Buddhism Tim Gerwel and Carlo Duaban

Origin  Originated in Northern India in 5 th century B.C.  Founded by Siddhartha Gautama or “the Buddha” -”Enlightened one”  Gautama noticed suffering in the world, and left his lavish lifestyle to seek peace and happiness  Spent the remainder of his life teaching dharma (underlying order of life nature, and the cosmos)

Diffusion  Emperor Ashoka felt grief after war, and adopted the ideals of Buddhism  Ashoka’s missionaries spread it to Myanmar, Tibet, China, Japan, and Korea  Sri Lanka’s king also converted  In China, Buddhism intertwined with Taoism  Has spread to the West recently because of prominent leaders such as the Dalai Lama

Common Practices  Meditation is the main practice of Buddhism and is central to the religion.  Buddhists believe that meditation achieves spiritual freedom and enlightenment. They have two kinds of meditation called Samatha and Vipassana. All Buddhist teachings are centered around meditation and getting rid of negative states of minds, which is the cause of suffering.  Karma is one of the essential teachings. Any action will have a result depending on good or bad actions  They believe in rebirth and that people are not separate from the universe.  Four Noble Truths are also one of Buddhism's main teachings.  They center around suffering and how it can be avoided or changed.  Noble Eightfold Path is part of the Four Noble Truths. The Noble Truths say that you can attain freedom from suffering by living the Noble Eightfold Path. They consist of three qualities: Wisdom, Morality, and Meditation. And Eightfold Path: Right View, Right Thought, Right Speech, Right Action, Right Livelihood, Right Effort, Right Mindfulness, and Right Contemplation.

Holy Places  Lumbini, or the birth place of Buddha. It is the “mecca” of Buddhism, in a way that Buddhists should take a pilgrimage.  Maya Devi Temple was found in the late 19 th century, and it has several paintings that depict the Buddha’s birth.  “Flawless Stone” was discovered, which is a stone placed by Emperor Ashoka himself marking the birthplace of Buddha

Conflicts  The main Buddhist conflict is with their rival the Hindus. They have been in conflict and even at war with each other for thousands of years. Both religions came from India creating even more tension.  As early as the 3 rd century B.C. have these two not liked each other. One emperor was a Buddhist and outlawed the killing of animals for rituals. After his death, Buddhists became the targets of Hindus.  Modern conflicts are largely the same. One of the most recent conflicts was in Sri Lanka where Hindus have been treated poorly through violence and such. Sri Lanka is believed to be a predominantly Buddhist country.

Work Cited  "Buddhist Meditation." N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan  "Essentials of Buddhism." buddhaweb. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan  "Why Is There Conflict Between Hindus and Buddhists? Read more: Why Is There Conflict Between Hindus and Buddhists?." ehow. Ed. Lee Flamand. N.p., n.d. Web. 6 Jan  "The Spread of Buddhism." Buddhist Tourism. Web. 10 Jan  "Religion and Philosophy: The Origins of Buddhism." Asia for Educators | Columbia University. Web. 10 Jan  "Holy Sites of Buddhism: Lumbini - Buddha's Birthplace." BuddhaNe. Web. 10 Jan