16 December 2013 Buddhism – How it started, why, and basic beliefs. Bellringer – What are 2 “bad things” about the caste system in Hinduism? Buddhism Origins of Buddhism Ppt. 4 Noble Truths Eightfold Path HW – Read 5.3 – Questions (Reading Grade)
Buddhism
Life of Buddha "Awakened One" or “Enlightened One” (Buddha) Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day be known as the Buddha, began his life as a prince in a kingdom in ancient India.
Life of Buddha Prince Gautama (Buddha) was born about 553 BCE. He had parents who loved him, many servants to wait on him, the finest clothes, and a different palace for each season of the year. Yet, he found his world full of suffering. It upset him that painful old age, sickness, and death were all part of life in this world.
Life of Buddha One day, he met a monk. He was amazed that this monk could find calm and peace in a world filled with such sufferings. That day he made a very difficult decision. He decided to leave his wealth, his comfort, his wife, and his newborn son, to become a monk.
Other Buddhist Information Fasting – going without food Meditation – focusing of the mind on spiritual ideas
Life of Buddha For the next six years he traveled throughout India. But the answers he found were not enough. One day, while sitting under a fig tree, (after meditating for seven weeks) an understanding came to him. This understanding was a way to end suffering. That was the day Prince Siddhartha Gautama began to earn a new title, the Buddha, which means "Awakened One".
Human Suffering Human Suffering is caused by… 1. Wanting what we do not have 2. Wanting to keep what we already have 3. Not wanting what we dislike but have
Buddhist Basics People that follow the Buddha’s teachings are called Buddhists. The teaching of Buddhism reflect Hindu ideas. He rejected many of the ideas contained in the Vedas, including animal sacrifice. Buddha was against the caste system; that earned him a lot of followers. Buddha has 4 guiding principles that are at the heart of his teaching. They are known as The Four Noble Truths.
Four Noble Truths: 1 Life is painful (dukkha)
Four Noble Truths: 2 Desire (tanha) causes pain
Four Noble Truths: 3 Eliminating desire can eliminate pain People can overcome desire and ignorance and reach nirvana – a state of perfect peace.
Four Noble Truths: 4 The Eightfold Noble Path (the Middle Way) eliminates desire: 1. Proper Thought 2. Proper Intention 3. Proper Speech 4. Proper Conduct/Action 5. Proper Livelihood 6. Proper Effort 7. Proper Concentration 8. Proper Meditation
Right Thought & Intention Right Thought: Dhammapada: “Everything you are is the result of what you have thought.” You must know the Four Noble Truths You must avoid harmful thoughts Right Intention: You must try to eliminate selfish desire
Right Speech & Conduct Right Speech Avoid saying harmful things Right Conduct Avoid harming others Obey the restraints
Ethical restraints Do not kill Do not steal Do not lie Do not ingest intoxicants
Right Livelihood & Effort Right Livelihood You must enter the right career Avoid what requires you, or even tempts you, to harm others Right Effort You must work constantly to avoid selfish desire
Right Concentration & Meditation Right Concentration You must develop mental powers to avoid desire “binding mind to a single spot”, as in Hindu meditation Right Meditation Like Hindu meditation illumination of object as object, empty of what it is
Spread of Buddhism According to tradition, after Buddha’s death 500 of his followers gathered His followers spread his teaching throughout India His teachings were popular and easy to understand Asoka (powerful king in India) became Buddhist in 200s BC and built temples and schools throughout India & beyond
Other Buddhist Information Nirvana – a state of perfect peace (“heaven”) People that do not reach Nirvana are reincarnated Buddha was opposed to the caste system He though that it didn’t matter what caste people belonged to – all that mattered is that they lived the way they should.