Religions of the Axial Age: An Approach to the World's Religions - The Teaching Company DVDs (The Great Courses)

What could the beliefs and traditions of a Zoroastrian, a person of Jewish faith, a Buddhist, a follower of Confucius, or a Christian have in common? How do religions evolve over time? This course offers a rare opportunity to relate your own spiritual questions to a variety of ancient quests for meaning and transcendence. In Religions of the Axial Age, Professor Mark W. Muesse shows you the historical conditions in which the world religions arose, while letting you see how they answered shared metaphysical and human dilemmas. He helps you think about specific traditions while pondering the common processes of religious development. Not content to study religion merely from books, Professor Muesse has also observed and participated in these traditions in their native contexts, especially in South Asia. Thus his approach to the study of religion is not solely academic or historical but also reflects a deep respect for religious experience as it is felt and lived. You will explore fascinating aspects of several major world religions at the time of their birth. Although Professor Muesse emphasizes the early religious traditions of Iran, South Asia, and China, he also shows how these compare, contrast, and contribute to contemporary Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Religions of the Axial Age: 1 An Approach to the World’s Religions 1 Part I 1 Professor Mark W. Muesse 1 Mark W. Muesse, Ph.D. 2 Table of Contents 3 Religions of the Axial Age: 3 An Approach to the World’s Religions 3 Part I 3 Religions of the Axial Age: 4 An Approach to the World’s Religions 4 Lecture One 6 What Was the Axial Age? 6 Outline 6 Lecture Two 9 The Noble Ones 9 Outline 9 Lecture Three 12 The World of Zoroaster 12 Outline 12 Lecture Four 15 Zoroaster’s Legacy 15 Outline 15 Lecture Five 18 South Asia before the Axial Age 18 Outline 18 Lecture Six 21 The Start of the Indian Axial Age 21 Outline 21 Lecture Seven 23 Death and Rebirth 23 Outline 23 Lecture Eight 25 The Quest for Liberation 25 Outline 25 Lecture Nine 27 The Vedantic Solution 27 Outline 27 Lecture Ten 30 The One and the Many 30 Outline 30 Lecture Eleven 33 The Life of Siddhattha Gotama 33 Outline 33 Lecture Twelve 36 “I Am Awake” 36 Outline 36 Timeline 39 Glossary 41 Religions of the Axial Age: 50 An Approach to the World’s Religions 50 Part II 50 Professor Mark W. Muesse 50 Mark W. Muesse, Ph.D. 51 Table of Contents 52 Religions of the Axial Age: 52 An Approach to the World’s Religions 52 Part II 52 Religions of the Axial Age: 53 An Approach to the World’s Religions 53 Lecture Thirteen 55 Why We Suffer 55 Outline 55 Lecture Fourteen 58 The Noble Path 58 Outline 58 Lecture Fifteen 61 From Buddha to Buddhism 61 Outline 61 Lecture Sixteen 64 Jainism 64 Outline 64 Lecture Seventeen 67 East Asia before the Axial Age 67 Outline 67 Lecture Eighteen 70 The World of Confucius 70 Outline 70 Lecture Nineteen 73 The Foundations of Confucianism 73 Outline 73 Lecture Twenty 75 The Cultivation of Virtue 75 Outline 75 Lecture Twenty-One 78 Early Confucianism and the Rise of Daoism 78 Outline 78 Lecture Twenty-Two 81 The Daodejing 81 Outline 81 Lecture Twenty-Three 84 Daoist Politics and Mysticism 84 Outline 84 Lecture Twenty-Four 87 Reflections on the Axial Age 87 Outline 87 Biographical Notes 90 Content: pt. 1. disc 1 : lecture 1. What was the Axial Age? lecture 2. The noble ones lecture 3. The world of Zoroaster lecture 4. Zoroaster's legacy lecture 5. South Asia before the Axial Age lecture 6. The start of the Indian Axial Age -- disc 2 : lecture 7. Death and rebirth lecture 8. The quest for liberation lecture 9. The Vedantic solution lecture 10. The one and the many lecture 11. The life of Siddhattha Gotama lecture 12. "I am awake." pt. 2. disc 3 : lecture 13. Why we suffer lecture 14. The noble path lecture 15. From Buddha to Buddhism lecture 16. Jainism lecture 17. East Asia before the Axial Age lecture 18. The world of Confucius -- disc 4 : lecture 19. The foundations of Confucianism lecture 20. The cultivation of virtue lecture 21. Early Confucianism and the rise of Daoism lecture 22. The Daodejing lecture 23. Daoist politics and mysticism lecture 24. Reflections on the Axial Age. In a series of 24 lectures, Professor Mark W. Muesse focuses on the period between 800 to 200 BCE to show the historical conditions in which the world religions arose. Although Professor Muesse emphasizes the early religious traditions of Iran, South Asia, and China, he also shows how these compare, contrast, and contribute to contemporary Judaism, Christianity, and Islam