Buddhism

Leaders & Text Who do believers worship? Who do believers worship? Do not worship a god Do not worship a god Who are their leaders? Who are their leaders? Monks & Nuns Monks & Nuns What was the name of their sacred text? What was the name of their sacred text? Jatakas Jatakas

Founder Siddhartha Gautama ( BCE) Siddhartha Gautama ( BCE) AKA = Buddha AKA = Buddha Meaning? Meaning? The Enlightened One The Enlightened One

Birth (563 BCE) Noble family Noble family Time of common questioning of Hinduism Time of common questioning of Hinduism Lots of omens Lots of omens gold-tinged skin, a bump on his head, webbed fingers/toes, a long tongue & hair b/w his eyebrows gold-tinged skin, a bump on his head, webbed fingers/toes, a long tongue & hair b/w his eyebrows If he stayed home, he would become a ruler, if he left home, he would become a religious man If he stayed home, he would become a ruler, if he left home, he would become a religious man

Siddhartha What would your average father want? What would your average father want? Great ruler Great ruler How do you keep your son at home? How do you keep your son at home? Sheltered him from the outside world Sheltered him from the outside world Royal treatment  incentive to never leave home Royal treatment  incentive to never leave home Spoil him Spoil him

Siddhartha 29 left the palace 4 times and 29 left the palace 4 times and saw… 1.An old man 2.A sick man 3.A corpse 4.Wandering holy man peace peace Conclusion: Conclusion: Life is suffering Life is suffering Rel. life offers peace Rel. life offers peace Went in search of Rel. truth Went in search of Rel. truth

Siddhartha Spent 6 yrs in forests seeking enlightenment Spent 6 yrs in forests seeking enlightenment Debated w/ Rel. leaders Debated w/ Rel. leaders Meditation Meditation Ascetic Ascetic Extreme self-denial Extreme self-denial Yet no truth! Yet no truth! 49 days of meditation → Bodhi tree 49 days of meditation → Bodhi tree Musician ’ s Quote? Musician ’ s Quote? 'If you make the string too tight, it will break. If you make the string too loose, it will not play ” 'If you make the string too tight, it will break. If you make the string too loose, it will not play ” Eureka! ~~ Enlightenment ~~ Eureka! ~~ Enlightenment ~~

Buddhism – Basic Beliefs Path to Nirvana? Path to Nirvana? Through moderation in all things Through moderation in all things Not extremes Not extremes self-indulgence or self-denial self-indulgence or self-denial Middle Way Middle Way

Buddhism - Basic Beliefs Four Noble Truths Four Noble Truths Eight Fold Path Eight Fold Path Reincarnation & Karma Reincarnation & Karma Nirvana Nirvana

Four Noble Truths 1.Life is suffering 2.Cause? Desire for pleasures of this worldDesire for pleasures of this world 3.End suffering? End desiresEnd desires 4.Overcome desires & attain enlightenment Follow Eightfold PathFollow Eightfold Path aka Middle Way aka Middle Way

Eightfold Path Guide to behavior Guide to behavior Goal  Nirvana Goal  Nirvana Release from selfishness & pain Release from selfishness & pain

Buddhism & Society How do Buddhist feel about the caste system? How do Buddhist feel about the caste system? Reject it! Reject it! Anyone can reach nirvana Anyone can reach nirvana What is the effect on society? What is the effect on society? Created religious communities ( sangha) Created religious communities ( sangha) Missionaries Missionaries Social order Social order