Page |1

BUDDHISM

Buddhism is one of the main religions in the world. Buddhism in India began with
Siddhartha Gautama between 563 and 483 BCE, and throughout the following millennia,
it spread throughout Asia and the rest of the world. Buddhism holds that although rebirth
and suffering are a constant part of human existence, this cycle can be broken
permanently by attaining enlightenment (nirvana).

The first person to achieve this degree of enlightenment was Siddhartha Gautama,
who is currently referred to as the Buddha. Buddhists don't believe in any sort of deity or
god, but they do believe in supernatural beings who can aid or obstruct a person's journey
toward enlightenment.

1. Buddhism History
Over 2,600 years ago, Buddhism emerged in India as a way of life with the ability to
transform a person. The founder of the religion, Siddhartha Gautam, who was born
around 563 BCE, provided its foundational principles.
• 4 sights – Sickness, Old age, Death, Holy man
• At the age of 29, Gautama abandoned his family, turned away from his life of
luxury, and chose an ascetic lifestyle.
• At Bodhgaya, a village in Bihar, under a pipal tree, Gautama achieved Bodhi
(enlightenment) after 49 days of nonstop meditation.
• In the UP village of Sarnath, close to the city of Benares, Buddha delivered his first
speech. This is referred to as Dharma-Chakra-Pravartana (turning of the wheel of
law).
• At the age of 80, he died in Kushinagar, a town in UP, in 483 BCE.

2. Scripture
The canon is generally known as Tripitaka (The Three Baskets) because of the
three sections into which it is divided. They are:
1. Suttas or utterances of Buddha himself,
2. Vinaya or rules of conduct,
3. Abhidhamma or philosophic discussions. They are often in the form of dialogues
and there is no methodical discussion in them of any topic. They contain many
metaphors and allegories, explaining the doctrines of the Buddha.

3. Sects of Buddhism
There are three main sects of Buddhism. These are also known as the three principal
schools of Buddhism. a). Theravada Theravada b). Mahayana Theravada c). Vajrayana
Buddhism

a) Theravada Buddhism
Hinayana Buddhism, School of the Elders: The oldest branch of Buddhism is called
Theravada, or the School of the Elders. Its techniques are based on the oldest
teachings of Buddhism. It doesn’t follow the worship of idols. A completely
enlightened being is the ultimate goal of Theravada Buddhism.

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul
 Page |2

b) Mahayana Buddhism: The Greater Path

Most people practice Mahayana Buddhism in Nepal, Japan, China, Tibet, and Korea.
Mahayana refers to “Great Vehicle” in Sanskrit. Anyone can become a bodhisattva in
the Mahayana school of Buddhism. This branch of Buddhism worships idols of
Buddhas and Bodhisattvas and regards them as gods.

c) Vajrayana Buddhism: The Diamond Vehicle

According to this school, obtaining so-called vajra-magical abilities will lead to
salvation. The role of the Lama, a guru who has mastered ritualistic and philosophical
traditions, is highly valued. Lamas come from a long line of people. A famous Tibetan
Lama is The Dalai Lama. It occurs predominantly in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan, and
Mongolia.

4. Teachings
A. Four Noble Truths
The supreme teaching of Buddha is known as the Four Noble Truths. They are:
a) Duhkha – (Suffering) about the fact that there is suffering.
b) Samudaya – (The cause of suffering) Buddha teaches that it is ignorance that
leads to evil. From ignorance proceeds, desire, desire leads to activity and it
brings in turn rebirth with its desires.
c) Nirodha – (Removal of suffering) When the attachments to desires are absent,
the fetters of lust, hate and delusion are rooted out. Thus, liberation is attained
which is the end of all suffering and cessation of the cycle of birth and death.
d) Mārga – (The way to remove suffering) It proposes an eight-fold path of self-
discipline.

B. Eight Fold Paths

The path consists of various interconnected activities related to knowledge,
conduct, and meditative practices.
1). Right Faith: The right view is held in Buddhism as a belief in the Buddhist
principles of karma and rebirth, as well as the significance of the Four Noble
Truths.
2). Right Resolve: This concept aims at peaceful renunciation into an atmosphere
of non-sensuality, non-ill-will (to lovingkindness), and away from cruelty.
3). Right Speech: Speaking the truth that brings salvation means not lying, not
acting rudely.
4). Right Action: Buddhist lay people are prohibited from engaging in illicit
relationships or misbehaviour with someone who is already married or with an
unmarried woman. Killing or harming is also prohibited
5). Right Living: Monks rely on begging for their food and only have what they
need to survive. For lay Buddhists, the canonical texts define right livelihood as
refraining from bad livelihood.
6). Right Effort: Avoid sensual ideas; this idea tries to stop unhealthy states that
interfere with meditation.
7). Right Thought: To experience the five hindrances, the four True Realities, and
the seven components of awakening, as well as to be careful of one’s actions.
8). Right Concentration: It entails immersing one’s entire existence in different
consciousness levels or states.

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul
 Page |3

5. Nirvana
Nirvāna is the Summum Bonum of Buddhism and the person who has attained the
ultimate goal is called Arhant. The word Nirvāna literally means, blowing out or becoming
Nothing. It is the blowing out of the fire of lust (rāga), of resentment (dosa), of glamour
(moha). It is thus becoming nothing, reaching perfect calm. Buddha asked his followers
to be a light on to themselves.

6. Spread of Buddhism
• For 200 years Buddhism remained overshadowed by their Hindu counterparts
until the advent of Great Mauryan King – Ashoka.
• After the bloodbath in his Kalinga conquest, emperor Ashoka decided to give up
the policy of worldly conquest and adopted Dhamma conquest.
• Ashoka during the third Buddhist council dispatched various Buddhist missions
to different areas such as Gandhara, Kashmir, Greece, Sri Lanka, Burma
(Myanmar), Egypt, and Thailand.
• Through his missionary effort Ashoka spread Buddhism into West Asia and
Ceylon. Thus a local religious sect was transformed into a world religion.

7. Contribution of Buddhism to Indian Culture

Buddhism has made a remarkable contribution to the development of Indian culture:
• The concept of ahimsa was its chief contribution. Later, it became one of the
cherished values of our nation.
• Its contribution to the art and architecture of India was notable. The stupas at
Sanchi, Bharhut and Gaya are wonderful pieces of architecture.
• It promoted education through residential universities like those at Taxila, and
Nalanda.
• It also promoted the spread of Indian culture to other parts of Asia.

SIKHISM

Sikhism, the youngest of the world religions, has integrated ideas, practices, and
doctrines mainly form Islam and Hinduism. It is indebted to the Hindu Vaishnavite bhakti
tradition and the Islam Sufi mystic tradition. Sikhism was founded by Guru Nanak (1469-
1539) in the 15th Century CE in the present-day Punjab.

The word Sikh means disciple, from the Sanskrit word shishya, or the Pali root
sikkha. In this sense, the Sikhs are the disciples of the ten Sikh Gurus starting form Guru
Nanak. The word Sikh is also interpreted as the elect, chosen by God, or God’s own.
Sikhism is a liberal religion open to other religions and cultures.

1. Origin
The Moghul rulers exploited the poor economically and persecuted the Hindus in
the name of religion. At the same time, the Brahmins, the dominant class in the Hindu
society, were intolerant towards the lower class. The life of an ordinary Hindu was
miserable because he was politically exploited by the Moghul rulers and religiously
exploited by the high caste Brahmins. Rampant social evils like sathi, child marriage, the
dehumanizing caste system, and female infanticide aggravated the misery of the ordinary

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul
 Page |4

people. That was the time Guru Nanak appeared on the scene with his liberal ideas on
God, religion, and social life and people got attracted to this new religion.

2. Scripture
The Adi Granth or Guru Granth Sahib is the most important scripture in the Sikh
religion. It contains the poems of the first five Gurus: Nanak, Angad, Amar Das, Ram das,
Arjun and Gobind Singh. It also contains poems by the Hindu bhaktas and Muslim saints
like Kabir, Namdev, Trilochan Sein, Ravidas, and Jaidev. Adi Granth in the present form
has about 6,000 hymns in 1430 pages and thirty-one sections. The language used in the
Adi Granth is Gurmukhi.

The Adi Granth is soteriological in character and the basic concern is the essential
unity between God and the human soul. Guru Gobind Singh, before his death, installed the
Adi Granth as the living Guru of the Sikhs. That’s why, the Guru Granth Sahib plays a very
important role in the life of the Sikh community.

3. God
One of the most important names for God in Sikhism is Waheguru (Wonderful
God). Sikhism believes in the monotheistic concept of One God who is Transcendent and
Immanent; Impersonal and Personal; Nirguna and Sarguna. This absolute supremacy of
God is apparent in the denial of the doctrine of incarnation, concept of Trimurti and idol
worship prevalent in the Hindu society. There is an identical relation between God and
soul which is mentioned as ‘the Lord abides in the soul and the soul in the Lord.’ The aim
of man’s life is to rediscover the real nature of self which is in no way different from God.

4. Worship
The Sikh temple, Gurudwara means the gateway to the Guru. It is not a mere
place of worship but also serves as a shelter for the shelterless, iron-fort for the destitute
and refuge for the helpless where all the visitors irrespective of their religious affiliations
are served free food and given shelter and protection.

The Golden Temple in Amritsar is the most important place for the Sikhs. In the
centre of the Gurudwara, Guru Granth Sahib, is installed on a high pedestal. People
reverently bow down as soon as they enter the Gurudwara. The Sikhs, follow a distinct
pattern of worship. Against the prevalent Hindu practice of worshipping the idols, the
Sikh Guru advocated worship of Akal (Timeless God).

5. Rituals, Ceremonies and Festivals

Guru Nanak was against any kind of ritual or ceremony. Respect for all human
beings and love and concern for all creatures was the basic approach. The Sikh Gurus
were against performing miracles because they believed that by performing miracle, they
are denying the grace of God. The highest form of prayer is meditative silence. Nanak was
also strongly against any kind of pilgrimage.

5.1 Baptism among the Sikhs

performing miracles because they believed that by performing miracle, they are
denying the grace of God. The highest form of prayer is meditative silence. Nanak was
also strongly against any kind of pilgrimage.

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul
 Page |5

From Guru Nanak to the ninth Guru Tegh Bahadur there was a system of initiating
the followers. When boys and girls attain puberty and are old enough to understand the
obligations of their religion they are baptised. It is performed before an assembled
congregation. Five baptised Sikhs are chosen to initiate the new converts. The initiates
take the vows of the Khalsa faith. Baptised Sikhs, both male and female, have to strictly
adhere to the following rules:

1. Keshas (Unshaven hair): Sikhs are not supposed to trim, shave or cut any hair on
any part of their body.

2. Kara (wrist-band or iron bangle): All baptised Sikhs are strictly to wear Kara.
Worn on the right wrist this is taken as a constant reminder that as a Sikh one has
to follow the Sikh code of conduct and perform pious deeds.

3. Kirpan (sword): This literally means ‘please protect me with thy sword’. This was
used as a ready weapon for self-defence and for the protection of the meek and
helpless.

4. Kangha (comb): To keep the long hair neat and tidy. Sikhs are enjoined to keep
Kangha always in their hair-knot.

5. Kachha (drawer-underwear) was intended to keep the Khalsa always ready in the
fighting dress and also, means a sign of chastity and strict morals.

6. Ethics
Sikhism, basically is an ethical religion. It considers that work, worship and charity
should be the guiding principles in life. Self-reliance is the greatest obstacle to God
realization which is manifested in lust, anger, greed, materialism, and pride. God
realization through renunciation is easy but it is more challenging and difficult while
being actively involved in the world.

Guru Nanak as a spiritual teacher followed the principle of non-violence. The

social realities in the later times forced the subsequent Gurus to take arms to protect the
poor and helpless people from the exploiters. The tenth guru, Gobind Singh, accepted the
idea of just war, but he reminded his followers that a Sikh should never be the first one
to draw the sword.

Sikhism was against the caste system, and demeaning the status of women.
Sikhism accepted people of all denominations irrespective of their caste or social status.
Respect for women was part of Sikh social life, widow remarriage was encouraged.

Care of the needy and service to the poor is practised in the Sikh community. In
gurdwara there is a community kitchen called langar, which serves meals to all free of
charge, regardless of religion, caste, gender, economic status, or ethnicity. It allows people
to eat together irrespective of their caste and social status and ensures social equality.
Vegetarianism is commonly practiced in the Sikh langars.

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul
 Page |6

7. Salvation
The Sikh religion rejects the speculations of the future plane of existence and
stresses that heaven and hell are just the mental states to be experienced here and now.
The immortality of soul is also conceived in the sense of realization of eternity of values
in the temporal world. The prevalent notions of traditional concepts regarding Karma
and rebirth are closely related with the moral life of man. The cycle of birth and death
continues and, in every birth, man goes on performing action in accordance with his past
deeds. By surrendering to the Divine Will through contemplation of word of Guru, one
can attain liberation.

NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENTS

In todern times, by the influence of mass communication techniques and rapid

development, religion is constantly changing and transforming. Science, technology,
industry, development and conflicts have modified the religious outlook. Nowadays
religion appears to be any system of belief and practice that offers a sense of meaning to
its adherents. Religion is never stagnant as it keeps on changing, spreading, increasing
decreasing and developing. Religion changes in each generation from the way it was in
the previous generation. But it will endure, even amid great changes.

Over a period of time there have been several changes in religious practices. New
religions or New Religious Movements (NRM) and groups are emerging rapidly. The
term New Religious Movement may be new or a concoction of beliefs and practices
borrowed from other religions or a derivative of a particular religion. NRMs bring new
ideas and practices into focus.

Similarly, the New Age Movement is not a single religion but a remarkably eclectic
one. A large number of people subscribe to beliefs that have been labelled as New Age
Practices. It is more an umbrella term for a broad movement, rather than a religion. It is
an all-embracing movement that incorporates mind science groups positive thinking
tracks and dark spirituality.

Bibliography
Beckerlegge, G. Hinduism Study Guide. Milton Keynes: The Open University, 2005.
Brown, David A. A Guide to Religions. New Delhi: ISPCK, 2010.
Daniel, P.S, David C. Scott and G. R Singh, eds,. Religious Traditions of India. Delhi: ISPCK,
2013.
Doniger, W. The Hindus, Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.
James, Emmanuel E. A Study of Religions. Bangalore: Theological Book Trust, 2016.
Lalrinawma, V. S. Major Traditions of India. Delhi: ISPCK, 2007.
The Bhagavad Gita (trans. J. Mascaró), London: Penguin Books, 1962.
The Upanishads (trans. E. Easwaran), Berkeley: The Blue Mountain Center of Meditation,
1996.
Zaehner, R.C. Hinduism. New York: Oxford University Press, 1966.

Introduction to Major Religions – Notes JMBC

Prepared by Rev. Justin Paul