hindus aum or om 13.33% 900 million indigenous (native) religion india
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Hindus
Aum or Om
13.33%
900 Million
Indigenous (native) religion
India
henotheistic – one deity (Brahman) with many forms.
Vedas & Bhagavad Gita
Reincarnation until reach enlightenment
Humans are in bondage to ignorance and illusion, but are able to escape. Purpose is to gain release from rebirth, or at least a better rebirth.
•Yoga
•Meditation
•worship (puja)
•devotion to a god or goddess
•pilgrimage to holy cities
•live according to one's dharma (purpose/ role).
6.27%
394 million
Indigenous folk religion of China
China
Dualistic - yin and yang; mythological beings and folk deities
None
Purpose is a favorable life and peaceful afterlife, attained through rituals and honoring of ancestors
Judgment, then reincarnation or temporary hell until gain a Buddhist-type paradise
•Ancestor worship & prayer
•longevity practices
•divination, prophecy and astrology, feng shui
Buddhists
8 Spoke Wheel / Wheel of Law
5.87%
360 Million
Mongolia, Southeast Asia, China and Japan
Siddhartha Gautama - Buddha in 520 BCE – NE India
Buddha taught that nothing is permanent.
•Tripitaka (Pali Canon); Mahayana sutras like the Lotus Sutra; others
Nirvana - Enlightenment
Purpose is to avoid suffering and gain enlightenment and release from cycle of rebirth, or at least attain a better rebirth by gaining merit.
•Meditation
•Mantras (statement of belief repeated to aid concentration in meditation)
•devotion to deities (in some sects)
Khanda
.39%
23 million
Sikhs (pronounced Sic-khs (like khakhi))
Guru Nanak, c. 1500 AD, Punjab, India.
Kashmir and Punjab
Henotheistic - Only one God in many forms. God: (Ik Onkar, Nam)
Adi Granth (Sri Guru Granth Sahib) written in Gurumukhi (language created by Guru Nanak)
Reincarnation until resolve karma and merge with God
Overcome the self, align life with will of God, and become a "saint soldier," fighting for good
•Prayer and meditation on God's name
•services at temple (gurdwara)
•turban and five Ks:
(Kesa – long hair, kangah – comb, kacha – short pants, kara – metal bracelet, and Kirpan – ceremonial dagger)
•Balance work, worship, and charity
.12%
5-7 million
Baha’is
Founded by Bahá'u'lláh, 1863, Tehran, Iran .
India, Middle East, and Asia
One God, who has revealed himself progressively through major world religions
Writings of Bahá'u'lláh and other Bahá'í leaders
Soul separates from the body and begins a journey towards or away from God. Heaven and hell are states of being
The soul is eternal and essentially good. Purpose of life is to develop spiritually and draw closer to God
•Daily prayer
•avoidance of intoxicants
•scripture reading
•hard work, education, and work for social justice and equality •God is unknowable, but has sent great prophets:
Adam, Abraham, Moses, Krishna, Zoroaster, Buddha, Jesus Christ, Mohammed, The Bab, and Baha'u'llah (there will be more)
Confucians
.10%
5-6 Million
Water symbol
Kung Fu Tzu / Confucius in 551-479 BCE - China
China and Koreas
none – way of life - not religion
The Analects of Confucius
Not addressed
Purpose in life is to fulfill one’s role in society with propriety, honor, and loyalty
•Honesty, politeness, propriety, and humaness
•Perform correct role in society
•Loyal to family and nation
•Many people practice Confucianism and another belief system.
.07%
4 million
Jains
Mahavira, c. 550 BC, eastern India .
Mostly in India
The universe is eternal; many gods exist. Gods, humans and all living things are classified in a complex hierarchy
teachings of Mahavira in various collections.
Reincarnation until liberation
The soul is uncreated and eternal and can attain perfect divinity by avoiding all bad karma
•Five Great Vows (Non-Violence, Truth, Celibacy, Non-Stealing, Non-Possessiveness)
•worship at temples and at home
•Meditation and mantras
Torii Gate
Shintos
.04%
3-4 million
Indigenous religion of Japan
Japan
Polytheism based on the kami, ancient gods or spirits
Important texts are Kojiki (Records of Ancient Matters) and Nihon-gi (Chronicles of Japan)
Death is bad and impure. Some humans become kami after death.
Humans are pure by nature and can keep away evil through purification rituals and attain good things by calling on the kami.
Worship and offerings to kami at shrines and at home.
Purification rituals.
Taoists (pronounced Daoists)
Yin - yang
.04%
20 Million
Lao-Tzu, c. 550 BC, China.
Taiwan
Pantheism - the Tao pervades all. Yin-yang - opposites make up a unity.
Tao Te Ching, Chuang-Tzu
Revert back to state of non-being, which is simply the other side of being.
Purpose is inner harmony, peace, and longevity.
"go with the flow" of the Tao.
Tai-chi
acupuncture and alchemy to help longevity
Zoroastrians
.04%
20 Million
Zoroaster in c.6th cent. BC, Persia. Official religion of ancient Persia. May have influenced Judaism and Vedic religion
In India called Parsism also in Central Asia
One God, Ahura Mazda, but a dualistic worldview in which an evil spirit, Angra Mainyu, is almost as powerful
Zend Avesta
Judgement followed by heaven or hell. Hell is temporary until final purgation and return to Ahura Mazda
Humans are free to do good or evil, must choose the side of good
Good deeds, charity, equality, hard work
Crescent Moon & Star
21%
1.5 billion
Muslims
Muhammad, 622 AD in Saudi Arabia
Middle East, North Africa, Central & Southeast Asia
One God, the God of Abraham (Allah).
Qur’an (Koran) – scriptures. Hadith - traditions
Paradise or Hell
Humans must submit to the will of God to gain Paradise after death.
•5 Pillars of Islam – Giving of alms, Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj), Fasting during Ramadan, prayer, declaration of faith.
•Mosque is the building.
•Service is on Friday
•Ablutions (ritual washing) before prayer.
•No alcohol or pork
•Holidays related to pilgrimage (Hajj) and fasting of Ramadan.
•Sunnis (90%) Shi’a (10%)
Kabah cornerstone. Given to Abraham by God.
The door to the Kabah
The Kabah at Makkah - believed to have been built by Adam and then Abraham.
Makkah - only people who practice Islam are allowed inside.
Heraa Cave where Gabriel came to Muhammad