11 December 201511 December 2015Buddhism – How it started, why, and basic Buddhism – How it started, why, and basic beliefs. beliefs.

Bellringer – What are 2 “criticisms” one might make about the caste system in Hinduism?

Buddhism Origins of Buddhism 4 Noble Truths Eightfold Path

HW – None

Milton Bradley in 1943

Buddhism

Siddhartha GautamaLife of Buddha "Awakened One" or “Enlightened One” (Buddha) Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day

be known as the Buddha, began his life as a prince in a kingdom in ancient India. 

Siddhartha GautamaLife of Buddha Story of: His mother ~ Lotus Flower & Elephant What’s it mean?

Siddhartha GautamaLife of Buddha Prince Gautama (Buddha) was born about 553

BCE. He had parents who loved him, many servants to wait on him, the finest clothes, and a different palace for each season of the year. Yet, he found his world full of suffering.

Outings… He meets an old man He sees a sick man He sees a corpse (dead man) 

Life of Buddha On his fourth outing, he met a monk. He

was amazed that this monk could find calm and peace in a world filled with such sufferings. That day he made a very difficult decision. He decided to leave his wealth, his comfort, his wife, and his newborn son, to become a monk.

Life of Buddha For the next six years he

traveled throughout India. But the answers he found were not enough.

He followed two different teachers and also “punished his body” as a way to try to find peace/end of suffering.

Siddhartha GautamaBecoming Buddha For the next six years he

traveled throughout India. But the answers he found were not enough. One day, while sitting under a fig tree, (after meditating for seven weeks) an understanding came to him. This understanding was a way to end suffering. That was the day Prince Siddhartha Gautama began to earn a new title, the Buddha, which means "Awakened One".  

Mara

Human Suffering – 3 things Human Suffering is caused by…1. Wanting what we do not have2. Wanting to keep what we already have3. Not wanting what we dislike but have

Basic Buddhist Information Nirvana – a state of perfect peace

(“heaven”) People that do not reach Nirvana are

reincarnated Buddha was against the caste system; that

earned him a lot of followers. He thought that it didn’t matter what caste

people belonged to – all that mattered is that they lived the way they should.

Buddhist Basics People that follow the Buddha’s teachings

are called Buddhists. The teaching of Buddhism reflect Hindu ideas.

He rejected many of the ideas contained in the Vedas, including animal sacrifice.

Buddha has 4 guiding principles that are at the heart of his teaching. They are known as The Four Noble Truths.

Four Noble Truths: 1 Life is painful

Four Noble Truths: 2 Desire causes pain

Four Noble Truths: 3 Eliminating desire can eliminate pain

People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach nirvana – a state of perfect peace.

Four Noble Truths: 4The Eightfold Noble Path (the

Middle Way) eliminates desire:

Wisdom Right Understanding/View:

Dhammapada: “Everything you are is the result of what you have thought.”

You must know the Four Noble Truths

You must avoid harmful thoughts

Know the truth Right Intention:

You must try to eliminate selfish desire

Free your mind of evil

Morality Right Speech

Say nothing that harms others

Right Action Avoid harming others World for the good of

others Right Livelihood

Respect life Avoid what requires you, or

even tempts you, to harm others

Ethical restraints

Do not kill Do not steal Do not lie Do not ingest

intoxicants

Mental Development Right Effort

You must work constantly to avoid selfish desire

Resist evil Right Concentration

Practice Meditation You must develop mental

powers to avoid desire “binding mind to a single

spot”, as in Hindu meditation Right Meditation

Like Hindu meditation illumination of object as

object, empty of what it is

Spread of Buddhism According to tradition, after Buddha’s

death 500 of his followers gathered His followers spread his teaching

throughout India His teachings were popular and easy to

understand Asoka (powerful king in India) became

Buddhist in 200s BC and built temples and schools throughout India & beyond