RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD

BUDDHISM

Founder                : Gautam Siddhartha Buddha (563-483 BC) born in Lumbini,                        Nepal

Date Founded     : 500 BC, India

Beliefs                : Four Noble Truths':

• All life is permeated by suffering
• Source of suffering is desire for existence
• This cause can be eliminated
• Way of doing this is by treading 'The Eightfold Path' which leads to 'Nirvana' -- the ultimate state of peace

Sacred text          : The Tripitaka (a collection of Buddha's teachings)

Place of worship   : Vihar (Temple) and Monastery (where monks reside)

Sects                    : Mahayana and Hinayana

Sacred places       : Lumbini (Nepal) where Buddha was born; Bodh Gaya 
                             (Bihar) where he received enlightment; and Kusinagara 
                             (UP) where he attained 'Nirvana'.

Followed in           : China, Tibet, Korea, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand,                                       Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia, and
                                           Vietnam
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CHRISTIANITY

Founder                   : Jesus Christ (4 BC-AD 30) born in Bethlehem, also called 
                             Jesus of Nazareth

Date founded        : 1 st AD


Beliefs                  : Trinity -- God as three in one (Father, Son, Holy

• God as creator of universe
• God is Love
• Incarnation of Jesus as Son of God

Sacred test          : Holy Bible consisting of the Old Testament (before Christ)
                             And the New Testament (during and after Christ)

Place of worship   : Church

Sects                    : Catholics and Protestants

Followed in           : Spread all over the world
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CONFUCIANISAM 

Founder                 : K'ung Fu-tzu, better known as Confuciuus (551-479 BC) 
                               Born in the State of Lu in China

Date founded         : 6th BC, China

Beliefs                  : 

• Human beings are improvable and perfectible
• Person can shape his/her own destiny
• Self-knowledge and self realization are attainable through learning sense of humanity should infuse society and politics (social participation)
• Ritual and tradition

Sacred text            : The Analects

Place of worship     : No church or temple

Sacred place          : Peking (Beijing) in China

Followed in            : China Taiwan, South Korea, Nauru and Vietnam
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