TITLE: Religions and Mentors: Making Cultural Comparisons

CULTURAL STUDIES: Cultural Comparisons

TEKS:

Chapter 113.33 (19) The student understands the history and the relevance of major religious and philosophical traditions. (A) Compare the historical origins, central ideas, and the spread of major religious and philosophical traditions including Buddhism, Christianity, Confucianism, Hinduism, Islam, and Judaism. (20) The student understands the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created. (A) Identify significant examples of art and architecture that demonstrate an artistic ideal or visual principle from the selected cultures. (B) Analyze examples of how art, architecture, literature, music, and drama reflect the history of the cultures in which they are produced. (C) Identify examples of art, music, and literature that transcend the cultures in which they were created and convey universal themes. (22) The student understands how the development of ideas has influenced institutions and societies. (A) Summarize the fundamental ideas and institutions of Eastern civilizations that originated in China and India. Chapter 113.37 (13) The student understands how people develop social institutions to meet the basic needs in a society. (A) Summarize the functions of social institutions such as the family, religion, and education. Chapter 117.52 (b) (2) By analyzing artistic styles and historical periods students develop respect for the traditions and contributions of diverse cultures. Students respond to and analyze artworks, thus contributing to the development of lifelong skills of making informed judgments and evaluations. (c) (1) (A) Perception. The student develops and organizes ideas for artworks from direct observation, experiences, and imagination. (3) Historical/cultural heritage. The student demonstrates an understanding of art history and culture as records of human achievement. (B) Describe general characteristics in artworks from a variety of cultures.

OBJECTIVE:

The student will compare the Tirthankara of Jain religious stories and compare it to mentors who appear throughout Western stories. The student will create a narrative or a portrait in honor of a mentor of his or her own.

MATERIALS:

• See images below

BACKGROUND INFORMATION:

Have you ever tried to cross a river and not get wet? If you looked for the shallowest part of the river where the water did not flow too rapidly, you looked for a place to "ford" the river. The Jain religion has twenty-four religious ford-finders known as Tirthankaras. The Tirthankaras assist others in finding a way across the turbulent waters of the cycle of deaths and rebirths of the Jain religion. Early Jain artists did not represent the Tirthankaras as human figures but rather as a bell shaped object called a stupa.

The Tirthankara at the Amarillo Museum of Art is a very early representation made in the 2nd century. A careful observation of the chest will reveal a symbol that identifies this individual as the 24th ford-finder, named Mahavira, who lived in the years of 540-468 B.C. He is thought of as the essential founder of the modern Jain religion.

RESEARCH ACTIVITY:

Compare this religious sculpture to the above image of Buddha, also found in the Museum's collection. Research why the figures are so similar. How can the similarities or differences be attributed to the Jain or Buddhist religions?

DISCUSSION:

1. How does the Jain Tirthankara reflect the ideas of the Jain religion?
2. How or why is the artwork still a valid as a religious work today?
3. How or why is it valid as a purely artistic work?

ACTIVITIES:

Add the foundation of the Jain religion to an ongoing time line. Research the origin and spread of the Jain religion and ideas.

The 24 Tirtankaras were able to lead others because of their greater life experiences. Write about how others have used their experience to help others. Compare the experience to one that you have had with a mentor or to a situation where you were a mentor.

Identify mentors throughout history and discuss the changes they have made to society.

Using appropriate materials, create a portrait as a tribute to someone who has assisted you during a difficult situation.

Write a comparative summary about how your portrait is both similar to and different from the Jain Tirthankara.

CLOSURE:

Display narratives and portraits of mentors with a timeline of the Jain religion and a definition of the mentoring role of the Tirthankaras.

RESOURCES:

Publications:
Lee, S., (1982). A History of Far Eastern Art. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (fourth Edition?)
Moore, A.C., (1977). Iconography of Religions: An Introduction. Philadelphia: Fortress Press.
Stokstad, M. (1995). Art History. New York: Harry N. Abrams.

Internet Links:
Jainism (Encarta Encyclopedia), http://encarta.msn.com/find/Concise.asp?z=1&pg;=2&ti;=761579000
Jainworld, http://www.jainworld.com/
Jain Heritage, http://www.jainheritage.com/
Jainism Research Center-Ahimsa, http://encarta.msn.com/find/Consise.asp?ti=06BA2000
Jainism Simplified, http://www.umich.edu/~umjains/jainismsimplified/jainsimp.html
The Jainism, http://www.engr.mun.ca/~asharan/bihar/jainism.html