Buddhism– The 4 Noble Truths & Karma By: McKensie Fordham Period 2

Introduction:  Buddhism is most prevalent in Asia. Primarily in the East and South.  The reward of the Buddhists is not the achievement of personal immortality, but, rather, the attainment of nirvana, that is, release from the endless cycle of death and rebirth that binds all Hindus.  Buddhists reject both the popular Vedic gods and the existing forms of Hindu worship. Buddha followers to work out their own salvation.

Who is Buddha?  Siddhartha Gautama (Founder of Buddhism, also referred to as Buddha)  Buddha- “The Enlightened One”  Estimated to live between BC.  Went from a princely status to a monk.  Journeyed around India to teach others of his understanding of life.

"I teach suffering, its origin, cessation and path. That's all I teach“ --Buddha

The Four Noble Truths:  1. The truth of suffering (Dukkha)  2. The truth of the cause of suffering (Samudaya)  3. The truth of the end of suffering (Nirhodha)  4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (Magga)

What are the four noble truths?  The foundation of Buddhism.  More simply put, suffering exists; it has a cause; it has an end; and it has a cause to bring about its end.  Buddha came to understand during his meditation under the bodhi tree.

1. The truth of suffering (Dukkha)  Dukkha- Refers to anything that is temporary, conditional, or compounded of other things.  Three obvious kinds of suffering that correspond with the first sights Buddha encountered on his journey outside the palace walls: old age, sickness, and death.  Buddhists don't view in an optimistic or pessimistic ways, but rather in a realistic one.

2. The truth of the cause of suffering (Samudaya)  Suffering is much more deeply rooted than our immediate worries.  The three roots of evil/Ultimate causes of suffering: Greed and desire (rooster) Ignorance or delusion (pig) Hatred and desteuctive urges (snake)  Thana- Misplaced desire or craving  Chanda- Positive desires

3. The truth of the end of suffering (Nirhodha)  The Buddha taught that the way to extinguish desire, which cause suffering, is to liberate oneself from attachment.  Also referred to as the “possibility of liberation.”

Karma:  Karma is a law of cause and effect.  Created by the intentional acts of body, speech, and mind.  Example: A man gets into an argument at work. He drives home in an angry mood, cutting off another driver in an intersection. The driver cut off is now angry, and when he gets home he yells at his daughter.

4. The truth of the path that frees us from suffering (Magga)  In Buddhism there is no particular benefit to merely believing in a doctrine. However, the emphasis is on living the doctrine and walking the path.  Eightfold path

Conclusion:  Life’s true happiness does not come from material goods, it comes from within each and every one of us.  One has to understand the concept of self before they can truly understand the world surrounding them.

Bibliography:  dhism.htm dhism.htm   uddhism/ uddhism/