1. World Religion
Buddhism

2. Buddhism Origins Founded in India aprox 2500 years ago
Siddhartha Gautama: The man became Buddha was born in 563 BCE
He was of the Kshatriya Caste
His father was the King of Shakya, now located in Nepal.

3. Buddhism Origins: The Early Life of Buddha
He descended from heaven and entered mother’s womb in the form of a white elephant (symbol of purity)
She carried him for 10 months
Could see him inside of her.
He was born from his mothers side, while she was standing and holding a tree
At birth he immediately took 7 steps and side “This is my last birth”
He lived in luxury as a prince.

4. Buddhism Origins: The Four Sights:
Father wanted Siddhartha to live a life as a ruler, not religious
He filled the streets with healthy happy people so that Siddhartha would not see anything that would trouble him
At the age of 29 Siddhartha finally gets to see reality
The Four Sights: Four images that Siddhartha seen on his trips to the city.

5. Buddhism Origins: The Four Sights:
Sight 1: An old man. Suffering rom a hard life leaning on a cane
Sight 2: A sick man laying on the roadside
Sight 3: A corpse being prepared for cremation
Sight 4: An ascetic Hindu monk, head shaven.
After seeing the ascetic monk, Siddhartha decides to leave his privileged life and become a homeless beggar.

6. Buddhism Origins: Renunciation and Austerities
Siddhartha became a wandering seeker of spiritual knowledge
He learns that a life of extremes proves nothing
Self denial (fasting, holding breath) does not solve actual problems
Even extreme mediation while providing a trance like experience does not solve any problems.
He comes up with a new idea
The Middle Way: A path between both extremes, the best way to live is a life of moderation.

7. Buddhism Origins: Enlightenment
Siddhartha was sitting under a tree in deep meditation.
He suddenly remembers all of his previous lives.
He sees how good deeds improves next life and bad deeds bring an unpleasant next life.
In seeing this he is able to live without craving, or ignorance and achieves:
Nirvana: A state of supreme realization.
And:
Enlightenment: An understanding of the truth of life and the freedom from ignorance.

8. Buddhism Origins: Enlightenment
Siddhartha experienced the end of personal suffering and was releaced from the cycle of rebirth
He had attained perfect wisdom and peace
He stayed in nirvana for seven days pondering his future and deciding to publicize his teaching about the real world the Dharma

9. Buddhism Origins: The First Sermon Siddhartha became known as Buddha
Buddha: the enlightened one.
His first sermon was given to five Hindo monks who became his first teachers
Bhikkhus: Buddha’s monks
Within five years he had an order of monks known as the Sangha
Bhikkhuni sangha: Female monks

10. Buddhism Origins: Parinirvana:
At 80 years old Buddha is sick, and dying.
His followers are wondering if he will name his successor.
He dictates to them that there will be no successor.
The rules for becoming a monk are laid down
People should find their spirituality from within themselves.
Monks should help people find spirituality from within
Parinirvana: Complete nirvana, a release from involuntary rebirth. Reached only at death.
Buddha got here

11. Buddhism Origins: Buddhism’s Hindu Origins Buddha born as a Hindu
Some Hindu’s believe he is a incarnation of Vishnu
Buddhism contains many of the elements of Hinduism:
Reincarnation, samsara, karma, dharma, and nirvana
Buddhism rejected
Caste system, Hindu rituals, sanskrit language, idea that nirvana can be achieved only after thousands of lifetimes and after reaching Brahmin caste.

12. Buddhism Origins: Beliefs Challenging because of different world view.
The ultimate goal is to end human suffering
Different from getting into heaven… or being born into a higher class.
Introspective religion: The goal is to attain personal salvation by looking within yourself.
No central source of beliefs, like the bible.
They have a variety of sources aimed at stopping samsara, the endless cycle of uncontrolled rebirths.
Only when you have achieved nirvana are you released from samsara

13. Buddhism Beliefs: Women in Buddhism
No distinction between men and women.
Sex and gender are seen as delusions that we have because we are unenlightened humans.
In past lives we live as both men and women.
Being born as a woman is however seen as to have more suffering, child birth, menstruation, pregnancy.
But suffering is not always seen as bad because it can lead to a more spiritual life.
Women are not property
Violence against women is not accepted

14. Buddhism Beliefs: The Three Characteristics of Existecnce
All things outside nirvana have three characteristics
Anicca (impermanence): the world is in constant flux. Everything is always changing
Dukkha (dissatisfaction): All humans and animals experience suffering. Happiness is not permanent, sickness, death, stress will touch us all.
Anatta (no-self): We cannot point to any one thing in ourselves that we can say is self. Our mental and physical state is always changing, there is no one characteristic that can define a person over time.

15. Buddhism Beliefs: The Five Precepts:
The Five Precepts: Five rules followed by Buddhists that help people to control improper, non-beneficial behaviors that may cause suffering.
Abstain from killing or harming living beings (Ahimsa)
Abstain from stealing
Abstain from improper sexual conduct
Abstain from false speech (telling lies, rumors, gossip)
Abstain from taking alcohol and harmful drugs.

16. Buddhism Beliefs: The Five Precepts:
Additional precepts followed by Monks, and Nuns
6. Abstain from eating after noon
7. Abstain from looking at dancing, singing, or drama
8. Abstain from the use of perfumes that tend to beautify and adorn a person
9. Abstain from using comfortable beds
10. Abstain from accepting gold or silver (money)

17. Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths
No one can escape death and unhappiness, if they expect to they will be dissapointed.
Buddha looked at he cause of unhappiness and tried to find treatment (like a doctor)
The Four Noble Truths: four central principals to an understanding of Buddhism.
They relate to suffering and desire.

18. Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths The Noble Truth of Suffering.
To live is to suffer.
Life involves birth, death, sorrow, old age, disease
We do not want these things, but they will happen anyway, to try to deny them will only bring dissatisfaction

19. Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths
2. The Noble Truth of the Origin of Suffering
The cause of suffering is negative desire
Every source of suffering has its source in selfish desire, and ignorance.
Greed causes people do harmful things.
Once you meet your basic desires enjoy them, don’t be greedy (food, shelter, clothing)

20. Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths
3. The Noble Truth of the Extinction of Suffering.
This is the ultimate goal of Buddhism
Achieved through nirvana
Have to destroy your need for things
Nirvana is not a place it is a state of being.

21. Buddhism Beliefs: The Four Noble Truths
4. The Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Extinction of Suffering
To end suffering one must adopt the Middle Way by following the Noble Eightfold Path
By following this path you are living a life of self improvement, a Buddhist life.

22. Buddhism Beliefs: The Noble Eightfold Path
Seen as a path of self improvement, and a path to a happier life.
Right View: We need a blueprint to guide us through life
Right Thought: Mind free of sensuous desire, ill will and cruelty
Right Speech: Being kind will increase respect and trust. Don’t lie, criticize unjustly, gossip use harsh language
Right Conduct: follow the five precepts
Right Livelihood: Earn a living through occupations that do not cause harm.
Right Effort: Try not to have evil thoughts, and have goodwill toward others
Right Mindfulness: Be aware of your thoughts, and how you might be led astray. Full attention given to proper thoughts
Right Concentration: Focus your mind on one object at a time, this will allow for peacefulness and tranquility

23. Buddhism Beliefs: The Three Refuges (The Triple Jewel)
A refuge is a safe place
The purpose of refuges in Buddhism is to help followers follow the right path and to help them on the journey.
They are
The Buddha (The guide)
The dharma (The Path)
The sangha (companions and teachers)

24. Buddhism Beliefs: The Six Perfections
Bodhisattva: Person who has attained nirvana but chooses to be reborn within samsara in order to help others on the path to enlightenment.
A Bodhisattva practices the six perfections
Giving
Morality
Patience
Vigor
Meditation
Wisdom

25. Buddhism Practices, Rituals: Buddhism does have various rituals
Most of them are performed in the home
Temple visits usually only on special days
Puja: Practice of honoring holy beings by making an offering or chanting
Bowing is done on many occasions
A lay person would bow to a monk or nun as a way to show respect
Monks and nuns bow to people
Bow in front of sacred objects and places three times a day to honor the three refuges
The most common offering is flowers, they wilt and show impermanence
Incents burned to symbolize Buddha’s odor of sanctity
Lighting candles represents Buddha’s enlightenment

26. Buddhism Practices, Rituals: Meditation
Meditation leads to wisdom, which ends suffering.
Meditation calms you.
Allows you to follow Buddhist principles
Can improve confidence, and physical health
Meditation is a essential practice for all followers of Buddhism

27. Buddhism Practices, Rituals: Chanting Mantras
Mantras are symbolic phrases that are chanted by Buddhist to help them keep in touch with their spiritual nature.
Om Mani Padme Hum is a six syllable mantra meaning “Hail the jewel in the lotus”.
This is a mantra of protection from all dangers.

28. Buddhism Practices, Rituals: Practices that Contribute to Good Karma.
Participating in rituals gives merit, giving good karma
Karma is the sum of good deeds - bad deeds.
The amount of good or bad karma will determine future incarnations.
Everyday actions, shopping, preparing meals, cleaning are all neutral.
Donating to monks, food, robes, medicine, and other necessities gives good karma.
Dana: Ritual where people donate to monks, people in attendance gain good karma.

29. Buddhism Practices, Rituals: Daily Rituals of a Buddhist Monk:
3:00am: Awakened by a wooden instrument called a mokt’ak.
They wash, put away their bed, and go down to the hall for chanting. After chanting meditating monks meditate, students go to study hall, and workers go to work.
10:30am More chanting, and offering of rice to mark Buddha’s habit of eating only once a day.
12:00 Lunch: chant to remind them that food is for the body not for greed. After lunch all monks go back to their activities
6:00pm: More chanting, quiet study, or meditation follows.
10:00pm Day ends.

30. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: Buddhism is rich in symbols
Symbols help people understand the abstract teachings
The statues of Buddha help people represent him in human form to focus their deviotion

31. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: Mudras
Mudras: Buddhist hand jestures that are often used in symbols, and in meditation.
There are many mudras that symbolize different things
The allow us to set a state of mind by performing a gesture.

32. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: Stupa
Stupa: Dome shaped mound that are built to hold relics of the Buddha or other holy figures
Every temple has on
People walk around them three times during their devotions
Some might be memorial crypts for prominent Buddhists
Pilgrimages to a stupa, or the construction of a small stupa gives good karma

33. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: The Lotus Flower
Symbolizes Buddha’s belief that everybody has the ability to rise up from an undesirable life.
Buddha had a vision of human kind in a bed of lotus flowers, some in mud and some coming out of it.

34. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: Buddhapada
Buddhapada: representation of Buddha’s footprints.
Usually have symbols of Buddha all around them

35. Buddhism Symbols and Icons: The Wheel of life:
Wheel of Life: a complete visual representation of the samsara, the endless cycle of uncontrolled rebirths.
The wheel…
Four concentric circles
Inner circle: Bird Pig Snake: represents the three vices that keep the wheel going Greed, Ignorance, and hatred

36. Buddhism Festivals Buddhist commemorate important dates
Not all Buddhists celebrate the same festivals at the same time
Most follow the lunar calendar, but some follow the calendar of their country

37. Buddhism Festivals Buddha Day
Celebrates the birth, enlightenment and death of Buddha
They believe it all happened on the same day of the year
People assemble at monistaries and temples
Light candles
Walk around the main hall three times chanting the three refuges

38. Buddhism Dhamma Day Commemerates the first sermon Monks are given food
In the evening food is given to the poor
They observe fire
Mediatate

39. Buddhism Festival of Floating Bowls
Floating bowls made of leaves down a river
When the bowls disappear so does all bad luck
Video

40. Buddhism
Milestones
Buddhism did not have rituals to mark the stages of life
As the religion spread the followers picked up the stages of their native culture
Tradtitionaly this means that early Buddhists would follow a Hindu lifestyle
In Canada they would follow a Canadian lifestyle

41. Buddhism Milestones: Early life
At one month parents of boys take them to see the monks to get their head shaved
Parents will take male children to stay with monks on school breaks and other holidays
When a boy goes to temple he is seen as a novice or monk in training

42. Buddhism Milestones: Becoming a Monk Two steps
At 7 or 8 boys enter monistary as a novice and assist monks, while taking on all Ten Precepts
Ordination: At twenty monks can read write and chant a few simple texts, They shave their head as a rejection of vanity, and take a holy name, and wears appropriate robes

43. List of things a Buddhist monk owns
Robe
Alms bowl
Belt
Razor
Filter for drinking water
Staff
Toothpick
Warm Jacket
Umbrella

44. Buddhism Milestones: Marriage
Bride and groom go to monistary and feed monks
Monks give blessing
Monks do not go to ceremony

45. Buddhism Milestones: Funeral Most use cremation
However if wood is expensive in the country burial is permitted
Ceremony has procession, prayers, water pouring ritual, cremation, final prayers, and a shared meal
Roads are cleared of all debris, body is hidden in funeral pyre, everyone recites tripple refuge, holy water poured on body, pyre is lit.

46. Buddhism Sacred Writings
Tripitaka: (Three baskets) the most accurate record of Buddha’s teachings
Sutras: Ideas or discourses that Buddha had that are said to give good karma by reciting them or writing them.

47. Buddhism Groups and Institutions:
Disagreements over Buddha’s teaching has led to the formation of many schools of Buddhism.
The Theravada School: Southern school. Considered more original and conservative. Does not recognise any writings after the Tripitaka. They do not see Buddha as a god. They rely on meditation and insight to attain nirvana. Arhats those who achieve nirvana are ideal perfection

48. Buddhism 2. The Mahayana School More liberal school
Believes Buddha is a god, and that heaven is populated with gods that can be prayed to
Emphasizes the importance of Bodhisattvas and worships them.

49. 3. The Vajrayana School
Emphasizes rituals like mantras and visualization
Thangkas: Wall hangings that promote concentration leading to enlightenment.
In Tibet the religion became entangeld with the governmance of the area
The leader religion becam the leader of the country
The Dalai Lama: Leader of the country, is reborn into a child that will be found by the monks using a complicated set of procedures

50. 4. Zen Buddhism: Emerged in Japan Focuses on Mediation
Monks search for enlightenment through mediation
Two schools
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