinese were adapting it to there Lifestyle when several Japanese clans began picking it up. Zen Buddhism
Upon reading about the historical and religious background of Ancient India, one can clearly assume that the country was strongly influenced by three main religious teachings: Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism. These three sects in religious thinking have many similarities as all recognize the life-cycle and the need of liberation, they worship one central deity that used to be a human who gained enlightenment and they all recognize the existence of the eternal soul and after-death re-incarnation. However, they also share a lot of differences that mark the underlying principles of practicing them. I will identify the scope of differences and similarities in these ancient religions in an attempt to understand why each attracted followers, why each was shaped a certain way and how they preserved the interest of followers on into the modern times as well.
Most people in the world derive their religious beliefs and traditions from their parents and peer influences. From a religious point of view, “There are many definitions for the term ‘religion’ in common usage. [Broadly defined], in order to include the greatest number of belief systems: ‘Religion is any specific system of belief about deity, often involving rituals, a code of ethics, and a philosophy of life’” (Robinson, 1996). However, in examining Hinduism, it is difficult to label the practices as a religion. This paper will expound upon the Hindu traditions, taking into account the characteristics of sacred elements, their meaning, and significance.
Buddhism is slowly becoming one of the most popular religions in the world, and is estimated to have about 300-400 million followers at the beginning of 2014. The numbers of followers have declined in the countries where Buddhism originated, due to the arising of “New Age Religions” in that part of the world.