Gita: Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism

1- The higher religions and the axial age

2- Introduction to Buddhism

1. Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha)
2. The Buddhist canons
3. Buddha's teachings
4. The four noble truths (Buddhist ethics)
5. The Middle Way (Madhyama Pratipad)

3- Introduction to Jainism (Jaina Dharma)

1. Mahavira
2. Ahimsa
3. The Jain doctrine
4. The twelve vratas or Jain vows
5. Jainism today

4- Introduction to Sikhism (Sikh Dharam)

1. Guru Nanak
2. The Sikh Gurus
3. The articles of faith

5- Introduction to Zoroastrianism

1. The figure of Zarathustra
2. Zoroastrian ethics
3. Non-violence and respect towards animals and the environment
4. The three H's (Good thoughts, words and actions) and business strategy

Bhagavad Gita and Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism

Hinduism shares many of its pillars with Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism: Ahimsa (Nonviolence), Detachment from the fruit of actions, truthfulness, yoga, meditation... Furthermore, all of them were born in India, the land in which more religions have emerged. Many Hindus consider these three religions as sisters, some even think that they are other valid paths within Sanatana Dharma.

«The emergence of higher religions was a slow and gradual process..The 6th century BC. C. Is the time of Confucius, Lao-Tzu, Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha), Mahavira (the founder of Jainism), Deuteroisaiah (anonymous Jewish prophet) and the Greek philosopher-Prophet Pythagoras.» Arnold J. Toynbee.

In the 6th century BC., Hinduism was consolidated as an alternative or evolution of the Vedic religion (remember that for Hindus it is the Eternal Religion) and Brahmanism. The Buddha, in northwest India, created Buddhism. And Mahavira, Jainism. Society and religion were controlled by the Brahmin caste, where salvation was restricted only to them, the lower Castes believed that they were immersed in an infinite cycle of births and resurrections (Samsara) and where sacrifice was a common practice. These three religions will be an alternative, or a heresy, to the existing religion and the prevailing violence.

Sri Ramakrishna (Sri Sarada Devi, Gospel of Ramakrishna, M. Gupta, Sarvapriyananda)

The rest of this summary of the Training “Gita and Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and Zoroastrianism” is only available to students of the Gita Institute

Sri Ramakrishna and Swami Vivekananda, Influence of the Bhagavad Gita to the West

Vivekananda: Childhood-death of Ramakrishna, Cape Comorin, Parliament of Religions
London, Back to India, Belur Math, Mahasamadhi