Buddhism Miss Isler Trimester 1 World Religions

Origins India 500’s BCE Challenging Brahmin priests- Hindu religion Siddhartha Gautama- BuddhaSiddhartha Gautama- Buddha Search for Wisdom

The Story Gautahma born 563BCE Lived in Palaces near Himalayan Mountains, trained to be Royalty Never saw pain because in wealthy family Finally saw suffering, and astonished Knew life a cycle of pain and only way to escape is through wisdom

Story continued… Around age 29, Gautama left his wife and child and joined wandering, homeless band to seek wisdom 6 years, ate 1 grain of rice a day Sought wisdom through harsh discipline and suffering Gained only pain, not wisdom

4 noble truths Wisdom- 4 noble truths Mediated regularly Buddha= “the enlightened one” 4 noble truths:4 noble truths: –Everything in life is suffering and sorrow –Cause of all pain is people’s self-centred cravings and desires- no point in seeking pleasure because only lasts for short time Nirvana –Way to end pain is to end all desires- reaching Nirvana (absolute happiness) –People can overcome their desires and find enlightenment by following the Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path A staircase, mastering one step at a time –Right knowledge –Right purpose –Right speech –Right action –Right living –Right effort –Right mindfulness –Right meditation NirvanaAll leading to Nirvana

Love reincarnationShould treat all living things (insects, humans, flowers, etc.) with Love and Kindness- because they believe in reincarnation vernacularTaught in the vernacular Everyone equal (men, women, lowborn, highbown)

Rise of Buddhism First accepted by Mauryan Ruler, Ashoka, around 200 BCE –Warrior king –After hearing his words cause his troops to massacre 100,000 captives, he turned to Buddhist ruling Edicts –Produced Edicts (public announcements) of Buddhist teachings around his empire –Spread his word into current day Sri Lanka and Syria- cause of why Buddhism one of the largest religions today

Today Silk RoadFollowed in China, India, Ceylon (formerly Sri Lanka), Tibet, and other far eastern countries due to the Silk Road Map Dalai Lama-In Tibet, the religious and political leader is the Dalai Lama- a monk who is considered a man who refused nirvana to look after humans

Texts and Messiah’s Text oral history –Buddhism was spread through oral history, but no universal scripture –Own regions have their own scriptures, but no universal scripture Tipitaka –Theravada (in India, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, etc.) use the Tipitaka (Three Baskets)- 1 book for nuns and monks, 2 book for Buddhist teachings, 3 for interpretation of teachings. Messiah –No messiah –No praying towards God –meditation –See Buddha as the leader, but do not pray to him

Festivals/Celebrations Only one major festival- Buddha’s birthday WesakCalled Wesak- full moon during May

Why Buddhism? People look to eastern religions because they are looking for direct spiritual experiences. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam rely too heavily on rules and regulations Buddhism and Hinduism are more about meditation, contemplation, the spirit

Buddha “I am is a vain thought. I am not is a vain thought. I shall be is a vain thought. I shall not be is a vain thought. Vain thoughts are a sickness. But after overcoming all vain thoughts one is called a silent thinker.”