1. Buddhism

2. Essential Question
What do you think is the key to achieving happiness in your life?

3. Reactions to Early Hinduism
Why do you think some people may have rejected to early beliefs of Hinduism?

4. Reactions against Hinduism
Jainism
Reaction to Hinduism
Preaches non-violence to all creatures
Emphasis on asceticism
Mahavira: Founder of Jainism
Asceticism
a life characterized by rejection of worldly pleasures and self-denial

5. Buddhism starts in Nepal (Northern India)

6. Religions of South Asia

7. Buddhism in the Subcontinent

8. Siddhartha Gautama (563-483 BCE)
Born in NE India (Nepal).
Raised in great luxury to be a king.
At 29 he rejected his luxurious life to seek enlightenment and the source of suffering.
Lived a strict, ascetic life for 6 yrs.
Rejecting this extreme, sat in meditation, and found nirvana.
Became “The Enlightened One,” at 35.

9. Rise of Buddhism
Rejected caste system and the importance of priests and religious rituals
Worshipped gods, but did not find them necessary to achieve enlightenment.
Individual path to liberation.

10. Beliefs of Buddhism
Enlightenment = “awakening”; wisdom; comes through personal meditation
Buddha – “The enlightened one”
Nirvana – extinction of selfish desire; leads to release from cycle of birth and rebirth.

11. Other Beliefs of Buddhism
Dharma
Religious duties that lead to enlightenment
Four Noble truths
Eightfold Path
Ahimsa
Non-Violence
Tripitaka – The Three baskets of
Wisdom
Holy Book

12. What is the fundamental cause of all suffering?
Desire!

13. Four Noble Truths Life is filled with suffering and sorrow.
To live is to suffer.

14. Four Noble Truths
The cause of suffering is self-centered desire and attachments to worldy pleasures.

15. Four Noble Truths
The way to end suffering is to end one’s desire.

16. Four Noble Truths
To eliminate desire and achieve nirvana, one must follow the Eightfold Path

17. The Essence of Buddhism
Buddhism = “The Middle Way” between desire and self-denial
Ultimate goal is to achieve “Nirvana” – extinction of desire

18. Eight Fold Path .

20. Nirvana Eightfold Path The union with the ultimate spiritual reality.
Escape from the cycle of rebirth.

21. The Life of Buddha Photo Essay
Review the following slides depicting Buddha at various stages of his life.
Write a caption next to each picture describing how it is related to Buddha’s life and teachings.
Incorporate each of the essential vocabulary words into your essay.

22. Prince Siddhartha

23. Ascetic Siddhartha

24. Meditating Buddha

25. The Enlightened One

26. Teaching Buddha

27. The Death of Buddha