Ms. Susan M. Pojer Horace Greeley Hs Chappaqua, NY

Religions of South Asia

Buddhism in the Subcontinent

Siddhartha Gautama ( BCE)  Born  Born in NE India (Nepal). a prince – lived life of luxury.  His  His father had premonition that he would leave  Showered  Showered Siddartha with everything he could want in palace walls  At  At 29 – Siddartha leaves palace to go on a walk, encounters suffering  Is  Is guilted by suffering, cannot forget it  Leaves  Leaves palace to find cure for suffering  Lived  Lived a strict, ascetic life for 6 yrs, gives up everything!!!!!!  Ends  Ends up poor, hungry and suffering himself  Rejecting  Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found nirvana. nirvana. (Under tree)  Became  Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35, found “Middle Way”

The essence of Buddhism  There is a “middle way” or “middle path.”  Too much or too little of anything is bad.  We must achieve the middle path, but HOW?????????  End the cause of suffering????

What is the fundamental cause of all suffering ? Desire!  Therefore,  Therefore, extinguish the self, don’t obsess about oneself.

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.  Suffering includes illness, envy of others, hatefulness, being imperfect, losing loved one, etc.

Four Noble Truths 2. The cause of suffering is self-centered desire and attachments. (Tanha)  Grasping for pleasure  Grasping for acceptance  Grasping for anything we don’t have, jealousy

Four Noble Truths 3. The solution is to eliminate desire and attachments. (Nirvana = “extinction”)  How can we eliminate our desires?  Is it humanly possible?

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

Eightfold Path Nirvana  The union with the ultimate spiritual reality.  Escape from the cycle of rebirth.  Until one reaches enlightenment, continue cycle of rebirth  Based on Karma (Hindu word)

Buddha – 19c Thailand

Buddha’s head : 2c Pakistan Buddha’s head : 2c Pakistan

Buddhist Altar

Theravada Buddhism  The oldest school of Buddhism.  The “Way of the Elders” or the “Small Vehicle.”  Found in southern Asia.  The monastic life is the best way to achieve nirvana.  Focus on wisdom and meditation.  Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or “Enlightened One.”  Over 100,000,000 followers today.  The oldest school of Buddhism.  The “Way of the Elders” or the “Small Vehicle.”  Found in southern Asia.  The monastic life is the best way to achieve nirvana.  Focus on wisdom and meditation.  Goal is to become a “Buddha,” or “Enlightened One.”  Over 100,000,000 followers today.

Theravada Buddhism

Mahayana Buddhism

The Dalai Lama

Buddhism in America (1999)

Distribution of Buddhism Centers in the US, 2001

10 th Annual western buddhist monastic conference California, 2004

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