BUDDHISM And Siddhartha Gautama

Facts and Stats  Buddhism stemmed from Hinduism and was started by a real historical figure – Siddhartha Gautama who lived in India around 566 BC. Christianity – 2 billion Islam – 1.3 billion Hinduism – 900 million Non – Relogious – 850 million Buddhism – 360 million Chinese traditional – 225 million Indegenous- 190 million Others – A little above 100 million

Sects of Buddhism  Mahayana Buddhists believe that all people can reach enlightenment in this lifetime – pervades in China, Korea, Japan. They often worship the Buddha as a divine savior.  Zen Buddhists are a sub-sect of Mahayana that emphasize meditation and experiences on the path to enlightenment.  Theravada Buddhists believe you must be a monk first to achieve enlightenment – pervades in S./ S.E. Asia. They regard the Buddha as only a great teacher. Mahayana - 56% - 185,000,000 Theravada - 38% - 124,000,000 Vajrayana (Tibetan) - 6% - 20,000,000

Zen Buddhism KOAN  A story, question, or statement generally containing aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, yet may be accessible to intuition.  "Two hands clap and there is a sound; what is the sound of one hand?"

Most Buddhists believe…  The Buddha is not a god – most Buddhists don’t acknowledge gods  The Pali Canon (three baskets) are the teachings of Buddha.  You are reincarnated until you find enlightenment – then when you die, you reach nirvana.  The Buddha teaches the “middle way” moderation or Dharma (duty). The path to enlightenment is through the Four Nobel Truths and Eight Fold Path.

The Legend of Siddhartha Gautama  Unusual birth 566BC  Prophesied to be a great king or religious leader  Mother dies 7 days after his birth  Grows up in the palace, marries, has a son.

The Story of Siddhartha Gautama  Leaves the palace at age 29 and sees death, sickness, suffering  Starves himself and becomes an ascetic  Sits under the bo tree waiting for enlightenment

Bo or Bodhi Tree

The Story of Siddhartha Gautama  Sits for 3 days  Is tempted by demons  Sees all his past reincarnations  Sees others’ reincarnations  Sees the cycle of life and death and ultimate reality

Wheel of Dharma

The Four Noble Truths & Eightfold Path  Taught 5 disciples that the world is full of suffering but through meditation and seeking inner contentment, we can escape and become enlightened. Tape 4 noble truths and 8 fold path into your notebook on page 31.

Parinirvana  The Buddha died at age 80  Before death he said that those who reach enlightenment will attain Nirvana at death.

Dhammapada  The Dhammapada, an anthology of 423 verses, has long been recognized as one of the masterpieces of early Buddhist literature. From ancient times to the present, the Dhammapada has been regarded as the most succinct expression of the Buddha's teaching found in the Theravada Pali Canon of scriptures.

Dhammapada - Choices We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with an impure mind And trouble will follow you As the wheel follows the ox that draws the cart. We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts we make the world. Speak or act with a pure mind And happiness will follow you As your shadow, unshakable.

Dhammapada – The Dark  It is better to do nothing Than to do what is wrong. For whatever you do, you do to yourself. Like a border town well guarded, Guard yourself within and without. Let not a single moment pass Lest you fall into darkness. Feel shame only where shame is due. Fear only what is fearful. See evil only in what is evil. Lest you mistake the true way And fall into darkness. See what is. See what is not. Follow the true way. Rise.

Dhammapada - Violence All beings tremble before violence. All fear death. All love life. See yourself in other. Then whom can you hurt? What harm can you do? He who seeks happiness By hurting those who seek happiness Will never find happiness. For your brother is like you. He wants to be happy. Never harm him And when you leave this life You too will find happiness.

Dhammapada – Out of the Forest  There is pleasure And there is bliss. Forgo the first to possess the second. If you are happy At the expense of another man's happiness, You are forever bound. Like the Himalayas Good men shine from afar. But bad men move unseen Like arrows in the night. Sit. Rest. Work. Alone with yourself, Never weary. On the edge of the forest Live joyfully, Without desire.

Dhammapada – The True Master Wanting nothing With all your heart Stop the stream. When the world dissolves Everything becomes clear. Go beyond This way or that way, To the farther shore Where the world dissolves And everything becomes clear. Beyond this shore And the father shore, Beyond the beyond, Where there is no beginning, No end. Without fear, go. Meditate. Live purely. Be quiet. Do your work, with mastery. A master is never proud. He does not talk down to others. Owning nothing, he misses nothing. He is not afraid. He does not tremble. Nothing binds him. He is infinitely free. He is never angry. He keeps his promises. He never strays, he is determined. This body is my last, he says! Like water on the leaf of a lotus flower Or a mustard seed on the point of a needle, He does not cling. For he has reached the end of sorrow And has laid down his burden. He looks deeply into things And sees their nature. Desiring nothing, doubting nothing, Beyond judgment and sorrow And the pleasures of the senses, He had moved beyond time. He is pure and free. How clear he is. He is the moon. He is serene. He shines. All that he had to do, he has done. And now he is one.

Rituals  Meditation  Prayer wheel  Mantra – Om  Yoga  Mandala  Mudra  Monasticism (Monk)

Worship  Shrines  Icons  Statues  Stupa  Pilgrimage

Festivals  They celebrate the birthdays of Bodhisattvas in the Mahayana tradition.  Visakah Puja - The most significant celebration happens every May on the night of the full moon, when Buddhist all over the world celebrate the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha over 2,500 years ago.  New Year, ploughing, harvest, parinirvana of Buddha, ancestor days, lunar festivals, spring festivals.

Is the Buddha Fat & Happy or Serious & Skinny

Dalai Lama – Tibetan Buddhism