CONFUCIUS

LIFE:

Chinese Name: Kung Fu Tzu

Kung family name
Fu given Name
Tzu the word for master
Born in Shantung Province of a poor but aristocratic family
Founder of Chinese Literature having collected the materials which are now embodied in THE FIVE
CLASSICS which include:
1. The Book of Change
2. The Book of History
3. The Book of Poetry
4. Spring & Autumn
5. A Book of Ceremonies
These classics together with THE FOUR BOOKS are composed of:
1. The Analects or Discourses of Confucius
2. The Great Learning
3. The Doctrine of The Mean
4. The Book of Mencius
Confucius insisted that he was a transmitter, not a creator.
In 479 BC, he fell ill and went to bed muttering: The wise man fades as does the plant. A week later, he
died.
His teachings which his disciples recorded became the Chinese Bible.

DOCTRINE:
Confucius coined the popular Golden Rule, one of the most sacred jewels of our own gospel, for he
summed up his teachings, thus: Do unto others what you would have them do unto you.
Confucianism is a system of morality, of political and social life built upon a foundation of philosophy of
living.
He said: Study widely, Inquire minutely, Think carefully, Analyze clearly, and then Practice earnestly.
According to him, the social order is based on THE FIVE FUNDAMENTAL RELATIONSHIPS:
1. Son Father
2. Wife Husband
3. Younger Elder Brother
4. Friend Friend
5. Subject Ruler
Foremost of these is the dutiful respect of children for their parents; for it is on the firm foundation of the
family that the whole of Chinese Culture has rested ever since Confucius day.
WORKS:
The only extant piece of writing done by Confucius himself is the history of his province, Spring & Autumn,
which is one of The Five Classics.
His teachings are embodied in The Analects which is a vast collection of remarks and conversational
episodes lovingly recorded by his disciples and published after his death.

LAO TZU
LIFE:

Born on a farm in Honan Province.

The name Lao Tzu means the eldest. Referring to him, it means The Old Master.

DOCTRINE:
Lao Tzu is the founder of Taoism. Tao means a way, a road, or in a larger sense, the way of nature,
the way of life. Obedience to the laws of nature is the secret of the power of the Tao.
Any use of force was considered against Tao; thus the Taoists were pacifists and taught the folly of war.
If everyone lived by the Tao, people would be natural and simple. No one would be ambitious for power.
Everyone would show good fellowship and brotherly love. There would be no war.
WORK:
He wrote the Tao Te Ching or The Book of Tao the bible of Taoism which contains the main points of his
philosophy.
He reflects on the perpetual struggle of the human conscience to discover peace.
THE KORAN
The first significant date in the life of Mohammed is 622, the date of the Hejira when Islam finally emerged
as a world religion.
The Koran contains the revelations that came to Mohammed during his long career as prophet.
The earliest Suras, or chapters, were short lyrics defining the power of God and demanding the obedience
of mortals.
Sura CVII provides an answer to the question, When is a person truly religious?
(Sura CVII Religion; Mecca. 7 Verses: In The Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful)
Sura LXXVI describes the Moslems version of paradise
(Sura LXXVI Man; Mecca. 31 Verses: In The Name of God, The Compassionate, The Merciful)
ASIA: CRADLE OF GREAT RELIGIONS

Civilization began in the East and so did religion, an ennobling influence on man. This fact perhaps explains
the mystical oriental mind, incessantly seeking knowledge of divine truth and the souls union with the
divine, developing in the man deeper spiritual values, which are uplifting indeed.
Man, in general, is a religious being who worships some supernatural power in varied aspects, whom he
asks for aid and guidance.
The five major religions of the world, all born in the East: Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam.
The basic religions in the world have common attributes belief in one Supreme Being, common ways of
attaining salvation, and union with God as mans ultimate goal.

HINDUISM

Hinduism is the indigenous religion of India and the faith of the large majority of the inhabitants of the
Indian Republic, as well as many people in East Pakistan and Ceylon, and those of Indian Descent in parts
of tropical and subtropical Asia, Africa, and America.
The most striking features of Hinduism are: polytheism, mysticism, ascetism, belief in the
transmigration of souls, the sanctity of certain animals, and a rigid social order of classes and
castes under the leadership of priesthood.
The earliest traces of Hinduism are found in the Rig-Veda the oldest and most sacred of Hindu Scriptures,
and The Upanishads which contain fine mystical passages teaching the unity of individual soul (atman)
and the cosmic soul (brahman) which can be realized by meditation and mystical cognition.
The Bhagavad-Gita is perhaps the most influential sacred text of Hinduism in the 20th century. In it, the hero
Krishna declares himself to be an avatar or full incarnation who should be worshipped with sincere love and
devotion, rather than with sacrifice.

THE HINDU GODS

Divinity to the Hindu inheres in every portion of the universe. God manifests himself in an infinite number of
forms all of which are, in a mystical sense, essentially unreal reflections of the single glory pervading all
things.
In the Gupta Period, a Hindu Trimutri, or trinity evolved consisting of Brahma The Creator, Vishnu The
Preserver, and Shiva The Destroyer.
Ganesha the son of Shiva and Parvati, a quaint figure with an elephants head, is the Patron of All
Practical Enterprises.
Skanda another son of Shiva depicted as having six faces and twelve hands, is the Captain of The Army
of Gods who lead them in battle against the demons.
Hanuman the Monkey Helper of Rama, the seventh incarnation of Vishnu, symbolizes the active power
of God in the world.
Lakshmi The Bestower of Wealth and Prosperity
Sarasvati The Goddess of Music, Art, and Learning
Manasa The Deity of Snakes
Shitala The Goddess of Smallpox
Indra The War God of The Aryan Invaders
Varuna The Great Sky-God of The Rig-Veda, who has become The God of Sea
Surya The Old Sun-God
Agni The Fire-God of The Vedas
TRANSMIGRATION AND SALVATION
Brahman The Brahman Hindus enjoy the highest status in the caste system and act as the priest and
religious leaders of society.
Brahma a single over-spirit which was the source of gods, men, and all living things on earth.
Maya this world through which they pass is nothing but illusion, in comparison with the reality of the overspirit
Each individual spirit must go through a series of incarnations in Maya in each of which his actions or
karma will influence his next rebirth. If he performs his dharma or appropriate duty in one life, he will be
reborn higher on the caste scale.

The final obliteration of the individual is usually called by the Buddhist term Nirvana the ideal end of the
Buddhist Spiritual Life.
According to Indian Belief, the old religion is revitalized from time to time by a great religious teacher or
buddha who might be compared with a Hebrew prophet in the Old Testament. The greatest of the buddhas
was the Buddha Gautama, who unintentionally founded a rival religion in attempting to rid popular
Hinduism of its superstition and empty ritual.

BUDDHISM
Founded by the historical Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, Buddhism originated in India, is divisible
philosophically into two main parts:
Southern School of Buddhism
- preserves its sacred literature in the Dead Indian Language, Pali
- Ceylon, Burma, Thailand, Cambodia
Northern School of Buddhism
- has its scriptures in Sanskrit, Chinese, Japanese and Tibetan
- Nepal, Kashmir, Tibet, China, Annam, Mongolia, Korea, Japan
Primitive Buddhism was representative of this Upanishadic Period, it is claimed that by Knowledge plus
Compassion, one might realize Liberation, which Buddhists call Nirvana in Sanskrit, Nibbana in Pali
BUDDHA
A title given to one spiritually awakened or enlightened, Buddha means awake.
The Buddhas father, Suddhodana, was the Raja or Chief of Sakya, a ruler elected from the warrior or
Khastriya Class of Early Aryan Society. His mother, Mahamaya, died seven days after giving birth to
Siddharta.
He married his cousin, Yasodhara, and they had one son, Rahula.
He ultimately attained the supreme mystical experience in Nirvana while meditating under a Bodhi or Pipal
Tree at Gaya, in what is now the Indian State of Bihar. This occurred in 528 B.C.
He died at the age of 80 at Kusinagara in 483 B.C.
BUDDHAS DOCTRINE
Gautama postulated Three Characteristics that condition life and all that live, including human beings.
Impersonality / Insubstantiality
Impermanence / Change
Imperfection / Sorrow
The Buddhas stock definition of dukkha or suffering is made as a statement of truth. It is the first of the
Four Noble Truths.
1. That life is subject to sorrow.
2. That this sorrow is caused by ignorance, which results in desire-attachment.
3. That this sorrow can be eliminated by the elimination of desire-attachment.
4. That the way to eliminate desire-attachment is to follow the Eightfold Path
The Noble Eightfold Path. This way of moderation and detachment is the Buddhists Criterion, and the
Buddhist Philosophy of Life is sometimes referred to as The Middle Way.
Wisdom
1. Right View seeing life as it is, in accord with its fundamental Three Characteristics
2. Right Mindedness being motivated by friendly thoughts
Morality
3. Right Speech speaking kindly and truthfully
4. Right Action acting skillfully and sympathetically

5. Right Livelihood practicing a means of living that does not cause oneself or others to infringe
lawful morality
Mental Culture
6. Right Endeavor self-perfection by avoiding and rejecting ignoble qualities
7. Right Mindfulness the cultivation and practice of self-awareness and compassion
8. Right Concentration contemplation culminating in intellectual intuition
BUDDHIST MEDITATION
Buddhist mental culture or yoga commences with simple breathing exercises. By control of the breath, one
learns to calm and ultimately to control the physical body.
With ones thoughts controlled and purified, the character can be perfected; then wisdom and intuition
mature, until finally the mystical realization is won. It is the individual who has to change and not the outside
world.
BUDDHIST FIVE COMMANDMMENTS
1. Kill no living thing.
2. Do not take what is not given to you.
3. Do not speak falsely.
4. Drink no intoxicating drink.
5. Do not be unchaste.
JUDAISM
Judaism is the religion of the Jews. Jewish religious faith and practice are based on the doctrinal and legal
content of the Old Testament as interpreted and developed by legalists and mystics, philosophers and
priests through the ages.
Moses founded Judaism.
If Judaism can be said to have a confession of faith, it is found in Deuteronomy 6:4, proclaimed by the
Jews every morning and night, thus emphasizing the unity or oneness of God.
God, in His dealings with men, manifests two qualities: the quality of justice, and the quality of mercy.
The maintenance of the world requires a combination of both.
Sin, which is rebellion against God, is not inherited. The soul as it comes from God is pure. Though sin is
universal, man, through repentance, may obtain divine forgiveness.
God is related to man through revelation. God reveals Himself to man because of His love. Out of this
revelation, two major commandments are born:
And thou shalt love the Lord God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
Deuteronomy 6:5
Thou shall love thy neighbors as thy self.
Leviticus 19:18
While Judaism is poor in dogma, it is rich in literature or readings formulating the Halakhah, Hebrew for the
way, Jewish Style of Living.
JEWISH FESTIVAL CALENDAR
Pesah / Passover originally a farmers Spring Festival, Pesah commemorates the Exodus from Egypt and
celebrates the ideal of freedom
Shavouth / Pentecost formerly the Feast of First Fruits, Pentecost is observed as the Festival of
Revelation, the season of the giving of the Ten Commandments
Sukkoth / Tabernacles originally a harvest and vintage festival, Sukkoth is celebrated in commemoration
of Gods providential care for Israel throughout their desert wanderings
Day of Memorial this is the Jewish New Year, celebrated in solemn joy as the Birthday of The World as
well as the Day of Judgment on which God decides the fate of nations and individuals

Day of Atonement this is a day spent wholly in the synagogue, in prayer, in confessions of sins, and in
fasting
The Weekly Sabbath the most important occasion in the Jewish Calendar is the weekly Sabbath,
celebrated on Saturday beginning with sunset on Friday. Its main observance lies in the abstinence from all
manner of work.

CONVERSION TO JUDAISM
Membership in the community of Judaism is achieved through birth, for the covenant at Sinai was made.
Circumcision of the male child on the eight day is a commandment. But it does not make the native Jewish
child into a Jew any more than does the observance of his 13th Birthday.
The Talmud is the body of Jewish civil and religious law not found in the Torah as well as related
commentaries and discussion.
Torah of The Jews is the Mosaic Law or the Pentateuch of The Christians the first five books of the
bible. According to legend, Moses compiled the first five books of the bible.
Genesis containing the ancient myths of the Creation, the Flood, and the patriarchs Abraham,
Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph
Exodus relating the wanderings of the tribes from Egypt to Canaan under Moses
Leviticus the ceremonial laws
Numbers the census and further History of The Hebrew Tribes
Deuteronomy the final pronouncements of Moses
The god Yahweh or Jahweh, was the tribal God of The Hebrews, not the One God of All Mankind. To
implement the worship of Yahweh, Moses brought to his people from the top of Sinai the Ten
Commandments engraved on tablets of stone. These symbols of the agreement were kept thereafter in an
oblong chest called the Ark of The Covenant, which the Israelites carried with them everywhere.
It was the prophet Jeremiah who was to broaden Judaism into a religion for all the world. With Jeremiah
and his international vision, Yahweh became God and Judaism became a true monotheism. In the truest
sense, Jeremiah paved the way for Jesus Christ and linked the dogma of Judaism with Christianity.
CHRISTIANITY
Judaic Roots: The historic religion derived from the teaching and life of Jesus Christ, Christianity arose as
a sect within Judaism, and behind it a long and complex religious development that culminated in the
Hebrew prophetic movement and the deeply laid hope of the coming of the Messiah or The Anointed One,
who would establish the Kingdom of God on Earth.
Jesus was born of a Virgin Mother, Mary, betrothed to His foster Father, Joseph, who was of Davidic
descent.
His mission was to bring salvation through suffering rather than to be a greater David or the spectacular
Son of Man coming in power and glory to deliver the nation from the Roman Yoke.
However, after the Crucifixion and the Easter Resurrection became accomplished facts, the implications
of the suffering-servant prophecies were recognized. Thereby, He demonstrated that greater love which
was at the heart of the Gospel of Redemption.
The original eleven (11) disciples and Matthias, who took the place vacated by Judas Iscariot, constituted
the nucleus of the Apostolic Church, having been the closest companions of Jesus during His lifetime, the
witness of His resurrection, and His appointed representatives to carry on His mission in the world.
The 12 Apostles / The Twelve Disciples of Jesus Christ
And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from twelve, whom he named
apostles: Simon whom he named Peter, and Andrew his brother, and James The
Greater and John (Sons of Thunder), and Philip, and (Nathanael) Bartholomew, and
(Levi) Matthew, and Thomas, and James The Less the son of Alphaeus, and Simon

who was called The Zealot, and (Thaddeus or Jude) Judas the son of James, and
Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor.
Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:14-19, and Luke 6:13-16
St. Peter, called The Prince of The Apostles was the outstanding figure among the Twelve Apostles in the
Jewish Christian Community.
The common foundation of the faith was the Resurrection and its worship of the Breaking of The Bread or
the Eucharist, as the perpetual memorial of the sacrifice of the Cross; for as often as the bread was broken
and the cup drunk, the death of the Lord for the remission of sins was shown forth.
Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in the 4th century.
The Seven Sacraments are rites and ceremonies distinctive of the Christian religion and observed with
special solemnity.
Baptism
Confirmation
Holy Communion / Eucharist
Confession / Penance / Reconciliation
Marriage / Matrimony
Anointing of The Sick / Extreme Unction / Last Rites
Holy Orders / Ordination

ISLAM
Islam, which literally means submitting oneself to God, is the name Mohammed gave to the faith of which
he was the prophet. Islam is the second most widespread religion. A follower of the faith is called a Muslim,
also spelled Moslem.
Mohammed first preached in the towns of Western Arabia in the 7th century, and in his lifetime, most
converts to the faith were also Arabs.
Mohammed taught that God had created the world and mankind in it; that mens duty is to obey Gods will;
that He has made His will known through the messages of the prophets whom He has sent to all people;
and at the end of history God will judge all human beings, condemning the disobedient to Hell but rewarding
the obedient in Paradise.
Muslims believe that Mohammed is the Final Prophet, and his religion, the Final Religion for all mankind.
They looked for answers above all in the Koran or Muslim Bible the record of the explicit messages that
Mohammed believed had been given him by God.
Each Muslim must believe in the exclusive sovereignty of God, who is called in Arabic, Allah, and that
Mohammed is the Last and Perfect Prophet. To make the formal declaration There is no god, but God,
and Mohammed is Gods messenger suffices to enroll one legally as a Muslim.
On five occasions each day, each believer should perform certain acts of worship called the salat,
consisting of prostrations he must face towards Mecca. If several perform it together, they should normally
choose one of their members as leader, called an imam, the rest performing it behind him, keeping time
with his actions.
Muslims commonly set aside special places, usually buildings called mosques, for performing worship
especially the Friday Worship, and for other religious purposes, such as the study of the Koran.
THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM
A Muslim is required to fast during daylight hours in the month of Ramadan, to give a fixed proportion of his
property for the relief of the poor and the advancement of the faith, and to make a pilgrimage to Mecca
called the hadj or hajj at least once in his life, if he can afford it, at the time of the yearly ceremonies there.
1. Public Declaration of Faith
2. Daily Worship
3. Fast of Ramadan

4. Zakat
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca
At the end of Ramadan and at the time of the yearly pilgrimage ceremonies in Mecca, Muslims everywhere
celebrate holidays called id, or Bairam.
Unless they were members of the family, men were not permitted in the inner part of a home called the
harem, or haram, which was the womens domain. While on the streets, women went veiled from mens
view.

JIHAD
Under prescribed circumstances, fighting in a war to defend the area already governed by Islam or to extend
it was regarded as a major obligation to those Muslims who were able to do so. Those who died in such a
battle were regarded as martyrs assured of Paradise. The holy war was called a jihad.
Modern Muslims generally regard jihad as legitimate only for defensive purposes.