Hinduism

Founder: There is no single founder of Hinduism as Hinduism was not

founded as a religion. It was a culture basically flourished in India, which
later took the form of a great religion.
Sacred Texts: Vedas, (There are four Vedas, the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur
Veda and Atharva Veda. The Vedas are the primary texts of Hinduism.)
Upanishads, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, Epics
Doctrines: Harmony of Religions- Hindu sages declare that there is no one
religion that teaches an exclusive road to salvation. All genuine spiritual
paths are valid and all great religions are like the branches of a tree -- the
tree of religion.
Ishwara (God)- There is but one Supreme Being, Who is absolute existence,
absolute knowledge and absolute bliss (satchid-ananda).
Religious Discipline- Hindus believe that wisdom is not an exclusive
possession of any particular race or religion.
Dharma- Dharma is the law that maintains the cosmic order as well as the
individual and social order. Dharma is of four kinds: universal dharma (rita),
human dharma (ashram dharma), social dharma (varana dharma) and
individual dharma (svadharma).
Unity of Existence- Hindu sages have declared that the cosmic energy is a
manifestation of the Universal Spirit (Brahman).
Law of Karma- The word karma literally means 'deed or action,' but implies
the entire cycle of cause and its effects.
Predestination- According to the doctrine of predestination, everything
happens only according to God's will.
The Four Ends of Human Life- The four ends of human life are dharma, artha,
kama, and moksha. Dharma is the first human goal and forms the foundation
for the pursuit of the other three goals.
Death and Lokas- According to Hindu dharma, when a person dies, his gross
physical body (physical body) is left behind and the soul with the subtle body
(consisting of the mind, intellect, sense organs, motor organs and vital
energies) goes to a different plane of existence.

Reincarnation- The Hindu dharma says that the unfulfilled desires of

departed people are primarily responsible for their rebirth.
Atman(soul)- Each human being, regardless of religion, geographic region,
colour or creed is in reality atman clothed in a physical body.
Moksha or Mukti- The ultimate goal of Hindu religious life is to attain spiritual
freedom called nirvana, kaivalya,mukti or moksha i.e. freedom from the cycle
of birth and death in the phenomenal world or union with God.
Avatara (Incarnation)- Hindus believe that God incarnates Himself on earth
(avatara) to uphold righteousness whenever there is a loss of virtue.
OM- OM is the most sacred symbol in the Hindu dharma.
God: Hindu deities are the gods and goddesses in Hinduism. The terms and
epithets for deity within the diverse traditions of Hinduism vary, and include
Deva, Devi, Ishvara, Bhagavan and Bhagavathi.
Issues: Poverty===The affluent world often perceives a simple, rural life as
abject poverty, and a sign of social retardation. Hindus traditionally
considered it virtuous to voluntarily accept an uncomplicated life for spiritual
purposes. With different views on wealth, poverty and success, the West is
prone to hastily dismiss India's socio-religious practices as backward and
irrelevant. Nonetheless, poverty remains a real problem in many areas.
The role of women
Hindu texts stress the importance of stable family ties and valuing and
protecting women. Nonetheless, there has been and there still is wide
abuse. Despite this, the tradition largely rejects the post-modern notion that
social justice is achieved simply through promoting material equality.
Child marriage
Texts recommend marriage at an early age, particularly for girls in order to
protect their chastity. Sexual transgression is considered particularly
detrimental to spiritual life. Many so-called child marriages were actually a
form of betrothal and marriage was not consummated until the wife was of
age.
Year Founded: According to researchers, the Hindu religion has been in
practice since as early as 3000 B.C.

Location: The religion's traditions began with the Indus valley civilization, in
the region of present-day northwest India.

Theravada Buddhism
Founder:
Sacred Texts: Pali Tipitaka, Jataka
Doctrines: Theravada doctrine is founded on the distinction between
samsara (the cyclic realm of suffering) and nirvana (or nibbana, release). The
ultimate goal of the Theravada is to escape samsara and enter nirvana. This
is accomplished by achieving the status of an arhat, a perfect saint who has
been released from the cycle of samsara and will never be reborn again. The
Theravada is typically understood to be a rigorous monastic tradition;
however, laypeople actively participate in the religion by providing material
support to the monks (which produces positive karma, or merit), meditating,
and following the basic ethical principles of the Buddha's teachings.
God: The concept of a supreme Creator God is rejected or at least
considered irrelevant to Theravada Buddhism. Buddha, "the Awakened One,"
is revered above all--not as "God" but as supreme sage, model of a fully
enlightened person. Siddhartha Gautama, known to history as Gautama
Buddha
Issues: ddhist radicalism is on the rise in countries like Myanmar and Sri
Lanka. Since 2012, both countries have witnessed severe violence against
their Muslim minorities. Attacks take place in an atmosphere of strong antiMuslim rhetoric put forward by certain monk-led nationalist groups, and the
(largely unknown) orchestrators and perpetrators of these attacks operate
with impunity.
What we are witnessing now is a new form of Buddhist revivalism similar to
those seen in both countries during their colonial and early independence
periods. But in the sense that Buddhist radical groups in Myanmar and Sri
Lanka see their own challenges not only from a local point of view, but also
understand it within regionaleven globalframeworks, this new Buddhist
radicalism is transnational.
Sharing with its prior manifestations a concern for state protection of
Buddhism, this political Buddhism resists what it understands to be the

Islamic threat, particularly the global spread, noticeably into Asia, of

conservative expressions of Islam and forms of Muslim violent extremism. In
the current situation, we have seen stronger attachments to Buddhist
identity vis--vis other religions, as well as a new regional concern about
religious minorities and majorities in Asia.
Contemporary Issues
Abortion is considered murder, and all violent acts cause horrific karmic
consequence. Homosexuality in itself is not specifically condemned by
scripture, but opinions vary, especially among various Buddhist cultures-e.g., Buddhists in the United States are generally very accepting, while some
Asian Buddhists are generally strongly opposed to homosexuality. It is
believed that divorce wouldn't occur if one follows Buddhist precepts, but a
couple is not condemned if they separate due to vast personal differences. In
Theravada countries, gender roles are generally traditional (e.g. woman as
child caretakers and men as providers), but less rigid as contemporary
demands are made on women (e.g. working women).
Year Founded: 100 BCE
Location: India / Sri Lanka
==
Mahayana Buddhism
Founder:
Sacred Texts: Pali, Mahayana Canon
Doctrines: Belief in Deity
Mahayana Buddhism (like Theravada Buddhism) posits no Creator or ruler
God. However, deity belief is present in the Mahayana doctrine of The Three
Bodies (forms) of Buddha:
(1) Body of Essence--the indescribable, impersonal Absolute Reality, or
Ultimate Truth that is Nirvana (Infinite Bliss)
(2) Body of Bliss or Enjoyment--Buddha as divine, deity, formless, celestial
spirit with saving power of grace, omnipotence, omniscience
(3) Body of Transformation or Emanation--an illusion or emanation in human
form provided by the divine Buddha to guide humans to Enlightenment.

Any person can potentially achieve Buddhahood, transcending personality

and becoming one with the impersonal Ultimate Reality, which is Infinite Bliss
(Nirvana). There are countless Buddhas presiding over countless universes.
Bodhisattvas--humans and celestial spirits who sacrifice their imminent
liberation (Buddhahood) to help all others to become liberated--are revered
or worshipped as gods or saints by some.
God: Mahayana Buddhism (like Theravada Buddhism) posits no Creator or
ruler God. Buddha is not an incarnation of a god/God (as claimed by some
Hindu followers). The relationship between a Buddha and his disciples and
followers is that of a teacher and student.
Issues: The concept of Buddhahood
To start with, there is a close correlation between human dignity, as taught
within the framework of Mahayana Buddhism, and the concept of
Buddhahood. Buddhism is the doctrine of Buddha, but also the doctrine for
becoming a Buddha. Christianity teaches that all humans are equal before
God, but it seems as if the gap between the absolute, transcendent God can
not be bridged. In contrast to this, the Nirvana Sutra of Mahayana Buddhism
teaches that Buddhahood is immanent within all beings. This ensures that all
humans have the potential to become Buddha.
Buddhism further offers concrete methods for the fulfillment of this potential.
Shakyamuni Buddha taught that "everyone can achieve enlightenment by
his own efforts". So Buddhahood can be fulfilled by one's own will, as, for
instance, in the form of Bodhisattva vows and practices. Thus the practices
are of an independent and self-determined nature, so here is yet another
egalitarian element.
Year Founded: 100 CE
Location: India
===
Confucianism

Founder: Kong Qiu (K'ung Ch'iu), who was born around 552 B.C.E. in the
small state of Lu and died in 479 B.C.E.

Sacred Texts: Analects (Lunyu), the Five Classics (Wujing), the Four Books
(Sishu)
Doctrines: Theory and theology
Further information: Confucian theology
Confucianism revolves around the pursuit of the unity of the self and Tin
(Heaven, or the traditional high god of the Zhou), and the relationship of
humankind to the Heaven.[19][20] The principle of Heaven (Tin l or
Do ), is the order of the creation and divine authority, monistic in its
structure.Individuals can realise their humanity and become one with Heaven
through the contemplation of this order. This transformation of the self can
be extended to the family and society to create a harmonious fiduciary
community.[20]
The moral-spiritual ideal of Confucianism conciles both the inner and outer
polarities of self-cultivation and world redemption, synthesised in the ideal of
"sageliness within and kingliness without".[20] Rn, translated as
"humaneness" or the essence proper of a human being, is the character of
compassionate mind; it is the virtue endowed by Heaven and at the same
time the means by which man can achieve oneness with Heaven or return to
Heaven, or comprehend his divine nature. In the Dtng sh (/
) it is defined as "to form one body with all things" and "when the self
and others are not separated ... compassion is aroused".[11]

God: There is no god in Confucianism, but rather a force called the Tao, also
known as the Great Ultimate.
Issues: The Issue of Gender Equality in Confucian Culture
The issue of gender equality has long been raised in South Korea, and this
problem turns out to be especially prominent in the current job market.
Despite the number of female graduates employed bypassing male
graduates, according to the survey recently published by the Ministry of
Education in South Korea, women still linger behind men in the employment
rate 65.2% for women as opposed to 69% for men. By the end of 2015,
there are 494, 214 male employees in the top 10 largest chaebols, family
business conglomerates such as Samsung, Hyundai, LG etc., while female
staff are only 130, 930. Employers are reluctant to take on women as they
are often deemed incompetent and inefficient compared to men. In marriage,

wives assume more responsibility of looking after children than their

husbands, which means that they have less time to spend on workloads than
men.
Year Founded: c. 500 B.C.E.
Location: China
===
Taoism
Founder: Lao-Tzu
Sacred Texts: Zhuangzi, Daode Jing, Yi Jing
Doctrines: Lao Zi was the creator of this religion. According to the Shi Ji, or
Records of the Historian, by Sima Qian , Lao Zi was named Li Er, with Dan as
his alias. He was a reputed thinker around 6th century B.C. There are many
legends about Lao Zi but few historical records. He left a 5, 000-word book
and went on his ox from Hangu Pass and to where nobody knows! Lao Zi's
5,000 words are rather concise compared to his profound ideological system
but there were numerous books interpreting the true meaning of his book.
A Taoist in Yuquan Temple, TianshuiTao, originally, meant 'road' and then
implied 'to rule' and 'principle'. Lao Zi used Tao to propound his ideological
system; therefore his school of thinking is called Taoism. At the time Lao Zi
created this religion, it was simply a school of philosophy. During the Eastern
Han Dynasty, it became a religion.
Tao is the origin of the eternal world. It is boundless in time and space.
Ordinary people can become gods when they have Tao. This religion pursues
immortality and preservation of health; its uttermost goal is to become an
immortal being. This can be obtained through cultivating one's moral
character and perfecting one's moral integrity.
God: Hongjun Laozu, Three Pure Ones,Guan Shengdi, Eight Immortals,
Yellow Emperor, Li Hong, Xiwangmu, Jade Emperor
Issues: Abortion
Humanity is a matter of having human conceptural self-awareness and
personality, not a matter of having human DNA or a humanoid bodily form. A
brain-dead person is not human, and neither is a embryo.

Many who might admit this are confused by the (true) notion that a embryo
is a "potential human being". They forget that "potential" is the opposite of
"real". A pile of bricks, mortar and lumber might be a "potential house", but it
is not a real house until after it is built, and that might never happen if no
one decides to undertake the labour. Similarly an embryo might be a
"potential human being", but will become a real human being only if a
woman has decided to give it womb space and undergo the rigours of
pregnancy and childbirth. If she chooses not to do so, it will never become a
human being, and she is thus not violating the right to live of any human
being, present or future, if she choses not to give an embryo the resources to
bring it to a human state.
Not to recognise this right of a woman is an act of cruelty; human beings
have the primary right to determine both what is to be done or not done to
their bodies, and to determine if they wish to reproduce or not (at least
within limits determined by the population crisis).
Euthanasia
Voluntary euthanasia is simply to determine that one wishes to die and to
bring that about or have that brought about. In Taoism we are not the
property of a god, but autonomous beings who live because we want to, not
from any duty. Therefore, voluntary euthanasia or suicide is a natural right.
Forcing a person to live against his will is the ultimate perversity and cruelty.
Involuntary euthanasia is essentially murder if undertaken on a human
being. In the case of the brain dead or confirmed "human vegetables" which
are not capable of human conceptual self-awareness or personality and
never will be, it is not a matter of human beings, of course. In borderline
cases it might be better to assume human status.
Year Founded: c. 550 B.C.E.
Location: China
===
Shintoism
Founder:
Sacred Texts: The Kojiki, The Nihongi

Doctrines: Most Japanese citizens follow two religions: both Shinto and
Buddhism. Buddhism first arrived in Japan from Korea and China during the
8th century AD. The two religions share a basic optimism about human
nature, and for the world. Within Shinto, the Buddha was viewed as another
Kami (nature deity). Meanwhile, Buddhism in Japan regarded the Kami as
being manifestations of various Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.
Shinto does not have as fully developed a theology as do most other
religions. Their religious texts discuss the High Plain of Heaven and the Dark
Land which is an unclean land of the dead, but give few details. Shinto
creation stories tell of the history and lives of the Kami. Among them was a
divine couple, Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto, who gave birth to
the Japanese islands. Their children became the deities of the various
Japanese clans. Amaterasu (Sun Goddess) was one of their daughters. She is
the ancestress of the Imperial Family. Her descendants unified the country.
Her brother, Susano came down from heaven and roamed throughout the
earth. He is famous for killing a great evil serpent. The Sun Goddess is
regarded as the chief deity. There are numerous other deities who are
conceptualized in many forms.
God: "Shinto gods" are called kami. They are sacred spirits which take the
form of things and concepts important to life, such as wind, rain, mountains,
trees, rivers and fertility.
Issues: While Japanese society in some respects appears to be very
coherent, its history has frequently been one of internal tension and strife.
Factionalism is strong even today, and takes both political and religious
forms. When the indigenous Shinto religion was harnessed for political and
ideological purposes in the 19th century, during a time of rapid national
development, life was made very difficult for other religions such as
Buddhism. The post-war Constitution of 1946 provided for the equality of all
religions under the law and the separation of religion, in particular Shinto,
from the state. Since then, however, there have been a series of politically
controversial questions, one of the most important being that of the legal
status of Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto institution, at which the war dead are
commemorated. Various Buddhist and Christian groups have strongly
opposed a movement to reconvert this shrine into a national institution.
Since Yasukuni Shrine is at the centre of such sharp controversy, on which
Chinese and Korean leaders have also recently commented, it will be
introduced in some detail. At the same time Shinto in general, while
ethnically oriented, has other important aspects, and some of its

contemporary leaders seek international dialogue on subjects such as bioethics and environmental issues.
Year Founded: 500 BCE
Location: Japan