Buddism Sasha Peter Kaylee

Early History Hindus in India became dissatisfied with external rituals and wanted more spiritual faith – This lead them to leave their homes in search of peace and solitude – They developed new insights through meditation – It then became one of the most influential religions

Siddhartha Gautama He was the founder of Buddhism His date of birth and death are unknown He is known as the “Supreme Buddha” Prince of Shakya nation Born into luxury On the night Siddhartha was conceived, Queen Maya dreamt that a white elephant with six white tusks entered her right side and ten lunar months later Siddhartha was born from her right side in a garden under a tree She died soon after giving birth His name, Siddhartha means “he who achieves his aim” It was predicted he would either be a great king or holy man

Growing up, had 3 palaces His father tried to shield him from religious teachings and human suffering because he had hopes of Siddhartha becoming a great king At 16, He had an arranged marriage to his cousin When he turned 26 he went to meet his subjects. On the way he encountered a sickly old man. He had not encountered this before because the king had made sure to hide the old, the sick, and the suffering from the eye of the public. He then left his kingdom more and saw a diseased man, a decaying corpse, and an ascetic.

He then fled his kingdom to devote his life to meditation He rode his horse to escape and later spoke that "the horse's hooves were muffled by the gods“ which made it so the guards didn’t hear his escape. This was known as “The Great Departure"

He began his life of solitude by begging for alms When his father found out that he had left, he offered his son the throne in an attempt to have him return. Siddhartha refused. He sought various teachings to find his own path Looked for enlightenment with 5 companions Practiced starvation, came very close to death several times. Along his journey he feel into a river, nearly drowning and said to have experienced jhana

THE GREAT ENLIGHTENMENT Dedicated his time to meditation and Anapana-sati (awareness of breathing in and out Found the Middle Way—a path of moderation away from the extremes of self-indulgence and self-mortification Meditated for 49 days until he found the enlightenment He then was called Buddha, which means “awakened one”

Divisions of Buddhism Theravada – Remained close in practice to original teachings of Buddha – Regarded his as a teacher Mahayana – Encouraged the worship of Buddha as a divine being and savior

4 NOBLE TRUTHS 1.All people suffer and know sorrow 2.People suffer because their desires bind them to the cycle of rebirth 3.People could end their suffering by eliminating their desires 4.One could eliminate desire by following the Eightfold Path

Eightfold Path the way to end suffering 1.Know the truth 2.Resist evil 3.Say nothing to hurt others 4.Respect life 5.W ork for the good of others 6.F ree your minds of evil 7.Control your thoughts 8.Practice meditation

THE BUDDHIST SYMBOL Symbolizing the Eightfold Path

Nirvana Achieved after following the Eightfold Path A state of freedom from the cycle of rebirth Not a place, but a state of extinction A state of being one with the universe

Rejection of the V arna System A persons place in life should be determined by who they are, not their birth Anyone, regardless of caste could achieve enlightenment Buddhists also do not believe in deities like the Hindus

Reincarnation Buddhists believe in Reincarnation However they also believe that the cycle of reincarnation could be escaped by following the Eightfold Path and reaching Nirvana. Reincarnation is considered a bad thing, a cycle of suffering

Practicing Buddhism Devotion Practices Include: – Bowing – Offerings – Pilgrimage – Chanting

Refuge in the Three Jewels the first steps to Buddhism The Buddha. This is a title for those who attained Nirvana. See also the Tathāgata and Gautama Buddha. The Buddha could also be represented as a concept instead of a specific person: the perfect wisdom that understands Dharma and sees reality in its true form. The Dharma. The teachings or law of nature as expounded by the Gautama Buddha. It can also, especially in Mahayana, connote the ultimate and sustaining Reality which is inseverable from the Buddha. The Sangha; the "community" of Buddhists or "congregation" of monks and nuns.

Buddhists Follow a Code of Ethics 1. To refrain from taking life. (non-violence towards sentient life forms) 2. To refrain from taking that which is not given. (not committing theft) 3. To refrain from sensual (sexual) misconduct. 4. To refrain from lying. (speaking truth always) 5. To refrain from intoxicants which lead to loss of mindfulness. (refrain from using drugs or alcohol)

Celebrity Buddhists

Dalai L ama Dalai means “Ocean” Lama means “Spiritual Leader” Spiritual and political leader for Tibetan Buddhism A Mater of Buddhism exempt from wheel of death and rebirth Tenzin Gyatso, current Dalai Lama

Are You Buddhist? 1. I only believe in things I can see, hear, taste, touch, or smell. 2. "Seeing" can also be from the thinking mind with flashes of insight or understanding while in concentration, relaxation, or deep meditation. 3. I believe that everyone is either born good or with a blank slate which can become good or bad depending upon life choices, family upbringing, peers, and culture. No one is born inherently or intrinsically "evil." 4. People must take responsibility for every facet of their life and stop blaming others. 5. People will say or write all kinds of things which may or may not be true. It is best to check and see for yourself if the statements or claims are true or if they really work. 6. Rites, rituals, and religious ceremonies are a waste of time and are empty of any real value toward reaching higher spiritual levels or God. 7. It is best to sit back and observe and reflect, rather than immediately reacting to a situation, positive or negative. 8. I sometimes feel (or would like to feel) so connected to nature that everything seems to be part of one living organism. 9. Sometimes it is best to let things happen, rather than trying to force certain things to happen.

W ork Cited (Notes on History of Buddhism) from Ms. Henninger W ikipedia (Buddhism) W ikipedia (Siddhartha Gautama) Relious Tollarance, m About.com (Buddhism)

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