Prince Siddhartha Gautama “The Buddha” Teacher’s Note: In T’ang times, Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism became known as the Three Doctrines, or the "Three Teachings." A man might honor his ancestors by following the rigid rules of social behavior as dictated by Confucianism, attend a Buddhist pageant, and practice Taoist breathing exercises, all in the same day. These three doctrines were an important part of daily life.

The Prince Prince Siddhartha Gautama, who would one day be known as the Buddha, was born in ancient India in 563 BCE. He was born around the same time that Confucius was born in ancient China.

The Prince The prince had parents who loved him, servants to wait on him, the finest clothes, and a different palace for each season. Still he found his world full of suffering. It upset him that old age, sickness, and death were all parts of life in this world.

The Monk One day, he met a monk. He was amazed that this monk could find calm and peace in a world filled with such suffering. That day, he made a very difficult decision. He decided to leave his wealth, his comfort, his wife, and his newborn son to become a monk.

The Buddha For the next six years, he traveled throughout India. One day while sitting under a fig tree, an understanding came to him. This understanding was a way to end suffering. That was the day the prince began to earn a new title, the Buddha, which means the "Awakened One."

Four Noble Truths The Buddha realized that life is ruled by Four Noble Truths: All life is suffering. Suffering is caused by selfish desires. This suffering can be ended. There is an Eightfold Path to end the suffering.

Eightfold Path In brief, these are the eight laws of the Eightfold Path: 1. Right viewpoint 2. Right intention 3. Right speech 4. Right action 5. Right work 6. Right Effort 7. Right mindfulness 8. Right meditation

The Middle Way The Eightfold Path was designed to guide people without making life too strict or too easy. The “Middle Way” is the name Buddhists give to lives guided by the laws of the Eightfold Path.

Silk Road The Buddha spent the rest of his life traveling around India and sharing his message. He had many followers, some of whom became Buddhist monks. After his death in 483 BCE, the teachings of Buddhism spread into China as ideas and stories told by travelers along the Silk Road.

Proverbs Buddhists everywhere live by the Buddha's teachings, which were written down as proverbs. Here is one of the Buddha's proverbs, written over 2000 years ago: “Hatreds never cease by hatred in this world; by love alone they cease. This is an ancient law.”

Laughing Buddha Have you ever wondered why many statues of Buddha have a laughing face? The laughing Buddha reminds us that to be happy, we need to have a loving heart. By not being resentful, by not bearing grudges, only then are we able to smile like the Buddha, and be truly happy.

Growth of Buddhism Buddhism values love, wisdom, goodness, calm, and self-control. Summary:Buddhists believe that the Buddha and his teachings should be honored, that people should try to end suffering, and that they should follow the Eightfold Path.

Growth of Buddhism In T’ang times, people thought of Buddhism as a chart of behavior that they could follow to lead them toward a state of enlightenment. Today, Buddhism is a major religion. There are over 330 million Buddhists in the world.

Quick Quiz Why did the Buddha leave his comfortable home? 2. What is the Eightfold Path? 3. What is the Middle Way? 4. Why is the Buddha pictured as laughing? He met a monk who exhibited the kind of peace he sought in a world of suffering. Eight basic rules to follow to move toward enlightenment. The Middle Way refers to leading a life of following the Eightfold Path. The laughing Buddha reminds us that to be happy, we need to have a loving heart