Faith Curriculum Library: Tapestry of Faith: Building Bridges: A World Religions Program for 8th-9th Grades

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Ahimsa

A yoga teacher in Santa Cruz offers on her website the page Ahimsa: Non-Harming, a very nice page on ahimsa, the path to true nonviolence.

The article "The Concepts of Ahimsa or Nonviolence" by Jayaram V, on the HinduWebsite, details how ancient and contemporary Hindus, Jains, and Buddhists have practiced ahimsa in daily life.

Jainism

"Jainism—Respect for All Life" on the Jainworld website is an excellent article on the origins and precepts of Jainism. The Religion Facts website provides a comprehensive history of Jainism.

Harvard University's Pluralism Project website has a Directory of Religious Centers which lists Jain religious centers in the U.S. Another website, Adherents.com, has a listing of U.S. Jain temples.

"Gender and the Tao" by Elizabeth Reninger, on the About.com website.

Zoroastrianism

The article "Rise of the Achaemenid Empire" on the Persian Empire Info website describes Iran (Persia) in the time of Zarathustra. A further article, "Origins and Beliefs of Zorastrianism," sets the religion's development in Persia and Western Asia in a social context.

"Indra's Jeweled Net"

This story was also published in the Fall, 2010 UU World full-color insert Families: Weave a Tapestry of Faith with reflections and activity suggestions on the theme "O, Sparkling World of Difference." Download the Family pages from the UUA website.