| 1. Buddhism |
| Founder |
Gautam Siddhartha Buddha (563-483 BC) born in Nepal (Lumbini) |
| Founded in |
525 BC |
| Followed in |
India, China, Tibet, Korea, Mongolia, Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Japan, Laos, Myanmar (Burma), Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Taiwan, Indonesia, Bhutan and Vietnam |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
China, Taiwan, South Korea, Nauru and Vietnam |
| Sacred Text |
The Analects |
| Sacred Places |
No 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 |
| Followed in |
Spread all over the world |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
Concentrated in India and Nepal and also found in Bhutan, Fiji, Guyana, Indonesia, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Surinam, Trinidad and Tobago |
| 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 (AD 570-632) born in Mecca (Saudi Arabia) |
| Founded in |
AD 622 |
| Followed in |
From west coast of Africa to the Philippines which includes Tanzania, Southern part of Russia and China, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Indonesia. Also parts of North Africa. |
| Sacred Text |
Quran (words of God), Hadis (Collection of Prophet?s saying). |
| Sacred Places |
Makkah (mecca) 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 |
| Followed in |
Worldwide with concentration in Israel and United States |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
Japan |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
India |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
China, Taiwan, Nauru, Brunei, Singapore and Vietnam |
| 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 |
| Followed in |
Iran and north-west India. The Zoroastrians who fled to India during the eighth century are the ancestors of the present Parsi Community in India |
| Sacred Text |
Zend Avasta |
| Place of Worship |
Fire temple |
It is very helpful to me.