1. Siddhartha Guatama Lifespan uncertain ~563 – 483 BCE
Some argue a century or so earlier or later
Became a (The) Buddha at 35.

4. Buddhism Why must people suffer? Split w/ Hinduism The “Three Jewels”
Desire is the cause of all suffering
Split w/ Hinduism
Largely over the issue of caste and the Buddha’s belief that priests and rituals were not needed for enlightenment
Some Hindus see him as 9th incarnation of Vishnu
The “Three Jewels”
The Buddha
The Dharma
The Sangha (community)

7. Buddha’s Four Noble Truths
Everything in life is suffering.
The cause of suffering is desire.
The way to end suffering is to end desire
The way to end desire is to follow the Noble Eightfold Path (Middle Way).

8. The Eightfold Path(Middle Way)
Prajna (Wisdom)
Right Understanding (of Four Noble Truths)
Right Thinking
Sila (Virtue, Morality)
Right speech (no lying, gossip)
Right conduct
Right livelihood (support self w/out harming others)
Samadhi (Concentration, Meditation)
Right Effort (promote good thoughts)
Right mindfulness (awareness of body and mind)
Right concentration (meditation to achieve higher state)

9. Nirvana
The imperturbable stillness of mind that arises when you extinguish the fires of your desires, attachments, hatred and delusions.
Siddhartha reaches nirvana and becomes The Buddha- the enlightened one
Similar to the Hindu moksha, you become free from the cycles of reincarnation.
Buddha believed that anyone could reach nirvana within his or her lifetime. Who would this appeal to?

10. Words of the Buddha
Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."
"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one getting burned."
"Words have the power to both destroy and heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world."
"Your work is to discover your work and then with all your heart to give yourself to it."

11. Buddhism’s spread Emperor Ashoka (~273-232 BCE) converted to Buddhism
promoted ahimsa (non-violence)
was responsible for Buddhism’s spread in India and beyond India’s frontiers
patronage of stupa and monastery building
sent his own son and daughter as missionaries to Sri Lanka

13. Reaching Nirvana is the ultimate goal of the Theravada Buddhist.
Theravada Buddhism
Mahayana Buddhism
Intense, dedicated and time-consuming effort required to attain enlightenment.
Enlightenment is achieved through a normal life with varying degrees of spiritual involvement.
Reaching Nirvana is the ultimate goal of the Theravada Buddhist.
Bodhisattvas (Buddha-like people) vow work towards Nirvana but to postpone Nirvana in order to help all other sentient beings reach Nirvana first.
Strives for wisdom first.
Compassion is the highest virtue.
Centers on meditation, and requires major personal dedication such as being a monk or nun.
Encourages practice in the world and among the general community.
followed as a teaching or philosophy.
Followed with reference to higher beings, more like a religion.
Moved primarily South and West covering Indochina and Ceylon (Sri-Lanka).
Moved Primarily North and West, covering China, Korea, Japan.
Early work written in Pali (e.g. kamma, dhamma).
Early texts are in Sanskrit (e.g. karma, dharma)
Emphasizes rules and education
Emphasizes intuition and practice

14. Other Notable Buddhist Sects
Vajrayana Buddhism
Some consider it part of Mahayana
Tibetan Buddhism is of this school
Tibetan Buddhism is led by the 14th Dalai Lama
Belief in “accelerated” Enlightenment through use of chants, mantras, mandalas

15. Other Notable Buddhist Sects
Pure Land Buddhism (Amidism)
Centered in China, Japan, Taiwan, and Vietnam
Central figure= Amida or Amitabha Buddha
Anyone who called on his name at death would be reborn in the Pure Land of Amida and guaranteed Enlightenment
A faith-based or devotional form of Buddhism
Popular among commoners and those on the outskirts of society
Zen Buddhism (Cha’an)
Centered in China, Japan, Vietnam, and Korea
Teaches the fundamental elements of Buddhist philosophy as well as concepts from the Mahayana Buddhism
spend as much time as possible meditating, called zazen, in Japanese
Use riddles called koans to contradict one’s usual patterns of logical thinking in order to see beyond preconceived ideas and attain enlightenment
Sacred writings are less important to Zen Buddhists than in other forms of Buddhism; emphasize menial tasks

16. Is Buddhism a Religion? Yes No Has an origin story
Contains a moral code
Uses rituals and practices
Has a transformative end in sight
Does not require the belief in any sort of god or gods
Differs among the various sects and among individuals; syncretism with Hinduism in many communities

17. Buddhism: Nuts ‘n’ Bolts
From c. 500 BCE
350,000,000 adherents
4th largest of the world’s religions
Majority are of Mahayana (Northern) schools
Japan, Korea, China, Tibet*, Mongolia
Theravada (Southern) schools
Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Sri Lanka
Note: no longer common in India!

18. Buddhist Holidays New Year Vesak (Buddha) Day
Theraveda: first full moon in April
Mahayana: first full moon in January
Tibetan: first full moon in March
Vesak (Buddha) Day
First full moon in May world ‘round
Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of the Buddha

19. Songkran/Thingyan (New Year)

20. Buddhism Holy Texts Tremendous number of scriptures The Tipitaka
Different ones studied by different sects
The Tipitaka
The “Three Baskets” of Buddhist canon (scripture)
Sutra Pitaka: supposed words of the Buddha
Vinaya Pitaka: rules and discussions of rule for the sangha (monks)
Abhidharma: series of discussions about the Buddha’s teachings