ASIAN BELIEFS

Buddhism: The Middle Way

When desires are few,
The heart is happy
When desires are gone,
Peace can be felt.
- Gautama Buddha

Siddharta Gautama was born in 563 BCE in a kingdom at the foot of the Himalayan
mountains (present-day Nepal). He is also known historically as Gautama Buddha
Siddharta Sakyamuni. He was a prince and son of the wealthy king of the Sakyas. He was
said to be a handsome man, a brilliant student, and an athlete. At the age of 19, he married a
beautiful woman from another wealthy family. Despite a prosperous life, Siddharta sought
to experience life outside the kingdom.

Five days after he was born, it was prophesied that Siddharta would become a Universal
Emperor. However, he could also become a Universal Teacher through the fourth Signs that
would show him the suffering of the world.

His father did everything to insulate Siddharta from any signs of sickness, poverty, and
sadness in the kingdom. But it seemed that gods willed him to witness the Four Signs. In
one of his sorties inside the palace, he saw an old weak and stooping man. He asked his
escort what it was. It was only then he learned about the natural ageing process of people.
This went the First Sign. In another sortie, he encouraged a man full of wounds and boils.
Through the Second Sign, he learned that everyone goes through some kind of sickness. The
Third Sign came when he saw a dead body, and he learned of the reality of death. For the
Fourth Sign, he saw a monk begging for food. Thus, he learned that human beings could live
at peace if they turn their back on the world. He finally understood that this was his fate.

He escaped from his kingdom and traveled in search of enlightenment. He went to the
gurus to study the Upanishad, but he was not contented with what he learned. He lived
among the ascetics in the forest but did not find answers to his questions. He then took a
different path from the ascetics and meditated alone. He sat under the Bo tree in the town
of Gaya near Benares and promised not to rise until he understood the mystery of life. He
confronted various tests from the devils. After 49 days, his consciousness sharpened and he
was able to attain enlightenment. He became the Buddha, the “Enlighten One”. He remained
seated under the tree for another 49 days to reflect on the mysteries of life that he learned
in his meditation. Afterwards, he traveled to spread his teachings.

Beliefs . the Buddha propagated the Four Noble Truths:

First, that life is full of suffering (dukkha);

Second, the reason for suffering is tanha or desire;
Third, to eradicated suffering, one must eliminate the desire to reach nirvana, and
Fourth, the way to eliminate desire is to follow the Eightfold Path.
The Eightfold Path consists of:

1. Right Understanding. People should learn their identity in order to be saved. They
must learn the Four Noble Truths.
2. Right Goal or Motives. People must desire salvation.
3. Right Speech. People must not lie and speak ill of others. This is rooted in selfishness
that become an obstacle to salvation.
4. Right Behavior. This refers to the four precepts: do not kill, do not take alcoholic
drinks, and maintain a clean life.
5. Right Livelihood. An individual should perform tasks that contribute to salvation –
like a monastic life.
6. Right Effort. To succeed, one must display initiative and confidence.
7. Right Consciousness. People must always reflect on their actions and confront their
motivations to understand and avoid the causes of evil deeds.
8. Right Meditation. Those who want to achieve salvation should deeply reflect truths.

Many aspects of the Buddha’s teachings show unique insight and awareness. First,
he studied in the vernacular language instead of Sanskrit, the original language of the
Upanishad. This led to widespread acceptance of his ideas. Second by means of self-
initiative instead of rituals he opened up the way for salvation using a path that anyone
could follow in the end, he did not discuss the afterlife, but focused on achieving
enlightenment in this life.
While the Buddha denied that he was a god and claimed to only be teaching a
philosophy, has death at the age of 80 left a huge impact. His discipline divided into two
groups. One group, known as Mahayana Buddhism (Greater Vehicle), considered the
Buddha a god and added some other saints, rituals and forms of worship to the religion.
The other group, which remained faithful to the original teachings of the Buddha, was
referred to as Hinayana Lesser Vehicle) or more correctly Theravada (The Way of the
Elders) Buddhism.

Theravada Buddhism
The teachings of Theravada or Hinayana Buddhism are closer to the original doctrines of
Buddhism. As it spread, people also began to adopt the practice of performing good deeds
as a way of erasing bad Karma. For example, an individual may support the construction of
a temple as a way of reversing any evil effects that may have arisen from his accumulation.

Theravada Buddhism spread in Southeast Asia, particularly in Burma (now Myanmar),

Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Sri Lanka. It remains the dominant and formal religion of the
people in these countries.

Oftentimes, male youths devoted two years of their lives living in temples with their
heads shaved. They wear saffron robes and go around begging for food with bowls.

Mahayana Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism was a later group that started during the Kushan period between
00-200 CE, it became a mass religion with added inputs on worship-rituals by the clerics.
Buddha was presented as a supernatural God, and other Buddhas called bodhisattva (saints
who decided to postpone entry into nirvana to extend help to the world that needed
salvation) were created. The faith and worship of the bodhisattva give a sense of peace to
the faithful in need of help from heaven. This was the reason for the worship of images
including the original Buddha, the observance of festive rites, and the rise of cults.

Bodhisattvas became the primary gods of Mahayana Buddhism. The Amithaba Buddha
was formerly a bodhisattva worshipped in China as O-mi-tb-fu, the while from the Western
Paradise. Another bodhisattva, the forgiving Avalokitesvara, is worshipped by Mahayana
Buddhists as a goddess of mercy, called Kuan-yin in China and Kannon in Japan. She was
worshipped mostly by women asking for help in their present lives, and not freedom from it
as taught by classical Buddhism. Like the Theravada school, Mahayana Buddhism also gives
emphasis on the importance of good deeds for the purpose of helping others and saving
one’s self.

Lamaism, or Tibetan Buddhism, followed almost the same development. Included in the
teachings of this branch of Buddhism were the power of relics and the use of prayer flags
and prayer wheels with simple incantations. Followers believe that every time the prayer
wheel turns and the wind blows on the prayer flags, their requests and prayers reach
heaven, and the person who turns the wheel or carries the flag will receive blessings.
Included in the worship of gods is the doctrine of good deeds.

Other forms of Mahayana Buddhism integrated aspects of magic. Bodhisattva as and their
associates can float on air and the faithful can be made sacred when they repeatedly recite
ritualistic verses of worship Buddhist relics. Mahayana followers also believe that faithful
good doers can reach a heaven full of joy different from nirvana. Evil doers, on the other
hand, will go to a hell of demons where they will experience painful punishments.

Mahayana Buddhism became prevalent in China, Tibet, Korea, and Japan.

ISLAM

Islam (Arabic: ‫اإلسالم‬ al-’islām, pronounced [ʔislæːm]   is
the monotheistic religion articulated by the Qur’an, a text considered by its adherents to be
the verbatim word of God (Arabic: ‫هللا‬, Allā h), and by the Prophet of Islam Muhammad's
teachings and normative example (which is called the Sunnah in Arabic, and demonstrated
in collections of Hadith). Islam literally means "submission (to God)."[1] Muslim, the word
for an adherent of Islam, is the active participle of the same verb of which Islām is the
infinitive (see Islam (term)).[2][3]

Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable and that the purpose of life is

to worship God.[4] They regard their religion as the completed and universal version of a
primordial, monotheistic faith revealed at many times and places before, including, notably,
to the prophets Abraham, Moses and Jesus. Islamic tradition holds that previous messages
and revelations have been changed and distorted over time.[5] Religious practices include
the Five Pillars of Islam, which are five obligatory acts of worship.[6] Islamic
law (Arabic: ‫شريعة‬ Šarīʿah) touches on virtually every aspect of life and society,
encompassing everything frombanking and warfare to welfare and the environment.[7]

Five Pillars of Islam

Shahada

Shahadah is a statement professing monotheism and

accepting Muhammad as God's messenger. [1] The shahadah is a set statement normally
recited in Arabic:(ašhadu an) lā ilāha illá l-Lāhi wa (ashhadu 'anna) Muḥammadan rasūlu l-
Lāhi "(I profess that) there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God.

Salah

Salah is the daily prayer of Islam. Salah consists of five prayers: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib,

and Isha'a. Fajr is said at dawn, Duhr is a noon prayer, Asr is said in the afternoon, Maghrib
is the sunset prayer, and Isha is the evening prayer. Each prayer consists of a certain
amount of rakaʿāt. A prayer either consists of two, three, or four rakaʿā t. All of these
prayers are recited while facing Mecca.

Zakāt

Zakāt or alms-giving is the practice of charitable giving by Muslims based on accumulated

wealth, and is obligatory for all who are able to do so. It is considered to be a personal
responsibility for Muslims to ease economic hardship for others and eliminate inequality.
[2]
 Zakat consists of spending 2.5% of one's wealth for the benefit of the poor or needy,
including slaves, debtors and travellers. A Muslim may also donate more as an act of
voluntary charity (sadaqah), rather than to achieve additional divine reward.[3] There are
two main types of Zakah. First, there is the kajj, which is a fixed amount based on the cost of
food that is paid during the month of Ramadan by the head of a family for himself and his
dependents. Second, there is the Zakat on wealth, which covers money made in business,
savings, income, and so on.[4] In current usage Zakat is treated as a 2.5% collections on most
valuables and savings held for a full lunar year, as long as the total value is more than a
basic minimum known as nisab (3 ounces (85.05 g)). As of 02 July 2010, nisab is
approximately $3,275 or an equivalent amount in any other currency.[5] Many Shi'ites are
expected to pay an additional amount in the form of a khums tax, which they consider to be
a separate ritual practice.[6] There are four principles that should be followed when giving
the Zakah:

1. The giver must declare to God his intention to give the Zakah.
2. The Zakah must be paid on the day that it is due. If one fails to pay the Zakat, people
think he is refusing to fulfill God's wishes.
 3. Payment must be in kind. This means if one has a lot of money then he needs to pay
2.5% of his income. If he does not have much money, he needs to pay in a different
way such as good deeds and good behavior toward others.
4. The Zakah must be distributed in the community from which it was taken. [7]

Sawm (Siyam)

Many Muslims traditionally break their fasts in Ramadan with dates (like those offered by
this date seller in Kuwait City), as was the recorded practice (Sunnah) of Muhammad.

Three types of fasting (Sawm) are recognized by the Qur'an: Ritual fasting,[8] fasting as

compensation for repentance (both from sura Al-Baqara)[9], and ascetic fasting (from Al-
Ahzab).[10][11]

Ritual fasting is an obligatory act during the month of Ramadan. [12] Muslims must abstain
from food, drink, and sexual intercourse from dawn to dusk during this month, and are to
be especially mindful of other sins.[12] Fasting is necessary for every Muslim whose age is
more than 11.[13]

The fast is meant to allow Muslims to seek nearness to God, to express their gratitude to
and dependence on him, atone for their past sins, and to remind them of the needy.
[14]
 During Ramadan, Muslims are also expected to put more effort into following the
teachings of Islam by refraining from violence, anger, envy, greed, lust, profane language,
gossip and to try to get along with fellow Muslims better. In addition, all obscene and
irreligious sights and sounds are to be avoided.[15]

Fasting during Ramadan is obligatory, but is forbidden for several groups for whom it
would be very dangerous and excessively problematic. These include pre-pubescent
children, those with a medical condition such as diabetes, elderly people,
and pregnant or breastfeeding women. Observing fasts is not permitted for menstruating
women. Other individuals for whom it is considered acceptable not to fast are those who
are ill or traveling. Missing fasts usually must be made up for soon afterward, although the
exact requirements vary according to circumstance.[16][17][18][19]

Hajj

The hajj to the Kaaba, in Mecca, is an important practice in Islam.

The Hajj is a pilgrimage that occurs during the Islamic month of Dhu al-Hijjah to the holy

city of Mecca, and derives from an ancient Arab practice. Every able-bodied Muslim is
obliged to make the pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime if he or she can afford
it.[20] When the pilgrim is around 10 km (6.2 mi) from Mecca, he must dress in Ihram
clothing, which consists of two white sheets. Both men and women are required to make
the pilgrimage to Mecca. After a Muslim makes the trip to Mecca, he/she is known as
a hajj/hajja (one who made the pilgrimage to Mecca).[21] The main rituals of the Hajj include
walking seven times around the Kaaba, touching the Black Stone, travelling seven times
between Mount Safa and Mount Marwah, and symbolically stoning the Devil in Mina.[21]

The pilgrim, or the haji, is honoured in their community. For some, this is an incentive to

perform the Hajj. Islamic teachers say that the Hajj should be an expression of devotion to
God, not a means to gain social standing. The believer should be self-aware and examine
their intentions in performing the pilgrimage. This should lead to constant striving for self-
improvement.[22] A pilgrimage made at any time other than the Hajj season is called
an Umrah, and while not mandatory is strongly encouraged.

REGIONS IN AFRICA

Name of region  and

Capital
territory
Eastern Africa:
 Burundi Bujumbura
 Comoros Moroni
 Djibouti Djibouti
 Eritrea Asmara
 Ethiopia Addis Ababa
 Kenya Nairobi
 Madagascar Antananarivo
 Malawi Lilongwe
 Mauritius Port Louis
 Mayotte (France) Mamoudzou
 Mozambique Maputo
 Réunion (France) Saint-Denis
 Rwanda Kigali
 Seychelles Victoria
 Somalia Mogadishu
 Tanzania Dodoma
 Uganda Kampala
 Zambia Lusaka
Middle Africa:
  Angola Luanda
 Cameroon Yaoundé
 Central African Republic Bangui
 Chad N'Djamena
 Congo Brazzaville
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa
 Equatorial Guinea Malabo
 Gabon Libreville
 São Tomé and Príncipe São Tomé
Northern Africa:
 Algeria Algiers
 Egypt[88] Cairo
 Libya Tripoli
 Morocco Rabat
 Sudan Khartoum
 Tunisia Tunis
 Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic[89] El Aaiún
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria,
 Canary Islands (Spain)
Santa Cruz de Tenerife
 Ceuta (Spain)[91] —
 Madeira Islands (Portugal) Funchal
 Melilla (Spain)[93] —
Southern Africa:
 Botswana Gaborone
 Lesotho Maseru
 Zimbabwe Harare
 Namibia Windhoek
Bloemfontein, Cape
 South Africa
Town, Pretoria
 Swaziland Mbabane
Western Africa:
 Benin Porto-Novo
 Burkina Faso Ouagadougou
 Cape Verde Praia
 Côte d'Ivoire Abidjan, Yamoussoukro
 Gambia Banjul
 Ghana Accra
 Guinea Conakry
 Guinea-Bissau Bissau
 Liberia Monrovia
 Mali Bamako
 Mauritania Nouakchott

 Niger Niamey
 Nigeria Abuja
 Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da
Jamestown
Cunha(UK)
 Senegal Dakar
 Sierra Leone Freetown
 Togo Lomé