1. Community: Buddhism This religion was founded nearly 2500 years ago by a wealthy Indian prince called Siddhartha Gautama. Today, there are about 350 million Buddhists in the world.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. 1

2. Who was Siddhartha Gautama?
He lived in the 4th or 5th century before Christ (BC) in a beautiful palace and had everything he wanted.
When he grew up and went outside the palace, he saw an old man, a sick man and a dead man, and was very worried about the suffering that he saw.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. 2

3. He talked about this suffering to a monk
He talked about this suffering to a monk. Siddhartha decided that he should leave his palace and live the life of a homeless holy man.
After many years he became known as Buddha, which means ‘the awakened one’.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. 3

4. What did Buddha teach? There are three signs of being:
Dukkha – nothing in life is perfect.
Annica – everything in life, even a mountain, changes.
Anatta – a person’s life force (karma) is carried onto the next life. A good life makes good karma.
© National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum.
© National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum. 4

5. There are four noble truths:
1. Dukkha – suffering exists, e.g. through pain, disease, ageing, loneliness, fear and anger.
2. Samudaya – suffering is caused by craving and the need to control things, e.g. the desire for fame, the desire to avoid fear and anger.
3. Nirodha – suffering can be overcome and happiness can be attained by letting go of craving and living one day at a time. We can become happy and free and help others. This is Nirvana.
4. Magga – suffering can end by following the Eightfold Path.
© National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum.
© National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum. 5

6. The eightfold path to enlightenment
RIGHT VIEW
know the truth
RIGHT MINDFULNESS
control your thoughts
RIGHT INTENTION
free your mind of evil
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
practice meditation
RIGHT SPEECH
say nothing that hurts others
RIGHT EFFORT
resist evil
RIGHT ACTION
work for the good of others
RIGHT LIVELIHOOD
respect life

7. Where do Buddhists worship?
Buddhists can worship at home.
They will often have a shrine; there can be a statue of Buddha, candles and an incense burner.
Left: flickr.com/photos/adam39393.
Right: photo of Chinese Altar, Phuket, Thailand, © Jenny Siung.
Left: flickr.com/photos/adam39393.
Right: photo of Chinese Altar, Phuket, Thailand, © Jenny Siung. 7

8. Buddhists can worship in a temple.
All temples contain an image or a statue of Buddha and can be many different shapes.
Top right: True Buddha Temple, Brent, UK.
Bottom left: Buddhist temple, Borobudur, Java, Indonesia, © Jenny Siung.
Bottom right: Buddhist temple, flickr.com/photos/travfotos.
Top right: True Buddha Temple, Brent, UK.
Bottom left: Buddhist temple, Borobudur, Java, Indonesia, © Jenny Siung.
Bottom right: Buddhist temple, flickr.com/photos/travfotos. 8

9. A ringing bell symbolises
Incense is offered on altars during prayers.
Prayer beads help Buddhists to repeat their prayers.
Top right: statue of Buddha, © National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum.
Centre: Perfection of Wisdom sutra, © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
Top left: lotus flower, ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee.
Top left: candles and incense, flickr.com/photos/jlgosalbez.
Centre: flickr.com/photos/jimmiehomeschoolmom.
A ringing bell symbolises
Buddha’s voice. 9

10. What is inside a temple?
A statue of Buddha represents the enlightenment that Buddhists want to attain.
A lotus flower rises from muddy waters and represents enlightenment.
An example of a Tipitaka is a scroll of religious scriptures (Perfection of Wisdom sutra).
Top right: statue of Buddha, © National Museums Northern Ireland, Collection Ulster Museum.
Centre: Perfection of Wisdom sutra, © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
Top left: lotus flower, ndsu.edu/pubweb/chiwonlee. 10

11. A prayer wheel
A prayer wheel is a decorated cylinder of wood or metal.
Large prayer wheels can be seen in temples.
Small prayer wheels can be carried around and used at any time.
A prayer wheel is spun around and has scrolls or written prayers inside it.
Spinning a prayer wheel has the same effect as saying prayers out loud.
Top right: Tibetan prayer wheels, flickr.com/photos/coquetboy.
Bottom right: prayer wheel, © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
Top right: Tibetan prayer wheels, flickr.com/photos/coquetboy.
Bottom right: prayer wheel, © The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. 11

12. Make a prayer wheel What do we need? small, empty metal sweet tin
replacement garage door roller
strong glue
beaded chain
small nut
weight (for the end of the key chain).
To put inside the prayer wheel:
page of A4 paper with lines drawn along the long side
pen
scissors
glue.
Watch ‘how to make a prayer wheel’ on YouTube or follow instructions: 12

13. How do we make the prayer wheel?
Empty and clean the sweet tin – close it tightly.
Clean the garage door roller with soap and dry.
Glue the roller head to the bottom of the tin.
Thread the key chain through the small nut.
Glue the nut to the side of the tin.
Let it dry overnight.
Attach a weight to the end
of the chain.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. 13

14. What do we put inside the prayer wheel?
Write prayers, thoughts or messages on the lined paper.
Cut along the lines to make strips.
Glue them together to make one long strip.
Curl the paper around your finger and place it in the bottom of the tin.
Close the lid tightly.
Spin your prayer wheel clockwise.
© The Trustees of the Chester Beatty Library. See YouTube clip of large and hand-held prayer wheels in Tibet: youtube.com/watch?v=G1Y1nwbNMLU or for an introduction to Buddhist prayer wheels in Tibet and Scotland (Courtesy of National Museums Scotland). To download select HD .MP4 file (1280x720 / 69MB). 14

15. The Chester Beatty Library Creative Commons Flickr
Images
The images, where stated, are copyrighted and cannot be used for other purposes.
The Chester Beatty Library
The Ulster Museum
Creative Commons Flickr