Religions of the World

1. Buddhism

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

Founded -in 525 BC

Sacred Text-The Tripitaka (Collection of Buddha?s teaching) also called Sutras

Sacred Places- Lumbini (Nepal) where he received enlightenment and Kusinagar (UP) where he

attained ?Nirvana?.

Place of Worship -Vihar (temple) and Monastery (where monks reside)

Sects -Mahayana and Hinayana

2. Confucianism

Founder- King Fu Tsu, Better known as Confucius (551-479 BC) born in the state of LU in

china.

Founded- in 500 BC

Sacred Text -The Analects

Sacred Places- church or temple

3. Christianity

Founder Jesus- Christ (5 BC to AD 30) born in Judea, also called Jesus of Nazareth

Founded in -2000 years ago

Sacred Text- Holy Bible consisting of Old Testament (before Christ) and the New Testament (during

and after Christ)

Sacred Places- Jerusalem where Christ lived and preached

Place of Worship Church

Important Sects -Catholics and Protestants

4. Hinduism

Founder -Ancient Sages

Founded in -Around 1500 BC  

Sacred Text- The Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita and the epics of the Mahabharata

and the Ramayana

Place of Worship -Temple

5. Islam

Founder- Prophet Mohammed(PBUH) (AD 570-632) born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia)

Founded- in AD 622

Sacred Text -Quran (words of God), Hadis (Collection of Prophet?s saying).

Sacred Places- Makkah/ Madina in Saudi Arabia 

Place of Worship- Masjid (mosque)

Sects -Sunnis and Shias

6. Judaism (Religion of the Hebrews)

Founder -Moses, born in Egypt

Founded in -1300 BC

Sacred Text -Talmads, found particularly in the five books of the Bible; commentary on Torah

known as Talmud and Midrash

Sacred Places- Jerusalem

Place of Worship- Synagogue

7. Shintoism

Founder -Began with Japanese culture and developed out of tradition and ancestor worship

Sacred Text -No specific text

Sacred Places -Central Shrine of Ise (central Japan) and the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo

8. Sikhism

Founder- Guru Nanak (1469-1539)

Founded -in AD 1500

Sacred Text -Shri Guru Granth Sahib

Sacred Places -The Golden Temple of Amritsar

Place of Worship -Gurudwara

9. Taoism

Founder -Lao-tse, a Chinese Philosopher

Founded- in 6th century BC

Sacred Text -Tao-te-Ching

10. Zoroastrianism (Parsi Religion)

Founder -Zoroaster, born in Medea (modern Iran) in about 660 BC

Founded in -Around 500 BC

Sacred Text- Zend Avasta

Place of Worship -Fire temple