5.3 Origins of Buddhism Buddhism began in India and became a major religion.
3 Big Ideas in Buddhism Siddhartha Gautama searched for wisdom in many ways. The teachings of Buddhism deal with finding peace. Buddhism spread far from where it began.
What did the Buddha conclude about the cause of suffering? Suffering is caused by: wanting what we do not have, wanting to keep what we like and already have and not wanting what we dislike but have. P. 137.
1a. Who was the buddha, and what does the term the buddha mean? The buddha was Siddhartha Gautama, a prince of enlightenment. The buddha= enlightened One
1b. How did Siddhartha Gautama free his mind and clarify his thinking as he searched for wisdom? Siddhartha fasted, he didn’t bathe and he meditated to help search for wisdom.
2a. What is Nirvana? Nirvana is a state of perfect peace.
2b. How are the Buddhist teachings different from the Hindu teachings? Buddhists don’t believe in sacrifices, the caste system or that they needed the help of the Brahmins.
2c. Why do the Buddhists believe that following the eightfold path leads to a better life? It leads them down a path of fulfillment without excess or denial, which leads to nirvana.
3a. Into what lands did Buddhism spread? Sri Lanka, Myanmar, other parts of SE Asia, Central Asia, Persia, Syria, Egypt, and eventually to China and then Korea and Japan.
3b. What role did missionaries play in spreading Buddhism? Missionaries played an important role because they traveled to distant lands to spread Buddhist teachings.
4. Four Noble Truths 1.Suffering and unhappiness are part of human life. No one can escape sorrow. 2. Suffering comes from our own desires for pleasure and material goods. People cause their own misery because they want things they can not have.
Noble Truths 3. People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach nirvana a state of perfect peace. 4. People can overcome ignorance and desire by following the 8 fold path that lead to wisdom, enlightenment, and salvation.