Hinduism

Hinduism and Buddhism emerged in ancient India

Hinduism has no single founder and no single sacred text
God is one but wise people know it by many names
meaning: everything is part of the unchanging, all powerful
spiritual force called brahman
Most important Hindu gods are:
Brahma: The Creator
Vishnu: The Preserver
Shiva: The Destroyer
One if the sacred text is the Vedas
Achieving moksha is the goal of existence(union with brahman)
Every person has an essential self. Atman
Most people cannot achieve moksha in one lifetime
Hindus believe in reincarnation
Dharma is the religious and moral duties of an individual
Ahisma, nonviolence

Buddhism
Buddhisms founder is Siddhartha Gautama.
Guatamas teachings spread across Asia and became one of the
worlds most influential religions, Buddhism
Gautama was a prince.
His mother dreamed that a radiant white elephant descended to
her from heaven.
(This is why they predicted that he would become a wondering
holy man)
He got married at the age of 16.
One day he took a ride beyond the palaces gardens and saw an
old man, a sick person, and a dead body.
(This is when he became aware of human suffering)
He left the palace to discover the realm of life where there is
neither suffering nor death
Ideas of Hindu scholars and holy men failed to satisfy him.
He took a seat under a tree, and sat there until he understood the
mystery of life.
(mystery of life: the cause of and cure for suffering and sorrow)
After that he became Buddha, The Enlightened One
The Four Noble Truths:
1- All life is full of suffering, pain, and sorrow.
2- The cause of suffering is nonvirtue.
3- The only cure for suffering is to overcome nonvirtue.
4- The way to overcome nonvirtue is to follow The Eightfold
Path.
The final goal for Buddists is Nirvana
(Nirvana: union with the universe and release of reincarnation)

Roots Of Judaism
Israelites, or Hebrews, were monotheistic, believing that
there was only one god.
The Torah is the Israelites most sacred book.
The Torah includes the first five books of the Hebrew
Bible.
1-Genesis 2-Exodus 3-Leviticus 4-Numbers 5-Deutrnony
The Hebrew Bible includes 24 books.
(additional laws and costumes were written down later
to make up an important text, the Talmud)
Abraham is considered the father of the Israelites people.
The Israelites believed god made a covenant, or binding
agreement with Abraham.
The covenant included 2 declarations that became the
basis of the 2 keys beliefs of Judaism.
First, god declared that he would have a special
relationship with Abraham and decedents.
(this is why Israelites viewed themselves as gods
chosen people)
Second, god declared that Canaan would one day belong
to the Israelites.
(thats why they viewed Canaan as there promised land)
The Israelites text tells that a famine forced many of
them to migrate to Egypt.
(where they were enslaved)

Moses, who renewed gods covenant, led them to their

exodus, or departure from Egypt.
After 40 years Moses died just before they reached
Canaan.
David, the strong and wise second king, united these
tribes in one nation.
According to the Torah, Davids son Solomon followed
him as king.
David had begun constructing the temple, and Solomon
completed it.
After 200 years of independence, the Assyrians and
Babylonians conquered Israel consecutively.
Babylonians destroyed the great temple.
In 539B.C the Persian ruler Cyrus conquered Babylon
and freed the Israelites.
God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses.
First four stress religious duties toward god.
Many Jews left their homeland and moved to different
parts of the world.
(this spreading was called Diaspora)

The Rise Of Christianity

Almost all information Christians have about the life of
Jesus came through the Gospels.
(Gospels; the first four books of the New Testament of
the bible)
Early Christians attributed the writing with 4 followers
Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Jesus was born 4B.C in Bethlehem, near Jerusalem.
Gospels say that and angel told Jesuss mother, Mary, she
would give birth to the messiah.
He recruited 12 of his disciples, or close followers to
help him.
(disciples or apostles: a person sent forth)
Jesus believed in one god and accepted the Ten
Commandments.
To the Roman authorities, Jesus was a threat.
The Gospels state that Jesus was betrayed by one of his
disciples, arrested by the Romans, and crucified.
Easter celebrates the resurrection of Jesus.
Paul, an apostle played the most influential role in
spreading Christianity.