Eastern Religion Elements Matrix
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Eastern Religion Elements Matrix
Hinduism
Buddhism
Confucianism
Daoism
Countries of origin
INDIA
INDIA
CHINA
CHINA
Historical figures and events
ORIGINATED IN NEOLOTHIC PERIOD FROM VEDAS(170-1100BC).IT IS AN EVOLVED RELIGION. NO SPECIFIC FOUNDER.ADISHANKARYA, RAMANUJA, CHAITANYA ARE IMPORTANT RELIGIOUS TEACHERS.
GAUTAMA BUDDHA WAS THE FOUNDER IN 563BC.SPREAD BY EMPOROR ASHOKA IN 3RD CENTURY TO SRILANKA, CHINA,LATER DIVIDED INTO TWO SECTS-MAHAYANA AND THERAVADA
FOUNDED BY CONFUCIUS IN 551 BC DURING ZHOU DYNASTY.INFLUENCED CHINESE POLITICAL SOCIAL AND INTELLECTUAL BEHAVOUR.LATER DEVELOPED SPIRITUAL DSCPLINE CALLED CHAN (MEDITATION)
FOUNDED BY ZHUANGZI (CHUANG-TZU) WHO WAS THE DISIPLE OF LAOZI IN 4TH CENTURY AND LIEZI (LIEH-TZU)
IT INFLUENCED THE EMERGENCE OF CHINESE FORM OF BUDDHISM , ZEN
Central beliefs
BELIEVES IN A CONTINUING CYCLE OF BIRTH, LIFE, DEATH AND REBIRTH. CAN ATTAIN LIBERATION FROM THIS CYCLY BY LOVE OF GOD, MEDITATION AND KARMA WHICH IS A PERSON’S ACTION AND SUBSEQUENT REACTION.
FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS, WHICH IS SUFFERING IS DUE TO DESIRE. THIS DESIRE CAN BE ELMINATED BY FOLLOWING EIGHTFOLD PATH OF RIGHT ACTIONS AND VIEWS.
INDIVIDUAL MEDITATIONS. BELIEVES IN RELATIONSHIPS AND DFFERENT DUTIES DUE TO DIFFERENT STATIONS IN LIFE. REVERENCE TO ANCESTORS
BELIEVES IN ONENESS OF THINGS. TWO FORCES, FEMALE YIN AND MALE YANG COMBINE TO FORM ALL THINGS IN UNIVERSE. MEDITATION AND CONTEPLATVE LIFE WILL HELP IN THIS UNION
Nature of God
RECOGNIZE A SINGLE DIETY AND CONSIDER OTHER GODS AND GODDESSES AS FACETS AND FORMS OF THIS SUPREME DIETY. SOME BELIEVE BRAHMA , VISHNU, SHIVA AND SHAKTI AS DIFFERENT FORMS OF A SUPREME GOD.
No absolute God. Universe existed without beginning and without end.Should concentrate on own spiritual path to gain enlightenment.
DOES NOT ASSERT THE EXISTENCE OF A DIETY BUT REGOGNIZES SYNCHRONIZATION WITH TIEN (HEAVEN, ULTIMATE, TAO)
DOES NOT BELIEVE IN A PERSONAL GOD BUT A FORCE WHICH EXISTED EVEN BEFORE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND WHICH EXISTS OVER ALL.
Texts
VEDA( RIGVEDA,SAMA VEDA, YAJUR VEDA,ATHARVA VEDA), UPANISHADS, PURANAS, MAHABHARATA, AND RAMAYANA
Tripitaka which means the three basket, and Sutras of which most important is Lotus Sutra
Tibetan book of the dead
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