16 December 201316 December 2013Buddhism – How it started, why, and basic Buddhism – How it started, why, and basic beliefs. beliefs.

Bellringer – What are 2 “bad things” about the caste system in Hinduism?

Buddhism Origins of Buddhism Ppt. 4 Noble Truths Eightfold Path

HW – Read 5.3 – Questions (Reading Grade)

Buddhism

Life 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. 

Life 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.

It upset him that painful old age, sickness, and death were all part of life in this world. 

Life of Buddha One day, 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.

Other Buddhist Information Fasting – going without food

Meditation – focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas

Life of 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".  

Human Suffering 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

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 was against the caste system; that earned him a lot of followers.

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 (dukkha)

Four Noble Truths: 2 Desire (tanha) 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:

1. Proper Thought2. Proper Intention3. Proper Speech4. Proper Conduct/Action5. Proper Livelihood6. Proper Effort7. Proper Concentration8. Proper Meditation

Right Thought & Intention Right Thought:

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

You must know the Four Noble Truths

You must avoid harmful thoughts

Right Intention: You must try to eliminate

selfish desire

Right Speech & Conduct

Right Speech Avoid saying harmful

things Right Conduct

Avoid harming others Obey the restraints

Ethical restraints

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

intoxicants

Right Livelihood & Effort Right Livelihood

You must enter the right career

Avoid what requires you, or even tempts you, to harm others

Right Effort You must work constantly

to avoid selfish desire

Right Concentration & Meditation

Right Concentration 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

Other Buddhist Information Nirvana – a state of perfect peace

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

reincarnated Buddha was opposed to the caste system He though that it didn’t matter what caste

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