5 major religions - part 2

Hindusim-
  • number of adherents: 1.1 billion (third largest)
  • call them: Hindus
  • geographic location: India, Nepal
  • holy book: the Vedas - eternal truths revealed to ancient sages; composed in verse form (meant to be sung and easily memorized)
  • founder: no distinct founder - it is a series of intellectual or philosophical points of view, rather than a rigid, strict set of beliefs - probably the oldest extant religion, although Hinduism is less a religion than a way of life, or a faith
Buddhism - 

  • number of adherents: 500 mill. to 1.5 billion (estimates vary quite a bit, don’t they?)
  • call them: Buddhists
  • geographic location: southeast Asia, China, Nepal, Japan
  • (there are 1.2 million Buddhists in the United States)
  • denominations:Tibetan, Zen, Theravada, Amidst
  • founder: Siddhartha Gautama
  • Four Noble Truths: There is suffering, Attachment to desire is the origin of suffering, There is a cessation of suffering, The Eightfold Path will lead to the cessation of suffering
  • The Eightfold Path, Right view, Right intention, Right speech, Right action, Right livelihood, Right effort, Right mindfulness, Right dedication
Judaism:

  • number of adherents: 14 - 18 million (ninth)
  • call them: Jews
  • geographic location: Israel (6.4 million, 75.4%), US (5.3 - 7 million, 1.7% - 2.6%)
  • founder: Abraham
  • holy book: The Torah (the first five books of the Old Testament: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy)
  • beliefs: ethical monotheism - God is one, and concerned with the actions of humankind,
  • Ten Commandments, 13 Principles of Faith





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