WARM UP – FEBRUARY 6 Grab the Guided Notes and handouts from the front table and answer the following review questions: 1. Hinduism is the _____ largest religion in the world with _________ million followers 2. What is the Caste System? Who is in each caste? Who is below the Caste System? 3. What is karma and how is it related to reincarnation?

Buddhism

Setting the Stage Fourth Largest Religion in the World 488 Million Followers 7 % of the Population Single Founder – The Buddha No Single Text

BUDDHISM Founded on the beliefs of the Buddha Buddha’s birth name was Siddhartha Gautama Siddhartha was born into a noble family in Nepal Born as a Hindu

THE STORY OF THE SIDDHARTHA As a child, Siddhartha exhibited the marks of being a great man A prophecy indicated that if the child stayed at home he was destined to become a world leader If the child left home he would become a universal spiritual leader

THE STORY OF THE BUDDHA Siddhartha’s father wished him to be a king and world leader Isolated the child at home

SIDDHARTHA LEAVES HOME At age 29, Siddhartha ventured outside 4 times He saw: An old man A sick man A corpse A wandering holy man who seemed at peace with himself

He saw each of these events to mean the following: Every living thing experiences old age Sickness Death Only a religious life offers refuge from the inevitable suffering of old age, sickness, and death

Siddhartha decided to spend his life searching for religious truth and an end to life’s suffering ---- he decided to leave the palace

SIDDHARTHA SEEKS ENLIGHTENMENT Wandered forests seeking Enlightenment – Enlightenment = wisdom After 49 days of mediation, he achieved an understanding of the cause of suffering He then became known as the Buddha “THE ENLIGHTENED ONE”

FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS 1 – Life is filled with suffering and sorrow 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 and attain enlightenment is to follow the Eightfold Path, which he called the Middle Way between desires and self-denial.

By following the Eightfold path – anyone could reach Nirvana Nirvana – release from pain and suffering and a break from the chain of reincarnation

RESULT Accepted the idea of reincarnation Rejected many of the Hindu Gods Rejected the Caste System