Buddhism

Focus on Peace

Origins

C. 500 B.C.E. a time of upheaval in India

Many Hindus respond to the chaos by

seeking a more spiritual life

Sidhartha Gautama, a Kshatriya prince,

had a sheltered childhood

On a tour of his estate as an adult he sees

sickness, poverty, & death

Foundation of beliefs

Leaves his wife & infant son to find a way

to end suffering

After seven years of wandering &

meditation he finds the answer

4 Noble Truths (Beliefs)1. Life is filled with sorrow & suffering.

2. The cause of all suffering is people’s

selfish desire for the temporary pleasures

of this world.

3. The way to end all suffering is to end all

desires.

4. The way to overcome such desires &

attain enlightenment is to follow the

Eightfold Path, which is the Middle Way

between desire & self-denial.

Eightfold Path

“What is the Middle Way?...It is the Noble

Eightfold Path-Right Views, Right Resolve,

Right Speech, Right Conduct, right

Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness,

& Right Concentration. This is the Middle

Way.” Buddha-from Samyutta Nikaya

Put this into your own words.

Other Beliefs

Buddhists share the belief in reincarnation

& karma

Nirvana, release from the cycle of rebirth,

is the goal of all Buddhists

There are two forms of Buddhism:

Theravada (south & SE Asia) & Mahayana

(China, Korea, & Japan)

Impact on daily life…

Your choices determine your current

status

Rewarded or punished based on actions

Rejects strict social structure of Hinduism