LESSON 2:

ORIGIN OF WORLD
RELIGIONS
BY: GROUP 2 ( BSN- 3D
ARGUILLES, REYMARK D.
BAHIA, ZOSINE B.
BAIS, LORENA E.
BARQUILLA, JUSTINE JADE R.
ESSENTIAL UNDERSTANDING
 Religion have their origin stories and are universal in
nature.
 Geography and culture have an effect on the
establishment and development of religions.
World
religio
ns

Geograph Cultural
Historical
ical Milieu
Foundation
Context
A. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

 Prehistoric humans, such as the Neanderthals and Cro-

Magnons, have practiced a set of belief systems like in
burying their dead, painting on the walls of caves and
carving images from stones.
 The existence of humankind for so long a time has
resulted in the formation of religion and belief systems. It
is certain that many religions may have been unrecorded
in the past. Others may have gradually died down like
Zoroastrianism that once flourished in South Asia but is
now only confined in Iran, India and Central Asia.
IMPORTANT DATES ON THE ORIGIN OF
WORLD RELIGIONS
THE PATRIARCH ABRAHAM

 Played a major role in the establishment of the three

monotheisthic religions: namely, Judaism,
Christianity and Islam, which account for more than
half of the world’s total population. As such, these
organized religions are collectively known as
ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS.
 The importance of Abraham in these three religions lies
in the fact that the patriarch appears as an elemental
(primary) figure for monotheistic belief system and a
paragon (exemplar) for extreme devotion.
 COMMONALITIES IN THE ABRAHAMIC
RELIGIONS
1. They all worship one supreme being.
• Ancient Hebrews – Elohim, Adonai or Yahweh
• Present day Judaism – “Lord” or “God”
• Muslims – Allah
2. Prophets and apostles play major roles
• Judaism has 48 prophets and 7 prophetesses
• Early prophets include Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Aaron and Joshua
• Christianity has 12 apostles, some of whom wrote parts of the New
Testament
• Islam believes that Muhammad is the final prophet or the “Seal of the
Prophets”.
3. Prior to the establishment as organized religions, the role of divine
revelation or intervention is associated among their progenitors
(ancestors).
• God instructed Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac at Mount Moriah
• God presented the 10 Commandments to Moses at Mount Sinai
• God sacrificed His son Jesus Christ through crucifixion as the plan to
salvation • God commanded Muhammad to establish a new religion
at a cave in Mount Hira.

*** Then and now, the followers of the three Abrahamic religions are
presented with a choice between good and evil.
THE INDIAN MOSAIC
•India is one of the oldest surviving civilizations, with its
history dating back to at least 6500 BCE. The many
conquerors that came to India were gradually absorbed into
the native Indian religions.
• The Harappan civilization, Aryan influence, local dynasties,
and the Muslim conquest all had their fair share in building
the intricate Indian mosaic. As a result, variety and
complexity characterize Indian culture.
• Four great religions originated in India – Hinduism,
Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism – and a myriad of minor
cults and local sects.
HINDUISM
•It perfectly reflects Indian heterogeneity with its eclectic
(diversified and assorted) ways of religious expressions that are
quite confusing to outsiders.
• It has no specific founder, no one sacred book, and with
innumerable gods and goddesses that any Hindu can venerate.
As such, Hinduism can be considered as museum of religions.
• It was during the Vedic Period that Hinduism or Sanatana
Dharma became systematized as a religion that preached order
and purpose to the cosmos and human life.
• During this period, universal order became equated with a
stable society as evidenced by the establishment of a centralized
government and the integration of collective traditions into
Indian lives.
BUDDHISM
• It centers its attention on the figure of the Buddha, who
was not a god but a human being who came to discover how
to terminate sufferings in order to escape the painful and
continuous cycle of rebirth.
• Buddhist followers revere Buddha in the same way that the
members of other world religions worship their gods.
• The Mahayana sect of Buddhism differs from Theravada
school because of its rich array of buddhas and bodhisattvas
who have attained spiritual enlightenment. These beings are
already eligible to enter nirvana but choose to delay this
glorious path to guide others to the path of salvation.
•Born near the end of the 6th century BCE, Siddharta
Gautama’s life is closely linked with the historical and religious
development of Buddhism in India. Gaining new converts due to
its mass appeal as compared to the exclusivity of Hindu beliefs,
Buddhism spread far and wide from India to Sri Lanka and to
Southeast Asia.

• The religion was transported to China, Korea, Japan and

Vietnam. Across the Himalayas, it reached the Tibetan lands.

• Presently, Buddhism has become more popular outside its

place of origin while Hinduism has remained entrenched
(rooted) in India throughout many centuries.
CONFUCIANISM
• Event during the olden days, the Chinese had already endeavored to
establish and attain good governance. China adopted Confucius’s ideals
and ethics as the nation developed meritocracy (power goes to those with
superior intellects) as a basis for government officials.
• Confucius is regarded as China’s greatest philosopher and teacher
who lived at the same time as Siddharta Gautama in India.
• Confucian ideals aspire to harmonize human relations and serve as
guide to social behavior. An ideal human society it the utmost concern for
the Confucian followers.
• Confucius dwell upon the theme of the Dao as being the truth or way
things out to be done concordant with specific view to life, politics and
customs.
• Confucian Dao concerns human affairs.
 DAOISM
•Mysteries abound the birth and life of Laozi (Lao-tzu) who may have
written Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching or The Book of the Way and its Power.
• Believed to be a contemporary (modern version) of Confucius, he
once worked as a record keeper at the time of Zhou Dynasty but soon
left the service due to his frustration with corruption.
• Around 142 CE, Daoism began as an organized religion with the
establishment of the Way of the Celestial Masters sect by Zhang
Daoling during the Han Dynasty.
• The writings of Daoism centers on the concept of Dao, as a way or
path signifying appropriateness of one’s behavior to lead other people.
• Dao in Daoism means road, path or way in which one does
something.
• Daoist Dao means the way the universe works.
SHINTOISM
• It is a loosely organized local belief in Japan, somewhat an ardent
(dedicated) religious form of Japanese patriotism. Its mythology highlights
the superiority of Japan over other lands.
• Japanese people believed that their emperors literally descended from
the sun goddess Amaterasu.
• Conscious effort is done to revere the beauty of Japan’s lands, especially
mountains.
• The term ‘Shinto’ was coined around the 16th century CE to distinguish
native belief system from the imported religions of China and Korea,
including Buddhism, Daoism and Confucianism.
• The term came from the Chinese words ‘shen’ and ‘tao’ roughly
translated as the ‘way of the gods’
• Of primal importance were the kami that were often defined as the gods
but could also refer to deities of heaven and earth, or even spirits in
human beings, animals, trees, seas and mountains.
B. GEOGRAPHY OF FATH

1. The Western Frontier

2. The Indian Subcontinent
3. The Eastern End
1. THE WESTERN
FRONTIER
•West Asia is the home of
three great religions
(Judaism, Christianity,
Islam).
• Religions have
increasingly become
involved in domestic
politics of West Asia,
resulting in prolonged
conflicts among countries
that have claimed
thousands of lives.
 1. THE WESTERN FRONTIER
• Israel remains the only country in the world with a Jewish-
majority population comprising almost 75% of its citizens.
• The Arabian Peninsula, the world’s largest peninsula, consists
of countries that are predominantly Islamic in character. (Saudi
Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Yemen and
Oman). Most West Asian countries follow Shi’a and Sunni
denominations of Islam. Iran and Iraq associate themselves with
the Shi’a sect while Muslims in Saudi Arabia belong to Sunni
branch.
• The topography of West Asia is characterized by vast areas of
mountainous terrains which played significant roles in many
religious beliefs as these landforms provide ideal settings where
gods live or where gods and mortals meet.
SACRED MOUNTAINS
• One of the most sacred sites in the world revered by Judaism,
Christianity, Islam. Three structures are found in the present site:
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock, and the Dome of the
Chain. The Jewish people consider the Temple Mount as their holiest
shrine. Mount Moriah is also believed to be the site of sacrifice of
Isaac by Abraham.

• Vast expanse of deserts and bodies of water also played important

roles in biblical history
PLACE SIGNIFICANCE
Yam Suph (Red Sea) Israelites crossed this as they escaped
from Egyptian lands
Sinai Desert Israelites lived here en route the
Promised Land (spiritual cleansing)
• Presently, followers of Abrahamic religions place high regard
on the city of Jerusalem in Israel because of the numerous
sites that are central to their belief system.

• There are more than a thousand synagogues, more than a

hundred churches and more than 70 mosques.

• Jerusalem has been sacred for the Jews for almost three
thousand years now with the city being the site of the First
Temple (King Solomon’s Temple) and the Second Temple.

• The Western Wall (Wailing Wall or Kortel), one of the four

remaining walls that surrounded Temple Mount, is the second
holiest shrine for the Jews.
 • Jerusalem has been sacred for the Christians for almost two
thousand years now. Important sites include Mount Zion and the
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is the site of the Golgotha (or
the place of crucifixion) and the empty tomb of Jesus Christ.

• Lastly, Jerusalem has been sacred for the Muslims for almost 1400
years now. For the Sunni Muslims, it is their third holiest city.

• Located at the Temple Mount, the Islamic Dome of the Rock is the
most recognizable structure in Jerusalem. It is believed that the rock
is the spot from which Muhammad ascended to heaven. Likewise, the
First and Second Temples are believed to lie beneath or near the
shrine.

• Another Islamic structure is the Al-Aqsa Mosque associated with

the night journey undertaken by Muhammad.
 THE INDIAN SUBCONTINENT
•The subcontinent of South Asia covers an area more than one
and a half million square miles stretching from the Hindu Kush
and Baluchi Hills on the west and the Great Himalayan mountain
range on the north, to the Burmese mountain on the east and
the Indian Ocean on the south.

• More than 4000 years ago, a civilization emerged along the

Indus River that developed a unique culture long before the
dawn of the Christian era.

• Invasions from people originating in Macedonia and Central

Asia have added diversity to India’s population and complexity
to its culture.
• Because sweltering heat is one major feature of India’s
ecological setting, it is no wonder that Hindus revere the sun
(Surya) and fire (Agni).

• Water also plays a major role as evidenced by Hindus

venerating a god of water and celestial oceans (Varuna).

• The South Asian countries of India, Pakistan and

Bangladesh depend on the rivers of Indus, Ganga-Yamuna
and Bramaputra. Traversing the great plains of north India,
the Ganga (Ganges) is the holiest river for the Hindus. From
its point of origin to its confluence with the ocean, Many
ancient pilgrimage sites and cities line up along the Ganga
that include Rishikesh, Haridwar, Prayag and Varanasi.
 • Even Buddhist consider Varanasi as an important
religious site. During the olden days, there was
once a deer park in Samath which is now a
residential area in Varanasi. In this park, Siddharta
Gautama gave his first sermon about the principles
of Buddhism. It is presently marked by the
Dhamek Stupa shrine.

• The Buddha also met his first disciples at this

place which is now commemorated by the
Chaukhandi Stupa monument.
 3. THE EASTERN END
• At the eastern end of the great Asian continent one finds the
cultural and political dominance of China.

• The location of China proper in the valleys of two great bodies of

water, the Huang He and Yangtze, is quite favorable because of the
support these streams provide to the Chinese people that made
historic China the center of culture.

• From these river valleys emerged small states now controlled by

the first recorded dynasties, the Shang and the Zhou. It is within
this context that the great Confucius became fascinated with
ethical questions and morality in government officials.
• Confucius, the main person behind the social philosophy,
did not intend to start a new religion but rather expound on
the nature of order and stability in the society. With the
growth of Confucianism and the development of urban
Chinese culture, the shamanism began to decline in China.

• It was only during the second millennium after the death

of Confucius in 479 BCE that the teachings and ideals
identified with his philosophy spread in China. By the time of
the Han dynasty, Confucian teachings had become the state
religion. In Korea, it began to be disseminated extensively
around the 15th century. In Japan, it was accepted by the
majority during the 18th and 19th centuries.
 • Daoism emerged in response to the widespread warfare
and social turmoil that besieged the Zhou dynasty. It served as
the guiding principle to abandon and withdraw from the
disorder brought about by incessant struggle for power, wealth
and prestige. The common people began to oppose the rising
authoritarian rule and the rigidity of the moralists who were
Confucian supporters. Daoist followers aspired for autonomy in
the midst of social adversities and the conformity to social
patterns with the aim of attaining social harmony.

• As the three kingdoms of Goguryeo, Silla and Baekje were

being influenced by China, Korea also adopted Buddhism and
Confucianism from the mainland.
• Japanese representative to China picked the useful aspects of
Chinese culture, imported and adopted these elements to their own
need. The Japanese feudal (old) system embraced the ideals of
Confucianism. Ancestor worship complemented elements of
Confucianism and Daoism that underscored the concept of filial piety
(devotion to family.)

• The entry of Buddhism in Japan between the 4th and 8th centuries
had a direct effect in their religious traditions.

a. Shinto was introduced (to distinguish native from foreign

religion)
b. Shinto followers acknowledged that the numerous buddhas
and bodhisattvas were revelations of the kami.
c. Fusion between Shintoism and Buddhism
d. Japan developed a unique form of Buddhism taking its fullest
meditative form under Zen.
CULTURAL MILIEU

• World religions can be regarded along the lines

of their exclusivity or non-exclusivity.

• Exclusive religions are oftentimes

monotheistic with Judaism, Christianity and
Islam. Meanwhile, non-exclusive religions
are Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism,
Taoism and Shintoism.
 ON MONOTHEISM AND
UNIVERSALITY
• While Judaism and Islam affirm the presence of one god (unitarian
creed) Christianity acknowledges one God in three persons
(trinitarian creed): the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
• The basic principles of the Muslim faith are reflected in the “Five
Pillars of Islam”.
• Both Christianity and Islam are considered universalizing
religions because they both attempt to operate on a global scale.
Universalizing religions have a variety of means to transmit their
principles and their followers believe that what they think is
appropriate for humankind.
• On the other hand, Judaism can be considered an ethnic religion
because it draws members from a specific group of people from a
definite locality with most of its practices and rituals performed
continuously throughout generations.
ON THE CONCEPT OF DHARMA
• The concept of dharma is integral in religions that emerged
in India, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism.

• In Hinduism, dharma could mean duty, righteousness

and ethics. In all humanity, this is common and evident in
virtues such as peacefulness, empathy and kindness.

• For Buddhism, it means cosmic law and order, or the

teachings of Buddha and the truth of the way things are.

• For the Theravada sect, dharma is sometimes used to

indicate all the factors of existence.
 • Dharma religions do not compel their adherents to profess
their devotion to be a believer or a practitioner. Meditational
and yoga rituals lead to right behavior and ultimate
understanding of the universe.

• While the Hindus and Buddhists share similarities in their

ideas concerning enlightenment and liberation, they differ in:

 Hindus believe in trimurti or the three forms of god

 Buddhists do not believe in the existence of any god

therefore intermediaries for humans and gods are not
necessary along with the many rituals that go with venerating
them.
ON NATURE AND ANCESTORS
• The elements of cult of heaven and ancestor worship are features
of ancient Chinese culture integrated into the Confucian philosophy
and belief. Confucius had a firm conviction in a natural order that
was moral order.
• Apart from having a harmonious relationship between humans and
heaven, the establishment of an ideal human society is also key
to Confucian followers. The five basic social relationships are:
1. Ruler and subjects
2. Father and son
3. Husband and wife
4. Older and younger brothers
5. Friends or members of the community
•Lesser deities are apparent in Daoism with the presence of
atmospheric gods, gods of locality, and functional gods. It also
promotes harmonious relationship between humankind and nature.
Appropriateness of one’s behavior is also integral in the Daoist
teachings.

• In Shintoism, divinities are closely linked to nature and natural

forces. The sacred Mount Fuji, an abode of Japanese gods, is
surrounded by temples and shrines. It is one of the three holy
mountains along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku.

• Shrines are erected to venerate or remember ancestors, an

occurrence and natural phenomena, such as mountains, rivers, rocks
and trees. Shinto followers carry out ritualistic practices diligently in
order to establish union with the present society and the nation’s past.
Majority of its followers also practice Buddhism.
ENRICHMENT
• Draw a map of the world and show how religion spread
around the world.

• Take note of the key cities or countries where each

religion originated.

•Use one color per religion.

Summary

• Religion is considered universal and it can be found in all known

contemporary societies.
• The prophet and patriarch Abraham played a major role in the
establishment of three monotheistic religions, namely, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam.
• Religion is an essential part of Indian tradition as four main religions
originated here, namely, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.
• Both Confucius and Laozi were followers of the Dao. The Confucian Dao
principally concerns human affairs while the Daoist Dao means the way the
universe works.
• West Asia is home of three great religions, namely, Judaism, Christianity,
and Islam.
• Heat and water are major features of India’s ecological setting.As a result,
deities of sun, fire,
and water are venerated in India.
• Chinese culture practically influenced all other nations at its outskirts,
including Japan and Korea.
• Monotheism or the belief in one god is an ancient idea that predated
the establishment of
Abrahamic religions.
• The concept of dharma is integral in religions that emerged in India,
most especially Hinduism and Buddhism.
• Chinese belief system arrived in Japan and influenced the local culture
and the indigenous
polytheistic religion Shinto.