Eastern Religion Matrix

Axia College Material

Appendix G

Eastern Religion Elements Matrix

Hinduism

Buddhism

Confucianism

Daoism

Countries of origin

India, south asia

india

china

china

Historical figures and events

neolithic period (5500-2600bce), Epic poems (ramayana & mahabharata) written between 500-100bce, yoga, vedanta in the west, bhakti movement

buddhism divided into sects(mahayana & theravada), buddha, guatama - latest in the long line of buddhas

ch'an ( meditation), influenced chinese political, social and intellectual behaviors.

yang zhu, laozi, zhuangzi, liezi

Central beliefs

karma, samsara, moksha, raja yoga,

the four noble truths ( all life is suffering, suffering stems from desire, there can be an end to desire, and the way is the eightfold path). the eightfold path (right views, right aspirations, right speech, right conducts, right livlihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right meditation).

reverence towards heaven, worship of ancestors, individual meditation, self - discipline.

based on the dao (way, path or natural working of the universe), two opposing forces (female - yin, and male - yang),

Nature of God

henotheistic, recognize a single deity and other gods and goddesses as facets, forms, manifestations or aspects of supreme god. brahman is considered supreme god, vishnu, shiva, and shakti considered manifestations of supreme god.

no absolute god, concentrate on own spiritual paths, taught that all exists in the physical universe has always existed ( no beginning and no end).

does not recognize a deity. recognizes synchronization with tien(a relationsip with others and environment that has harmony).

no personal god but a force that exists over all( something formless)

Texts

vedas (rig veda, sama veda, yajur veda, and atharva veda), upinshadas, the ramayana, and the mahabharata.

tripitaka and sutras

si shu, lun yu, chung yung, ta hsueh, meng tzu, shu ching, shih ching, i ching, ch'un ch'iu and the li ching.

daode jing and the...