500 B.C.E.- Religions emerge as an alternative to polytheism, placation, and ritual sacrifice Quest for: Order in the universe Compassion, morality Defined individual cultures Transcendence Why did they all emerge same time? Iron Age 1000 B.C.E. - higher productivity yet deadlier weapons Cities, merchant class, growth, war, Literate began to question societal intentions hence new worldview/religion New contact with cities China Searches For Order State building begins 2000 B.C.E. 1122 B.C.E. Zhou dynasty promotes Mandate of Heaven Chaos B.C.E. age of warring states Quest for harmonic order Legalism- Qin dynasty uses it to reunite China Clearly written laws, enforcement and punishments promotes order Pessimistic, state determines peoples fate Han Fei-If rewards are high then what the ruler wants will be effected; if punishments are heavy, what he does not want will be swiftly prevented. Artisans, merchants and scholars unnecessary Soldiers, farmers valued Confucianism ( B.C.E.) aristocrat looking for govt position to bring order li manages one's relationship with one's family, ren is one's interactions with all people Students collected his thoughts Analects "Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourself"; "a man with ren, desiring to establish himself, helps others establish themselves; desiring to succeed himself, helps others to succeed" Respect, humans may improve with education Ed. Improves political climate Society is hierarchical,respect between all levels leads to harmony The relation between superiors and inferiors is like grass in the wind. The grass must bend when the wind blows across it. Promoted a liberal arts education and rituals and ceremonies Promoted decorum or behavior Family was a model of political life Obedience of father on down Womens role humble herself. devotion to sew and weaveno gossip or silly laughterserve guests- Lessons for Women Ban Zhoa ( C.E.) Superior men were educated and moral not just aristocrats Confucian exams for all potential government officials. Boys were sponsored by the village Created expectations for govt.- low taxes, justice and provide for material needs Did not deny a spirit world and supported rituals at home especially for poorly educated Afterlife? Let us understand this one first Daoism Laozi 6 th Century B.C.E. author of Daodejing (The Way and its power) Withdrawal into nature Opposite of Confucianism Useless- education and ambition Confucian wanders around society Laozi wanders beyond. Give up learning and put an end to your troubles. Gave rise to peasant uprising, Yellow Turban Rebellion searching for no govt. India Hinduism had no historical founder Combination of Harappan and Aryan beliefs No historical founder Also brought the Caste system Hinduism a term invented by outsiders Vedas earliest sacred texts, poems, prayers, dances, rituals and music not written until 600 B.C.E. by Brahmins (priests) in Sanskrit Brahmins performed rituals and grew wealthy Dissatisfied people-rise of Upanishads ( B.C.E.- Philosophical works. Leads to contemplation Leads to Brahman- a world soul., spirit that runs through all. Brahmin priests wandering ascetics spread the word Many deities one Brahma- many paths to reach an enlightened state Buddhism- Developed side by side with philosophical Hinduism Siddhartha Gautama ( B.C.E.) -spiritual journey led to enlightenment (insight) at age 35 his followers saw him as the Buddha, the Enlightened One Wants to eliminate suffered Journeyed with ascetics Reached a middle path through meditation (40 days/ nights) Central Buddhist teaching: life is suffering Sorrows cause is craving for individual fulfillment, attachment to self cure it with modest and moral life, meditation Goal is achievement of enlightenment or nirvana (extinguishing of individual identity) Serenity, immense compassion for all beings The Four Noble Truths are: 1. The truth of dukkha (suffering, anxiety) change such as age, illness 2. The truth of the origin of suffering is desire 3. The truth of the cessation of suffering Impermanence, unattached 4. The truth of the path leading to the cessation The fourth noble truth is the path to the cessation of dukkha. This path is called the Noble Eightfold Path Essence of Buddhist practice: Right Understanding Right Thought Right Speech Right Action Right Livelihood Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration. Large elements of Hinduism are present in Buddhist teaching Life as an illusion Karma (spiritual path) and rebirth Overcoming demands of the ego Practice of meditation Hope for release from the cycle of rebirth (samsara) ENLIGHTENMENT Much of Buddhism challenged Hinduism rejection of Brahmins religious authority No abstract speculation gods/ creation Responsibility for own spiritual development Strong influence of Indian patriarchy (monks) Women became Buddhist nuns Position was inferior, but offered more independence than Hindu Caste system Teaching was in local language, not classical Sanskrit Linked to local traditions with establishment of monasteries and stupas (shrines with relics of the Buddha) State support from Ashoka (268232 B.C.E.) Early Common Era, development of Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Bodhisattvas provide help on journey to enlightenment Buddha developed divine qualities; earlier and future Buddhas offer help spiritual path Buddhism became a popular religion of salvation Hinduism as a Religion of Duty and Devotion Buddhism reincorporated into Hinduism in India Mahayana Buddhism in particular spread elsewhere in Asia First millennium-development of a more popular Hinduism Epic poems, the Mahabharata and the Ramayan Action in the world and provide a path to liberation Bhakti (worship) began in south India Intense devotion to a particular deity to reach Brahma Proliferation of gods and goddesses Shiva and Vishnu were the most popular Monotheism: God in the Middle East Single supreme Deity developed in Zoroastrianism and Judaism Foundation for both Christianity and Islam. B. Zoroastrianism Persian prophet Zarathustra (6-7 th cen BCE) Some state support Achaemenid dynasty (558330 BCE.) Single god Ahura Mazda is source of truth, light, goodness Cosmic struggle Angra Mainyu (force of evil) Ahura Mazda will eventually win, aided by a final savior Judgment day: world to purity and peace Followers of Ahura Mazda will have eternal life in Paradise Followers of the Lie will have everlasting punishment Individual to choose good or evil Freewill Jews in the Persian Empire were influenced by Zoroastrian ideas God vs. Satan Last judgment and bodily resurrection Defeat of evil, with help of a savior (Messiah) Remaking of the world at the end of time . Judaism Hebrews, recorded in the Old Testament Migrated to Palestine, led by Abraham Enslavement in Egypt and escape State of Israel ca BCE Divided into Israel (north) and Judah (south) Assyrian conquest of Israel in 722 BCE Babylonian conquest of Judah in 586 BCE Lost Ten Tribes Judean exiles in Babylon retained cultural identity, returned to homeland Distinctive God Yahweh demanded exclusive loyalty Relationship with Yahweh as a covenant (contract) Chosen people return for sole devotion War god to god of social justice and compassion Foundation for both Christianity and Islam Greece: Rational Order Classical Greece did not create an enduring religious tradition. System of polytheism, fertility cults, Greek intellectuals abandoned mythology World - physical reality governed by natural laws Humans can understand those laws Human reason can work out a system for ethical life The Greek Way of Knowing 600300 BCE Key element: questions were asked Socrates (469399 BCE) of Athens Conflict with authorities over Athenian democracy Accused of corrupting the youth, executed Greek Thinkers Thaleswater as basic element of universe first scientific reason Democritusworld made up of atoms Pythagorasmathematical order beneath all Application to medicine Hippocratestheory of humors that are balanced in a healthy body Greek rationalism Herodotus: why did Greeks and Persians fight each other? Plato (429348 BCE) outlined design for a good society (Republic) led by a philosopher-king Aristotle (384322 BCE) Student of Plato, teacher of Alexander the Great Comparing Jesus and the Buddha Gautama was royal, Jesus was from a lower-class family Both were mystics: claimed personal experience of another level of reality Both were wisdom teachers Challenged conventional values Urged renunciation of wealth Stressed love or compassion as the basis of morality Called for personal transformation of their followers Important differences Jesus had Jewish tradition of single personal deity Gautama largely ignored the supernatural Jesus teaching was more social and political than Gautamas Jesus was active for about three years; Gautama for over forty Jesus was executed as a criminal; Gautama died of old age C. Creating Institutions 1. Christianity male hierarchical organization to replace early house churches Women were excluded from priesthood Concern for uniform doctrine and practice Emergence of bishop of Rome (pope) as dominant leader in Western Europe Eventual split between Catholic and Orthodox branches of Christendom d. doctrinal controversies i. nature of Jesus ii. nature of the Trinity iii. series of church councils to define correct views 2. Buddhism clashed over interpretation of the Buddhas teachings a. series of councils did not prevent divisions b. less sense of right and wrong than with Christian conflicts 3. Buddhism did not develop an overall church hierarchy a. did develop carefully regulated monastic communities