...Comparisons and Contrast of Jainism and Daoism Both Jainism and Daoism (Taoism) have ancient roots going back a few thousand years. Statues and yogic seals found in the Indus Valley show that Jainism was practiced by civilizations as far back as around 2500 BCE, while Daoism appears to have originated around 2000 years ago. Although Jainism is older by about 4500 years both have continued to have to be practiced by numerous followers seeking a level of enlightenment. Although having over 6 million followers little has been known about Jainism outside of India. This may be due in part to there being no written scriptures in regards to this religion for a large part of its history. Rather the teachers of Jain would orally spread their knowledge whilst wandering the land. While Jainism was more or less “contained” in India, Daoism teachings are widespread throughout the world. Unlike Jainism, Daoism is a philosophical teaching and not a religion. This may help explain why so many people around the world choose to follow it as an escape from the “industrial rat race.” Yet when compared side to side, it is easier to understand how one would choose to follow Daoism over Jainism. To say that Jainism is strict is an understatement. To follow Jainism successfully one would have to adhere to teachings such as the teachings of Mahivira, the man credited with giving Jainism the form that is practiced today. These teachings include the three jewels: Right belief, Right knowledge,...
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...Philosophy and Religion China’s history has been full of richness of culture, mainly due to how they progressed with philosophy and religion. Since the beginning of the Chinese’s civilization philosophy and religion has been at the forefront of Chinese culture. From the ancient oracle bones and bronze inscriptions to the development of different schools of thought, the Chinese have always been adept for the time period in philosophy and religion. And over the course of their history they have combined the two in a manner that suits their needs, through this evolution and combination of the two they have become a strong nation. Oracle bones were the corner stone of the early Chinese dynasties such as the Shang from around 1200-1050 B.C (Shang pg. 1). In one of the articles it attempts to explain the use of these bones by saying that the kings of the Shang Dynasty would “attempt to communicate with the spiritual forces that ruled their world by reading the stress cracks in cattle bones…” (Shang 1). These kings would apply a heated poker to the bones which would produce cracks that they would analyze based on the direction and deepness of the crack. Recently these bones and the records of the king’s analyzation were uncovered. An estimated 150,000 oracle bones were found, and have references to the god of the Shang, Di (Shang pg. 1). This type of analysis by the kings is an early form of a religion, and the building blocks for later philosophy and schools of thought in China’s...
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...Confucianism and Daoism (Taoism) REL 212: World Religion Instructor: Professor Joel Goldstein Daoism is one of China’s major religions indigenous to the country. The primary belief is in learning and practicing “The Way” (Dao) which is the ultimate truth to the universe. Confucianism and Taoism are both ancient Chinese styles of living. Confucianism believes in setting good examples for others to follow primarily in 5 key relationships: ruler & subject, wife & husband, older & younger sibling, friend & friend, father & son. While Daoism (Or Taoism) was a way of living in which there were not many rules and believes in the dialectical philosophy of inaction. Through nature and harmony you can be happy. This is where yin and yang come from. Daoism is also known as Taoism, Daoism traces its beginnings to Sixth Century BC when Chinese philosopher Laozi wrote the iconic book Dao De Jing on the tenets of the Dao. Laozi’s successor, Zhuangzi, further developed Daoist principles. Daoism is an organized religious tradition that has been continuously developing through China, Korea and Japan for a little over two thousand years. Daoism has now spread around the globe from Sydney to Toronto and includes among its followers people from a whole range of ethnicities and cultural backgrounds. Day by day, Daoism is truly becoming a world religion. In the 4th...
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...and customs of east Asia are laid by following the roots of their religions. Daoism and Confucianism are two of the most popular religions in China. Daoism or also known as Taoism , is traced to the collection of poems called the Dao dejing ( The classical of the Way and Its Power). For Daoism , daoist truths must be experienced by oneself. The Dao is a manifest in the yin and yang forces. The Yang is described as as force representing the active, hard, warm dry, bright, positive masculine, and the yin has the exact opposite of the previous descriptions. These two are complementary forces which must be in balance in order to de ideal. In Daoism , everything in nature consist of these two energies. In Daoism the main problem with society is that one does not know who they truly are and we keep resisting ourselves from our actual self. In order to be in harmony, ones goal is to have a natural and simple life. This can be done by practicing the Wu wie which means inaction or nonpurposeness, meaning no ambitions, no desires, no needs. If a person is able to achieve such , they would be able to live the natural and simple life and be in harmony with the Dao. Now, the other religion also commonly used or lived by in china is Confucianism. This religion was from the time of Confucius, he was the founder. This religion was preoccupied with the way of social harmony, instead of the cosmic harmony as it was seen in Daoism. In Confucianism, humans are improvable by personal and communal...
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...there were also some similarities based upon their religions such as governing rules. At one point, Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism all played a role in the Chinese government during the Han and Yuan Dynasties. One difference was in the religion itself. While the Han Dynasty believed in Confucianism, the Yuan Dynasty believed in both Buddhism and Daoism. The Confucian principles taught that the material world is truly real. It also taught that it was the “heart” of the state government. Confucians believed that fulfillment comes from participating in the world....
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...University of Phoenix Material Daoism Worksheet Complete the following questions in detail. Answer each question with a 1- or 2-paragraph response that includes a reference citation. Make use of Experiencing the World’s Religions and other sources in your research as you complete the questions. 1. Describe the principles of yang and yin. As stated by the Shen-nong website, “Ancient people were greatly interested in there relationships and patterns that occurred in nature. Instead of studying isolated things, they viewed the world as a harmonious and holistic entity” ("Yin yang," 2005, p. 1).Yin and yang are best described as complementary ways for explaining relationships between objects.Yin is referred to as dark, cold, lower, rest, inward, and female.Yang is referred to as bright, hot, upper, movement, outward, and male. One can not exsist without the other. This is not the same principle as good and eveil. The two forces of Yin and Yang work together to make up the univserse and exsist in everything in the universe. These two complementary forces helped the ancient people explain and understand nature, energy, and the human body. 2. The main scripture in Daoism is the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching). What is the history and importance of this text for the tradition? The Daodejing is a book made up of five thousand Chinese characters and is seen as one of the world’s greatest books. It is the main scripture for Daoists and the title is translated as...
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...Comparison of two religions | Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism | Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism constitute the essence of the traditional Chinese culture. The relationship among the three has been marked by both contention and complementation in history, with Confucianism playing a more dominant role. | | Buddhism religion and philosophy was founded in India c.525 B.C. by Siddhartha Gautama, called the Buddha. There are over 300 million Buddhists worldwide. One of the great world religions, it is divided into two main schools: the Theravada or Hinayana in Sri Lanka and SE Asia, and the Mahayana in China, Mongolia, Korea, and Japan. A third school, the Vajrayana, has a long tradition in Tibet and Japan. Buddhism has largely disappeared from its country of origin, India, except for the presence there of many refugees from the Tibet region of China and a small number of converts from the lower castes of Hinduism. Daoism and Confucianism grew largely in China and later spread to Korea and Japan. Daoism was founded by Lao Tzu. It is more than 1800 years history originating in the c.550 B.C time period. Confucianism has a worldwide influence and obtained it’s stable position under the reign of Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty (202BC- 220AD). Some of Buddhism’s foundational paths are within The Four Noble Truths which is what the Buddha set forth during his first sermon at sarnath. This foundation leading to all his later teachings are, 1. Life inevitably involves suffering...
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...Daodejing Characterization of Early Daoist Teachers Since every chapter of the Daodejing describes Daoism in different aspects it is believed that several authors contributed to the completion of it. The Daodejing is very poetic and mysterious. The early teachers of the Daodejing seemed to pass things down that was difficult for ordinary minds to comprehend as a way to get people to analyze and understand the world around them. Meanings encrypted in different ways and metaphors constantly used seem to be a common characteristic between the early teachers. Although they were oddly written, all of the passages seemed to give a basic insight on the early teachers’ perspective of things. The Daodejing characterizes common human weakness and meant to effect the way people think or react. Early teachers believed that the truth about the “human mind” can only be sought from within. Outside influences and worldly thing will not guide you to understand yourself. Based on the Daodejing, the early teachers also believed that the understanding of self is given as a gift from nature not acquired knowledge that you just so happen to stumble upon. The text of the Daodejing offers a practical way of life and dismisses any ideas of human immortality. These passages were intended to restore peace and harmony to a world that the early teachers believed was in disarray. The text stresses the importance of learning to resolve things naturally and to restrain from unnatural reactions. The Daodejing...
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...Material Daoism Worksheet Complete the following questions in detail. Answer each question with a 1- or 2-paragraph response that includes a reference citation. Make use of Experiencing the World’s Religions and other sources in your research as you complete the questions. 1. Describe the principles of yang and yin. The nature of change, balanced as two halves of a whole.The word Yin comes out to mean “shady side” and Yang “sunny side”. “Chinese commonly thought that the universe expressed itself in opposite but complementary principles: light and dark, day and night, and hot and cold.” (Experiencing the World’s Religions) 2. The main scripture in Daoism is the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching). What is the history and importance of this text for the tradition? The Daodejing is considered one of the Worlds greatest books. It is considered the central scripture of Daoism. Its translated to mean Classic of the Way of Power. It describes the manner in which people will live if they are in harmony with the Dao; and it gives suggestions for experiencing the Dao. (Experiencing the World’s Religions) 3. How are Daoist ideals expressed through art? Offer several examples. Perspective is important in art. Paintings of cats, rabbits, birds, and deer which are the humbler elements of nature. Paintings of a bird or a stalk of bamboo seen close-up help the viewer see the mysterious energy at work in these nonhuman forms of life. 4. What challenges does Daoism face...
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...WORLD RELIGIONS – REL 212 World Religions HINDUISM & JAINISM WEEK 2 Cosmogony Origin of the Universe Hinduism and Jainism cosmogony origin of the universe is that there isn’t no specific origin or founder. Nature of God/Creator The Gods are in male and female form and represent many different things. View of Human Nature Hinduism and Jainism: Karma is what comes around goes around. View of Good & Evil Hinduism and Jainism: Good actions have a good effect and bad actions have a bad effect. “Karma”. View of Salvation Hinduism and Jainism salvation is called Moksha. It’s when an enlightened human being is freed from the cycle of lifeanddeath and comes into a state of completeness. And the Jainism salvation is achieved through three cycles right belief, right knowledge, and right conduct. Hinduism and Jainism: Samsara reincarnation is taught that the soul leaves the dead body and enters a new body. They believe in the rebirth and reincarnation of the souls. Jainism following liberation one’s jiva ascends to the apex of the universe to join the other siddhas. One can ascend to a heavenly realm due too good karmas accrued but must return to a human incarnation in order to achieve final liberation. Hinduism and Jainism: Practices (both): Praising the Cow called “The Cow is our Mother, for she gives us her milk.” Worship with fire, yoga, sacred chants, verbal formulas, and sacred actions. Worship deity images, pictures and sculptures...
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...University of Phoenix Material Daoism Worksheet Complete the following questions in detail. Answer each question with a 1- or 2-paragraph response that includes a reference citation. Make use of Experiencing the World’s Religions and other sources in your research as you complete the questions. 1. Describe the principles of yang and yin. Yin and Yang are represented by intertwined objects that look like commas. One is dark and one is white. The meaning is to show the balance between good and evil or any set of opposites. It shows that the opposite of one thing can turn onto the opposite of the other. The concept is that the universe expresses itself in opposite ways but in complementary ways like light and dark, birth and death, young and old, old and new, and the list goes on and on. The dot of the opposite color in each side is the seed that represents the division that will turn into the other (Molloy, 2012, Chapter 6). 2. The main scripture in Daoism is the Daodejing (Tao Te Ching). What is the history and importance of this text for the tradition? The Daodejing is highly regarded as one of the world’s premier religious texts. The title can be translated as the classical book about the Way and it’s power. There are multiple versions but the one most widely used dates back to the third century. The chapters do not have a clear pattern, rather they are read more as poetry. It may have perhaps originated as a collection of proverbs and oral sayings that were...
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...The Christian church that has been an influential spiritual vigor in Western civilization’s history and alongside with Protestantism and Eastern Orthodoxy, one of the three main aspects of Christianity, the Roman Catholic Church follows its past to Jesus Christ and his Apostles. In excess of centuries, Catholicism has built up an extremely refined theology and an intricate clerical composition regulated by the papacy, which is the oldest enduring definitive dominion in the world. In retrospect, the explanation of Roman Catholicism is directly linked as a relation of Christianity. In its individual analysis of history, Roman Catholicism was created in the actual rise of Christianity (Fairchild, 2011). An indispensable element of the characterization of any of the other domains of the Christian countries and groups in addition to its association to Roman Catholicism, how did Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy happen to divide? Was the split among Rome and the Church of England predestined? On the contrary, these questions could be vital to the explanation of Roman Catholicism itself. Such a description that remains rigorously to the authoritative Roman Catholic examination a general consensus in which the Roman Catholic Church has preserved a steady continuity from the time of the Apostles, all the while other religious groups, from the earliest Coptic to the modern church are a divergence from it. Now, the belief of faith that is shared by Christian churches is embedded...
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...Daoism is a philosophical, ethical or religious tradition of Chinese origin that emphasizes living in harmony with the Dao. Daoism teaches that human nature and should understand change as part of everything, it’s practiced as a religion in various Asian communities, it’s theology is not theist, and has more affinities with pantheistic traditions given its philosophical emphasis on the formlessness of the Dao. Daoism drew its cosmological notions from the tenets of the School of Yin Yang (Yin is means female and dark; and yang means male and bright), and is heavily influenced and informed by the acknowledged oldest text of ancient Chinese classics. Confucianism is a system of philosophical and "ethical-sociopolitical teachings" sometimes described as a religion. Social harmony results in part from every individual knowing his or her place in the natural order, and playing his or her part well. Confucius developed a practical philosophy for life and government-which focused on proper conduct, respect for elders, education, and government service- that he felt would create a peaceful, stable society. Confucius based his ideas on ancient Chinese traditions of respect and hard work. The code of behavior he taught revolved around five relationships:1) ruler and ruler, 2) parent and child, 3) husband and wife, 4) sibling and sibling, 5) friend and friend. Confucius believed these relationships would be harmonious if the people involved were loyal, courteous, honest, faithful, and...
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...China and India China and India are two great civilizations that have been heavily influenced by religion and it has played a major role in their lives. The main religions from both of the civilizations are Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, and Hinduism. Although China and India were governed by their beliefs and it determined how they were supposed to live their lives, the civilizations have different lifestyles and believe in different aspects of life. (Siwei, 2010) (Buddhism & Hinduism Compared, n.d) Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism have been a major part of life for the Chinese. In c. 500 B.C.E, Confucianism, a system of teachings by Confucius, was founded. Although many people consider it to be a religion, Confucianism is thought of more as a series of teachings. The way the Chinese go about life or think is often based on the teachings of Confucius. Two thousand years ago, Buddhism came into existence and was implememnted into the Chinese culture. Buddhism is solely based on the teachings of the Four Noble Truths and the belief that suffering is the path to overcome. Siddhartha Gautama is the founder of Buddhism. Written by Laozi, Daoism is a spiritual philosophy that focuses on living in harmony and peace....
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...non-violence in all parts of life, speaking truth, sexual monogamy, and the detachment from material things. As part of the disciplined and non-violent lifestyle, Jains typically are strict vegetarians and often adhere to a quite arduous practice of non-violence, which restricts the sorts of occupations the may follow (no farming, for instance, since insects are inadvertently harmed in plowing). Read more: http://www.patheos.com/Library/Jainism.html#ixzz32xMJg98y In Buddhism there is not, as in most other religions, an Almighty God to be obeyed and feared. The Buddha does not believe in a cosmic ruler, omniscient and omnipresent. In Buddhism there are no divine revelations or divine messengers. A Buddhist is, therefore, not obediant to any higher supernatural power which controls his destinies and which arbitrarily rewards and punishes. Since Buddhists do not believe in revelations of a divine being Buddhism does not claim the monopoly of truth and does not condemn any other religion. In Buddhism, there is no savior. There’s no one who’s going to do it for us, no place we can hide out for safety. We have to face reality squarely, and we have to do it alone. Even when Buddhists take refuge in the Buddha, what they’re really taking refuge in is the truth that there’s no...
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