St.

Augustines

Introductions Augustines political and social views flow directly from his theology. The historical context is essential to understanding his purposes. Augustine, more than any other figure of late antiquity, stands at the intellectual intersection of Christianity, philosophy, and politics. As a Christian cleric, he takes it as his task to defend his flock against the unremitting assault by heresies spawned in an era uninformed by the immediate, divine revelations which had characterized the apostolic age. As a philosopher, he situates his arguments against the backdrop of Greek philosophy in the Platonic tradition, particularly as formulated by the Neo-Platonists of Alexandria. As a prominent Roman citizen, he understands the Roman Empire to be the divinely-ordained medium through which the truths of Christianity are to be both spread and safeguarded. Augustine died reciting the Penitential Psalms as the Vandals besieged the city of Hippo on the coast of northern Africa (now the city of Annaba, in Algeria). This occurred two decades after the sacking of Rome by Alaric. Who are they? St. Augustine (C.E. 354-430), originally named Aurelius Augustinus, was the Catholic bishop of Hippo in northern Africa. He was a skilled Roman-trained rhetorician, a prolific writer (who produced more than 110 works over a 30-year period), and by wide acclamation, the first Christian philosopher. Writing from a unique background and vantage point as a keen observer of society before the fall of the Roman Empire, Augustines views on political and social philosophy constitute an important intellectual bridge between late antiquity and the emerging medieval world. Because of the scope and quantity of his work, many scholars consider him to have been the most influential Western philosopher. Although Augustine certainly would not have thought of himself as a political or social philosopher per se, the record of his thoughts on such themes as the nature of human society, justice, the nature and role of the state, the relationship between church and state, just and unjust war, and peace all have played their part in the shaping of Western civilization. There is much in his work that anticipates major themes in the writings of moderns like Machiavelli, Luther, Calvin and, in particular, Hobbes. Augustine grew up in a mixed atmosphere of faith and unfaith. His father was a pagan and His mother, Monica, was a dedicated Christian. Manichaean philosophy was a dualist system which held to the idea of two divine powers: the God of Light and the God of Darkness. He went to Milan and met Ambrose-He explains to this the Reality.

Soon He CONVERTED to CHRISTIANITY. Ordained a PRIEST. Pondered his own PERVERSE life(Theft)as teenager. He died at the age of 75. 32 years old BAPTIST 16 years old He got an affair/live in. 19 years old he searching for the reality/truth.

What do they believe in? Augustine believe that these truths are known via the natural intellect, as the philosopher knows Plato's forms. Rather, Augustine claimed that you discover these eternal truths through the illumination of the divine light. He believed that the divine light is to the mind as the sun is to the eyes a metaphor straight out of Plato's allegory of the cave. Every human mind needs God's light to uncover the forms or to see the truth. If a person thinks she has discovered this on her own, she simply misunderstood the source of their light. He also includes ethical truths among those higher truths known by the intellect. Truths like We should live justly, The worse should be subordinate to the better, Equals should be compared with equals, and To each should be given his own are also immutable truths of reason, according to Augustine. They are not human creations but objective truths that we discover.

What is the TAO for them? Thou lovest, without passion; art jealous, without anxiety; repentest, yet grieves not; art angry, yet serene; changest Thy works, Thy purpose unchanged; receivest again what Thou findest, yet didst never lose; never in need, yet rejoicing in gains; never covetous, yet exacting usury. Thou receivest over and above, that Thou mayest owe; and who hath aught that is not Thine? Thou payest debts, owing nothing; remittest debts, losing nothing. And what had I now said, my God, my life, my holy joy? or what saith any man when he speaks of Thee? Yet woe to him that speaketh not, since mute are even the most eloquent. Conclusion Since our main aim is to nd if there could be a place for God in physics, we need rst

to have some facts stated concerning the nature of God. Here I shall consider some conclusions reached by the philosopher St. Augustine that are largely independent of the sacred texts (the Bible) over which his thought had developed. St. Augustine of Hippo (354 - 430) believed that men have the duty, by the help of reason, to investigate as far as possible the message left by God to men through the sacred texts. According to St. Augustine, a better understanding of God would lead to a better understanding of Gods plans for men, and hence to a better behavior of men in life. Here I will not fucus on peculiarities of the Bible and consider instead as starting point some aspects of the nature of God shared by dierent religions. They are: 1. There is an entity which we call God that satises the following points. 2. God has created the world. 3. God cannot be wrong. 4. The will of God is eternal. 5. God created all the times, in particular God precedes all the times in a causal way. Nevertheless, God does not precede the times in a temporal way as the times did not exist before their creation. 6. Although God is not in our time, there is a kind of Gods perception of time radically dierent from that of humans. For God time is still, eternal, it is not perceived as a ow.

Edward B. Pusey, trans., The Confessions of St. Augustine, Washington Square Press, Inc., 1962, Book I http://www.netplaces.com/philosophy/early-medieval-philosophy-st-augustine/augustines-viewof-god.htm http://www.iep.utm.edu/aug-poso/#SH5a Augustine. City of God [De civitate Dei]. Translated by Marcus Dods, in The Nicene and PostNicene Fathers. Edited by Philip Schaff. First Series. Vol. II. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956. Augustine. On Christian Doctrine [De doctrina christiana]. Translated by J. F. Shaw, in The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers. Edited by Philip Schaff. First Series. Vol. II. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1956.

The Hinduism and The Buddhism Introduction Hinduism is about understanding Brahma or existence from within their own Atman, roughly soul, whereas Buddhism is about finding the Anatman or not soul. In Hinduism, attaining the highest life is a process of removing the bodily distractions from life, allowing one to eventually understand the Brahma nature within. In Buddhism, one follows a disciplined life to moved through and understand that nothing in ourselves is me such that we dispel the very illusion of existence. In so doing one realizes Nirvana.

Who are they?

HINDUISM The term "Hinduism" derives from a Persian word that refers to the Sindhu (or Indus) river in northwest India; "Hindu" was first used in the 14th century by Arabs, Persians, and Afghans to describe the peoples of the region. By the end of the 19th century, "Hinduism" was adopted by the British colonial administration in India to describe the various religious beliefs and practices of the majority of India's population. It is, however, extremely difficult to say when Hinduism began. The tradition itself maintains that it is a timeless religion that has always existed. Historians generally hold that the origins of what we call Hinduism can be traced to the ancient Indus Valley civilization. This would mean that the religion is over 4,000 years old, although it is a dynamic religious tradition that has continued to develop and evolve. Hinduism is the predominant religion of the Indian subcontinent. Hinduism includes Shaivism, Vaishnavism and rauta among numerous other traditions. Among other practices and philosophies, Hinduism includes a wide spectrum of laws and prescriptions of "daily morality" based on karma, dharma, and societal norms. Hinduism is a conglomeration of distinct intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid common set of beliefs.[3] Hinduism is formed of diverse traditions and has no single founder.[4] Among its direct roots is the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India and, as such, Hinduism is often called the "oldest living religion"[5] or the "oldest living major religion" in the world.[1][6][7][8] One orthodox classification of Hindu texts is to divide into ruti ("revealed") and Smriti ("remembered") texts. These texts discuss theology, philosophy, mythology, rituals and temple building among other topics. Major scriptures include the Vedas, Upanishads, Puras, Mahbhrata, Rmyaa, Bhagavad Gt and gamas. Hinduism, with about one billion followers (950 million estimated),[9] is the world's third largest religion, after Christianity and Islam.

Hinduism does not have a "unified system of belief encoded in declaration of faith or a creed",[55] but is rather an umbrella term comprising the plurality of religious phenomena originating and based on the Vedic traditions. Upanishads- containing myriad myths and discourses on cosmology, the gods, and human existence. Bhagavad Gita (literally, the song of God, written between 500 and 200 B.C.E.), in which the central doctrines are poetically and philosophically set forth. moksha is the liberation from the cycle of birth and death and one's worldly conception of self. Morality is at the heart of the universe. ATMAN is BRAHMAN ATMAN -The higher aspect of the principle principle of life. -The inmost essense of man BRAHMAN -The ground of all things. -Absolute(Pure,consciousness) -stands transcending at the heart of every man and avery contigment being.

5 SHEATS SELF 1.ANNAMAYATMAN 2.PRANAMAYATMAN 3.MANOMAYATMAN 4.VIJNAMAYATMAN 5.ANANDAMAYATMAN corporeal vital breath will consciousness pure bliss LAYER material biological pshychological intellectual brahman

4 stages of the ideal life a. Pupil -the natural man is sacrificed b. Householder -attain to the 3 of the 4 ends of life

 c.Hermit

Wealth and power Pleasure of married life(caste) Rights and Duties of the Caste

-transistion:shedding of sheaths, gaining knowledge Doing yoga-meditation d. Wondering Beggar:spiritual release(moksha)

What do they believe in?

The main texts of Hinduism are the Vedas (considered most important), Upanishadas, the Mahabharata, and the Ramayana. These writings contain hymns, incantations, philosophies, rituals, poems, and stories from which Hindus base their beliefs. Other texts used in Hinduism include the Brahmanas, the Sutras, and the Aranyakas. The Vedas are more than theology books. They contain a rich and colorful theo-mythology, that is, a religious mythology which deliberately interweaves myth, theology, and history to achieve a story-form religious root. This theo-mythology is so deeply rooted in India's history and culture that to reject the Vedas is viewed as opposing India. Therefore, a belief system is rejected by Hinduism if it does not embrace Indian culture to some extent. If the system accepts Indian culture and its theo-mythical history, then it can be embraced as Hindu even if its theology is theistic, nihilistic, or atheistic. This openness to contradiction can be a headache for Westerners who seek logical consistency and rational defensibility in their religious views. But, to be fair, Christians are no more logical when they claim belief in Yahweh yet live life as practical atheists, denying Christ with their lives. For the Hindu the conflict is genuine logical contradiction. For the Christian, the conflict is more likely simple hypocrisy.

Though Hinduism is often understood as being polytheistic, supposedly recognizing as many as 330 million gods, it also has one god that is supremeBrahma. Brahma is an entity believed to inhabit every portion of reality and existence throughout the entire universe. Brahma is both impersonal and unknowable and is often believed to exist in three separate forms: Brahma Creator; VishnuPreserver; and ShivaDestroyer. These facets of Brahma are also known through the many other incarnations of each. It is difficult to summarize Hindu theology since the various Hindu schools contain elements of almost every theological system. Hinduism can be: 1) MonisticOnly one thing exists; Sankara's school 2) PantheisticOnly one divine thing exists so that God is identical to the world; Brahmanism

3) PanentheisticThe world is part of God; Ramanuja's School 4) TheisticOnly one God, distinct from Creation; Bhakti Hinduism. Hinduism views mankind as divine. Because Brahma is everything, Hinduism asserts that everyone is divine. Atman, or self, is one with Brahman. All of reality outside of Brahman is considered mere illusion. The spiritual goal of a Hindu is to become one with Brahma, thus ceasing to exist in its illusory form of individual self. This freedom is referred to as moksha. Until moksha is achieved, a Hindu believes that he/she will be repeatedly reincarnated in order that he/she may work towards self-realization of the truth (the truth being that only Brahman exists, nothing else). How a person is reincarnated is determined by karma, which is a principle of cause and effect governed by nature's balance. What one did in the past affects and corresponds with what happens in the future, past and future lives included.
What is the TAO for them?

The Hindu concept of man This concept, to some extent, resembles the Hindu concept of man: 'Eating, sleeping, fear and sex are common to man as well as animals. In human beings dharma (i.e. restraint by moral rules) is extra and special. Without dharma men are no better than beasts.' According to Shankaracharya, this dharma is of two types: pravritti-lakshana and nivritti-lakshana. When one, observing the moral codes of conduct applicable to one's station in life and society performs actions for enjoyment (kama) and acquisition of wealth (artha), one is said to be following pravritti dharma. A time comes, however, when one gets disgusted with sense-enjoyments and acquisition of wealth and aspires for final emancipation (moksha). The one embraces what is called nivritti dharma, characterized by renunciation of all worldly desires and selfish actions, and resorting to spiritual practice to attain liberation. Man rises from animal to human level by accepting pravritti dharma i.e. by observing social injunctions. He ascends to godhood and becomes divine by embracing the nivritti dharma. This Hindu concept of liberation, in turn, is based upon another concept of an ever pure, ever free, ever perfect, ever conscious spiritual entity in man called Atman (soul). According to Swami Vivekananda this Atman is the Real Man as against the body-mind complex which is only the apparent man. The relation between the real and apparent men has been beautifully described through an allegory in the Katha Upanishad: CASTE SYSTEM Every man is born to his own place in the world. His duty is to show it, to live up to it, make it known, both in appearance and action. Be identified with the task, roles and interest of his social group.

The caste isdharmaie. The divine moral order and the laws of the caste.

Conclusion to Hinduism 1. It is impossible to speak definitively about Hinduism. It comes in monist (Advaitan) and dualist (Vaisnavan) forms, and scholars form both traditions interpret the same texts in vastly different ways. All forms hold to the central doctrines of the Law of Karma, reincarnation, maya, salvation through yoga, and the goal of attaining Nirvana, though they interpret these doctrines somewhat differently, depending on their background assumptions. 2. We can say that Hinduism is inclusive, holding that there are many ways to the Truth and that God manifests himself in many ways and incarnations, including the Buddha and Jesus Christ. 3. There is a deep moral core in Hinduism, one of seeking stoic resignation and tranquility (ataraxia), of living in humble love and respect for all living things, for tat tvam asi (that art thou)we are somehow one with all living beings. The ultimate experience seems mystical, an ecstatic joy (ananda) characterizing the supreme relationship with God and leading to Nirvana. 4. For westerners, Hinduism, with its emphasis on the illusoriness of the world, alienation, and suffering, seems pessimistic. We would prefer to focus on the glass half full rather than half empty. The caste system a nd Law of Karma seem to outsiders to give people, especially the outcastes, a false sense of their role in life, causing them to be resigned to their station rather than to work to improve their lot in life. Compared with the Jewish-Christian world view, the basic human condition is ignorance and suffering not sin; and salvation is ecstatic liberation from suffering through yoga rather than redemption through divine grace. Its inclusivity and pluralism are at odds with traditional Christianity and Judaism. Millions of people continue to find these doctrines and this way of life deeply meaningful. It is a view of human nature worth taking seriously. According to Hinduism, there are four ways (yogas) to salvation: (1) Bhakti yoga is the practice of devotion to God. (2) Karma yoga prescribes good works as the way to enlightenment (samadhi). (3) Raja yoga enjoins meditation and psychic control as the way to salvation. (4) Ginana yoga holds that samadhi comes through philosophical inquiry and speculation.

References

www.adherents.com,www.bbc.co.uk/religion, The Oxford Handbook of Global Religions (2006), The Encyclopedia of Religion (2005), theReligious Movements Page at the University of Virginia, The Cambridge Illustrated History of Religions (2002), and theEncyclopedia of World Religions (1999). Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Encyclopedia, Merriam-Webster, 2000, p. 751 Read more:http://www.gotquestions.org/hinduism.html#ixzz2N8dTMoUH

Who are they? BUDDHISM

To do no evil; To cultivate good; To purify ones mind: This is the teaching of the Buddhas (The Dhammapada)

Buddhism is a religion indigenous to the Indian subcontinent that encompasses a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, who is commonly known as the Buddha (meaning "the awakened one" in Sanskrit and Pli). The Buddha lived and taught in the eastern part of the Indian subcontinent between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE.[1] He is recognized by Buddhists as an awakened or enlightened teacher who shared his insights to help sentient beings end suffering (dukkha) through eliminating ignorance (avidy) by way of understanding and seeing dependent origination (prattyasamutpda) and eliminating craving (tah), and thus attain the highest happiness, nirva.[ Two major branches of Buddhism are generally recognized: Theravada ("The School of the Elders") and Mahayana ("The Great Vehicle"). Theravada has a widespread following in Sri Lanka andSoutheast Asia (Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Myanmar etc.). Mahayana is found throughout East Asia (China, Korea, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Taiwan etc.) and includes the traditions of Pure Land, Zen, Nichiren Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Shingon, and Tiantai (Tendai).

The Buddha was born Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of the Sakya tribe of Nepal, in approximately 563 B.C.E. He married the beautiful princess Yasodara and fathered a son by her. His father kept him confined in an idyllic palace, where he lived in luxury; he was not allowed to behold sickness, suffering, old age, or death.

The Buddha was known as Siddharta Gautama, son of Suddhodana, the head of the Sakya tribe and a member of the clan of Gautama. Prince Siddharta was born in what is now Nepal, in Lumbini, in a petty state that was subordinate to the Magadha kingdom in India. At 29 Siddharta renounced his family and station and set out on a spiritual journey of abstinence and contemplation. When that failed, he sat down under a ficus tree (in modern Bodhgaya, in the Indian state of Bihar). There he meditated until he achieved enlightenment or Bodhi. He then taught followers what he had learned. This became the doctrine of Buddhism.

Bhagavad Gita (literally, the song of God, written between 500 and 200 B.C.E.), in which the central doctrines are poetically and philosophically set forth. - elaboration of the various yogas and methods. 1all phenomena is transistory (rise,decay,fall) EXISTENCE-the capacity to produce everything. Bodhi - Bodhi in Buddhism is the understanding possessed by a Buddha regarding the nature of things. Tipitaka(3 baskets)- the book of Buddha 2. NAMA -NAME -Mind -psych/mental aspects 2 Categories of Analysis RUPA -FORM -matter/body/corporeality -Physical aspects Nama-Rupa Psycho-Physical organism Constituting a person Interdependent

What do they believe in? Beginners to Buddhism are handed lists of doctrines -- the Four Noble Truths, the Five Skandhas, the Eightfold Path. One is told tounderstand the teachings and practice them. However, "believing in" doctrines about Buddhism is not the point of Buddhism.Buddhists believe that the ultimate goal in life is to achieve enlightenment as they perceive it.

The buddhists believe that all of life is jst one form of suffering or another. They also believe that this suffering is caused by desire..... no matter what the desire is, it causes suffering. In Buddhism, sin is largely understood to be ignorance. And, while sin is understood as moral error, the context in which evil and good are understood is a moral. Karma is understood as nature's balance and is not personally enforced. Nature is not moral; therefore, karma is not a moral code, and sin is not ultimately immoral. Thus, we can say, by Buddhist thought, that our error is not a moral issue since it is ultimately an impersonal mistake, not an interpersonal violation. The consequence of this understanding is devastating. For the Buddhist, sin is more akin to a misstep than a transgression against the nature of holy God. This understanding of sin does not accord with the innate moral consciousness that men stand condemned because of their sin before a holy God (Romans 1-2).

What is man? just a name given for the totally of the aggregates that compose the individual. Suffering-is brought about by ignorance or the wrong notion of permanence. Nirvana- extinction of all desires, is an ancient Sanskrit term used in Indian religions to describe the profound peace of mind that is acquired with moksha (liberation). By yoga or deep meditation.

The Four Noble Truths What are the Four Noble Truths? Here is the list:

1. The Noble Truth of Suffering(Dukkha).: Birth, decay, illness, death, presence of hated objects, separation from loved objects, failure to obtain ones desires = suffering (dukkha). 2. The Noble Truth of the Cause of Suffering: Desire (thirst) that leads to rebirth is the cause of suffering. 3. The Noble Truth of the Cessation of Suffering: Suffering ceases with the complete cessation of desire. 4. The Noble Truth of the Path that Leads to Cessation of Suffering: The Eightfold Path (middle way). The eight aspects of the path are as follows:

1. Right Views (Understandings) 2. Right Aspirations (Thoughts) 3. Right Speech 4. Right Conduct or Action 5. Right Livelihood 6. Right Endeavor or Effort 7. Right Mindfulness 8. Right Meditation or Concentration We can classify these eight aspects of the Eightfold Path under three headings: ethical conduct, mental discipline, and wisdom. 1. Ethical conduct (sila): universal love and compassion, tolerance. 2. Mental discipline (samadhi, for Hindus holy vision): One must be disciplines, exercise self-control, and concentrate ones mind on the noble truths 3. Wisdom: By living in universal love and discipline, one attains wisdom and, at the highest point, enlightenment, One becomes enlightened, realizing that the self does not exist but only the cosmic energy which unites all living beings.

Conclusion to Buddhism

1. As with Hinduism, it is hard to give an authoritative definition of Buddhism, but we can provide a broad outline of its central teachings. Buddhism arose out of Hinduism, rejected the caste system and the metaphysical speculations of Hinduism, but accepted its theses of ahimsa and karma. 2. Buddhism centers around the Four Noble Truths via the Eightfold Path, which involve escape from suffering and attainment of Nirvana. However, in Buddhism, Nirvana is attained in this life, not in a future existence. If we live by the Four Noble Truths via the Eightfold Path, we will escape the wheel of karma and enter Nirvana. Unlike Hinduism, which insists that this can happen only after death, Buddha taught nirvana now!an existentialist version of Hinduism. 3. There is no essential self (atman), as Hinduism and most Western religions and philosophies maintain. There is simply a cosmic force that links all life together. The idea of the an-atman is a difficult concept for many to grasp, but it is the key to enlightenment. Nevertheless, there is a problem with it. If there is no permanent self, what is the significance of enlightenment? Is enlightenment also an illusion?

4. Among its modes of living are the dispositions of compassion and tolerance (as illustrated by the story of the six blind men and the elephant). 5. Buddhists have no creed. They do recite this simple formula:

I take refuge in the Buddha. I take refuge in the dharma (his teachings). I take refuge in the sangha (the Buddhist community).

References http://www.gotquestions.org/buddhism.html#ixzz2N8aE1g2F
www.sriramakrishnamath.org