1. Buddhism

2. Also known as: The Middle Path

3. Current Population: 364 million

4. Location Originally began in India (only 1% of the population in India today) Has spread throughout the world: mostly China, Japan and Southeast Asia

5. Origins Founded by Siddhartha Gautama (528BC) Aka: Buddha Challenged ideas of the Brahmin Priests Saw life as an endless cycle of pain- -only way to escape was through wisdom Gain wisdom through fasting, harsh discipline and suffering Enlightenment came to him after meditating deeply for 49 days

6. Beliefs Four Noble Truths 1.Everything in life is suffering and sorrow 2.The cause of suffering is people’s self centered desire 3.The way to end suffering is eliminate one’s desire 4.Follow the eightfold path

7. The Eightfold Path Buddha’s guide for behavior Movement through path is like a staircase each step must be mastered before moving on to the next (can take multiple lifetimes)

8. Eightfold Path right knowledge right purpose right speech right action right living right effort right mindfulness right meditation

9. Eightfold Path by following the Eightfold Path, ANYONE could reach nirvana Buddha taught followers to treat all living things with loving kindness

10. Enlightenment Nirvana- release from selfishness and pain; becoming one with the universe

11. Religious Leaders Buddhist monks and nuns Most famous leader- Dalai Lama- leader of Tibetan Buddhism

12. Places of Worship Buddhist monks and followers tend to worship in temples -Stupas- religious shrines established that contain the relics of Buddha. Many make pilgrimages to stupas and other religious sites

13. Famous Writings Tripitaka (Three Baskets of Wisdom) - earliest written scriptures based on Buddha’s teachings

14. Religious Sects Theravada Buddhism Stressed monastic life as the way to reach nirvana Respected Buddha as a teacher, but not as a god Spread to Ceylon, Burma, Thailand

15. Mahayana Buddhism Worshipped Buddha and other enlightened ones as gods Spread to China, Tibet, Japan and Korea