II. Primitive Religion

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 504.

1. Outline of the lecture

1. Religious views and rituals in the primitive society

Primitive religion- is a name given to a religion of prehistoric cultures (the cultures of the Paleolithic, Mesolithic and Neolithic ages)

*Religious views-

Rituals are one of the form of religious behavior in cultures. Rituals express the great transitions in human life:

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They vary in form, importance and intensity from one culture to another.

*Examples:

In addition to these life cycle rituals, rituals are associated with the beginning of the new year

and with planting and harvest times . Numerous other rituals are linked with hunting ( games to give the hunter more luck)

Another class of rituals is related to occasional events ( wars, draughts, catastrophes)- they are intended to appease supernatural forces who might be the cause of the events.

2. Forms of primitive religion

Fetishism ( Latin- factitus_ made by art, artificial). The word was probably first applied to idols and amulets made by hand and supposed to possess magic power.

*Fetishism is: 1)

2)

3)

At times it is difficult to distinguish between an idol and an amulet. An amulet is a pledge of protection of a divine power. Idolatry is a higher form of fetishism.

3. Animism-

from “ animus” – mind or soul. Two explanations:

1) belief in spirits- supernatural beings or souls inhabit all objects and govern their existence.

2) the world is treated as a community of living persons, only some of whom are human

The second animism relates respectfully with the persons ( human, rock, plant, animal, bird, etc.)

who are also members of the community of life.

Animism can be stated simply as “ everything is alive”, “ everything is conscious”, “ everything has a soul”

**Views of animism are essential part of many religions______________________________

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4. Totemism-

is a religious belief in totem. Totem is usually an animal or other figure that spiritually represents a person or a clan. It may be natural or supernatural object.( bears, birds, frogs, masks, pictograms, ancestors). Totem has a symbolic meaning. A few believe that totem acts as a spirit guide

2. Questions for test

1.Religious views of primitive societies

2. Rituals in primitive societies

3. Fetishism

4. Animism

5. Totemism

3. Glossary

Ritual- ритуал- жора

Primitive religion- первобытная религия- алғашқы дін

Transition- переходный период

Soul- душа жан

Conscious- сознательный

4. Task for office hours-Impact of primitive religions on modern religions ( 1, part.2)

5. Task for IWS- Magic ( 2, 20)

Reference

Музафарова Н.И. История религий. Ростов -на Дону, 2004., стр. 58-64

David S. Noss, A History of the World Religions. N.Y. London. 1990, p. 10-21

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Totemism

III. World religions. Buddhism

1.Outline of the lecture

1Buddha and his teaching

The term “ Buddhism” refers to a diverse array of beliefs and practices and is used in the West, the Buddhists use the term Dharma ( Pali, Dhamma)- “ the norm which is true” or Sasana-“ system”.

Buddhism is

-a religion,

- a series of practices

- and a way of life based on the teaching of Buddha who after achieving enlightenment , taught that the nature of the world is constant change.

Who is Buddha? Born near Nepal in 623 B.C. Buddha was first named Prince Siddhartha Gautama. Three great omens сhanged his views about existence.( disease, old age, death).At 29, he left the royal court to wander the country as a monk searching for a way to end suffering.

At 35 , he achieved the state of Enlightenment also known as Buddhahood and Nirvana. He managed to answer the question how to stop suffering – to refuse from desire. Buddha taught that everything in the world is impermanent and it is impossible to understand the true nature of life on Earth that leads to our unhappiness and suffering. Buddhism is a way to correct our view, conduct and expectation of life.

Rejection of religious devotion . Buddhism has no creator God who exits apart from this or any other universe. Buddhism rejects religious devotion as a way of salvation, it believes that the universe abounded (изобилует)in gods, goddesses, demons and other non-human powers, but all are finite, subject to death and rebirth.

2. Principles of Buddhism

The answer to the fundamental ethical problem : In what way to live?- Buddha compressed into the

Four Noble Truths:

· Dukkha

· Samudaya

· Nirodha

· Marga- There is a path that leads out of suffering known as Noble Eightfold Path ( “ the path that leads to no- desire)

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3. Key ideas of Buddhism

· The Spirit of Free Inquiry – The Buddha encouraged people to investigate the truth of his teachings for themselves before accepting his ideas. He never expected people to practice His Teaching out of “ blind faith” and superstition, but instead encouraged a free spirit of questions. People should accept and practice Teachings and lifestyles they find to be physically and mentally beneficial.

· Self-reliance and individual effort. There are two main ways that Buddha focus on self-reliance. 1) each person must work out for themselves the way to end their sufferings and attain happiness;

2) it is up to each person to realize that it is their own actions that determine their future. In Buddhist thinking each individual's destiny is not determined by an outside power but the way we live our own lives.

· Tolerance

· Loving-kindness and compassion

· Buddhism and science- there is no any conflict. Buddhism agrees that many things Buddha taught 2500 years ago have been proven by science( power of mind, divisibility of atom, the relativity of matter and energy, structure of the universe were taught by Buddha even before science)

2. Question for test

1. What is Buddhism?

2.Influence of Buddha's life on his teaching

3. Explain “ 4 Noble Truths”

4. Key ideas of Buddhism

3. Glossary

4.Tasks for IWS : Religions in India

5.Tasks for office hours: Origins of Buddhism

6.Reference

Музафарова Н.И. История религий, 2004, стр. 111-147

Религии мира, М., 1996, стр. 5-24

World Religions ( KAU library), Charter” Buddhism”

http;//www. nationmaster.com./encyclopedia/Buddhism