2. Buddhism in the World

3. Religions by percentage

4. The Beginning of Buddhism Siddhartha Guatama

5. Siddhartha Gautaman (563- 483 BCE)  Born  Born in India (Nepal).  Raised  Raised in great luxury to be a king.  At  At 29 he rejected his luxurious life to seek enlightenment and the meaning of life.  Lived  Lived a strict, ascetic life for 6 yrs.  Rejecting  Rejecting all desires, he sat in meditation until he found nirvana.  Became  Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.

6. The essence of Buddhism  The term Buddha means “the awakened or enlightened one.”  Buddhism is based on four basic principles known as the Four Noble Truths

7. What is the fundamental cause of all suffering? Desire!  Therefore,  Therefore, extinguish the self, don’t obsess about your wants or personal desires.

8. Four Noble Truths 1. There is suffering in the world. To live is to suffer. (Dukkha)  The Buddha found this out when he was young and experienced suffering and death in others.

9. Four Noble Truths 2. The cause of suffering is self- centered desire and attachments. (Tanha)

10. Four Noble Truths 3. The solution is to eliminate desire and attachments. (Nirvana = “extinction”)

11. Four Noble Truths 4. To reach nirvana, one must follow the Eightfold Path.

12. Eightfold Path Nirvana  The union with the ultimate spiritual reality.  Escape from the cycle of rebirth.