Buddhism

How did Buddhism Start?

Origins of Buddhism Siddhartha’s Early Life Founder  Siddhartha Gautama = Gautama Buddha 5th century B.C. Siddhartha born  Prince After birth  Father visited by wise man Wise Man said  Siddhartha will be a Great King OR Holy Man Father  Wanted Great King Sheltered Siddhartha  Unpleasant Life Worked until  29 yrs old discovered “The 4 Sights” Old Man  Aging Diseased Man  Sickness Decaying Corpse  Death Monk  Ascetic

Origins of Buddhism: Siddhartha's Journey The 4 Sights  Depressed Siddhartha Tried to overcome  Left Palace to  Be an Ascetic Became Mendicant- holy person living on charity Experimented with extreme Asceticism Fasted Held Breath Exposure to Pain Being based on self deprivation  unproductive Abandoned Asceticism  Focused on Meditation Practiced  Anapanasati – awareness of breath Discovered the “Middle Path”

Origins of Buddhism: The Middle Path The Middle Path A Path of Moderation Mid-way between extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification Accepted milk and rice from a village girl Ate it under a Sacred Fig Tree or “Bodhi Tree” Vowed not to get up until he discovered the ‘truth’

Origins of Buddhism Companions  Thought he abandoned search & was undisciplined  Left him After 49 Days @ 35 yrs old Attained “Bodhi” or “Enlightenment” After “Enlightenment”  Attained Bodhi  Became Buddha Spent the rest of his life teaching  Dharma (insights) Died  80 yrs old  Kushingara, India

Modern Buddhism How many Buddhists are there? 310 million worldwide 4th largest world religion after Christianity Islam Hinduism Where are most of them located? Worldwide Southeast Asia East Asia India Nepal Sri Lanka Tibet Bhutan Western Countries Buddhists are divided into 3 groups Tharaveda (Southern Buddhism) East Asia (Eastern Buddhism) Tibetan (Northern Buddhism)

Foundations of Buddhism Four Noble Truths Eightfold Path Nirvana Three Jewels

Foundations of Buddhism: Four Noble Truths อริยสัจสี่, Life Is Suffering Suffering  Comes from Desire You can get rid of Suffering Suffering can be stopped  Freedom from Desire Follow the 8 Fold Path and “Middle Way”

Foundations of Buddhism: Eight Fold Path อริยมรรคแปด Wisdom Right View Right Intention Ethical Conduct Right Speech Right Action Right Livlihood Mental Discipline Right Effort Right Mindfulness Right Concentration

Foundations of Buddhism: Nirvana निर्वाण; นิพพาน Nirvana is: Perfect Enlightenment Nature of the true mind is revealed All Conflicts Dissolved  Disciplined Life Perfect Peace of Mind Free from Desire Craving Nirvana = Total Peace and Contentment

Foundations of Buddhism: The Three Jewels Buddha 佛陀 Enlightened or Awakened One Buddha within all things Dharma 法 Teachings of Buddha Sangha 僧 Community of Great People Attained Enlightenment Help Others  Attain Enlightenment